“Years after being approved by the city, the redevelopment of the former American Islamic College campus in Uptown is moving forward, albeit with some changes to the plans. Development firm K Giles has for years planned to redevelop the American Islamic College property at Irving Park Road and Marine Drive, including turning the former school buildings into apartments and constructing a senior living tower on its parking lot.

“These plans were officially greenlit by the city in 2022, though no progress has been made as the campus was used as an emergency migrant shelter. The project is once again moving forward, but the senior living tower is no longer part of the plans, according to Ald. Angela Clay’s 46th Ward office.

“The American Islamic College sold its parking lot, which was to house the senior apartments, to another developer, CityPads, in July, according to property records and Clay’s office.

“K Giles is still proceeding with the plans to adapt the school building into residential apartments, the developer confirmed. They’ve recently applied for building permits — according to city records.

“Plans approved by the city in 2022 included a 22-story senior-living building with 192 units, including both independent living and memory care options. The existing, historically protected school buildings would be converted into 245 apartments.

“The former school campus opened in 1921 as Immaculata High School, an all-girls Catholic institution. It was designed by Barry Byrne, who worked under Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1983, the school complex received Chicago Landmark status. The high school shuttered in 1981, with the American Islamic College moving into the campus two years later.

“The Uptown campus also had a temporary life as a migrant shelter starting in 2023, when thousands of migrants were arriving to the city. It was one of the city’s biggest migrant shelters, with between 500-600 at a time housed there during the crisis. In June 2025, the campus closed as a city shelter.” (Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 8/27/26)

“Designed by Level Architecture, the first phase of the project would convert the three attached buildings of the Immaculata School into 245 apartments, made up of studios, one-beds, and two-bed units.

“Common amenities will include the conversion of the existing 5,000 square foot gymnasium into a modern exercise facility which will include the retention of one of the existing basketball courts.

“The dramatic 1,000-seat auditorium will be partially retained, serving the tenants and the neighborhood on a limited basis, with most of the space retrofitted as a multi-purpose amenity space. The auditorium balcony will also be transformed with tiered workstations and a business center.” (Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/2/25)

“Barry Byrne began his architectural career with Frank Lloyd Wright. Using Wright’s teachings as the basis for developing a personal style, Byrne established new precedents for modern ecclesiastical architecture, creating original expressions in a genre usually associated with historic forms and long-established traditions. The later building, designed by Byrne, is a model of a compatible, yet distinctive addition to a historic structure.” (Chicago Landmark Commission, Department of Planning and Development)

Preservation Chicago is encouraged that the adaptive reuse of the Chicago Landmark Immaculata High School is moving forward and that K Giles has applied for building permits. Barry F. Byrne’s 1922 campus at Irving Park Road and Marine Drive is among the most significant works by an architect who trained with Frank Lloyd Wright and went on to reshape modern ecclesiastical design in America. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on July 27, 1983, and this project has been delayed for a number of years.

We applaud the developer’s recognition of the value of the historic interior elements. This is a proven best-practice and we celebrate the decision to incorporate these historic elements into the new project.

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago and Urbanize Chicago

• Plans To Redevelop Uptown’s Islamic College Move Forward — Without Proposed Senior Living Tower; Plans to turn the landmarked school building into residential apartments are ongoing, but CityPads took over the parking lot that was set to become a high-rise for seniors, Madison Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 8/27/26
• Immaculata Living seeks crowdfunded investment; The project at 640 W. Irving Park could open in 2028 with crypto-back investors, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/2/25
• Funding And Timeline Revealed For Immaculata Redevelopment In Uptown, Ian Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 9/8/25
• Temporary Homeless Shelter At Uptown’s American Islamic College To Close This Summer, Block Club Chicago, 2/9/26
• City Council approves 640 W. Irving Park; The development will convert a school into apartments and build a new senior living tower, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 10/4/22
• Uptown Development at 640 W Irving Park Road Secures more Approvals, Chicago YIMBY, 7/2022
• Developer Shrinks Building And Number Of Apartments In Proposed Redevelopment Of Historical Uptown School Campus, Block Club Chicago, 5/5/22
• WIN: Plans Announced for Adaptive Reuse of Chicago Landmark Immaculata High School and New Construction Residential Tower; Preservation Chicago, 10/2025