I'm Will Woodley, Regional Vice President for the Community Builders.
Thank you, everyone, for coming today, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to 23rd place at Southbridge.
I'm excited to celebrate these business ribbon cuttings and tours with you all shortly, but first, just a little bit about Southbridge.
At the Community Builders, our mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive.
In the last 25 years across metropolitan Chicago, we've built over 2,000 homes affordable to a mix of incomes.
We've built over 200,000 square feet of amenities and services to strengthen Chicago communities.
And this work and our mission centers on the unyielding belief in and commitment to strong mixed income,
mixed-use neighborhoods affordable to all Chicagoans and serving all Chicagoans.
And so we at the Community Builders are honored and proud to help leave Southbridge,
a mixed-income community close to quality jobs, schools, parks, and other amenities
that ultimately will provide over 800 homes.
Southbridge is also a mixed-use community that offers economic opportunity
to our local Chicago businesses and helps to connect and serve
Chicago's South Loop, Chinatown, and Bronzeville neighborhoods.
Today, the first 200 units at Southbridge are built and leased,
and we've leased the first 50,000 square feet of commercial space
to local black-owned businesses that will help anchor Southbridge.
With our partners, McCaffrey Interests, we expect to lease the remaining 50% this year.
This fall, we start construction on another 80 homes, and we're working to secure financing for the next 150 homes after that.
None of this would be possible without the partnership, commitment, and perseverance of our public sector leaders.
Olive Mandao has championed Southbridge and its goals from day one.
The CHA has worked with us to develop a stronger master plan and then support its implementation.
and the City of Chicago and Illinois Housing Development Authority have provided exceptional commitments
in both funding and project coordination to make these homes and businesses a reality.
So thank you to these leaders who are here today, Ida Executive Director Kristen Faust,
City Housing Commissioner Lissette Castaneda, CHA CEO Angela Herlock,
and, of course, Alderman Pat Dow and Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Thank you to you and your teams who have worked thousands of hours in partnership
to make these homes and businesses at Southbridge a reality.
And I'd like to add a special thanks to the Department of Planning and Development
for its direct support to local businesses at Southbridge
and also our other TCB mixed-use developments.
You'll get to sample food from these businesses in a short while.
And with that, it's my pleasure to introduce Alderman Pat Dow.
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Third Ward.
You know, Icky's development was always one of my favorite places before it was torn down in 2011
when there were CHA developments all up and down State Street.
Icky's was a place that had a great community.
I don't know how many of you remember Silas Purnell and the work that he did.
with the children at Icky's, helping them to get scholarships to college.
Happy children and warm, friendly people.
And then in 2011, the buildings came down.
And at that time, I supported the CHA plan for transformation at this site
and was delighted.
and am delighted today to celebrate this ribbon-cutting.
The first phase of Southbridge, as Will mentioned,
is 206 units of mixed-income housing,
both affordable, CHA, and market rate.
We have commercial and community space here.
My focus has been on quality mixed-income units, local and African-American-owned commercial development, and other amenities.
And over the years, we've seen some great amenities come in this area, from the opening of the CIRMAC station in 2015,
after 38 years of it being closed, to the improvements made at the National Teachers Academy,
to the success that we're now seeing along Motor Row and the Wintrust Arena and the Hyatt
and the reopening of other businesses in the area.
With 80 more to go, as Will mentioned, we've got another phase coming up.
I want to thank the community builders, Bart Mitchell and Will Woodley, for their commitment here.
I want to thank Edward Berry from McCaffrey Associates for their support.
I want to thank the residents for being patient.
Patient.
It's been a long time coming.
And I want to acknowledge Francine Washington, who represents the leadership of that resident group.
I want to thank the Chicago Housing Authority, IDA, and the Department of Housing and the Department of Planning and Development
for just being collaborative and in partnership with one another so that we could get this done.
And we have more to go.
And so I'm very pleased with those relationships.
