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South Side storytelling initiatives comes to the West Side

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AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

July 21, 2021

THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018. THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.

IS THIS AUSTIN’S

WIN-WIN? How can the community ensure key redevelopment projects implement their plans to benefit all?

■ Pioneer Bank development gets key approval PAGE 9

REVIVING A LANDMARK PAGE 3 | LEADING TO THIS MOMENT PAGE 4 AUSTIN’S PATH TO REVITALIZATION PAGE 7 Special thanks to our Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan annual investors:

Vol. 35 No. 29

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July 21, 2021

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Controversial police academy plan gets key approval If approved by the full City Council, the facility would be the first new Boys & Girls Club in decades. The club would be on the same site as the $95 million Joint Public Safety Training Academy By PASCAL SABINO

Feed ‘Em ‘All

Block Club Chicago

A city plan to establish a new Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago on the grounds of a muchmaligned police and fire training facility is moving forward. The City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate unanimously approved the proposal to build an $8 million youth development center in the 4400 block of West Chicago Avenue during a meeting on July 14. If approved by the full City Council, the 18,000-square-foot facility would be the first new Boys & Girls Club in decades. The club would have sports, recreation, academic assistance, wellness and leadership development programs on the same site as the $95 million Joint Public Safety Training Academy under development. The city will lease about half an acre of land on the training academy’s campus to the Boys See ACADEMY on page 9

Photo by Alex Rogals | Staff photographer

Black Panther Party Cubs Chairman Fred Hampton, Jr., left, and Oak Park activist Anthony Clark cut the ribbon on a free community fridge in suburban Maywood. Clark said he’s looking to install a fridge on the West Side next. Read more on page 4.

Austin Taste the Town a success More than 200 tickets were sold to the Takeout 25 initiative

By SHELBY E. HAWKINS AustinTalks

Over $22,000 was raised for Austin eateries and the nonprofit New Moms at the recent Taste the Town 3 event. The Takeout 25 initiative saw more than 200 tickets sold, with each participating restaurant receiving $3,100, and $6,500 going to New Moms.

The Austin/Galewood event, held June 24th, supported local restaurants Butter and Brown Bistro, Ben’s Bar Bee Cue, Wild Fish n Beef, Catering Out The Box and Schweet Cheesecake. Tyrone Wideman, CFO of Ben’s Bar Bee Cue, said participating was an easy decision to make. “We take our position in the community seriously. We want to be a change agent in

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the neighborhood,” Wideman said. Wideman said the eatery, located at 5931 W. North Ave., experienced its highest volumes of order during the pandemic. The barbecue restaurant has always been takeout only, so they didn’t suffer as much as the traditional, sit-down restaurants in the area. See TASTE on page 8

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

Davis urges eligible residents to take advantage of tax credit The federal child tax credit was recently increased by $1K per child over 6 By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (7th) is urging parents who are eligible to sign up for the federal child tax credit for low-income families. Most parents and guardians received their first monthly payments on July 15. The child tax credit expansion is part of the most recent federal stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan. The act increases the child tax credit for the 2021 tax year from $2,000 to $3,000 per child for children over the age of 6, and from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of 6. The legislation also raised the maximum age for a child who can be claimed as a dependent for tax credit purposes from 16 to 17. And instead of having taxpayers wait until they file taxes to get the credit, the federal government is sending monthly payments to cover the amount of money they would save. On July 15, the day the first monthly payments were scheduled to arrive, Davis held a press conference at East Garfield Park’s 5 Star Child Care Development Center, 2811 W. 5th Ave. He said that, while the tax credit expansion is currently scheduled to expire next year, he is pushing to make it permanent. Daycare professionals at the conference said

that the tax credit is already making a difference for the families they serve and for their own employees. Any parent or guardian who earns up to $112,500 if they are filing as individuals or $150,000 if they are filing jointly is eligible, as long as they have dependents who are under 17 years old. They will get paid $250 a month per child for every child aged 6 to 17 and $300 per child for children under 6 years old. Since the payments are a tax credit, they don’t count against a person’s overall income for income eligibility purposes and the money won’t be taxed. If the IRS has the direct deposit information on file, the money is deposited directly into a bank account; otherwise, it’s mailed as a check or a debit card. The payments will be made on the 15th day of the month. The payments can’t be garnished to pay off existing federal tax debt, although they can be garnished to pay off debts to “non-federal creditors.” As Davis noted during the press conference, payments are available to families that normally don’t earn enough to be required to pay taxes. They can use the non-filer signup tool available on the IRS website. The agency is also planning to set up a portal that would allow recipients to update how

Provided

many dependents they have, among other information. The IRS estimates that around 39 million families will benefit from the child tax credit expansion. Davis trumpeted the credit expansion as the biggest federal effort to help the poor since the creation of Medicaid. “This is the day when millions of American families all over the country will receive their first payment, their first installment on the tremendous child tax increase that has been engineered by President Joe Biden and everyone who worked with [the president and his staff],” he said. “This is the best legislative impact that I know anything about that has happened in this country since the mid-1960s, when we had what was called the Great Society program, when we [created] Medicaid. When we had what we called the War on Poverty. And that’s what this tax credit is going to do. It’s going to reduce child poverty.”

S W E N FLASH!

Sharde Snyder, a North Lawndale resident and a therapist at the neighborhood’s St. Anthony Hospital, said that many of her clients are low-income and she has seen firsthand how child tax credits allowed them to save money. She said that the expansion is especially helpful for families where adults lost jobs during the pandemic. Tamera Fair, the head of the Premier Child Care daycare chain, said that, with many families already struggling even before the pandemic, the expansion couldn’t come soon enough. “We see the changes already, because some of our teachers and our cooks and bus drivers are starting to get [the deposits] in their accounts,” she said. Parents who don’t normally pay taxes can sign up for the child tax credit payments at www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-taxcredit-non-filer-sign-up-tool.

