Rendering of the Taylor Place Apartments in McHenry (Knothe & Bruce Architects)

McHenry County officals have broken ground in the city of McHenry on the Taylor Place Apartments.

When completed, Taylor Place Apartments will begin to address the growing need for workforce housing in McHenry County.  

Located at 4105 W. Crystal Lake Ave., Taylor Place will create 50 housing units, complete with energy-efficient appliances and wireless internet. Forty-six of the units will be built in a three-story, elevatored apartment building, while the other four will be built in a walk-up townhome model. The historic Old Feed Mill at the site will be repurposed into a community center for residents, a leasing office, a fitness center and business center. 

Taylor Place will be open to individuals and families whose incomes fall within 30 percent and 80 percent of the county median. It is being funded in part by an $800,000 grant through the Advance McHenry County initiative, which the McHenry County Board created to invest tens of millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funding directly into thoughtful and impactful projects. 

The apartments will create a community that will enrich the City of McHenry and the entire county, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler said at an April groundbreaking. 

“I’ve ended more than one of my annual State of the County Addresses with my firmly held belief that McHenry County is the best place to live, work and raise a family. But in order to maintain that goal, McHenry County has to be a place where the workers who staff our businesses, manufacture our goods, teach our children and police our streets can live and make rent,” Buehler said. 

Officials joining Buehler included U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, whose office was instrumental in securing federal funding, representatives from the Housing Opportunity Development Corp. and Northpointe Development Corp., which will build and administer Taylor Place. Also in attendance were representatives from the City of McHenry, the County Board, and the county’s Community Development Division. 

The groundbreaking is the end of a three-year journey involving local, state and federal cooperation. Buehler expressed hope that more projects like Taylor Place are built to meet the increasing need, and that the approval process becomes more streamlined and efficient. 

Foster is having a statement honoring McHenry County and the Taylor Place groundbreaking read into the Congressional Record, which is the official record of the proceedings and debates of Congress. 

“The availability of workforce housing is a challenge facing communities large and small throughout our country. As McHenry County continues to grow, it’s imperative that there are housing options to meet the needs of everyone who calls our community home,” Foster said. “The Taylor Place Apartments is a prime example of that effort, and I’m proud to be in attendance at its official groundbreaking today.” 

Also at the ceremony, McHenry County presented Senior Care Volunteer Network with its Community Development Partner of the Year Award. The SCVN, through its network of more than 250 volunteers, helps senior citizens who require assistance to live independently.