I want to thank Craig Richardson from Batters and Berry for making the investment here on the South Side.
I want to thank David Carson for his investment in the 24 Life Training and Fitness Center.
And we're going to have more businesses here that reflect this community.
I'm really happy today.
This has been a long time coming, and I know we're not cutting groundbreaking, thank goodness,
but we are doing a ribbon cutting.
And I want to thank more specifically the support of our great mayor, Mayor Brandon Johnson,
for helping us get this to this point, and we have more to go in the future.
And so, Mayor, thank you.
And with that, I turn it over to the mayor of the city of Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Thank you so much, Alderwoman Dow, Chairwoman Dow.
Thank you for your leadership.
And I'm happy, too.
And it's a good day for the city of Chicago as we build the safest, most affordable big city in America.
And that certainly requires us to invest in people.
And let me just say, I've spent a little bit more time on the south side of Chicago lately.
And I see what y'all are talking about over here.
But it's really an honor to celebrate with you all today.
And so, again, thank you to Chairwoman Dow for her leadership, our CHA interim CEO, Angela Herlock,
Department of Housing Commissioner, Lissette Constaneda,
the Community Builders Midwest Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, Will Woodley,
and all of the leaders that are here today.
But thank you for the contribution to this project.
And as Chairwoman Dowell indicated,
grateful to the people of this city who have demonstrated a great deal of not just patience but resilience.
You know, the owner of 24 Life Training and Fitness, David Carson,
your belief in our city, as well as Craig Richardson for Batter and Berries.
Let me just say, you know, I have a Chicago proclivity.
I really want to put an S at the end of Batter.
Y'all know what I'm talking about.
Don't act like I'm the only one.
Jewels.
So if we say batters and berries, that's just, you just got to flow with it.
White castles.
And batters and berries.
But congratulations to both of you and your teams on the grand opening of this business here at 23rd Place.
These two incredible black-owned businesses are going to bring energy and flavor, vibrancy, and life to this area.
They really reflect what is possible when we invest in local talent, champion entrepreneurship, and create opportunities for residents to thrive.
And more importantly, the grand opening of these businesses represent new job opportunities for our people and economic activity in our neighborhood.
Today's grand opening is a milestone in the ongoing transformation of 23rd Place and South Bridge
that will soon offer affordable and market-rate apartments that are conveniently located near public transportation.
This housing development project exemplifies what housing can truly look like in our beloved city,
buildings that don't just simply supply affordable housing,
but also opportunities that enrich and revitalize our neighborhoods.
Our Commissioner of the Department of Housing, Lissette Constaneda,
will definitely go into greater detail about my administration's support for this project
and our overall commitment to investing in housing and economic development,
notably through our Build Better Together initiative that encompasses our efforts to support
and expedite the construction of housing and neighborhood development,
Repopulating the west and south sides of our city is of top priority, and we're putting money where our desires are,
our $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond, the largest public investment in Chicago's history.
We have already assisted with projects that are transforming our communities from Wood Street Farm expansion project to West Englewood,
and yes, even on the west side with the Austin Community Health Hub.
We look forward to sustaining these investments in neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing, especially in our priority community areas.
To build a safer and a more affordable Chicago for all, again, is the responsibility of the entire city.
So I do want to thank our partner, CHA.
You know, Ms. Washington only really smiles about twice a week, and I got one of them yesterday.
There you go, and the second one today.
But really, for all of our partners and developers, our business owners, for the vision and commitment,
and to our newest businesses, 24 Life Training and Fitness in Batters and Berries,
we wish you all the best and much success for your endeavor.
I look forward to the continued partnership to build a city that is abundant with affordable housing,
job opportunities and the opportunity to launch your own business
and live out your dreams in our great city.
So thank you all again.
Looking forward to the completion of the 23rd place Southbridge.
And with that, I believe our, who am I introducing?
Who's next?
And so with that, you all, thank you for your commitment, Angela,
particularly during this transition.
