History

In the early 1900’s the site area underwent two grade separations.

The name “Grand Crossing” comes from an 1853 right-of-way feud between the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad that led to a fog war and a crash that killed 18 people and injured 41 others. In the early 1900’s the site area underwent two grade separations. During the 1950s, the African-American population of Greater Grand Crossing increased from 6% to 86%. In 1960, the population stood at 63,169 and dropped to 38,644 by 1980. Since then, the area has seen a continued decline in population, jobs and an increase in crime and poverty.

Location

Greater Grand Crossing is surrounded by 4 communities: South Shore to the east, Washington Park to the north, Englewood to the west, and Chatham to the south. The four zip codes that make up Greater Grand Crossing are 60619, 60620, 60621, and 60637.

Greater Grand Crossing Map. The site location is on 7300 South Woodlawn.

The Sustainability Overlay District is a triangular-shaped 2.3 acres of vacant land zoned for commercial use due to neighboring train tracks and the high fuel injection area. This parcel is zoned M1-1, Limited Manufacturing Business Park. Greater Grand Crossing is a commercial zoning district and is considered a landmark district.

The majority of the Sustainability Overlay District is from East 69th Street on the north to East 74th Street on the southeast of South Chicago Avenue to the eastern boundary is zoned RS-3 Residential Single-Unit Detached Housing District. South Chicago Avenue from East 71st Street to East 75th Street includes properties zoned C1-2 Neighborhood Commercial District, B4-2 Community Shopping District, and M1-2 Limited Manufacturing/Business Park District. The southwest corner of South Woodlawn Avenue and East 74th Street is zoned POS-2 Open Public Space.

Community Disparities

The Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will develop a green infrastructure in a currently abandoned or vacant lot and bring green restoration to the community and the site.

This neighborhood has suffered from blight and severe population decline and the Greater Grand Crossing community is in need of jobs, better housing, and food access. There are numerous structures below minimum code standards, empty houses and units, and abandoned properties. The site is mainly surrounded by abandoned and boarded up homes and buildings as well. The lack of grocery stores and park spaces also bring down property values in this community. There are an estimated 148,777 empty lots throughout the city of Chicago, according to the 2010 census, and 5,000 of those are located in these 4 communities.

Demographics of Greater Grand Crossing

Greater Grand Crossing has a population of 32,602, of which 95.4% are African American. 25.8% of the Greater Grand Crossing population is unemployed compared to 13.1% in Chicago. Residents in Greater Grand Crossing live under the poverty level and about 31% of Greater Grand Crossing residents are 19 years of age and younger.

Empty Blighted Lots
The Greater Grand Crossing community has excessive lot vacancies that cover 23.6% of the area compared to 13.6% in the Chicago land area.
Empty Lots in Greater Grand Crossing
The Sustainability Overlay District site is mainly surrounded by abandoned/boarded up homes and buildings.
Community Needs and Health Disparities

Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood is number 69 of the 77 static community areas of Chicago, Illinois and is located on the city’s South Side. According to Chicago for Metropolitan Agency for Planning (“CMAP”), Greater Grand Crossing has a population of 32,602, of which 96.9% are African American. According to The New York Times (Fessenden, 2016), Greater Grand Crossing is one of Chicago’s most violent neighborhoods.

Crime and Environmental Health
Causes of Death in Greater Grand Crossing
Economic levels in Greater Grand Crossing (GGC)
Transportation

Public transpostation is staggered in Greater Grand Crossing. There is a Metra stop in the corner of Woodlawn and 75th, but many people would rather use the CTA for economical purposes. Most recent a Divvy Station was placed in the corner of Woodlawn and 75th which is where the Sustainabilty Overlay District will stand.

The Red Line ridership usage from 69th to 79th is very much active and it’s about 2 miles from the Sustainabilty Overlay District. The monthly ridership analysis discribes that there is indeed rider usage in the South East communities of Chicago, which will build on the transportation efforts for members and commuters that may not live in the Greater Grand Crossing community.