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

AUSTIN WEEKLY

South Side storytelling series comes to the West Side

news

Grown Folks Stories, a creative initiative launched by the Silver Room, has setup shop on the West Side temporarily

Equity Editor/Ombudsman/Editor Michael Romain Senior Editor Bob Uphues

By IGOR STUDENKOV

Contributing Reporter Igor Studenkov

Contributing Reporter

West Siders will have a handful of opportunities to share their stories with their neighbors during a series of upcoming community events planned by Grown Folks Stories, a creative initiative launched by the Silver Room, a jewelry and apparel shop based in Hyde Park. Eric Williams, who owns the Silver Room, said that the Grown Folks Stories series has been around since 2009. The events are free

Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks Columnist Arlene Jones Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Mark Moroney Sales & Marketing Representavies Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner ≈ Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich ≈ Courtesy Grown Folks StorieS

TELLING THEIR STORIES: The Silver Room’s Grown Folks Stories series has landed on the West Side at various venues, including East Garfield Park’s Herban Produce urban farm.

and anyone can share whatever stories they feel like sharing, as they’re under five minutes. Williams explained that the series’ usual venue since the fall of 2018, the Washington Park neighborhood’s Green Line Performing Arts Center, 329 E. Garfield Blvd., closed during the pandemic. He said that the series will return to the art center in October, but, in the meantime, they are doing a number of special events in several West Side venues. Williams said that many of the audience members who would attend the Green Line live on the West Side and so he wanted to do something in the communities where those supporters live. The events are held every third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m., with the actual storytelling starting at 7 p.m. The first event took place at East Garfield Park’s Herban Produce urban farm, 2900 W. Van Buren St., on July 15. Williams said that the August event will take place at East Garfield Park’s 345 Art Gallery, 345 N. Kedzie Ave., but, as of July 14, they hadn’t settled on a September venue.

The Green Line Performing Arts Center is part of the Arts + Public Life, a University of Chicago initiative that sets out to cultivate art in the Washington Park community. The venue was built to provide a venue for South Side actors and performers. Williams said that Grown Folks Stories moved into the new venue shortly after it opened in late 2018. Williams said that each event is relaxed and judgment-free. Anyone interested can come an hour ahead of time and sign up. Their names are randomly picked out of a hat. For the West Side events, West Siders will be given priority. Williams said that, while many people who arrive are apprehensive at first, no one has ever backed out. In many cases, he said, attendees who came simply to watch were inspired by what they heard and ended up performing. Williams said that he is open to doing more West Side events after the series returns to the Green Line Arts Center, but for now, he is focused on the events already scheduled. “I want people to just have fun,” he said. “Come out and have fun. Tell a friend and come out and share stories with one another.” For latest information on the Grown Folks Stories: West Side Edition and other Silver Room events, visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/thesilverroom.

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson , Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer ≈ HOW TO REACH US 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 773-626-6332 FAX 708-467-9066 CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE www.AustinWeeklyNews.com TWITTER @AustinWeeklyChi Austin Weekly News is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. It is distributed free of charge at locations across Austin and Garfield Park. Our hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advertising rates are available by calling our office. Printed entirely on recycled paper. © 2021 Growing Community Media NFP.

Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

‘Feed ‘em all!’ Fridge with free food now open in Maywood The community fridge, which sits in the yard of Fred Hampton’s boyhood home, is extension of Black Panthers’ vision, Hampton Jr. says By F. AMANDA TUGADE Wednesday Journal

On an early Saturday afternoon, about a dozen residents and local organizers gathered in Maywood outside of the childhood home of Black Panther icon Fred Hampton. Armed with boxes of fresh whole corn, cherries, peaches and greens, they stood ready to stock a new community fridge that will provide people access to food 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Maywood is a food desert,” said Anthony Clark, an Oak Park activist and founder of Suburban Unity Alliance, a nonprofit that led the charge to open the community’s first public refrigerator. “It’s all corner stores,” Clark said. “For people to even think about accessing fresh produce, they need money. They need to be able to travel. They have to leave the community and take their money outside of the community.” The community fridge — which sits in the front yard of the Hampton House at 804 S.

17th Ave. — officially opened July 19. The fridge now joins a growing list, as cities near and far have picked up on the global trend which aims to help those facing food insecurity. In January, Oak Park welcomed its first community fridge propped up along 4th Avenue and set up another one months later outside of Carnival Grocery on Oak Park Avenue. Clark said is he currently looking to bring in a community fridge to Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began last March, community fridges have been cropping up all over the nation. There are roughly 200 community fridges in the United States, according to the database Freedge, Alex Rogals

FREE FOOD: The community fridge in Maywood will hold fresh fruits and vegetables for residents living in a suburban food desert.

which keeps track of the fridges’ locations around the world. “These fridges allow 24/7 anonymous access, and (that’s) huge. It really is,” Clark said, adding that the fridges help address

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the stigma around food insecurity. “There’s so many people that may be in need, but they are afraid of how they’re going to be judged and how they’re going to be viewed if they reach out for help.” On July 19, Clark appeared alongside a few leaders from two partnering organizations, including Fred Hampton Jr., active chairman of the Black Panther Party Cubs, and Randall McFarland, founder of the community group Best of Proviso Township. During the event, Hampton Jr. spoke of what the community fridge meant to a community like Maywood. As he stood in front of his father’s old home, Hampton Jr. spoke of the Black Panthers’ long, storied fight for equality, especially for the Black community. Among the political party’s most prominent work was the creation of the free breakfast program, which fed thousands of children. “This is symbolic,” said Hampton Jr., as he cut the red ribbon tied around the refrigerator handle. “The only way we can cut through this red tape … it’s gonna take the power of the people.” The community fridge in Maywood rests underneath a wood frame to prevent weather damage and is powered by an outdoor outlet connected to Hampton’s home. There are a few shelves lined up next to the fridge, which is meant to store canned goods, nonperishable items and personal toiletries. Around the fridge, there’s a Little Free Library and a community garden flourishing with more fresh vegetables.