You all, please help me welcome our interim CEO for public housing in the greatest frequent city in the world, Angela Herlock.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Again, my name is Angela Herlock.
I am the interim CEO for CHA, and I want to thank the Community Builders for organizing today's event
and to offer my sincerest congratulations to Berries and Batter and the 24 Life Training and Fitness.
Born and raised in Chicago.
And let you know that it's amazing.
This is just an amazing time for us.
I want to also recognize not only our mayor, but also Alderwoman Dowell.
As she said, this has been a long time coming.
And it's been the commitment and the Stallworth commitment to the residents that have made this be a possibility today.
It's truly an honor to be standing here with you for a second time,
and our team standing here for a second time with both the mayor and the Alderwoman
for successes that have happened this week,
celebrating the incredible progress that CHA is making right here in the Third Ward.
In the past two years, CHA and the Community Builders have delivered more than 200 new homes at Southbridge,
including 68 apartments for public housing residents.
And our work isn't done yet.
Later this year, we expect to close on the next phase of Southbridge,
which will add another 80 homes, including 29 for public housing residents.
And eventually, Southbridge will include more than 875 apartments.
But at CHA, we believe that strong communities need more than just the housing.
Thriving communities...
Needs to have strong neighborhood public schools, commerce and jobs, public transportation, grocery stores, green spaces, restaurants, and health care.
And that includes business like the one we're celebrating today, batters and berries, and 24 Life Training and Fitness.
These two businesses will provide opportunities for Southbridge residents to socialize and enjoy breakfast and to prioritize their health and fitness.
Now, which order that happens in, that's up to people.
And for those who are interested, they represent more employment opportunities that are close to home.
Public housing is evolving, and so is CHA.
We're more collaborative, innovative, community driven and committed than ever to meeting
residents' needs across generations and across neighborhoods.
And Southbridge is exactly the type of sustainable, mixed income, mixed use community that will
play a key part in CHA and Chicago's future.
So congratulations to all.
Thank you for believing in the promise that together we can build better.
And it's my honor to introduce our Commissioner for the Department of Housing, Lissette Castaneda.
Good afternoon, everyone.
It's so good to be here to celebrate the grand opening of these two incredible businesses
and recognize the progress that has been made as we work to transform the former Ickes homes.
Although the phases 1A and B have been completed for some time,
we've never had a chance to properly celebrate them.
This construction brought 206 mixed-income units to the near south side.
Almost half of these units are affordable to families earning below 60 or 80 percent of the area median income.
When Southbridge Phase 1C is complete, the next phase, we are expecting to see 80 more units brought to the area,
more than half of which will be affordable to working-class families.
The Department of Housing is committed to working towards every resident having access to quality, dignified housing.
We know that, unfortunately, all across Chicago, we have neighborhoods with high income disparities, and that is true here on the near south side.
With mixed income developments like Southbridge, we are changing that.
We are creating a place for you, no matter your income or your zip code.
If you leave Southbridge and take a walk in almost any direction, you'll find incredible access to public transportation.
When residents are going to work or seeking medical care, they will not be limited by their access to a car.
There are bus stops for major CTA lines just around the corner.
The green line is less than a block east, and the red line is just a few blocks west.
So if residents wanted to head down to watch my Cubs take on the Sox this weekend, they are just a few blocks away.
Affordable rents change everything for these residents.
Without the burden of high-cost rent, they have a little bit more flexibility in their budget.
It allows them to be real economic drivers in the area.
It lets them spend their money back in community at the businesses that will include the ones that we are celebrating today.
affordable housing is the foundation of a vibrant neighborhood that's why between the three phases
of construction the department of housing has provided over four and a half million dollars
in home funds and nearly 29 million dollars in tip funds to support this development i want to end by
thanking some people who have been instrumental in getting us to this point first of course mayor
johnson whose commitment to advancing affordable housing and economic development across our city
makes accomplishments like this possible.
