Elevated Chicago at the Green Line South: A Workplan for Equitable Transit-Oriented Development January 2019 Opportunities & Challenges helped pave the way for a business incubator and shared workspace to be built on the site. On Garfield Boulevard, “Instead of saying opportunity is coming, we need UChicago Arts, Arts + Public Life has recently opened the to say opportunity is already here,” says Shandra new Green Line Performing Arts Center, and in 2019 it Richardson of Sunshine Enterprises. Richardson is will launch a new program housed in the historic Garfield one of the community leaders implementing inspiring Green Line station for South Side residents interested in projects in the area dubbed by Elevated Chicago as developing arts-related businesses. Both efforts continue Green Line South — which includes Chicago Transit to lead the development and activation of the Arts Block, Authority (CTA) station areas located in Woodlawn and located across the street from the Garfield station. Washington Park. These neighborhoods have a great Sunshine Enterprises runs a successful set of programs deal to offer, including: engaged residents, such as those and services for small businesses and entrepreneurs who participate in efforts like those led by the Network near the Cottage Grove/63rd stop, and received a $1.8M of Woodlawn (NOW) and the One Woodlawn Initiative; grant from the City of Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity large, historic parks and green space; available land Fund to support expansion of their business incubator for for transformative development; anchor institutions Woodlawn’s aspiring entrepreneurs at a nearby vacant like the DuSable Museum of African American History, building. the University of Chicago and the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center; and rich histories of African- Early Elevated Chicago grants, awarded in 2017, American enterprise, and arts and culture, including supported activation efforts at or nearby the three live music venues and commercial spaces that once eHubs. At 51st, Urban Juncture Foundation led efforts thrived along Garfield Boulevard. Describing her to beautify the area and bring community together by organization, Lesle Honore, Executive Director of the KLEO creating a permanent mural by the station, installing Community Family Life Center, expresses a sentiment trash cans and convening residents. UChicago Arts, Arts+ that illustrates the meaningful connections that sustain Public Life engaged artists of color and small businesses these neighborhoods: “We are more than just invested in in their Vends + Vibes annual arts marketplace, and our community. We are an extension of our community’s hosted a Halloween celebration for community residents. family.” Black Girls Break Bread convened young girls from the community to discuss their transit experiences and ideas Working together, members and grantees of Elevated to develop safer spaces. And Neighborhood Housing Chicago who are based in the Green Line South equitable Services (NHS) of Chicago continued its successful Hubs (or eHubs) — the ½ mile circle around the 51st, Renew Woodlawn program, which offers opportunities Garfield, and Cottage Grove/63rd CTA stations of the for homeownership to moderate-income families in the Green Line — have accomplished great things. The KLEO community. Community Family Life Center runs strong programs that build community, strengthen families and develop The CTA has begun the redevelopment of the stations at youth, using the arts to help people process trauma and Garfield Blvd. and Cottage Grove/63rd, with investments create beauty from pain. Recently, KLEO celebrated a of $50M and $30M, respectively. These investments are ribbon cutting and rededication of a mural celebrating already spurring and supporting equitable development the life and legacy of its namesake Kleo Barrett, a young nearby. The KLEO Art Residences, a 49-unit affordable leader from the neighborhood who was killed in 2007. housing community off the Garfield stop designed for Artistic programs at the site of the former Overton School, artists and their families by Brinshore Development, sponsored by Washington Park Development Group, have broke ground in early 2018. At Cottage Grove/63rd, ELEVATED CHICAGO | Green Line South eHub 1 the new CTA station may likely include an enclosed Elevated Chicago pedestrian walkway connecting directly with the interior entrance of a housing community developed by Elevated Chicago is an innovative collaboration of Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH). Nearby, the community leaders and organizations, regional former Washington Park building — now owned by the nonprofits and planning agencies, funders, public Cook County Land Bank — is being redeveloped with early officials, and others, who have come together to create engagement of community residents in the RFP process a more racially equitable city and region. Its goals and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in include preventing further resident and business future planning, construction, and management phases. displacement by helping to develop more prosperous, healthy and resilient communities. The initiative also Yet these communities face considerable challenges. aims to transform the power dynamics that determine In Washington Park, infrastructure such as streets, how neighborhoods are built in Chicago. To accomplish sidewalks, vacant lots, and buildings has been allowed to this, we are using an approach called Equitable Transit deteriorate, and the area has witnessed population loss Oriented Development, or eTOD. The City of Chicago’s and vacancy, as residents and businesses relocate due Transit Oriented Development ordinance and policy make to a lack of opportunities, concerns regarding safety and areas surrounding transit stops especially attractive for violence, and related issues. While Woodlawn continues development: eTOD helps ensure that these news assets to face similar concerns, residents also worry that and wealth will be enjoyed equitably by the area’s existing forthcoming changes such as those that may result from and longtime residents. the construction of the Obama Presidential Center on the eastern side of the community may not benefit the Elevated Chicago has started its work around seven CTA area’s longtime residents. Health and climate resiliency stations. Elevated Chicago partners invest resources in indicators in these majority Black communities are programs and projects within the ½ mile radius circle significantly lower that in majority white communities. around each station to advance racial equity in health, And in the three eHubs, local residents are at high risk climate and cultural indicators. These transit-rich circles of displacement, according to a recent study done by the are called equitable hubs, or eHubs. Community-based Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University. organizations represented in Elevated Chicago’s Steering Committee serve as bridges and connectors to the eHub Displacement of people of color is one of the Chicago and lead Community Tables in collaboration with other region’s most urgent problems. This includes partners and residents. displacement triggered by a lack of investment, such as what has occurred in much of Washington Park and Woodlawn, as well as displacement triggered by Elevated Chicago envisions gentrification in real estate markets that are beginning to equitable, responsive, transparent be seen as more desirable, including areas of Woodlawn. Disinvestment, gentrification and displacement are decision making and investment, not random occurrences, but the result of a century of as part of a regional agenda for intentional, racially motivated practices. Residents still endure this legacy, and are still often excluded from just, healthy, and climate resilient key decision-making that affects the future of their communities. neighborhoods. ELEVATED CHICAGO | Green Line South eHub 2 Elevated Chicago is supporting three eHubs along the Making Our Workplan Happen in the Green Line Green Line South at the 51st St, Garfield Blvd, and Cottage South eHubs Grove and 63rd St stops. Organizations based in these The workplan developed by the Green Line South eHubs have formed the Green Line South Community Community Table includes exploring and implementing Table, which includes Elevated Chicago Steering an EcoDistrict model. EcoDistricts create a shared set Committee members KLEO Community Family Life Center, of goals for a healthy, inclusive environment for all Sunshine Enterprises, UChicago Arts, Arts + Public Life, residents, using environmentally sustainable economic and Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative, development. Implementation should be inclusive of as well as representatives from Blacks in Green, Washington Park and Woodlawn’s many existing resident Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Preservation visions and neighborhood plans, and help coordinate the of Affordable Housing, UChicago Office of Civic strategies of their diverse leaders and organizations. Engagement, and XS Tennis. Green Line South is one of The Green Line South workplan includes a strong focus four Community Tables that have been established around on resident entrepreneurship and business ownership. seven stations citywide. The other Tables include the Business incubator projects are being led by Sunshine Kedzie Corridor (in East Garfield Park and North Enterprises in Woodlawn, and Washington Park Lawndale), Pink Line California, and Logan Square Blue Development