The Courtyard Block Solution to Chicago’s Family Flight Problem

People sitting around a table on a patio, talking and drinking beer, with a grassy courtyard and children playing in the background of an apartment complex.

For centuries, courtyard blocks in Europe have provided residents with spacious homes looking into sound-insulated, car-free courtyards in the midst of the noisy city.

Courtyard blocks bring family-friendly density and mixed-use, mixed-income building to every block, creating neighborhoods that are walkable, affordable, and attractive to households of all ages and stages.

A multi-story building with glass walls showing interior spaces on each floor, including offices, cafes, and libraries. The building is surrounded by trees, a park, and streets with parked and moving cars and pedestrians.

“Courtyard Euchre” and “Courtyard Cross Section” are AI-generated images.

By weaving courtyard blocks into its urban fabric, Chicago can invest in a future of economic, ecological, and lifecycle sustainability.

Aerial view of a residential complex with a central garden, surrounded by apartment buildings with red roofs, trees with fall foliage, and nearby streets with parked cars.

A 100-year-old courtyard block in Helsinki, Finland.

Satellite map of an urban area with streets, buildings, and green trees. Several icons indicate locations such as a restaurant, coffee shop, and government office.

A 19th-century courtyard block neighborhood in Hannover, Germany.

Keep reading to find out about GRO’s movement to bring courtyard urbanism to Lincoln Square.

We want you to get involved!

GRO’s Courtyard Block Plan for the 2500 Block of W. Lawrence Ave.

Satellite view of a city block showing W Lawrence Ave with parking lots, buildings, and trees. Several restaurants and businesses are marked, including Burger King and Coffee Slasticrna Drina European.

In July 2024, the Biden administration announced a plan to combat the housing affordability crisis by increasing housing nationwide. The plan calls on federal agencies, including the USPS, to repurpose federal property for housing where appropriate.

The 2500 block of W. Lawrence, which currently sites a USPS office, is an ideal site to do a “proof of concept” for American courtyard urbanism.

Over the summer and fall, GRO members met with Ald. Andre Vasquez and U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley, who support the project and want to work with GRO and other collaborators to bring a courtyard block to the 2500 block of W. Lawrence.

Line drawing of a multi-story building with labeled floors from first to fourth, showing balconies, windows, and surrounding trees on a street with street name signs.

A courtyard block on the 2500 block of Lawrence would not only increase the housing on this block (from 0 units to 55 units), but it would add 45 family-sized multi-family house (MFH) units to the neighborhood, and it would increase the property tax revenue for the site (from $0 to ~$750k-$1M yearly).

Comparison of two urban streetscapes: left side shows a typical city street with parked cars, commercial buildings, and cloudy sky; right side shows a modern, developed street with multi-story residential buildings, trees lining the sidewalk, and a clear sky with some clouds.

In this plan, the 160’x270’ site would be redeveloped into a 5-story courtyard block with a downsized USPS office tucked in the ground floor commercial space/parking area. The courtyard and floors 1-4 would rest on top of the parking/commercial podium.

With parking, USPS office, and other retail on the ground floor, and assuming 5% of the building space in floors 1-4 go to utilities/common space, the remaining 127,984 sq ft of program space for floors 1-4 allow for 25 jumbo units (3,000 sq ft), 20 medium units (2,000 sq ft), and 10 small units (1,000 sq ft).

Let’s GRO courtyards together!

Aerial view of a city block with multiple buildings featuring orange rooftops, green trees, and several labeled locations including 'Cafefin,' 'Cloud room,' 'The Miners Coffee JZP,' with icons indicating food and coffee spots.

Interested in joining GRO’s courtyard movement? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly!

