LIVE at ICA GreenRise

Would you like to live a more sustainable lifestyle in a community that believes that everyone has gifts to share?  Do you want to know your neighbors, enjoy more connected relationships and collaborate with others who share your values?  Do you want an affordable, comfortable and safe home in Chicago's vibrant Uptown community? If you answered "yes", then the ICA intentional community may be right for you.

We are a inclusive community of people who want to live simply and sustainably. We represent different races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexual preferences and abilities and are looking to diversify even more. Our ages range from toddlers to the late 70’s and everything in between. At full capacity we can handle 33 residents.

Each of us has our own space. Our personal accommodations range from about 8’ x 20’ to 15’ x 20’, but no two rooms are the same. Many are a single room, some have two rooms, and occasionally, ‘suites’ with more than two rooms are available. We share common living areas: a well-appointed kitchen, a spacious dining room, and (binary)-gendered showers and bathrooms. We all pitch in with chores to ensure that we have a livable community.

Interested in making a home with us? We invite you get in contact with us to find out more.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does "intentional community” mean? ​

“Intentional community” is an inclusive term for any project where people strive together with a common vision, including ecovillages, cohousing communities, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives, intentional living, alternative communities, and cooperative living.  We are living in the GreenRise Intentional Community to promote environmental, economic, cultural, and communal sustainability.

WHAT IS THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE?

Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood is known for its rich and vibrant diversity, as well as formally being Chicago’s entertainment district. Uptown is currently home to numerous music venues, nightclubs, restaurants and shops. Uptown Square, at the center of the Uptown Entertainment District, was designated as a National Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. For more information on Uptown, you can visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown,_Chicago.

IS THE ICA ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION?

YES! ICA is located just two blocks from the CTA Red Line, and the 151 Sheridan and 81 Lawrence buses run right outside the front doors of the building. The building is just 5 blocks from the Wilson El station which also has a Purple Line stop. It’s just 3 blocks to Broadway, where the 36 Broadway bus stops. In addition to excellent access to public transport, Lake Shore Drive is just two blocks away, as is a Lakefront Trail bike and running path that spans almost 20 miles across the city.  There is a DIVVY bike share station across the street.

IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT FOR LIVING WITHIN THE BUILDING? ​

You must 19 years of age to rent a unit in the building. Children are welcomed with their parent(s) or guardian(s).​

IS THERE A SECURITY DEPOSIT? ​

A security deposit is not required. There is a non-refundable fee of $100 to cover move-in expenses.

HOW LONG IS A LEASE FOR?

We are looking for long-term community members; some of us have lived here for going on 4 decades. The lease term is minimum 1 year.

WHAT TYPES OF PAYMENTS ARE ACCEPTED?

Check, credit card and cash are all acceptable forms of payment. Rent is due on the 1st of every month.

IS THERE CABLE AND WI-FI AVAILABLE?

All rooms are cable ready, but residents have to contact an Internet Service Provider to purchase connectivity for their unit. Yes, there is browsing (unsecured) Wi-Fi on the residential floor and there are other common spaces where Wi-Fi is available. Soon there may be other options available.

how big are the rooms? ​

One of the charms of the GreenRise building is that no two things are exactly the same, including the rooms! There are different room sizes ranging from 150 square feet to 700 square feet. Rent is based on the size of the room and number of occupants.

Is there parking available? 

​Depending on availability, parking is available on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis. The costs are:
Daily - $5.00 Monthly - $50, Yearly - $500.

HOW IS THE KITCHEN SET UP?

Residents share a kitchen on the 6th floor of the building, and they can also subscribe to a paid meal plan, where a cook comes in and cooks food twice a week that the food plan subscribers can heat up for meals. Each resident is assigned cabinet, refrigerator, and freezer space, and is welcome to use the equipment in the kitchen to prepare their meals. We, the community, take responsibility for keeping the communal kitchen in good condition by working with a team of folks one day each week.

HOW ARE THE BATHROOMS SET UP?

One of the items shared with others within this community will be bathroom space. These are separated by gender binary with facilities of five stalls and sinks in each bathroom. Separate showers are in other rooms. There is one ADA-compliant bathroom, but no ADA-compliant shower at this time.

IS THERE A WASHER AND DRYER?

There are coin-operated washers and dryers on the residential floor that charge $1.00 per wash load and $1.00 per dryer load.

WHAT IS SECURITY LIKE IN THE BUILDING? ​

The ICA GreenRise building values a secure space for both its tenants and residents. There is someone at the front desk 24 hours a day. The front doors of the building are locked at approximately 9:00 pm, and residents and tenants must be buzzed in through the front door. There are special elevator codes for the residential floors.

WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR GUESTS OF RESIDENTS? ​

For guests of residents, we offer a guest bedroom that can be rented as needed. The resident is responsible for their guests while they are in the building. One of the key foundations of making an intentional community work is respect for others you share the space with; it is of utmost importance that this respect be reflected in those who are invited into the community living space.

ARE PETS ALLOWED? ​

Yes, ICA is already home to furry friends with some capacity limits.  If caps is not reached, your pet may be approved after a pet interview and an additional non-refundable $100 pet fee is paid.