Groundbreaking at the Ark

Eckenhoff Saunders is proud to team up with Ark Chicago to renovate and expand their facilities. The Ark is a nonprofit organization providing medical, legal, and social services to more than 4,000 Jewish families in the Chicagoland area. Founded in 1971, The ARK recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. In preparation for “the next 50 years,” Eckenhoff Saunders performed a facility assessment, developed a master plan, and completed construction documents to enhance and expand The ARK’s facilities. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday, June 10th, to kick off the project’s expansion.


Some of the design’s most distinctive features are in the public spaces of the new addition. These include natural daylight streaming deep into the building through laminated frosted or fritted glazing and custom millwork invoking the wood construction of Noah’s Ark. Entries into the Food Pantry, Community Room, and Main Conference are on axis with main circulation routes for straightforward navigability. And a palette of earth and sky tones with select bold hues establishes a warm feel that carries through the renovation. Learn more about this exciting development featured on WGN Chicago News.