CHICAGO — Greater than a dozen small companies throughout the town have been awarded $1.9 million in metropolis funding by means of its Neighborhood Alternative Fund program, which goals to revitalize Chicago’s west, southwest and south sides.
The grant program, launched in 2016 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, channels charges paid by Downtown builders by means of the neighborhood alternative bonus into grants for tasks alongside business corridors in underserved communities.
About 80 p.c of the proceeds from these charges are awarded as grants that help small companies and cultural tasks, together with grocery shops, eating places, service suppliers and cultural venues in underserved areas, in line with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s workplace.
The grants reimburse as much as 75 p.c of eligible prices for brand new building and rehabilitation, with extra funding out there for tender prices comparable to design and technical help. They will additionally cowl bills like website preparation, public enhancements and worker coaching.
“The NOF grant program is a down-payment on a safer, extra reasonably priced and thriving future for all of Chicago,” Johnson mentioned in an announcement. “I applaud the grant recipients on taking this step and sit up for seeing them develop, create jobs and encourage the following era of group leaders.”
On this grant cycle, the awardees embody:
- Chicago Methods & Alerts, 121 E. a hundred and fifteenth St., West Pullman — $250,000 for engineering firm headquarters buildout.
- DixiePura Kitchen, 325 E. Pershing Highway, Grand Boulevard — $59,700 for Southern/Asian restaurant renovation.
- DLV Printing Service, Inc., 5825 W. Corcoran Place, Austin — $93,600 for retail space growth.
- GCYC Meals Sovereignty Hub, 7230 S. South Chicago Ave., Higher Grand Crossing — $250,000 for youth heart greenhouse and concrete farm growth.
- Host Mart Inc., 235 E. thirty fifth St., Douglas — $88,299 for Indian grocery retailer buildout
- James L. Bowers, Legal professional, 5940-42 W. Chicago Ave., Austin — $114,900 for workplace house exterior enhancements.
- Loncar’s Chico, 3201 E. 92nd St., South Chicago — $75,000 for tavern facade and roof enhancements.
- Nova Driving Faculty, 3811 W. twenty sixth St., South Lawndale — $159,750 for classroom rehabilitation and growth.
- Pink Hats Building & Improvement Inc., 11004 S. Halsted Ave., Morgan Park — $250,000 for engineering firm workplace house growth.
- ReStore South, 6057 S. Western Ave., Chicago Garden — $120,765 for a Habitat for Humanity residence enchancment retailer buildout.
- Rosnogaizi Magnificence Salon, 4147 W. North Ave., Humboldt Park — $116,826 for workspace renovations.
- Common Journey Service Inc., 4310 W. twenty sixth St., South Lawndale — $126,960 for storefront enhancements.
- Wagner’s Bakery Inc., 2148 W. Cermak Highway, Decrease West Aspect — $101,160 for kitchen and gross sales flooring enhancements at 107-year-old bakery.
- Xpress Auto Restore Inc., 7820 S. Ashland Ave., Auburn Gresham — $47,540 for exterior signage upgrades.
In complete, these enhancements will present $2.8 million in investments in Chicago neighborhoods, supported by the chance fund program. Purposes are accepted on a rolling foundation, with extra info out there by means of the town.
The grant recipients have been chosen primarily based on mission readiness, neighborhood wants and different standards, Division of Planning and Improvement (DPD) Commissioner Ciere Boatright mentioned in an announcement.
“Every of those grants will contribute to business hall vitality and complement close by investments,” Boatright mentioned. “Most of those tasks are blocks away from 5 to 10 different latest DPD grantees, which is able to assist create a crucial mass of enhancements for long-term neighborhood development.”
A 2022 audit of the town’s alternative fund program by the Workplace of the Inspector Normal discovered it to be “effectively administered,” however referred to as on the town to raised measure the outcomes of this funding.
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