Courtyard-Oriented Mixed-Use Building Takes Shape at 700 North Virgil Avenue

Construction has advanced on a mixed-use building at 700 North Virgil Avenue, where the project’s internal organization is becoming legible through its framing and massing. Rather than presenting itself solely as a street-facing structure, the building is arranged around a shared residential interior that sits above the ground-floor level.

Architecture for the development is credited to Kevin Tsai Architecture.

700 North Virgil Avenue via Kevin Tsai Architecture

At the center of the design is a landscaped courtyard positioned above the podium, serving as the primary gathering space for residents. Upper-level apartments are oriented toward this interior zone, creating a protected environment that contrasts with the activity of the surrounding streets. Shared amenities, including indoor communal space, are embedded within this upper residential layer rather than pushed to the perimeter of the site.

The building’s base is expressed as a distinct podium, accommodating ground-floor commercial space along the street edge. Above, the residential mass steps back and reads as a separate volume, with façades and window groupings that emphasize the transition from public-facing uses below to private living spaces above. This vertical separation defines the project’s architectural hierarchy.

700 North Virgil Avenue Construction Site via Kevin Tsai Architecture

A total of 37 apartments are planned within the six-story structure, with residences stacked above approximately 9,500 square feet of commercial space. Vehicle parking is fully contained below grade in a two-level subterranean garage, allowing the ground plane to prioritize retail frontage and pedestrian activity rather than driveways or surface stalls.

700 North Virgil Avenue View via Kevin Tsai Architecture

The project utilizes Transit Oriented Communities incentives to support its residential program, with four of the apartments reserved for extremely low-income households. Once complete, the building at 700 North Virgil Avenue will introduce a courtyard-centered residential environment layered above an active commercial base at a prominent Virgil Village intersection.

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