On the fridge itself, there’s a bright blue and gray slogan painted across its doors. It reads, “Free ‘Em All,” one of Fred Hampton’s and the Panthers’ slogans and a tribute to their mission to liberate oppressed people everywhere. For Maywood natives such as Connie Riales, seeing the community fridge open up was a mark of a truly “awesome experience.” Riales, a community activist and a member of Best of Proviso Township, shared that the message behind this type of mutual aid speaks to Hampton’s legacy and that people – communities – are stronger together. “He was a fighter,” Riales said about the late Hampton. “He would have been so proud to see something like this.” As Riales saw more people coming, carrying in donations, she spoke about the importance of simple gestures, from one neighbor to another. “We’re all in need of,” said Riales, who lives in Bellwood and serves on the District 88 school board and the Bellwood library board. “No person is an island, and we all need to help each other and support each other, because we are all one paycheck away from being homeless.” Organizers of the community fridge are now taking donations. Items can include sealed package foods, cheese, fruits and vegetables. Unopened pasteurized yogurt and milk, fresh eggs and bread, as well as cured meats with a use-by date are also accepted donations. Raw meat and fish or home-prepared food are not allowed.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

For Dominican prof, health gap report is personal Health inequities report, released last month, hits home By MICHAEL ROMAIN Equity Editor

Health disparities are driven by a variety of factors, experts say, including the fact that Blacks are more likely to live in food deserts, less likely to afford health care and routine doctor visits and less likely to get empathetic treatment once they do go into the hospital. Mayor Lightfoot made her declaration last month at the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation in North Lawndale, where an exhibit commemorates Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign for fair housing in Chicago. King lived in an apartment in North

Last month, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared racism a public health crisis in the wake of a report released by the city’s health department, which illustrated the large gap in health outcomes between Black and non-Black Chicagoans. The report’s reverberations, however, were felt beyond the city. Dr. Tamara Bland, an assistant professor in nursing and acting executive director of the nursing program at Dominican University in River Forest, said the health gap is more than a study to her — it’s real life. As a former health-care nurse on Chicago’s West Side, a nurse in the cardiac care unit at Rush, and an educator, Bland said she’s seen how racial discrimination in health care works and how it gets perpetuated. She’s also felt the gap in other ways. “Where it hit home for me was with my baby sister, who was a Type 1 diabetic,” Bland said. “I remember her being sick and people just blew my parents off. She eventually wound up in the ICU with it when she was first diagnosed.” Provided She said she witnessed how some professionals in the health-care sys- FROM HER VIEWPOINT: Dr. Tamara Bland, a tem wouldn’t listen to her parents Dominican professor, said she’s experienced racial and showed very little empathy health disparities firsthand. as they attempted to navigate the health-care system, both for themselves and on behalf of her sister, Lawndale in 1966 in order to protest the who eventually died from complications of city’s racist and discriminatory housing Type 1 diabetes. policies, such as redlining, or the practice Bland also experienced her father’s deep of refusing to lend to people because of distrust of medical professionals, which she their race — a practice that helped create said originated from his time growing up in today’s food deserts in the city’s predomithe South. nantly Black West and South sides. “There’s this community of trust that “The results of these events and practices needs to be built and [the lack of that trust] are the source of the great disparities we is a fundamental failure of the health-care still see at this moment in health, wealth system,” she said. “We haven’t built this and almost every other important indicator fundamental trust with communities of of well-being,” Lightfoot said. color.” Bland echoed the mayor’s analysis of According to the Chicago Health Depart- race-based health outcomes. ment report, the average lifespan of Black “As an educator, I want people I talk to and Chicagoans is roughly 71 years old while students to understand that the symbiotic the lifespans of white, Latino and Asian relationship between law and medicine itresidents of the city is around 81 years old. self creates health disparities,” Bland said. The disparity is partly due to chronic dis- “In order to achieve health equity, we have eases like diabetes — a disease 70% more to look at everything.” likely to end the life of a Black Chicago resi- CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com dent than a city resident who is white.

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

Crime is no joke

used to listen to comedians doing routines where they joked about crime in the Black community. Their comedy would be hysterical as they pointed out all the basic stuff we have to lock down. They would paint a hysterical visual picture of giant locks on everything since anything people placed outdoors could be subject for theft by the “exterior decorators,” aka “porch pirates” who don’t feel that you are entitled to have things just sitting about. I experienced it firsthand last year when my cheap $20 plastic vase from Aldi’s was stolen from my front sidewalk. The trifling thief dumped all the dirt and rocks from it on my neighbor’s lawn and proceeded off. I replaced the planter, but the new one now has a chain going through it with a lock into a concrete brick. When I find myself having to lock up everything that I put outside, the reality is not as funny. However, if all we had to worry about was people stealing things from our property, it wouldn’t be so bad. But the crime that is going on now is absolutely heartbreaking. It is not uncommon to hear of mass shootings, execution murders, shots fired on the expressway and even shots fired at people just driving down the street. Where is the outrage when a recently released prisoner is shot 64 times in front of Cook County Jail? Carjackings continue to dominate the news with the ages of those involved now being in their early teens and younger. Where is the outrage, or is there any? What about the 74-year-old grandfather and veteran who was beaten to death by

two carjackers who then were too stupid to even know how to get into the car? The crime coming out of the Black community is no longer a racist stereotype. We have individuals who are living down to that racist point of view and I’m just not feeling the outrage that should be happening in regard to it. I mean babies are being shot and the numbness afflicting Black people is just that. The lack of outrage is an outrage! It’s time to put forth a call to reinstitute the death penalty in Illinois. Yes I am fully aware of the formerly incarcerated who were innocent. But what freed them from that incarceration? DNA! And the same DNA that freed a person, can be the same DNA to convict a person. Plus, we now have a lot of camera systems that are actually catching the crimes. Does anybody feel that the person accused of executing the couple after the Puerto Rican parade is not entitled to the death penalty? What about the men who executed the little girl in the car at the McDonald’s drive-thru? What about the men who shot the recently released rapper 64 times in front of County jail? Should they get the death penalty? What about shooters on the expressway? They risk the lives of everybody when they are firing bullets. Shouldn’t their life be put at risk? If we catch a shooter and convict a shooter, will he go to his own death with the same bravado he had when he committed the crime? It is wake up time, people! We either have to send a message of intolerance, or it’s going to get worse. And right now, it’s hard to imagine what could be worse.

