TOMORROW STARTS TODAY

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1 TOMORROW STARTS TODAY Chicago Youth Building Chicago s Neighborhoods 21 ST ANNUAL CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AWARDS FEBRUARY 17, 2015 #CNDA21 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

2 INTRODUCTION Be honest. What were you like 20 or 30 years ago? Chances are you were a mix of carefree and confused back then, hardly ready to take on the responsibilities you shoulder today. And face it, in another 20 or 30 years you ll be long-retired or long-gone. So who s going to take your place? The answer, of course, is one of those carefree and confused kids you see every day but don t quite understand. It s the timeless challenge we all face: How best to nurture and teach our juniors so they ll be ready, willing and able to carry on our work after we re gone. And if your work just happens to be community development with all the organizational skills and relationship-building it involves how indeed? How will kids learn to settle disagreements and build consensus? How to craft neighborhood goals and strategies? How to build the lasagna enlist the help of police patrolmen and parish pastors, of the alderman and the mayor? It s all very complex, surely beyond the ken of kids. But look again. Behind carefree and confused there s another world their world fast and service-learning programs. Their world has pitfalls aplenty, to be sure: stressed families; unaffordable housing; struggling schools; gun violence, etc. Our work is to reduce those pitfalls and help kids avoid those that remain. Theirs will be to eradicate them. Impossible? Look around. Listen carefully to the young people on tonight s Forum panel and to those accepting the Power of Community Award for tackling Chicago s high school dropout problem. These kids are more than all right. They re the future of our neighborhoods. And with a little help from us-the-departing, that future never looked brighter. PAGE 1

3 DEAR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, Welcome to the 21st annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, a celebration of individuals who work together to make our communities the best possible places to live, work and raise the leaders of tomorrow. On behalf of State Farm Insurance Companies, I have the privilege of congratulating tonight s development, we inspire others to make a difference. I am honored to be here with you as you are all winners. You are winners because of the important work you do every day. You are winners because you understand that Chicago, or any city, can t truly be world class unless all our neighborhoods do what it takes for our children to succeed. That s why State Farm has leveraged its relationship with Illinois State University (ISU) and worked with LISC Chicago on a Pipeline bringing promising young teachers from ISU to Chicago Public Schools in neighborhoods such as Little Village and Auburn Gresham. In addition, we are a sponsor of LISC s Neighborhood Safety Initiative, Financial Opportunity Centers Network and, of course, tonight s Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards celebration. Virtually everyone here tonight has been doing something large or small to advance the cause of neighborhood improvement. Thank you for your efforts and commitment, especially to those of you working with young people as they cope with and master challenges unimaginable to many of us. We succeed only if they succeed. Tomorrow doesn t wait. Tomorrow starts tonight! Sincerely, Louise Perrin Senior Vice President State Farm Insurance Companies PAGE 2 PAGE 3

4 THE AWARDS ARE MANAGED BY LISC CHICAGO AND GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY THE FOLLOWING: Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, PC BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois Brinshore Development, LLC Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago The Habitat Company National Equity Fund, Inc. Pierce Family Foundation University of Chicago Urban Partnership Bank Accion Chicago Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council The Cara Program The Chicago Bears Camiros, Ltd. The Community Builders, Inc. Chicago Community Loan Fund Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives CohnReznick LLP Community Investment Corporation Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. Fifth Third Bank FirstMerit Bank Greater Good Studio Greater Southwest Development Corporation IFF Illinois Housing Council Illinois Housing Development Authority Lightengale Group Linn-Mathes Inc. Mercy Housing Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago The Resurrection Project Southwest Airlines Teska Associates, Inc. The Walsh Group Wells Fargo Wight & Company PAGE 4 PAGE 5

