@Jon Loca - Here is a link to our meetup on bp: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...Also, sign up on meetup: https://www.meetup.com/chicago...And lastly, starting this month we are going to have Chicago industry experts (@Prashanth Mahakali owner of PMPC architects this month) doing Q&A for the last half hour so if you can't make it in person you can join virtually via FB: https://www.facebook.com/group...Also, make sure you are listening to @Mark Ainley & @Tom Shallcross awesome Chicago investor podcast. 

I'm an architect and one of the things I've dealt with many times in my 40+ years of experience, is this exact situation.My first questions would be:1 - What is the entire property look like if you combined the two together?

To make a construction loan less risky for the bank, they would probably want an experienced, reputable general contractor involved, and an architect who could sign off on the documentation for the value of the construction as draws get asked for.

As a result, I did some digging and found an architect to do the drawings.

I’m also an architect by the day so I enjoy working full time and dive into real estate in my off time.

Purchase price: $360,000 Cash invested: $121,000 Sale price: $575,000 A beautiful single family home in a desirable location - only 1 owner since it was built, and he was an architect who designed it for himself.

The main structural problem with such a lack of hall space, however, would become very evident whenever there was a fire in one of these houses, and everyone on the second floor (and sometimes the attic, which was often finished in two rooms and a small bathroom) ran for the stairs at the same time.Hope some of the local architects chime in on this.

Considering my options, anyone have any referrals for architect, engineer?

I have tried to explain to them that I am a civil engineer working in construction management for over 12 years, and that my partner is a licensed architect who owns a residential design-build company and has built homes in the area for over 30 years.

Talk to some architects, find out the cost of making plans for an approved project by the city.