ARLENE JONES

“It’s time to wake up, people!”

AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS Mail your letter to the editor to: Austin Weekly News, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 or email michael@austinweeklynews.com

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

North and Harlem Sears site redevelopment hits zoning hurdles During July 14 community meeting, Ald. Taliaferro said project is still on track despite complications By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Novak Construction company’s plans to redevelop the former North and Harlem Sears location, including its parking lot, has hit a few bureaucratic snags, but Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) said that the development is still on track. The alderman, whose ward includes the site and most of Galewood, gave an update on the project during his July 14 community safety meeting in response to a question from a constituent. Taliaferro said that there are two issues holding the project up: the zoning change that was approved as part of the previous redevelopment proposal and a need to vacate an alley that, while no longer physically there, still officially exists from a zoning perspective. The developer is also waiting on permits, which were delayed because employees in the city’s building department worked remotely through much of the pandemic. Taliaferro is planning to hold another virtual community meeting on July 21 at 6 p.m. Although he didn’t say whether he would reveal more details at that point, he explained that residents are welcome to join the meeting and ask questions about this and any other projects in his ward. The property under development includes the site of the original Sears store at the northeast corner of North and Harlem avenues and its main parking lot, as well as the auxiliary parking lot directly to the east of it. At the time Sears closed, the property was owned by Seritage Growth Holdings, which was Sears’ real estate arm before being spun off into a separate company. Seritage hired Tucker Development to redevelop the property. The plan that went before the city called for mixed-use devel-

opment that would incorporate the refurbished store building and apartments on the east parking lot. As part of the process, the Chicago City Council approved establishing planned development zoning for both lots and changed the underlying zoning to allow mixed-use development on the Sears site and residential development in the parking lot. Any changes to the development plan must be approved by the City Council. In September 2020, Seritage sold the property to Chicago-based Novak Construction. The company plans to keep the parking lot redevelopment the same as Tucker’s proposal, but its plans for the store site were different. It demolished the Sears building completely and built a new grocery store, two retail buildings and a drive-through restaurant, while keeping the plans for the east parking lot the same. During the July 14 meeting, Taliaferro explained that Novak was still going through the process of changing the zoning for the Sears lot to accommodate the developer’s plans. The zoning change needed to be approved by the Chicago Plan Commission and the city council’s Committee on Zoning, Buildings and Landmarks before going before the full City Council for final approval. The most recent July 15 meeting of the Plan Commission didn’t have Novak’s project on the agenda, so the earliest the process can start is August. Taliaferro also said that the parking lot had a north-south alley that had to be vacated, which also requires City Council approval. He said that the alley was there before Sears was built, when the lots were residential. Even though the alley no longer physically exists, it’s still legally there. “You can’t even see this alley,” Taliaferro said. “The houses have been torn down, but there’s an alley that’s supposed to be there.” Novak Construction did not respond to a request for comment by deadline. To join Taliaferro’s July 21 Zoom meeting, use Meeting ID 868 2200 1141, or call (312) 626-6799. CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

File

Construction work at the site of the former Sears on North and Harlem earlier this year.

TASTE

Community service from page 1 Owner Linda Leslie said she would love offer an indoor dining option. She and Wideman both aspire to provide West Siders with another spot to spend their leisure time. And Wideman wants to establish a sitdown restaurant to give young people in the area another career opportunity. “We want to be of service to the community,” said Leslie, who prioritizes hiring people who have struggled to find employment such as previously incarcerated individuals. Jenna Hammond, director of development and communications at New Moms, said she was pleasantly surprised by the turnout on such a rainy day. “There’s something really powerful about coming together to make sure we’re all getting the support to be a striving community,” said Hammond. The funds received from Taste the Town will go to programming for the families and kids supported by the Austin-based New Moms, which provides young mothers with housing, job support, parent education and other family services.

COVID-19 also changed the way New Moms operates. Because they couldn’t meet in person due to quarantine restrictions, they had to get tech savvy and offer most of their programs virtually. “We got creative and stayed determined to support our families,” Hammond said. In a message posted on Facebook after the event, Oak Park resident and Taste the Town organizer Ravi Parakkat thanked many people, including Kate Nolan for her $500 sponsorship, as well as Malcolm Crawford of Austin African American Business Networking Association, Susan Stall, Betsy Kelly, Carollina Song, Crystal Gardner, Lucia Robinson and Judith Alexander for spreading the word. Parakkat also gave special thanks to Oak Park resident Carrie Marling Bankes, who died after suffering a massive stroke not long before Taste the Town 3. “She was instrumental in us starting these Taste the Town events during the pandemic and was the first one to share and promote Taste the Town 3. She meant a lot to this community and many are saddened by her loss. Let’s keep her memory and what she meant to this community alive through these events. Thank you, Carrie.”

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

Plan to redevelop Pioneer Bank building gets green light

The project would involve the Pioneer Trust & Savings Bank building and surrounding lots near North Avenue and Pulaski Road By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

A plan to transform a vacant bank building into affordable housing aimed at preventing displacement is headed to City Council for a vote after being unanimously approved by the housing committee on July 14. The city’s planning department began seeking developers for the affordable housing project in the spring. The project would involve the Pioneer Trust & Savings Bank building and surrounding lots in the 4000 block of West North Avenue and the 1600 block of North Pulaski Road for developers to build on. Next week’s City Council vote would allow city officials to buy the property just in case the developers cannot do so on their own.