5 JUDGES CHAIRPERSON Louise Perrin Senior Vice President State Farm Insurance Companies AWARDS COMMITTEE Deborah Bennett, Chair Polk Bros. Foundation Vicky Arroyo MB Financial Bank Nick Brunick Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, P.C. Julie Chavez Bank of America Michael Davidson Chicago Community Trust Lawrence Grisham City of Chicago Calvin Holmes Chicago Community Loan Fund SELECTION PROCESS Grace Hou Woods Fund Chicago Kris Jurmu US Bank Lisa LaDonna Cooper State Farm John Markowski Community Investment Corporation Matthew Reilein JPMorgan Chase Casandra Slade Wintrust A wide variety of dedicated organizations and innovative projects contended for the 2015 Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. sectors evaluated each submission on three criteria: development process/organizational effectiveness, community impact, and project or organizational challenge. After a series of site visits, judges made Sue Augustus Matt Beaton Harley Ellis Devereaux Becky Belcore Woods Fund Chicago Deborah Bennett Polk Bros. Foundation Jack Bernhard JP Morgan Chase Michael Buono Walsh Construction Diane Corbett Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, P.C. Lynne Cunningham St. Leonard s Ministries Bill Curry Breakthrough Urban Ministries Pamela Daniels-Halisi BMO Harris Bank Demond Drummer Smart Chicago Collaborative Nora Dunlop Enlace Chicago Molly Ekerdt Preservation of Affordable Housing Lesly Flores MB Financial Bank Elliot Frolichstein-Appel RBC Capital Markets Michael Goldberg Heartland Housing Caronina Grimble Woods Fund Chicago Katie Groen Sheridan Ventures Adam Gross BPI FirstMerit Bank Lisa Herrera MB Financial Bank Grace Hou Woods Fund Chicago Susan Kaplan Susan King Harley Ellis Devereaux John Kuhnen IFF Eric Larsen Walsh Construction Cheryl Lawrence Lawyers Committee for Better Housing Peter Levavi Brinshore Development Judy Levey Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Hina Mahmood Woods Fund Chicago Katherine Mazzocco BMO Harris Bank Melissa McDaniel North River Commission Rhonda McFarland Deborah Moore Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Roberta Nechin Nechin Enterprises, LTD Marisa Novara Metropolitan Planning Council Ken Oliver Consultant Rosa Ortiz Enterprise Community Partners Erica Pascal Allison Porter Bell BMO Harris Bank Jon Pounds Chicago Public Art Group Jay Readey Chicago Lawyers Committee Guacolda Reyes The Resurrection Project Liz Reyes Corporation for Supportive Housing Ravi Ricker Wrap Architecture Deborah Ross FirstMerit Bank James Rudyk Northwest Side Housing Center Jackie Samuel Claretian Associates Ernie Sanders Lynn Sasamoto Trish Sessa BMO Harris Bank Erica Spangler Raz The Law Project Dan Sweeney Wells Fargo Bank Robin Toewe IFF Mike Tomas Council Joanna Trotter University of Chicago Katrina Van Valkenburgh Corporation for Supportive Housing Veronica Vidal Chicago Community Trust Paul Vlamis JPMorgan Chase Melanie Wang Allstate Insurance Jim West BMO Harris Bank PAGE 6 PAGE 7

6 TOMORROW STARTS TODAY MODERATOR Toni Preckwinkle President, Cook County Board of Commissioners Board and reelected last year unopposed, Preckwinkle has led the way on youth and juvenile justice issues. She s working with the courts, for instance, to remove non-violent offenders from juvenile detention and to have judges, not prosecutors, decide whether to try juveniles as adults. PANELISTS Jahari Jones, Korynna Lopez, Toni Preckwinkle, Perriyana Clay, Berto Aguayo FORUM TOMORROW STARTS TODAY Street violence and school failings grab headlines, but a majority of our young are working hard toward responsible adulthood. Some already are leading a next-gen assault on our city s toughest issues. Four of those young people from different Chicago neighborhoods have gathered at this forum to describe how they became involved with Mikva Challenge, Girls in the Game, Claretian Associates and other organizations to make their communities stronger and healthier. Leading them through the discussion was Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Jahari Jones A graduate of Chicago Vocational Career Academy, this 23-year-old leader works with Claretian Associates in South Chicago. There he s helped with programs such as Safe Passage, Hoops-in-the-Hood, Becoming A Man (B.A.M.) and youth outreach for the YMCA. Korynna Lopez A junior double-major at DePaul University active with Mikva Challenge, at 21 she s a leader in the expungement effort with the Cook County Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. She also helped build the website. Perriyana Clay An 18-year-old senior at Whitney Young H.S., she interns with a Loop investment house, volunteer coaches with Girls in the Game and mentors younger girls back in her Austin neighborhood. She s eyeing pre-med at an Ivy League college. Berto Aguayo a junior and student government president at Dominican University. Aguayo, 20, interns for State Rep. Chris Welch and works with Mikva Challenge and the Mayor s Youth Commission on issues affecting youth. PAGE 8 PAGE 9

