Habitat Team Works Alongside the City of Chicago on Invest South/West Redevelopment Initiative
- Habitat Company
- May 13, 2021
- 2 min read
The Habitat Company is excited to share their recent participation as Developer Consultant on the City of Chicago’s project team for the Invest South/West initiative, a City program that kicked off in October 2019. The goal of this ambitious program is helping revive some of Chicago’s historically disinvested neighborhoods, and Habitat played a key role in building out the bidding process for the next phase of redevelopment of the 79th Street corridor on the City’s southeast side.
As the Developer Consultant, Habitat worked alongside two architectural firms, a design firm, and an appraiser to pull together the 60-page Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 79th Street corridor, consisting of two adjacent sites at the east end of the corridor – at the corner of 79th Street and South Exchange. The 79th Street corridor was selected after Habitat’s project team virtually explored and vetted five different potential redevelopment sites and toured in-person the selected 79th Street corridor site.
The RFP has been released to the general public, officially opening the submission period for developers. Interested companies can now share their plans and visions of development for this corridor, showing how they will enhance the sites and surrounding community. Habitat is precluded from submitting a response to the RFP or participating in any development projects in the corridor due to our role as Developer Consultant in the RFP’s creation.
Our team consisted of Steve Galler, Lori Chacos, and Marisa Doherty – all a part of Habitat’s legal team, as well as Matt Hayes, Associate Analyst at Habitat. The team participated in over 100 hours of meetings as part of this pro-bono engagement, working tirelessly from early February through mid-April. They actively attended bi-weekly Zoom and Teams meetings that ranged from internal strategy sessions with City staffers and officials, to meetings with community stakeholders and active residents solicited by the two Aldermen whose wards include the 79th Street corridor.
Habitat’s involvement in the Invest South/West’s 79th Street corridor project team originated through the Chicago Central Area Committee (CCAC), a local civic-minded, not-for-profit entity that Habitat has supported for many years, and on whose Executive Committee Habitat’s Steve Galler currently serves.
The CCAC was formally engaged in 2020 by the City of Chicago to assist in the Invest South/West RFP production for multiple sites on the south, southwest, and west sides, and Habitat volunteered to serve as Developer Consultant through our participation with CCAC.
Habitat is thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in the creation of this RFP as Invest South/West continues forward by helping serve and enhance these communities through creating job opportunities, better housing, and more necessary amenities for current and future residents.
It's great to be here with everyone. What you all say has taught me a lot about life. Traffic Jam 3D is a fun and exciting game where you have to handle traffic.
It's interesting how Habitat's team dedicated so much time to this Invest South/West initiative. Thinking about urban development, it's a multifaceted challenge, and I wonder if the process involves elements that resemble a sprunki phase, where things might seem chaotic before solidifying into a coherent plan. Hopefully, the chosen developers will bring innovative ideas to the 79th Street corridor.
It's inspiring to see The Habitat Company involved in Invest South/West! Revitalizing these neighborhoods is so crucial. I remember seeing similar initiatives growing up, but progress always felt slow. Hopefully, this project can truly make a tangible difference for the 79th Street community. It makes me think of how even small, local investments can have a big impact, similar to how a community gathers around an event or a shared passion, something that's easy to engage with like playing Drift Hunters online.
The Habitat Company’s role in the Invest South/West redevelopment initiative highlights a strong commitment to revitalizing Chicago neighborhoods through careful planning and collaboration. Similar to how players strategize in the Sprunki game, Habitat’s team worked diligently to design a detailed RFP for the 79th Street corridor, ensuring a thoughtful approach to sustainable development. This effort promises future growth and improved living conditions for the community.
It's great to see the Habitat Team collaborating with the City of Chicago on the Invest South/West initiative. This kind of project is essential for community development and revitalization. It's inspiring to witness efforts that aim to enhance neighborhoods and support local residents. On a lighter note, after a day of engaging with community projects, I often unwind with some gaming, especially playing Funny Shooter 2