ACADEMY

Opportunity or PR strategy from page 1 & Girls Club for $1 annually for at least 55 years. “We are convinced this new club represents a transformational opportunity for young people in Chicago to promote healing and build bridges where few currently exist,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago President and CEO Mimi LeClair said. While residents and local leaders commended the plan for bringing much-needed recreation and after-school programs to the West Side, many balked at the idea of having a youth center next door to a police training facility many young people and residents fought to block when it was proposed in 2017. Youth organizers for the #NoCopAcademy campaign criticized the training facility as a misuse of public funds, saying it added to an overinflated police budget while neglect-

The plan is part of the city’s Invest South/ West initiative to target the longneglected stretch of the North Avenue corridor that was once an economic backbone for the West Side. “It’s the most prominent structure on North Avenue,” said Mike Parella, a project manager for the planning department. “Its redevelopment … would be vital for securing a vibrant future for the neighborhood and its existing residents.” The project would turn the Pioneer Bank building into a Latino Heritage Center and include the construction of a building to the north of the bank, with all units dedicated to affordable housing. Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) praised the project for bringing investment to the area and helping to “preserve our cultural identity in that area and repel any symbols of gentrification,” he said. The five-story Pioneer Bank was con-

structed in 1925 in a neoclassical architectural style. The building has been a Chicago landmark since 2012, but it has sat vacant for 13 years. The current owner of the bank building and surrounding lots, Pulaski Investments, has been unsuccessful in redeveloping the properties, Parella said. The city’s request for proposals for the Pioneer Bank project is open until August, when the city will begin the process of selecting a developer. The selection process and the final design of the redevelopment project will incorporate community feedback, Parella said. Developers that submit proposals will present their plans at community roundtables so residents can offer their input and

ing schools, mental health centers and other social services that address the root causes of crime. “For how long have people on the West Side of Chicago been mobilizing, been asking for resources, asking for schools to be adequately funded and access to basic necessities like housing? Why is it that the first time the West Side does get an investment, it’s directly correlated with the cop academy?” said Destiny Harris, an organizer for the campaign. Organizers launched a petition signed by more than 500 people asking for the Boys & Girls Club to to choose a different West Side location for the project. In an open letter to LeClair, #NoCopAcademy organizers said, “Black and Brown youth are being used as props” in a “PR strategy to ease those rising tensions between the general public and police.” “It seems like an attempt by the mayor to make this project more palatable to the residents of the West Side,” Harris said. Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) praised the Boys & Girls Club for investing on the West Side and ultimately voted in favor of the project,

but questioned if young people at the center would be negatively impacted by the police presence. “I also know … from the experience of some of our youth that sometimes our officers… they may not view young Black and Brown Chicagoans the way they deserve. There are times where… our young people of color are viewed as threats when they’re not doing anything wrong, they’re just living their lives,” La Spata said. LeClair said the site was the most practical place to build a center since it was affordable and allowed the nonprofit to customize the facility to offer the programs most requested by youths. The nonprofit conducted 12 focus groups with local Boys & Girls Club participants, youths who weren’t involved in the programs and students at the nearby schools to gauge whether the community would welcome a club at that site, LeClair said. Youth outreach efforts will guide the design of the facility and programs, LeClair said. Community feedback will ensure the club’s offerings will be uniquely suited for the interests and needs of the community,

Courtesy City of Chicago

A rendering of the redeveloped Pioneer Trust & Savings Bank site at at 4000 W. North Ave. and 1616-38 N. Pulaski Road. evaluate each plan using surveys designed by the planning department. “We will look to the community and the alderman to guide the decision-making process,” Parella said. Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

CONTACT: pascal@blockblubchi.org

LeClair said. “We consider what the youth need. We never take any steps that would make them feel uncomfortable,” LeClair said. The club would be a critical investment on the West Side and help the area recover from years of neglect, resident Margaret Gardener said. “There’s never been more of an urgent need for quality after-school and summer programming for our at-risk youth. …So much of the trauma our youth are facing is the result of our society’s historic and systemic racism and injustice directed at people of color. This has produced generations of disinvestment and neglect,” Gardener said. Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

HELP WANTED

TEACHER AND TEACHER AIDE MINI ME BUNCH seeks teacher and teacher aide to enhance and expand daycare serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Teacher must have at least Associates’ degree in Early Childhood Education. Minimum 1 year experience preferred in each position. Must love children and be outgoing, patient, flexible. Contact 773-521-9499

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Customer Service Representative II in the Development Customer Service Department – Parking Division. This position provides customer service to the public by providing a variety of responsible customer service and receptionist work including high volume telephone traffic; and to perform the more complex customer service duties including but not limited to service requests, permits, parking passes, block party permits, accounts payable processing and vehicle stickers. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications is July 27, 2021.

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER Must have own transportation. For more information CALL 708-738-3848 MAINTENANCE Hiring one Maintenance position at private health club in Oak Park. Hours will be variable between 20 and 32 per week and may include some night and/or weekend hours. Adult applicant should be out of high school and able to work with common power tools, including snow blowers, lawn mowers, drills and sanders. Applicant should be competent in painting, basic repairs and janitorial duties.

BAND SAW WELDER TECH, GENL LABORER OPENINGS Local sharpening service has two openings: Band Saw Welder Technician and General Laborer position. Apply at 1233 Circle Ave., Forest Park, IL 708-209-1636

This job requires climbing ladders and some heavy lifting- please do not apply if you cannot do physical work.

HELP WANTED

River Forest Public Schools District 90

District 90 is seeking qualified and experienced applicants for the following positions: • Speech and Language Pathologist (Roosevelt Middle School) • English Language Learners Teacher (Full-time at Roosevelt Middle School and Part-time FTE 0.50 at Lincoln Elementary School) • Social Worker (Roosevelt Middle School) • Physical Education Teachers, ( Full-time at Roosevelt Middle School and Part-time FTE 0.77 at Willard Elementary School) • STEM Teacher, Grades 6-8 (Roosevelt Middle School) • Instructional Specialist (Roosevelt Middle School) • Kindergarten Teacher Part-time FTE 0.50 (Willard Elementary School) For detailed qualifications requirements and job duties, please visit our website at https://www.district90.org/about/ employment for our complete list of employment opportunities.

Interested parties, please email your skills and contact information to: Lisa Tanzer at: LisaT@tenandfit.com

General Qualifications: Valid Illinois Professional Education License with endorsement in field of study, a Master’s Degree is preferred and successful teaching experience with students in a classroom setting is preferred.