7 AWARDS CEREMONY WELCOME Susana L. Vasquez Executive Director, LISC Chicago OPENING REMARKS Louise Perrin Senior Vice-President, State Farm Insurance Companies CNDA FORUM OVERVIEW Connie Lindsey, Northern Trust & Jerry Zinkula, Allstate EXPLANATION OF THE AWARDS Stephen Sparks, Bank of America & Tim Crane, Wintrust Financial PRESENTATION OF THE AWARDS The Chicago Community Trust Outstanding Community Strategy of the Year Award Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives for the Pullman Revitalization Strategy Presented by Terry Mazany, The Chicago Community Trust & Marsha Cruzan, U.S. Bank Neighborhood Real Estate Project Thresholds for Fred and Pamela Buffett Place Presented by Scott Swanson, PNC Bank & Pam Daniels-Halisi, BMO Harris Bank The Polk Bros. Foundation Affordable Rental Housing Preservation Award Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation for 1704 N. Humboldt Building Presented by Deborah E. Bennett, Polk Bros. Foundation & Vicky Arroyo, MB Financial SKILKEN and TROY Enterprises for The SHOPS and LOFTS at 47 Presented by Matt Reilein, JP Morgan Chase and John Kleczynski, Peoples Gas The Woods Fund Chicago Power of Community Award Albany Park Neighborhood Council for the VOYCE Project Presented by Grace Hou & Patrick Sheahan, Woods Fund Chicago The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design Presented by Kim Coventry, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation FIRST PLACE Landon Bone Baker Architects Ltd for Fred and Pamela Buffett Place SECOND PLACE Weese Langley Weese Architects Ltd for Grove Apartments THIRD PLACE Wrap Architecture for Bronzeville Artists Lofts The PrivateBank Norman Bobins Leadership Award Sarah Ward, Executive Director, South Chicago Art Center Presented by Norman Bobins, The PrivateBank The Richard M. Daley Friend of the Neighborhoods Award Earnest Gates, Executive Director, Near West Side Community Development Corporation Presented by Susana L. Vasquez, LISC Chicago INTRODUCTION OF MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL Louise Perrin State Farm Insurance Companies CLOSING Lori Healey Tur Partners & Chair of LISC Chicago Board of Advisors PAGE 10 PAGE 11

8 THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY STRATEGY OF THE YEAR AWARD Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives for the Pullman Revitalization Strategy Revitalization of the Pullman neighborhood on the city s Far South Side is occurring across so broad an area that it s easy to underestimate the Super Walmart along the I-94 Bishop Ford Expressway to the spectacular a coherent-yet-comprehensive strategy and a whole lot of hard work. offshoot of U.S. Bank that has been working closely with Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) and organizations such as Mercy Housing and the Historic Pullman Foundation. The strategy s centerpiece is the ongoing restoration of the Town of Pullman, the self-contained village built by railcar magnate George M. Pullman in the 1880s to house his workers close to the factory Historic Park. To the east, where I-94 skirts Lake Calumet, a more straightforward but no less impressive redevelopment is occurring on the sprawling, 180-acre site of a former steel mill. Following key infrastructure investments by the a modern enviro-friendly soap factory for Method Home Products, Inc., soon a Pullman Community Center recreation complex, and eventually, 1,100 homes covering a spectrum of architectural formats and price/ rental points. Though CNI and U.S. Bank led the way at Pullman Park, redevelopment there and elsewhere in the neighborhood has been guided by an extensive, year-long planning process. Three public workshops and more than 65 meetings were held with community stakeholders to make sure the development honors the neighborhood and meets the goals of its residents. President David Doig. There s a broad base of public and private partners committed to the neighborhood. We ve had the unwavering support of countless hours of time improving their community. PAGE 12 PAGE 13

