City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development

05/06/2022

26 Community Development Projects Get $33.5 Million In City Funding

"A new round of funding through the Chicago Recovery Plan Community Development Grant was announced Monday, with 26 businesses and nonprofits getting grants of $42,000-$7.25 million. City officials hope the money will spark more than $138 million in investment in Chicago neighborhoods to help small businesses and community initiatives take root."

Neighborhood restaurants, businesses and community centers were awarded grants of up to $7 million as part of the Chicago Recovery Plan's community development initiative.

05/02/2022

Today Mayor Lightfoot and Comm. Maurice Cox announced the grant finalists. $33.5 Million in funding will be awarded to 26 new and expanded restaurants, health centers & other neighborhood improvements. Learn more: Chicago.gov/DPDrecoveryplan

04/29/2022

Join the Chicago Housing Authority and the City of Chicago for an update on the proposed Chicago Fire Football Club training facility, 6 - 8 PM on Tuesday, May 3. Register here: https://bit.ly/38B6t1c

04/28/2022

'We Will Chicago' Plan Can Boost Economy By Investing In Black And Brown Neighborhoods, Southeast Siders Say

"The input process is 'excellent... It’s the grassroots — it’s going right to the people in the community to see what they say.'"

Neighbors shared their economic development goals for Chicago Wednesday, as part of a citywide planning initiative set to be implemented across Chicago next year.

04/27/2022

Reminder join DPD and Ald. Reboyras at 6 PM, Thursday, April 28 for the kickoff community visioning session for the “Belmont Triangle” in Avondale. Register to attend the virtual webinar at Chicago.gov/BelmontTriangle.

Help envision the future of nearly four acres of vacant land within the "Belmont Triangle" at Belmont Avenue, Milwaukee Avenue and Pulaski Road.

A panel will discuss current conditions and potential development opportunities for the block.

04/26/2022

Last week Mayor Lightfoot, Commissioner Cox, DPD staff, and City officials attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Bronzeville Winery at 4420 S. Cottage Grove. Owned by Cecilia Cuff and Eric Williams, the restaurant received $250,000 in support from the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund.

According to Williams and Cuff, "Bronzeville Winery will feature a menu paying homage to the flavors of the African diaspora paired with wine, craft cocktails and beer for every palate, served in a comfortable, welcoming location for the community to gather."

04/25/2022

The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot is now accepting applications to receive $500 in cash assistance per month for twelve months. Visit chicago.gov/cashpilot to see if you are eligible and apply for the lottery.


Chicago Department of Family and Support Services

04/21/2022

This morning Plan Commission approved the Greater Chicago Food Depository's proposed $35 million expansion to its existing food warehouse at 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place in Archer Heights. Plans for the site include a new 36,700-square-foot meal prep facility and 80,000-square-foot urban garden.

04/20/2022

Interested in the future of Avondale's Belmont Triangle? Join a DPD virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 28th, to discuss opportunities to redevelop nearly four acres of vacant land between Milwaukee, Belmont and Pulaski. Learn more & register now: Chicago.gov/BelmontTriangle

04/07/2022

Today the Commission on Chicago Landmarks approved a preliminary landmark designation for the Paseo Boricua Gateway Flags on Division Street in Humboldt Park. The twin steel sculptures, built in 1995, mark the economic, social and cultural center of Chicago's Puerto Rican community.

04/04/2022

Mahalia Jackson Court, A Public Plaza With Pop-Up Businesses And Play Areas For Kids, Is Coming To Chatham This Summer

"The Greater Chatham Initiative received $500,000 from the city’s Department of Planning and Development to build Mahalia Jackson Court... [it] will include a cafe, space for food trucks and pop-up businesses, natural playscapes and recreation areas."

The public plaza named for the legendary gospel singer and Chatham resident will be at 79th and State, "one of the welcome intersections to Chatham," an organizer said.

03/31/2022

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and City officials today released a vision for an expanded trails and open space network that includes a $15 million commitment toward a dozen green infrastructure projects citywide.