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AUSTIN RENAISSANCE APARTMENTS

A HUD subsidized affordable Apartment property announces the opening of its waiting list for both One and Two Bedroom Apartments! Resident rent is approximately 30% of gross household income, some restrictions apply. Our property is located on Washington Blvd in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Apartments offered with an occupancy of one to four persons. Properties feature modern kitchens, include appliances, and offer onsite maintenance. Austin Renaissance will accept requests for application packages by U.S. Mail postmarked no later than , September 15, 2021. Send or email a written request for an application package that includes your name, mailing address. Daytime telephone number, Email address, and the number of persons in your household to: Town Center Realty Group LLC, PO Box 64, Huntley IL 60142-0064 or Email requests to mrpaul.tcrg@gmail.com Application packages available by mail or email delivery only. No walk-ins accepted.

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AustinWeeklyNews.com

General Duties: Provide excellence in education by developing and implementing activities that encourage students to be life-long learners. Possesses knowledge of District policies and regulations relating to areas of responsibilities. Create an environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the developmental maturity and interests of each student. Application: Apply online at www.district90.org. Application Procedure: Interested candidates should complete the online application available at district90.org. Please do not send hard copies of supporting documentation, i.e. cover letters, resumes, licensure, etc. to River Forest Schools District 90; instead, upload these materials onto the online job application system for proper processing.

SUBURBAN RENTALS

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES

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name legal notice in • Wednesday Journal

Reach the people making PROPOSALS TO: SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO: SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO: SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO: SUBMIT PROPOSALSSUBMIT TO: Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot Carina E. Sánchez the decisions. patricia.montenegro@cityofchicago.org patricia.montenegro@cityofchicago.org patricia.montenegro@cityofchicago.org patricia.montenegro@cityofchicago.org patricia.montenegro@cityofchicago.org Chairman Executive Director Place an ad in Austin Classified! Mayor LoriMayor E. Carina Lightfoot Mayor LoriMayor E. Lightfoot Sánchez Lori E. Lightfoot Carina E. Carina LoriE. E.Sánchez Lightfoot Carina E. Sánchez Carina E. Sánchez Mayor LoriE.E.Sánchez Lightfoot

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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800669-9777. Austin Weekly News

Executive Director Director Chairman Chairman Executive Chairman Executive Director Published in Austin Weekly News July 21, 2021

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Austin Weekly News, July 21, 2021

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2 THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018. THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.

IS THIS AUSTIN’S

WIN-WIN? How can the community ensure key redevelopment projects implement their plans to benefit all?

REVIVING A LANDMARK PAGE 3 | LEADING TO THIS MOMENT PAGE 4 AUSTIN’S PATH TO REVITALIZATION PAGE 7 Special thanks to our Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan annual investors:

July 21, 2021

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life in the Austin community. Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve 4 impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets.

ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers

TREASURER

LaDarius Curtis

CHAIR

Senior Director of Community Engagement & Health, West Side United

Larry Williams Broker, State Farm Insurance

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

VICE-CHAIR

Darnell Shields

Angela Waller Community & Government Relations Director, Advocate Aurora Health

Austin Coming Together

Bradly Johnson Director of External Affairs, BUILD Inc.

Ruth Kimble

Senior Director of Strategy & Operations, West Side United

Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers Network

Reginald Little

Jerrod Williams

Mortgage Loan Originator, Fifth Third Bank

Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court

Dawn Ferencak

Directors

Senior Marketing Strategist, Chicago Parent

Sharon Morgan

SECRETARY

Tenisha Jones

Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools

Reverend Reginald E. Bachus

Deborah Williams Community Outreach & Engagement Specialist, Habilitative Systems, Inc.

In Memoriam BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Macnamara 1937–2020 FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR

Mildred Wiley 1955–2019

Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church

ACT STAFF Leadership Darnell Shields Executive Director

Shavion Scott Deputy Director

Andrew Born Research & Evaluation

*Also part of the ACT Leadership Team

Strategic Initiatives Sandra Diaz* Service Delivery Enhancement Manager, Austin Community Hub

Janelle Martin Hub Coordinator, Austin Community Hub

Jai Jones

Grace Cooper

Engagement Specialist, Austin Community Hub

Project Coordinator, Austin Forward. Together.

JeVon D. Moore

Nicole Marcus

Planning & Investment Manager, Austin Forward. Together.

Neighborhood Network Liaison

Ethan Ramsay

Micro Market Recovery Program Coordinator

Lead Organizer, Austin Forward. Together.

By The Hand Club For Kids Cara Catholic Charities Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures Chicago Community Loan Fund City of Refuge Cluster Tutoring Program Defy Ventures Illinois Erikson Institute Friends of the Children Friendship Community Development Corp. of Austin

Natalie Goodin

Marketing & Development Alicia Plomin* Marketing & Development Manager

Dearra Williams Marketing & Development Associate

We’re hiring! AustinComingTogether.org

Engagement Specialist, Austin Community Hub

ACT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS A House in Austin Academy of Scholastic Achievement Austin Childcare Providers Network Austin Community Family Center Austin Weekly News (Growing Community Media) Be Strong Families Beat the Streets Chicago Because I Care Bethel New Life Beyond Hunger BUILD Inc.

Dollie Sherman

Greater West Town Community Development Project Housing Forward i.c.stars IFF Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Jane Addams Resource Corporation Kids First Chicago KRA Westside American Job Center Legal Aid Chicago (fka LAF) Manufacturing Renaissance Mary Shyrese Daycare

Maryville Academy Mercy Housing Lakefront New Moms OAI, Inc. Oak Park Regional Housing Center Open Books PCC Community Wellness Center Project Exploration Renaissance Social Services, Inc. Sarah’s Inn South Austin Neighborhood Association St. Joseph Services

St. Leonard’s Ministries Stone Community Development Corporation The Catalyst Schools The Journey Forward The Loretto Hospital The North Avenue District, Inc. Towers of Excellence UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work VOCEL Westside Health Authority West Side Forward Worldvision Youth Guidance

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

Reviving a landmark By Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together

hen you think of your community, some key places stand out. In Austin, several spots immediately come to mind. One of those buildings everyone remembers is Laramie State Bank on the corner of Chicago Avenue and Laramie. The design of the building reflects the confidence and exuberance of Austin in the 1920’s, with world-class Art Deco architecture and hundreds of artisan terracotta tiles. Its exterior ornamentation depicts heroic workers, families, and images of economic stability. It is a visual representation of the prestige Austin once had. Despite its former glory, the building has been boarded up and vacant for over ten years, serving as a reminder of the neglect Austin has experienced.