9 THE RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NON-PROFIT NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE PROJECT Thresholds for Fred and Pamela Buffett Place Everything about Buffett Place whispers home. But converting the cold and infamous Diplomat Hotel into a warm and nurturing environment required deft coordination among Illinois largest provider of mental health services, the City of Chicago, and Brinshore Development LLC. After the City took possession of the vacant SRO following years of mismanagement, the mayor and Ald. Tom Tunney (44 th ), sought to preserve affordability and make it an asset, not a liability, to the bustling Belmont/ The winning proposal by Thresholds/Brinshore and architects Landon Bone Baker did that and much more, delivering not just a stunningly innovative design but participation by several other experts and importantly, Thresholds residents. Removal of an old one-story addition at the building s center allowed for an interior courtyard that functions as a kind of shared living room. reduced from 91 carved-up units during SRO days. A rooftop green garden was installed offering skyline views not typically associated with affordable housing. What most impresses, though, are the non-institutional touches that make by residents across the Thresholds network and integrated their images into a large woodcut spelling home in the new lobby. The ReBuilding Exchange salvaged hardwood joists and framing to craft one-of-a-kind benches, bookshelves and coat racks. The Chicago Botanic Garden helped with landscaping and greening of the courtyard, rooftop and with their socialization and job skills. health and hope motto, but a new housing model for a vulnerable population. PAGE 14 PAGE 15

10 THE POLK BROS. FOUNDATION AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING PRESERVATION AWARD Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation for the 1704 N. Humboldt Building Second chances aren t guaranteed in community development, but as Section 8 contracts expire and subsidized mortgages run their course, veteran developers of affordable housing are faced more and more with the challenge of a do-over. bottom rehab of its 29-unit yellow brick courtyard apartment building on the northwest corner of Wabansia Avenue and historic Humboldt Boulevard. Bickerdike saved the HUD-owned 1704 N. Humboldt from demolition in 1985 and proceeded to de-convert its 54 studios into 29 units of family affordable housing. Now an $11.3 million recapitalization has enabled repairs not in the earlier budget, beginning with total removal of lead and asbestos along with rewiring throughout. New amenities include: parking; on-site laundry; cable/internet hook ups; and solar hot water. In keeping with this classic courtyard walk-up s prominent position along a historic boulevard, architects Weese Langley Weese paid close attention to matching the exterior yellow brick, the mortar tone, and ornamental doors and hardware. Typical of Bickerdike, the work was accomplished primarily with local labor via its Humboldt Construction Company. Tenant dislocation was minimized and a Community Advisory Board including tenants assists with management. Bickerdike waited several years for IHDA to allocate the tax credits key to making the numbers work, but Executive Director Joy Aruguette says all project partners can take pride in making this building safe, livable PAGE 16 PAGE 17

11 THE OUTSTANDING FOR-PROFIT NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE PROJECT AWARD Skilken Development Co. and Troy Enterprises for The Shops & Lofts at 47 They never gave up. Despite multiple setbacks, from the Great Recession to doubts by outsiders that the once-beating heart of Bronzeville could beat again, they kept at it for 10 years and got it done. But the Shops & Lofts at 47 delivers more than a Walmart Neighborhood Market to residents weary of leaving the neighborhood for fresh food, or the 96 stylish apartments snapped up by renters from all across the city s income spectrum. Delivered also is a new model for community-based planning and input, for public sector intervention and investment, and, apropos of this award, for private sector patience and problem-solving. Shops was conceived by the Quad Communities Development Corp. as the linchpin of a broader comeback of Cottage Grove Avenue historic Bronzeville s commercial spine. Perhaps because they re from Ohio, Skilken and Troy weren t so much put off by negative local lore as they were intrigued by the vision of QCDC and its executive director Bernita Johnson-Gabriel. Besides vision, after all, their initial pitch, made at a Las Vegas retail convention, included professional market studies, a pair of community-written plans, and crucially, the full support of the mayor s th Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, and her successor Will Burns. Turned out every bit of that support would be needed as the project expanded to cover redevelopment of other properties on the block; slowed to a crawl when the Great Recession KO d the condo market; then roared back with The Community Builders, a savvy developer of affordable housing, taking over the residential piece and weaving their It took us a number of years, said Skilken s Frank Petruziello, but now PAGE 18 PAGE 19