Come to our next GRO CIMBY (Courtyard In My Backyard) subcommittee meeting on the third Wednesday of every month. We meet at The Green Post (Lawrence and Rockwell) at 7:30PM.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Outdoor scene of a restaurant called The Green Post with large trees, string lights, and flower planters, during daytime.
Newspaper article with headline: The courtyard block solution to Chicago’s family fight problem. The article shows a parking lot in front of a residential building, with cars and vans parked, and additional buildings and trees in the background.
A view of a city park with green grass, trees, benches, and a small playground area with rocks and a small wooden structure, surrounded by colorful buildings.
A playground with two tire swings hanging from a wooden frame in a park, with green grass, trees, benches, and residential buildings in the background under a clear blue sky.
Aerial view of a city block with interconnected buildings featuring red roofs, green parks, and nearby railway lines.
Aerial view of a historic city with densely packed buildings, narrow streets, and a central green park surrounded by red-tiled roofs.
A courtyard surrounded by multi-story red brick residential buildings with balconies, trees, a fountain, walking paths, benches, and people enjoying the outdoors on a sunny day with blue sky and fluffy clouds.
Map of a neighborhood with street names and various locations such as a beauty salon, a post office, a restaurant, and a library.
Aerial view of a city block in Prague showing streets named Polská, Slavíčkova, and Mánesova. The image includes various shops, restaurants, parks, parking lots, and tree-lined streets.
A modern white apartment building with multiple balconies, some with plants, set against a clear blue sky. In the foreground, a green courtyard with trees, a bench, and children's play equipment.
An outdoor concert at dusk in a courtyard with an audience seated in front of a stage illuminated with colorful purple and yellow lights. The courtyard is surrounded by a historic building with windows lit from within, decorative trees, and a central
Aerial view of a courtyard surrounded by multi-story residential buildings with red and yellow rooftops, and trees casting shadows in the center.
A courtyard surrounded by multi-story apartment buildings with balconies decorated with plants. In the foreground, there are lush green trees and shrubs, with a pathway winding through the garden area. The scene depicts a peaceful urban garden space.
Aerial view of a city block with red-roofed buildings, green parks, and streets labeled Guldbergs Plads, Arresøgade, and Tegnshovedgade, showing various landmarks and points of interest.
A child walking along the edge of a circular sandbox in a courtyard with trees and high-rise apartment buildings in the background.
A courtyard garden surrounded by low-rise apartment buildings with red-tiled roofs. The garden features neatly maintained lawns, trees, benches, and a small fountain, under a clear blue sky.
Cross-section illustration of a multi-story building showing various activities on each floor, including homes, offices, a gym, a bus outside, trees, outdoor seating, and outdoor dog areas.
A peaceful courtyard with a large rock in the center, surrounded by benches, trees, and lush green ivy on a building wall.
An aerial view of a residential area with red-roofed buildings, tree-lined streets, and a green park at the center. Streets are labeled 'Roostraße' and 'Goebenstraße', with a marker indicating organic olive oil from Southern Greece.
Aerial view of a courtyard enclosed by a large red-roofed building with surrounding streets and parked cars. The courtyard contains trees, pathways, and small recreational areas.
Urban garden with flowering trees and bushes surrounded by residential buildings under a cloudy sky.
A satellite map view of Venice, Italy, showing canals, historic buildings, and streets. Notable landmarks include Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo and Spaghetteria Pizzeria.
Children playing on playground equipment, including a tire swing, tube slide, and climbing structure in an urban park area with apartment buildings in the background.
Map of a neighborhood showing streets, hotels, and cafes including Best Western Hotel Piccadilly Roma, Poppies Coffee Bar, and SantoPalato restaurant.
Satellite view of a city block with buildings, streets, and a park area in the center. Streets labeled 'Helsingborgsgade,' 'Kildevældsgade,' and 'Marthalejade.'
Aerial view of a neighborhood in Zürich showing streets, buildings, and trees. Major streets include Lägenstrasse, Rütischistrasse, Thurwiesstrasse, and Rotbuchstrasse. Notable locations are Aharam restaurant, Tsugi Bäckerei, and MD Reisen. The map i
A street corner in Milan, Italy, featuring a corner building with multiple balconies and storefronts including a pharmacy. There are bicycles, cars parked along the street, and several people walking or standing. Street signs and a map inset are also
Satellite view of Amsterdam with canals, streets, and labeled establishments including Barentsz restaurant, Baba Coffeeshop, and a hotel. The view shows boats on the canal Zoutkeetsgracht and surrounding buildings.