A NEW LIFE FOR AN OLD TREASURE “Laramie State Bank is a critical project for the entire Austin community, for the vision of the future, and for attracting dollars to Maurice Cox, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, announcing the winning developers for the INVEST South/West redevelopment projects.

Protest after the March announcement. Photo by Igor Studenkov / Austin Weekly News.

recognize the importance of Austin,” believes Scott Goldstein, urban strategist for economic development and neighborhood revitalization projects at Teska Associates since 2007 and among those who worked on the Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan. The reactivation and development of the bank and its adjacent land will be the justice this beautiful building deserves, and a sign that Austin is regaining its vitality and prominence. Laramie State Bank is one of Austin’s treasures. We now have the chance to preserve this piece of history while showing our community, and those outside it, that the bank and Austin are ready for investment and brimming with possibilities.

IMPORTANT AND ENDANGERED Built in 1929, Laramie State Bank was named a Chicago Landmark in 1995 and anchors a highly trafficked intersection. However, it was foreclosed upon and over time, its beautiful terracotta exterior chipped away and the lot became overgrown. After a portion of the roof collapsed, more damage continued, and a court hearing in 2017 deemed the deteriorating site “insecure.” The city inspection left the

Although the area has owners unsure of seen some progress, how, or if, the bank Laramie State Bank has would get the help Laramie State Bank is not, and it was added to and support it needed. Chicago’s And the community a critical project for the Preservation list of the seven most was worried, too. The hearing was entire Austin community, endangered buildings in 2019. attended by many concerned community for the vision of the After years passed stakeholders wanting many attempts to future, and for attracting and to learn what the generate interest and future of this important dollars to recognize the resources for this massive site would be and if project were unsuccessful, they could help. Local a glimmer of hope came importance of Austin. organizations and when Laramie State Bank others began advocacy was included as a focus SCOTT GOLDSTEIN, efforts immediately. of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s TESKA ASSOCIATES Activists brought the INVEST South/West issue to their aldermen. initiative. Soon after, the city expanded Austin’s Micro While some west side stakeholders disagreed Market Recovery Zone, a specific geographic area for which incentives are offered for home with aspects of the city’s developer selection process, plans are now underway to give purchases, renovations, or development. This this historic site the love and attention brought even more attention to the Chicago Austin has been calling for. So much has Avenue corridor. gone into creating this moment. It is not a straightforward or simple story, but one about a beautiful convergence of interests built over time. And it needs to be one that ends with a way for this site to benefit Austin in both the short and long term. n Please continue reading for more background on why this moment is a milestone on our path to revitalizing Austin.

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

Leading to this moment Austin was once a thriving community. Today, despite its challenges, it is on its way back to that. The last decade has been full of dedicated community stakeholders relentlessly working to bring opportunities for sustainable change. Here are some pivotal moments along our journey that created the time and space we find ourselves in.

2014

2013

 AAABNA’s vision for a culturally distinctive commercial corridor inspires research that focuses on the potential for leveraging underutilized land to promote Black culture, arts, entertainment, and seeking economic development, job creation, and new business development that serves residents. As a result, the portion of Chicago Avenue between Austin Boulevard and Central Avenue is established as the Soul City Corridor.

 Laquan McDonald’s murder causes the city to ask groups like AAABNA what communities need. The answer is intentional focused investment of city dollars, resources, talents and influence to help businesses grow, thrive, rebuild and start. Then Mayor Rahm Emanuel responds with a commitment that results in the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, as well as Retail Thrive Zones which years later Mayor Lori Lightfoot transforms into INVEST South/West.

2016  AV 72 Chicago becomes the first Special Service Area (SSA) in Austin. SSA’s are improvement districts that reinvest tax dollars back into the community through special services and programs. SSA 72’s biggest goal for Austin’s Chicago Avenue corridor between Central and Cicero is to improve safety, economic vitality, and establish a cultural identity that will foster business growth and development within the corridor and for the community at large. The nonprofit Westside Health Authority manages and carries out the initiatives of AV 72 Chicago.

2017  Court hearings over the future of Laramie State Bank cause residents to worry about this important historic site. Many attend the hearings and write letters to local officials and media to try to help.

Colin Boyle / Block Club Chicago

Shows the portion of Chicago Avenue in Austin where the Retail Thrive Zone and the SSA 72 overlap. For more details, see page 27 of the full version of the Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan.

GET EVEN MORE DETAILS ON THESE EVENTS AT AustinComingTogether.org/QLP

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

2019

2020

 Preservation Chicago’s most endangered buildings list includes Laramie State Bank, raising its profile as an opportunity for catalytic redevelopment but one that will need major financial and community support to achieve.  Implementation of the Austin Forward. Together. (AFT) quality-oflife plan begins, addressing a set of comprehensive, community-led strategies for neighborhood change. Created from the ideas of over 500 community stakeholders, it aims to attract, coordinate, and support opportunities to improve the community’s narrative, education, housing, youth empowerment, economic development, public safety, and civic engagement. Plus, the Chicago Avenue corridor is identified among the focal redevelopment projects in the plan.  INVEST South/ West is announced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to drive investment to neighborhoods historically overlooked. The initiative targets Austin, with a focus on the Soul City Corridor, actually expanding it to include the Retail Thrive Zone area and SSA Avenue 72. Priorities include streetscape improvements, connections to financial support for existing or new businesses, and identifying specific lots for development such as Laramie State Bank.

