Level Up
Project Partner
LVL UP COFFEE
PROJECT PARTNER
Lawndale Christian Community Church and Mishkan Chicago
Project Mission
Create a community third space that is welcoming, youth-driven, and rooted in mentorship and connection.
Located in Bronzeville, a neighborhood with few accessible community gathering spaces, the project creates a welcoming third space that functions as both a neighborhood coffee shop and a flexible community hub. Designed to support everyday use alongside meetings, workshops, and public events, the space balances openness with adaptability, allowing it to shift easily between casual gathering, small-group conversations, and larger community programs. Seating areas, movable furniture and planters, a shared resource library, and a gallery wall highlighting community milestones reinforce the space as a community resource.
The coffee shop is used for a wide range of community gatherings, including council member meet-and-greets, after-school tutoring, holiday events, and local business meetings.
What is a Third Space?
A third space is the place we go when we’re not at home or at work, a casual, semi-public setting where people gather without appointments, obligations, or transactions. It might be a local barbershop, library, or coffee shop. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg famously described third spaces as the “anchors” of community life: places that foster connection, civic trust, and a sense of belonging. But these spaces aren’t just social luxuries, they are foundational to equitable, vibrant neighborhoods. Wendy Onofre-Shah, founder of LVL Up, describes it:
“It’s a living room for the neighborhood.”
In neighborhoods like Bronzeville, third spaces have been systematically removed or left underdeveloped for decades, eroded by urban renewal, disinvestment, and commercial gentrification. LVL UP Coffee emerged as a response to that absence, a chance to design a space that feels open, rooted, and emotionally generous.
“Architecture for Public Benefit guided me through some complex constructions questions and were a great gut check on small design choices. I wanted to work with a community-focused firm, and they really delivered on that front, ensuring that our design and floor layout are community-driven.”
Wendy Onofre
Founder of LVL Up
APB TEAM
Chana Haouzi
COLLABORATORS
Design Partner: Civic Projects Architecture
MEP/FP Engineer: BLakeMEP
Code Consultant: MAP Strategies
Contractor: Eric Danzler
Photographer: Brian Griffin
AWARDS
AIA Chicago People’s Choice Award 2025, finalist
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