The plan will add 48 miles to Chicago's existing 79-mile trail network, creating new opportunities for recreation and transportation while promoting the health and well-being of residents and visitors. Relevant City agencies are working closely with community stakeholders to plan each project, which will be funded by a variety of local, state and federal sources, including competitive grants being made available through a bipartisan infrastructure package recently passed by Congress.

Framework plans for select trail projects will be subject to community input in the months ahead, DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said.

03/21/2022

New developments set to revitalize Ogden Ave corridor

Highlighted in a community workshop last Thursday, three planned North Lawndale developments are poised to contribute to the revitalization of Ogden Avenue, an INVEST South/West priority corridor.

Developers presented their plans for three developments in the Ogden Avenue corridor in North Lawndale to the local community. Sited within the Department of Planning and Development’s Invest South/West Ogden Avenue corridor, the projects are planned for three separate sites. --

03/18/2022

Vacant Lots Survey

DPD's vacant lot survey closes on March 21! Share your perceptions of City-owned vacant lots to help shape future land sale programs.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

03/14/2022

Looking for a new opportunity? DPD is hiring for positions in finance, zoning, small business advocacy, communications, and public engagement. Learn more at http://Chicago.gov/Careers and http://WeWillChicago.com/Jobs.

03/11/2022

SBIF Rollout Calendar

SBIF Rollout Calendar

The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) opens for grants each month in various TIF districts across Chicago. The program's three-year funding plan, adopted in December 2020, currently runs through 2023.

03/10/2022

Vacant Lots Survey

The City of Chicago owns more than 10,000 vacant lots. Take a brief survey and tell us what you think about them. Your feedback will help shape DPD's City-owned land sale strategy and programs.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

03/09/2022

ULI Chicago Webinar | LaSalle Street Recommendations Presentation (Virtual)

Join Urban Land Institute Chicago at 6 PM on Tues. March 22 for a virtual presentation of recommendations to reposition LaSalle Street as a thriving, work-play-live corridor in the Loop.

Support was provided by DPD and The Chicago Loop Alliance. The ULI Chicago Technical Assistance Panel for LaSalle was part of the City’s downtown recovery planning efforts included in the "Central City Recovery Roadmap" in June 2021.

ULI Chicago Webinar | LaSalle Street Recommendations Presentation (Virtual)

03/09/2022

Tonight, March 9 at 6 PM, is the first virtual Community Safety Town Hall. Learn more about Chicago Mayor's Office commitment to violence prevention. Register here: bit.ly/CommunitySafetyTownHalls

03/01/2022

Applications for the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) are now open through Mar. 31 for the following TIF districts:

Addison South: North Center, Avondale and Logan Square
Lawrence/Kedzie: North Park and Albany Park
Pulaski Corridor: Hermosa, Avondale, Logan Square and Humboldt Park
Western/Rock Island: Beverly and Morgan Park

The SBIF program uses revenue from TIF districts to help owners of commercial and industrial properties to repair or remodel their facilities for their own business or on behalf of tenants. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply on their own.

Spots are still available for the informational webinar at 1 P.M. on March 2. Learn more and register at Chicago.gov/SBIF.

02/28/2022

In honor of Black History Month, DPD's Historic Preservation Division launched a set of multimedia tours of significant buildings on Chicago's South Side, including the homes of Muddy Waters and Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley. More multimedia tours will be added on an ongoing basis. View tours: https://bit.ly/DPDtours

02/25/2022

Black-Owned Grocery Store Coming To West Side Wins $2.5 Million City Grant

"The city is backing the development of a Black-owned supermarket along Austin’s Soul City Corridor with a $2.5 million grant, funded under the Chicago Recovery Plan."

Forty Acres Fresh Market will break ground this year on a Chicago Avenue store. In the meantime, the business is holding weekly community markets.

02/24/2022

DPD is hiring! Explore current job opportunities at Chicago.gov/CAREERS and WeWillChicago.com/Jobs.

02/23/2022

Have a few minutes? The Dept. of Planning and Development is seeking public input on City-owned vacant lots. Take a brief survey about at bit.ly/vacantlotssurvey.