12 THE WOODS FUND CHICAGO POWER OF COMMUNITY AWARD Albany Park Neighborhood Council for The VOYCE Project Several years ago, with the graduation rate among CPS high school students deteriorating toward 50 percent, a small group of student and community leaders began meeting about what some called the schoolto-prison pipeline. In 2007, with Albany Park Neighborhood Council taking the lead, a collaborative called Voices for Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) was formed along with Action Now Institute, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization and Southwest Organizing Project. Meeting regularly with Albany Park organizer Jose I. Sanchez, a half-dozen students from each neighborhood started by researching why so many kids were dropping out. Turned out thousands of students were being suspended or expelled for often questionable reasons, or counseled-out by advisors. They also discovered that CPS and CPS-funded charter schools lacked a detailed and accessible reporting system for suspensions and dismissals, which statewide. By knocking on the right doors, going to the right legislative hearings and when necessary striking the right tone at public demonstrations, VOYCE last spring helped pass SB The law requires publicly-funded schools statewide to report their number of suspensions and expulsions with breakdowns by race, gender, language and special-ed status. CPS, meanwhile, adopted a new Student Code of Conduct that ends two-week, out-of-school suspensions for minor offenses, cuts maximum suspension time, and ends in-school arrests for disorderly conduct. What s next? Working again with State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, VOYCE is closing in on passage of SB-3004 to forbid both counseling out suspensions and expulsions. Not bad for a bunch of teenagers. Especially when one considers the CPS graduation rate, perhaps not coincidentally, is now approaching 70 percent. PAGE 20 PAGE 21

13 THE RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY DESIGN The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design was created, in conjunction with the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, to encourage development that respects and strengthens the city s unmatched architectural heritage especially in neighborhoods confronting economic and social challenges. Each year, the Award recognizes three developments that are making neighborhoods through quality of design. JUDGES Tom Beeby, Chair HBRA Architects Kim Coventry The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Peggy Davis The Chicago Community Trust Benet Haller City of Chicago Kevin Harrington Illinois Institute of Technology Craig Huffman Ascendance Partners, LLC SELECTION PROCESS applicants received, three projects were chosen for recognition this year. The jury evaluated each submission according to established criteria. For consideration, a project must: Demonstrate superior quality design; Enhance or serve as an integral part of the comprehensive development of the community, and; Exhibit a creative design solution that could become a model for projects in other neighborhoods. Angela Hurlock Claretian Associates James Lewis Heartland Housing Rich Sciortino Brinshore Development Katie Swenson Enterprise National Design Initiatives Modesto Tico Valle Center on Halsted Ernest Wong Site Design Group, Ltd. PAGE 22 PAGE 23

14 THE RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY DESIGN 1 ST PLACE Landon Bone Baker Architects Ltd for Fred and Pamela Buffett Place Too often a focus on process can get in the way of delivering a quality product. But sometimes, when project planners reach out to everyone with something to contribute, the process begets brilliance. How else to describe how Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), Brinshore Development Architect Jeff Bone s team listened carefully at a series of pre-development workshops for tenants and community stakeholders as folks vented on what they didn t like about the old Diplomat Hotel and their hopes for the redo. Top-of-list was a sunlit place other than the sidewalk next to the early decision to demolish a single-story interior structure to make room Oh, and a rooftop green garden with skyline views not often associated with affordable housing. Reducing the number of rooms to 51 from 91 yielded wider corridors, apartments with their own baths, and public spaces decorated with led the latter effort, its lobby capstone a composite photograph of artwork produced by Thresholds residents overlain by the script home milled salvaged hardwood joists and framing to craft one-of-a-kind benches, bookshelves and coat racks that all but whisper home. Chicago Botanic Garden helped with landscaping, and Thresholds is opening an Urban Flowers shop, both to engage its residents and alert pedestrians that The level of involvement by different players, said LBB project manager Claudia Rodriguez. That was the dynamic that drove the outcome. PAGE 24 PAGE 25