Proposal and Recommendations

The remediation of the Sustainabilty Overlay District will create the Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing for both youth and adults. Program participants will be recruited from the community and in conjunction with community partnership organizations. The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will focus on providing members with sustainable green home rehab training. The Institute will create jobs and a vocational educational school for adults and youth. The Institute will focus on providing members with home rehab training, which will include a focus on environmental green restoration, renewable energy and technology, and landscaping through a flood mitigation training which will help with some of the local flooding issues and food access shortage. The skills and certificates will restore the people in the community by providing a better quality of life and means for seeking gainful employment. Jobs will be created for community members that will rehab homes within the community. This will also enable members of the Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing cohort to rehab their own homes and those of friends, family, and neighbors. This will improve the availability of affordable and livable home and units within the community.

The rehabbing will also increase local property values and potentially lower the high crime as the number of abandoned and neglected properties is reduced. They will be eligible to receive three certificates of specialization, which will include a focus on environmental green restoration, renewable energy, and technology as well as landscaping with an emphasizes on rain and food gardens. The project will take into consideration local challenges including unemployment rates, food deserts, home flooding, health issues and concerns, and street and community violence.

Sustainabilty Overlay District of Greater Grand Crossing

Economic and Community Benefits (long-term benefits)

The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will serve as an economic booster in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood by creating green job opportunities, hands-on training, new job skills for community members, decreased crime, and increased property values. Program participants will learn skills that will enable them to rehab or make needed modifications to their own homes as well as the homes of their family members and neighbors. This will improve the quality of living for many in the community. The skills they learn will also enable them to seek employment with local contractors, construction companies, or rehabbing businesses. Creating jobs within the community and rehabbing homes is expected to increase quality of life, decrease unemployment levels, increase property values, and decrease crime. The opening of the Institute might also provide new business opportunities for local businesses offering food and coffee.

The Green Vocational Institute of the Greater Grand Crossing Community

Environmental and Social Benefits

Planning, policies, and other tools to foster and implement the redevelopment of the Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will implement training which will include material recycling, rain gardens, and reusable energies. We will use lessons and examples from the “Greenest Street in America” located on Blue Island street near Benito Juarez High School in the Pilsen community to enhance our green sustainable efforts. Referencing the Blue Island Street Project, we will be adopting and considering some of those ideas as guides for our sustainable green redevelopments including in the constructing of the Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing structure. We would like to incorporate the following ideas from the Blue Island Street Project: energy reduction, wind and solar powered lights and LED light poles surrounding the redevelopment and street blocks that occupy the green Institute infrastructure, and photocatalytic cement which uses solar reflective or high albedo pavements. We will also be reusing and reclaiming recyclable materials for many of the rehabbing and restoration projects. The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will provide community members with a new skill set that will enable them to seek employment with construction companies, rehabbers, and home improvement companies.

The new skills and job training aquired through the Green Vocational Technical Institute will also improve the housing in Greater Grand Crossing which might also invite more businesses to open in the area. The plan is to also have these new skilled program graduates help implement the program in other distraught or underdeveloped communities. This will also provide them employment as mentors and instructor assistants. We will also work with Chicago Workforce Development, Ex-Offender Programs, and local Unions to assist with job placement. The three certificates that participants will attain are as follows:

The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing
The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing Community Garden

Giving back to the community! The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing Project will implement a rain garden where community members can also participate in workshops on gardening and material recycling. The Green Vocational Technical Institute participants will also take part in educating the community on sustainable advocacy efforts as part of their training.

Conclusion

The Green Vocational Technical Institute of Greater Grand Crossing will benefit the community, especially the youth that is sorely in need of job training, violence prevention, food access, and better housing, along, with taking into consideration local challenges including food deserts, home flooding, and street violence. The goal would be to eventually use the first cohort to implement the program in other equally underdeveloped communities. The Vocational Green Technology Institute’s infrastructure will include bio-friendly and green initiatives throughout the building and property. The Institute’s emphasis will be on green renovation which will include use of recycled materials and green technology and engineering. As part of their training, participants will also take part in educating the community on sustainable development, advocacy, and civic efforts.

Creating jobs and partnerships within the community and rehabbing homes is expected to increase quality of life, decrease unemployment levels, increase property values, and decrease crime. It’s a win WIN solution!

References