The Independence Library and Apartments, developed through a partnership between Chicago Housing Authority and Chicago Public Library, has won the first place Richard R. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design at the 26th annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards (CNDA) presented by LISC Chicago. The project was designed by John Ronan Architects and developed by Evergreen Real Estate Group. Garnering third-place in the same category was Pierce House at La Casa Norte. Landon Bone Baker Architects is the designer. Independence Library and Apartments, 4022 N. Elston, is a six-story mixed-use development in the Irving Park neighborhood. It provides a total of 44 senior apartments, including 30 public housing and 14 affordable apartments. It opened last year as part of three co-located housing and library developments built across the city. Pierce House at La Casa Norte includes 25 units of supportive housing in the Humboldt Park community. The one and two-bedroom apartments are supported by CHA project-based vouchers and are leased to individuals and families from the CHA waiting list and Chicago’s Coordinated Entry System for homelessness.