15 THE RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY DESIGN 2 ND PLACE Weese Langley Weese Architects Ltd for Grove Apartments There s what architects call adaptive reuse and then there s total transformation. The panelized concrete box at the corner of Grove and Interfaith Housing Development Corp. engaged Weese Langley Weese to see if the site had potential for supportive housing, Dennis Langley uncovered what was left of a masterpiece: the sturdy concrete bones and warm brick skin conceived originally by the late Albert Kahn, an American master of industrial design. Turns out Kahn s 1927 formula for a luxury car dealership had the skeletal Once those faux stucco panels were peeled away, a handsomely warm red brick façade emerged that would blend gracefully with the Edwardian single-family homes nearby on Grove Avenue. The blend-in factor was crucial in light of early NIMBY resistance to affordable rentals replacing what had been a vacant eyesore. The transformation required heroic amounts of painstaking work and attention to detail. Half the building s blockish backside was cleared away for a courtyard, for landscaped parking, and blessed sunshine. Out front, Kahn s rock-solid cast-in-place piers were extended by two stories and trimmed with the same Indiana limestone as the original. Compatible brick was special-ordered, as were beveled-glass exterior doors like those called for in Kahn s original drawings. and all 51 apartments, each divided into kitchen/bedroom/living areas as opposed to studio style. showroom is leased to an organically-inclined coop grocery store. there and imagining how Kahn would have added those two extra stories. PAGE 26 PAGE 27

16 THE RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY DESIGN 3 RD PLACE Wrap Architecture for Bronzeville Artist Lofts The old Borden s dairy was a wreck, targeted by the city for demolition. But Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) saw instead another anchor for the revitalization of Bronzeville s once-throbbing 47th Street commercial and cultural corridor. Cheryl Noel and Ravi Ricker of Wrap Architecture saw it too, along with and dramatic art expo space. The 16 work-live lofts on the upper two allowed for exposure of muscular diagonal timber beams. were soggy with a goo restoration architects jokingly call urban mulch. corridors and common spaces decorated by tenant artists; an open-air deck big enough for summertime receptions. It was a matter of expressing the nature of the building, says Noel. It was a lovely but unnoticed structure the kind being lost across the city every day. Little wonder there were 200 applications for BAL s six affordable-rent lofts. Or why co-developers Andre and Frances Guichard, whose Gallery and cultures to connect. PAGE 28 PAGE 29

17 THE PRIVATEBANK NORMAN BOBINS LEADERSHIP AWARD SARAH WARD SOUTH CHICAGO ART CENTER She s always there for the kids. But when she s not in the studio encouraging and expanding one of the city s most successful youth development programs. Easy to overlook in this distant corner of the city, under Ward s leadership the South Chicago Art Center has grown from a twice-a-week class serving 3,000 kids and reaching into 19 area schools. And more is on the way later in 2015, what with the blossoming of a larger, brighter and better-located studio complex carved from a long-vacant industrial building. Turns out the Art Center s executive director runs a capital campaign as brilliantly as she coaches kids on creativity. But her focus is the students, many in serious need of a dependable third place between home and school. Kids read people pretty fast, says Ward. And with so much disruption cling to what they can depend on. Since 2001 they ve depended on Sarah Ward, not just for instruction in the visual arts but for a sense of self-worth and a belief they can do anything they put their minds to. It s also a place that builds community, where black and brown kids make art side-by-side without racial, ethnic or gang divisions. A registered art therapist with a masters from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Ward founded the Art Center in 2001 after setting up an arts program at Cook County s Juvenile Court. Now she encourages talented students to consider careers in art, often beginning with paid internships at the Center, where several have returned in adulthood as art instructors. but Ward promises it will remain a calm space for dreams and aspirations to grow. PAGE 30 PAGE 31

