City announces first neighborhood projects to receive new bond products

West Englewood Community Farm and Austin Health Center among 10 finalists to receive up to $21 million in community development grants

A West Englewood community farm and an Austin health center are the first neighborhood investment projects to benefit from proceeds from the City of Chicago’s new Housing and Economic Development (HED) bond, the mayor announced Brandon Johnson.

Selected for their contribution to the health and well-being of the neighborhood, the projects will each receive up to $5 million in bond-funded assistance to cover eligible construction costs.

“Housing and economic development bonds are already resonating where they are needed most: in Black and Brown neighborhoods,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “These initial allocations are just the beginning of a transformative shift in the City’s financial support for projects that achieve local development goals. »

Growing Home Inc.’s planned Wood Street Farm expansion at 1824 W. 59th St. in West Englewood will use $5 million in bond proceeds to create a USDA-certified produce processing facility for adjacent agricultural operations of the non-profit organization. The $20 million, 76,784 square foot project includes a retail store, cafe, teaching and commercial kitchen and community classrooms. An estimated 24 full-time jobs will be created through the project, which will also double the capacity of Growing Home’s workforce development program to 160 people.

Austin Community Health Hub, planned by Stone Community Development Corp. and Lurie Children’s Hospital at 5046-48 W. Chicago Ave. in Austin, will use $5 million in bonds for a new building that will provide physical and behavioral health and community services. appropriate health education. The $15.75 million, 22,000-square-foot project also includes gathering space for community groups and a sidewalk cafe. An estimated 27 full-time jobs will be created by the project, which celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony with Mayor Johnson earlier this week.

The HED bond was approved by the City Council in April to provide $250 million annually for five years in financial support for affordable housing and economic development initiatives, primarily in west and south neighborhoods that have historically lacked access to public financial incentives, particularly tax increase financing. (TIF). Proceeds from the bonds are split equally between the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Planning and Development projects.

“Health and wellness projects are critical to community resilience and growth, which is why DPD is excited to deploy initial bond proceeds for projects like this that leverage experience and objectives of well-established community service organizations,” said the Commissioner of the Ministry of Planning and Development. » said Cière Boatright.

Both organizations applied for funding through a Community Development Grant application period that closed in February 2024.

Eight additional projects from the application were also announced today by Mayor Johnson as finalists to receive community development grants ranging from $483,000 to $5 million. Funded by TIF, the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and Chicago Recovery Plan bonds, the city’s assistance will help pay for new construction and rehabilitation costs, site preparation expenses, as well as architecture, engineering and other incidental costs.

Selected projects and grant amounts include:

BLK + BRWN Market, 3928-30 W. Roosevelt Road, North Lawndale $1.15 million grant to rehabilitate an existing 14,300 square foot building as a co-working and retail space.

Double Door Theater, 1050 W. Wilson Ave., Uptown $5 million to help restore the former Wilson Theater as a 15,000-square-foot music and education venue.

Evelyn’s Food Love, 5522 S. State St., Washington Park $483,000 to help renovate a 1,600-square-foot restaurant space and add a rooftop patio and bar.

Ida’s Artisan Ice Cream & Treats, 3935 W. Roosevelt Road, North Lawndale $512,930 to renovate the first floor of a vacant building into a 15,000 square foot ice cream parlor.

Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments, 2614 N. Emmett St., Logan Square $620,150 to build 4,000 square feet of retail space for CityLit Books and Monday Coffee.

Uptown Food Exchange, 4833 N. Broadway, Uptown $1.98 million to restore an 8,680-square-foot building as a pan-Asian food market.

Whadda Jerk, 1600 S. Kedzie Ave., North Lawndale $724,296 grant to construct a permanent 1,500-square-foot location for a Caribbean restaurant currently operating as a food truck.

XS Tennis Food Court, 5336 S. State St., Washington Park $1.28 million to construct a 6,800-square-foot addition to an existing sports facility that will provide food and beverage services to visitors.

The 10 community development grant projects announced are valued at more than $60 million in collective construction costs. Finalists were selected from more than 149 proposals submitted to the City earlier this year and evaluated based on location, neighborhood equity, readiness, community benefits and others criteria.

Community Development Grants are distributed incrementally as individual phases of the project are completed.

More information is available on the Department of Planning and Development’s Chicago Recovery Plan website.