Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Alderman Jeanette Taylor participated alongside New City stakeholders in the groundbreaking ceremony for United Yards, a recent press release from the mayor's office said.
The project, which is a part of the mayor's INVEST South/West initiative, is a $58 million multiuse development in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Developed by Celadon Blackwood Limited Partnership and consisting of three phases, it will include the construction of new and renovated commercial and residential buildings at the intersection of 47th Street and Ashland Avenue.
"This groundbreaking marks yet another milestone in our INVEST South/West journey to revitalize our underserved neighborhoods," Lightfoot said in the release. "The economic activity, job opportunities, health care, and housing options that United Yards is bringing to New City will catalyze future investment in the surrounding community for years to come. I've been proud to work with my team and deliver these kinds of transformative projects across the South and West sides over the last four years."
The first phase of the project, costing approximately $17.9 million, will have the developers repurpose the former Goldblatt's showroom at 4700 S. Ashland Ave. into a 15,000-square-foot, federally-qualified health center that will provide primary care services to patients regardless of whether or not they can pay. A 7,200-square-foot section of the showroom will be converted into retail space for various businesses, including La Selve Apparel Company and Back of the Yards Coffee. This phase will also feature the construction of a 6,500-square-foot building at 1641 W. 47th St., with SomosMonos Cerveceria serving as the anchor establishment.
The second phase of United Yards, with a budget of approximately $40 million, will include the development of affordable housing units, including a 51-unit apartment building with a 7,000-square-foot technology training center at 1515 W. 47th St., as well as a pair of three-flats at 4706-08 S. Marshfield Ave. All of the residential units in the second phase will be accessible to tenants who earn up to 60% of the area's median income.
The third phase of the United Yards project will involve the restoration of the Rainbow commercial building, which is a three-story structure located at 4701 S. Ashland Ave., for mixed-use purposes. Work on the first two phases has already begun, and completion is expected by the end of 2024.
“On behalf of the residents of the 20th Ward, neighbors in Back of the Yards and New City, I am excited to see United Yards come to fruition as the project begins to fulfill a need for more affordable housing and increases employment opportunities for 20th Ward residents,” Taylor said in the release. “This project also provides future INVEST South/West projects with a viable template for community-driven development that can be replicated across the rest of the city. Although it wasn’t always easy, I appreciate the United Yards and Back of the Yards team and the Department of Planning and Development’s efforts to adapt our Ward’s development process and include residents’ voices in the pre-development stages of this project.”