18 THE RICHARD M. DALEY FRIEND OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AWARD EARNEST GATES NEAR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. A lifelong resident of the Near West Side, Earnest Gates leads a community group that has given Chicago how-to models for dealing with a potentially disruptive mega-developments, for integrating public housing tenants into a mixed-income communities, and for revitalizing once-devastated commercial streets. Gates co-founded Near West in 1988 with longtime resident Wilma Ward in response to plans by the Chicago Bears and owners of the old Chicago Stadium to develop a dual-stadium complex that would have displaced over a thousand residents. The Bears went elsewhere, but plans for the new United Center still entailed city condemnation of housing for parking lots. Early hard-nosed confrontations led to substantive negotiations and, eventually, a 16-point agreement calling for construction of replacement homes, a new branch library, a Boys & Girls Club gym, and a refurbished Touhy-Herbert Park. When the Chicago Housing Authority began moving ill-prepared tenants from the old Henry Horner high-rises into new townhouses nearby, Near West offered to provide training in housekeeping skills. This expanded to include job training and placement, giving CHA a prototype for the service connector effort the Authority used as its Plan for Transformation unfolded across the city. Working with LISC Chicago s New Communities Program, residents in 2002 published a comprehensive Quality-of-Life Plan that is steadily becoming reality. A Chamber of Commerce was created to lead recovery of a stretch of Madison Street that hadn t seen new construction since the riots of Walgreens was recruited for a mini-mall at Madison and Western and, most recently, a Pete s Fresh Market mall opened across the street. But it s Near West s work with kids that brings a lilt to Gates voice, like when he describes the look on players faces as lineups were introduced at their summer league championship game played under the Bulls NBA title banners at the United Center. (Bulls and White Sox chair Jerry Reinsdorf having become a faithful supporter, with V.P. Howard Pizer sitting on Near West s board.) The Sox-supported West Haven Giants are top contenders in the city s Bronzeville League, but for Gates it s about more than scores and games. All Near West s teams schedule quiet time for homework and for 1-on-1 mentoring. PAGE 32 PAGE 33

19 T HE H ABITAT E DGE You learn a lot about success in 40 years. As a developer, property manager, owner and project manager, we have. The Habitat Company has built vast resources, depth of experience and a proven track record. You have goals for your assets. Achieve them with The Habitat Company. The beauty of being local is that we re always close at hand. OUR REGION S COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Since 1915, The Chicago Community Trust has partnered with its generous donors, high-performing grant recipients and dedicated community leaders to improve the quality of life in metropolitan Chicago. Together we continue to build a better Chicago region. For more information, please visit We re down the street. We re Blue Cross. And because we re here, we ll always be there. Contact Matt Fiascone A Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Market Rate Condominium Public Housing Affordable Housing Student Housing Commercial Property Management Acquisitions and Development Project Management Restructuring and Receivership Community Development Empowering communities is always a worthwhile investment. A culture of caring and a commitment to investing in the communities in which we live has been a part of Northern Trust for 125 years. In that enduring spirit, we are proud to support the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. For more information, visit northerntrust.com or contact: Deborah Kasemeyer Senior Vice President and CRA Officer 50 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL Wealth & Investment Management Trust & Estate Services Private Banking Family Office Services PAGE 34 The Chicago Community Trust Maya Norris, x 115 Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards Ad 5.25 w x 8.25 h PAGE 35

20 It s Worth The Energy! Polk Bros Foundation congratulates LISC Chicago on the 21st Anniversary of the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards and the 2015 Peoples Gas is proud to sponsor the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. Award Winners PAGE 36 PAGE 37

21 The PrivateBank is proud to support the Local Initiative Support Corporation and its 21st Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago Thanks to you, things are getting done. Thanks to you, the world s a better place. Thanks to you, the lives of real people are being changed for the better. Bank of America is honored to be connected to the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards for helping to make a lasting difference in our community. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all. Channahon Geneva Homer Glen Lincolnwood Minooka Oak Brook Oak Lawn Orland Park Skokie Tinley Park 2015 Bank of America Corporation ARH46WCM PAGE 38 PAGE 39

22 Congratulations to on receipt of the Woods Fund Chicago Power of Community Award. Your leadership, collaboration, and successful organizing for education and racial justice demonstrates that youth hold the solutions for creating systemic change in the education system to ensure every Chicago student has access to an excellent education. Woods Fund Chicago would also like to recognize other Chicago Neighborhood Development Award recipients and applaud their work in building the Power of Neighborhoods. YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CHICAGOLAND S STORY. CHICAGO S BANKS PROUD TO BE WINTRUST. We are nearly 3,500 community and commercial bankers, home loan officers, financial advisors and specialty lenders focused solely on our customers and the communities where they live. We all have the same mission: To provide best-in-class financial services to all of our customers, be the local alternative to the big banks, and to improve the communities which we call home. Banking products provided by Wintrust Financial Corp. banks. PAGE 40 PAGE 41