02/14/2022

There is still time to register for the Clark Street Crossroads Virtual Community Workshop at 6 PM on Tues. Feb. 15! Help guide future investment and public improvements along Clark Street from Montrose to Foster. RSVP > clarkstreetcrossroads.com

02/10/2022

North Lawndale industrial complex to bring hundreds of jobs and community innovation space: ‘We want development. We want a vibrant economy.’

“It represents a collective effort of all of us to give this site an entirely new meaning in Chicago... Rather than acres and acres of unimproved land, rather than mountains of debris, we are going to see this site return to its original purpose and that is to be a job-producing center for North Lanwdale and beyond." - Comm. Maurice Cox

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced a solar-powered, 302,000-square-foot industrial complex and a pair of community innovation centers is the winning proposal to revitalize 21 acres of city-owned land at 4300 W. Roosevelt Road in North Lawndale.

02/04/2022

Vacant West Side Buildings To Become Small Business Hubs Where Entrepreneurs Can Get Coaching, Free Rent And More

"The effort to turn vacant buildings into neighborhood business hubs is led by the Steans Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the social and economic environment of Lawndale. The foundation is working with the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council to plan the project.

The project was awarded $2.58 million in Chicago Recovery Plan dollars through the city’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant program, which is aimed at spurring development on the South and West sides."

The Steans Family Foundation is using a $2.58 million grant from the city to build out small business hubs to attract entrepreneurs to North Lawndale, bringing jobs and wealth to the neighborhood.

02/02/2022

2022 Joint Readiness Summit

2022 Joint Readiness Summit

02/01/2022

Yesterday Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced a solar-powered, 302,000-square-foot industrial complex and a pair of community innovation centers is the winning proposal to revitalize 21 acres of City-owned land at 4300 W. Roosevelt Road in North Lawndale.

The $38.4 million project by 548 Development and Related Midwest will leverage the location’s strengths for freight and logistics with a pair of industrial structures: a 153,460-square-foot building with 31 dock spaces on the northern portion of the property, and a 148,680-square-foot-building with 31 dock spaces on the southern portion of the property.

The site will also include a North Lawndale Innovation Center, which will provide two buildings for community-based retail, workforce training, and office uses in partnership with local community organizations. An adjoining community park will offer outdoor gathering space for the community, and Chicago muralist Max Sansing will design and create exterior mural art along Roosevelt Road.

01/31/2022

Chicago picks team to redevelop Silver Shovel dumpsite on West Side

"Now it can be told — Lightfoot and her Department of Planning and Development are announcing Monday the land is going to a Chicago-based team of 548 Development and Related Midwest. It plans a solar-powered hub for light manufacturing that could offer more than 300 permanent jobs along with a park and an 'innovation center' for workforce training and retail space."

City officials have selected a Chicago-based partnership to put an industrial project with community improvements on the 21 acres at Roosevelt Road and Kostner Avenue.

01/27/2022

Little Village arch gains official landmark status

"City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to make the arch an official Chicago landmark, ending a months-long effort. The designation also marks the first time a Mexican architect’s work has been granted landmark status."

City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to make the arch an official Chicago landmark, ending a months-long effort. The designation also marks the first time a Mexican architect’s work has been granted landmark status.

01/26/2022

DPD is launching public engagement for the project in Uptown, a corridor study examining Clark between Montrose and Foster.

Register to attend a virtual forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15: bit.ly/clarkfeb15

Or take the survey at clarkstreetcrossroads.com/engage!

01/19/2022

Chicago Playgrounds, Parks And A Library Will Get Major Upgrades After Winning $10 Million In City Grants

ICYMI the final selections were announced yesterday in the Chicago Works Community Challenge. The awarded projects include four parks, two schools, and one library.

Seven resident-led projects were chosen out of nearly 500 proposals in the Chicago Works Community Challenge.

01/18/2022

Today Mayor Lightfoot announced the Chicago Works Community Challenge final selections at Rainbow Beach Park. The selected teams represent projects at the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Library, and Chicago Public Schools. Congratulations to the winners!

01/17/2022

Stream live this morning at 9 AM!

UPDATED EVENT DETAILS.

The MLK Interfaith Celebration is now taking place Monday, January 17.