The ASPIRE Initiative is named one of six finalists for the $10 million Chicago Prize and starts garnering investments. This effort is created out of several goals and ideas from AFT and outlines how Austin can build a stronger cradleto-career pipeline through four investments strategically clustered around existing assets in an area bound by Madison, Chicago, Central, and Laramie Avenues: The Aspire Education & Wellness Campus; Aspire Austin College & Career Academy; The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation; and Aspire Housing. The $121-million-dollar effort is a collaboration between ACT, Westside Health Authority, and By The Hand Club For Kids.

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

2021  INVEST South/West releases Request for Proposals for the redevelopment of Laramie State Bank and the Austin United Alliance was selected. Their proposed $37.5 million project will renovate the landmark bank building to potentially include a blues museum, bank branch, café, and business incubator. The approximately 20,000 square-feet of adjacent land might be redeveloped into a mixed-income, multistory rental building that includes a green roof, public plaza, social spaces, and outdoor art. The project is expected Earl Chase, executive director of Heartland to generate up to Housing, and Athena Williams, executive director of the Oak Park Regional Housing 150 construction jobs Center, are leading Austin United Alliance, the team redeveloping Laramie State Bank. and around 22 fullPhoto by John R. Boehm / Crain’s Chicago time positions. Business

 POPCourts! on the corner of Chicago Avenue and Lockwood is a vacant lot turned event space whose grand opening is attended by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, other government officials, and residents who are all excited about the programs and liveliness it brings to this part of Austin.

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2 Education

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AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2021 QUARTER 2

Austin Weekly News • July 21, 2021

Austin’s path to revitalization By Alicia Plomin Marketing & Development Manager, Austin Coming Together

eighborhood transformation does not happen overnight. In Austin, the health of corridors like Chicago Avenue is instrumental to the community’s chance of sustaining positive change.

As a main east/west thoroughfare that connects all main north/south thoroughfares, it has great promise to become a thriving business and entertainment district. In 2013, Malcolm Crawford, executive director of the Austin African American Business Networking Association, worked with the Department of Planning and Development to create a commercial thrive zone initiative called the “Soul City Corridor.” Since then, the 1.5-mile stretch of Chicago Avenue between Austin Boulevard and Cicero Avenue has been growing into a center for commercial development, and for celebrating African-American food, culture, and art.

CATALYTIC INVESTMENT Mayor Lori Lightfoot established the INVEST South/West equitable community development strategy in 2019 focusing on driving resources and advocacy to Austin and nine other areas traditionally overlooked by investment. The strategy reviewed community plans and feedback to establish a list of twelve key commercial corridors in these communities that when improved, would impact the nearby residents and businesses as well as those in surrounding community areas. Chicago Avenue from Kilpatrick Avenue to Austin Boulevard was chosen as Austin’s priority corridor because it had historically been a center of activity, amenities, and services for residents and with the recent efforts around the Soul City Corridor. It is on its way to being that hub once again. INVEST South/West took existing work and plans into consideration and in Austin, that also meant Austin Forward. Together. (AFT), the community’s first ever quality-of-life plan which was initiated in 2019. In addition to the Issue Areas, AFT includes several focal projects that are specific geographic sites where large-scale physical redevelopment projects would catalyze and attract more investment and development throughout Austin. During the planning phase of AFT, an obvious section to include was the Chicago Avenue corridor.

LISC Chicago and Teska Associates worked with Austin Coming Together (ACT) to lead the community through visioning sessions to generate ideas while considering the built environment and craft AFT. “Through generations it has been seen as a significant building in the neighborhood. Its presence on the street is symbolic of what the street was and what Austin wants it to become,” said Jack Swenson, former consultant and program officer for LISC.

CHAMPIONS OF AUSTIN Countless residents, non-residents, and organizations have been working tirelessly for years to make this moment possible. Transforming such a noticeable landmark, like the Laramie State Bank into a usable, safe space open to the community is a key part of Austin’s vision. It would mean acknowledging the community’s voice as valuable and worthy. From her travel agency on Chicago Avenue, longtime Austin resident Crystal Dyer often watches architecture tours stop in front of the bank on their way west to Oak Park. Just as she hopes traveling will inspire the kids she impacts through her nonprofit Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures, she hopes Laramie State Bank’s international reputation as an architectural gem will inspire Austinites to take pride in their community’s history and respect the assets that still stand today.

Dyer was part of the Steering Committee who helped create the AFT quality-of-life plan and remembers conversation about highlighting Chicago Avenue as a way to give the corridor the second chance it deserves.

SIGNS OF PROGRESS The culmination of all these efforts has unlocked opportunities that are already making an impact. The June grand opening of POPCourts!, a vacant lot turned outdoor plaza at Chicago and Lockwood, was standing room only. With a mural of prominent black figures, shaded seating areas, a basketball court, and even gravel parking for food trucks, the colorful corner is a visual representation of the vibrancy of Austin and the growth that is coming. Over 20 projects are currently in various stages, including a cafe, restaurants, grocery store, and fitness club. Streetscape enhancements are also planned and will include a public discussion to get the community’s thoughts on the specific elements. Through the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the City of Chicago continues to offer qualified development teams and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to submit proposals for opportunity sites in the INVEST South/West neighborhoods. This Request for Proposals development initiative selected Laramie State Bank in spring 2021. Even just the start of construction will help the entire city see Austin as it really is: full of history, culture, and potential. The Laramie State Bank project is a reminder that Austin is on the right path—a path to a more prominent future. Seven teams submitted proposals to develop the iconic bank site, and Austin United Alliance was announced as the chosen bid at a press conference in March. Austin United Alliance is a partnership of Heartland Housing and the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, whose executive director is Athena Williams, a longtime Austin resident and an AFT plan leader.

Austin residents Vanessa Stokes and Crystal Dyer at an ‘Austin Forward. Together.’ planning session discussing how to rewrite the narrative about the Austin community.

Many of the specifics of the project are still being worked out, but what cannot be denied is the significance of the reactivation of this important site. As work moves forward, it will be critical for community stakeholders to do their due diligence and hold Austin United Alliance accountable to make sure the benefits of the bank project come in ways the community expects and needs. n