23 Congratulations and Thanks to All 2015 Chicago Neighborhood Development Award Winners. LEGAL PROFESSIONALS COMMITTED TO THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITIES SINCE W. Jackson Boulevard Suite 400 Chicago, Illinois t/ f/ GOOD HANDS working together CAN DO GREAT THINGS SM Allstate is a proud sponsor of the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. 201 Allstate Insurance Company PAGE 42 PAGE 43

24 When terrific things happen, terrific people are behind it. A great event inspires more than just the attendees. It inspires the entire community. MB Financial Bank is is proud to to support the CNDA Sed Awards Ut Perspiciatis which acknowledges Unde Omnis great Natus. work that Giving makes back our is a communities wonderful thing stronger. and Giving nothing back makes is a wonderful us prouder thing than and to nothing support makes you. us prouder than to support you. MB Financial Bank. mb means business Commercial and Business Banking. Capital Markets. Wealth Management. Pe r sonal Banking Member FDIC At U.S. Bank, we are committed to making the communities in which we work and live a better place. Our commitment means supporting the programs and organizations that enrich the quality of life for our neighbors. usbank.com Member FDIC PAGE 44 PAGE 45

25 2015 JPMorgan Chase & Co. We are pleased to support the 21st Annual Chicago NEIGHBORHOOD Development Awards. We salute LISC Chicago for founding this important recognition event. We join you in celebrating the many contributions Chicago s youth make to transforming our neighborhoods. Visit us at Building Stronger Communities Dedication. Determination. Leadership. BMO Harris Bank is proud to sponsor the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, and applauds those who help build healthier neighborhoods in our city. By partnering for the common good we can achieve uncommon results. We proudly support LISC Chicago and the 21st Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. bmoharris.com PAGE 46 PAGE _568_Local Initiatives Support Corp.indd 1 12/12/13 1:01 PM

26 it s always been about BEING THERE State Farm Bank is proud to support the 2015 Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, because that is what being there is all about. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. statefarm.com PAGE 48 State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Bloomington, IL PAGE 49

27 VIDEOS PRODUCED BY: LISC Chicago thanks the leadership level donors to our Campaign for Stronger Neighborhoods for their support of strong and healthy communities throughout the year. Accenture Allstate Insurance* The Atlantic Philanthropies Bank of America* BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois* JPMorgan Chase* The Knight Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Robert R. McCormick Foundation Opening CNDA video produced by Free Spirit PRO, a social enterprise of Free Spirit Media CNDA and Driehaus Foundation Award videos produced by Angle Park, Inc. PHOTOS COURTESY OF: Alex Fledderjohn Eric Young Smith Gordon Walek Free Spirit Youth Media BMO Harris Bank* Boeing Company Brinshore Development* Charter One/RBS Citizens Bank* The Chicago Community Trust* The City of Chicago Comcast Internet Essentials Corporation for National and Community Service Cubs Charities The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation* GCM Grosvenor Get In Chicago MetLife Foundation National LISC NFL Foundation/The Chicago Bears* Northern Trust* PNC Bank* Polk Bros. Foundation* Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute State Farm* State of Illinois* US Bank* US Department of Housing and Urban Development Walmart Albany Park Neighborhood Council Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation Skilken Development Co. Weese Langley Weese Architects Ltd Wrap Architecture Liz Sung WRITTEN BY: John McCarron *Also sponsors of the 21st Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards PAGE 50 PAGE 51

28 LISC Chicago congratulates the winners at the 21 st annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards......and thanks to all the volunteers who made today possible. Chicago PAGE 52 PAGE 53

29 135 SOUTH LASALLE STREET, SUITE 2230 CHICAGO, IL PHONE: (312) #CNDA21 JOIN THE CONVERSATION