Hawthorne World Moves Forward With Nation’s Largest Net-Zero Mixed-Use Development
The project had cleared several recent financing and regulatory hurdles.
Hawthorne World Corp. has cleared a major milestone in the entitlement process of Garden Station, a 348-unit mixed-use residential community located in Villa Park, Ill. The project is now positioned to move forward toward construction.
The Village of Villa Park Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals have reapproved the project. The last step before the project is cleared for groundbreaking will be a yes vote from the Village Board of Trustees in the coming weeks. Villa Park is a western suburb of Chicago.
According to Hawthorne World, Garden Station expected to be the largest net-zero mixed-use residential community in the United States.
The project has had a bumpy history, experiencing delays resulting from a senior loan default and a subsequent foreclosure action initiated by a bridge lender. The foreclosure lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, and a substitute lender has since been obtained.
READ ALSO: Why Affordable Housing’s Future Is Human Infrastructure
The development incorporates various Passive House principles and advanced energy-efficient technologies that reduce utility costs for residents while minimizing environmental impact, Hawthorne noted.
More conventional amenities at Garden Station include a resort-style swimming pool, a dog park and dedicated dog walk areas, as well as a pet grooming station. The property will include coworking spaces, a private movie theater, fitness and wellness facilities. There are community gathering spaces and outdoor recreational amenities. The property is also located within Villa Park’s Transit-Oriented Development District.
Activity in the Windy City
Chicago remains an active multifamily market. During the first four months of 2026, developers added 710 units to the market’s multifamily stock, according to Yardi Matrix data. The market’s pipeline includes nearly 11,200 units, with an additional 85,000 apartments in the planning and permitting stages.
In April, the Community Builders broke ground on Southbridge 1C in Chicago, as part of the redevelopment of a former public housing project in the city’s South Loop. The property is an 80-unit mixed-income community that will provide affordable and market rate housing when it opens next year .
In January, Presbyterian Living started work on a 70-unit expansion at The Moorings of Arlington Heights, a senior housing community in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, Ill. The community is scheduled for completion in fall 2027.
