Commercial · Retail & Offices
The Village Commons
Lake Bluff, Illinois. A block built to close the gap on the north side of the Village Green, with shops at street level and offices above.
east end of downtown
Prior to the development of Village Commons, the north edge of the Village Green was largely undefined, characterized by a significant gap in the surrounding streetscape.
Located on Scranton Avenue in the heart of historic downtown Lake Bluff, the property offered a unique opportunity to establish a strong architectural edge along the north side of the Green and reinforce the civic character of the Village center.
The design of Village Commons draws inspiration from the Stanley Anderson-designed building at the east end of downtown, interpreting its architectural character in a manner appropriate to the site and program. The building introduces ground-floor retail space with professional offices on the second and third floors, creating a thoughtful integration of commercial uses within a cohesive architectural composition.
Village Commons has attracted a distinctive collection of high-quality businesses and has significantly expanded Lake Bluff's retail and professional office market. Its location, within steps of the Metra station, shops, restaurants, and public parking, and with convenient access to U.S. Route 41 and Interstate 94, further strengthens its role within the community.
Through careful attention to scale, materials, and detailing, the building complements Lake Bluff's established architectural character while contributing renewed vitality to the downtown district.
Closing the
north edge
The building holds the street and the parking goes behind it, which is the whole argument for the shape of the plan. Click to enlarge.
A street front,
not a frontage
