Deming on the Green, Silverleaf Development's planned 23-unit condo development at 416 W Deming Pl in Lincoln Park, is in select company. About 35 percent (or eight) of the homes have been sold so far, and construction will begin once one or two more units are sold, making it one of the very few new developments to break ground in 2009.

Once construction begins, the six-story building could be completed in 12 to 15 months, says Danny O'Donoghue of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

The word “green” has a couple of meanings at Deming on the Green: It applies first to Lincoln Park, Chicago’s largest public park, which is located just around the corner from Deming on the Green, and it also refers to the environmentally-friendly design of the building. UrbanWorks and Behnisch Architects, a German firm known for green design, designed the 23-unit building that looks like a modern architectural patchwork of brick and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The building will feature a geothermal heating-and-cooling system that will save energy by tapping warm and cool air from beneath the earth's surface. Wood that has been grown and harvested with sustainable practices will be used for flooring, placing Deming on the Green in contention for certification from the Forest Stewardship Council. The developer also plans to install appliances with the highest possible Energy Star ratings.

The geothermal heat pump and Energy Star-rated appliances can help residents to clear their collective eco-conscience, but the devices should also help to keep monthly assessments low, O'Donoghue says. Assessment fees are estimated to cost from $125 to $800 per month at Deming on the Green.

Other building features were designed for enhanced comfort. The homes will have extra-large windows that maximize natural light, and most units have access to large outdoor terraces. Kitchens come with Snaidero cabinets, granite countertops, Sub-Zero refrigerators, Wolf ranges, and Bosch dishwashers and undermount sinks. All living areas will feature hardwood flooring, and bedrooms will have low-emission carpeting.

When it’s finished, Deming on the Green will be on the high end of green-themed condo development in Chicago. The smallest available condo in the building, a 1,188 square-foot, one-bedroom / 1.5-bath condo, starts in the $480s, while the largest is a four-bedroom / 3.5-bath condo listed at $2.64 million.

O'Donoghue says that pre-construction buyers can work with the building's architects to customize and combine units, but as sales progress and availability diminishes, options for combination units will become limited.