I also want to thank Alderwoman Dowell for her steadfast leadership,
the community builders and their development partners,
the Chicago Housing Authority,
and, of course, my dedicated team at the Department of Housing.
Congratulations to both, learned some things here, batter and berries,
and 24 Life Training and Fitness on their grand openings.
It's inspiring to see minority businesses fill the Southbridge retail spaces,
And I wish you all great success.
This development is truly an example of what it looks like when organizations with a shared vision partner to build a better Chicago together.
Thank you all for being here today, and I look forward to celebrating our future milestones with you as we continue our work.
In order to do our work, we need good partners at every level, including at the state,
so it is my pleasure to introduce Kristen Faust, the Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
Thank you, Lisette, and good afternoon.
Good afternoon on behalf of Governor Pritzker, the Illinois Housing Development Authority Board, and our staff.
I'd like to thank Will Woodley and Community Builders, and their CEO who came in from out of town, their national CEO, Bart Mitchell, also Alderman Pat Dowell, my old friend, and also I'm her constituent, as you're going to hear, because I'm a South Loop resident, the mayor of Chicago, of course, and the CHA and the commissioner of housing, everyone here today to celebrate this extraordinary step forward.
which, yes, took some patience, but darn it, we are making it worth your wait, right?
And so I especially want to recognize Ms. Raven Jenkins, who's going to speak in a few minutes,
and also our business owners, Mr. David Carson and his co-owner right here,
and also Mr. Craig Richardson from Batter and Berries.
and all the residents of 23rd Place and the neighbors for hosting us.
Look, these first two towers were completed, you know, buildings a couple of years ago,
and so people have had a time to live here, and I've had a time to watch it grow
because I just live like four blocks north, and there's a little secret entrance to Lakeshore Drive right down there,
and so I drive back.
I know, I know, I know.
So it was my pleasure to watch these buildings go up and then at least up,
as I saw lights on and curtains and things,
and also to see the buildings and the businesses open, which I'm so excited about.
At IDA, the Illinois Housing Development Authority,
we have always believed in mixed-income communities, always, always, always.
Our mission is the creation and preservation of affordable housing across this state.
We work with amazing partners across this state, but our resources are limited,
and the competition for our funds is tough.
But this development, these partners that you see here today, this project,
and we're in the next one, too, they rose to the top, and we're like,
we have to be part of this exciting redevelopment.
We have over 1,000 IDA finance departments just in this zip code.
We are no stranger to this area and this partnership, but we're really, really excited to be here today.
I want to, before I wrap up, just give a shout-out.
So I get to come to the Ribbon Cuttings.
I get to, like, shake hands with the mayor and take my picture with him, which I always enjoy.
But it's the Ida staff who really does the work.
If you could raise your hands, Ida staff, you can just see some of the hardworking folks.
These projects are not easy.
You've probably heard about them.
They take a lot, a lot of work, a lot of vision, a lot of hard work and partnership.
We are very pleased to be here and be part of this,
and we look forward to being part of the future developments around Southbridge.
And thank you again.
And I think that it is my pleasure now to introduce my favorite, who I love hearing from the most.
Like, I've actually told my staff, I don't want to go to any more ribbon cuttings unless there is a tenant speaking.
Because who are we doing this all for?
It's not just to pat each other on the back.
We can do that.
It is for the residents.
And so it's my privilege and pleasure to introduce Ms. Raven Jenkins.
Hello, hello.
Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Raven Jenkins, and I've lived at 23rd South Ridge since June 2023.
I'm also born and raised in Chicago.
All right.
It was one day while I was on the train with my two daughters.
We were having a Mommy and Me Day, so we were on our way downtown,
and I saw the advertisement for the buildings.
So I went online and applied and kept going with life because, of course, it wasn't built yet.
It was one day about two years ago in February when I received a phone call
asking if I was still interested in the apartment. Of course.
So I sent in all my paperwork
and my documents and moved on with life. It was on my
document.
daughter's birthday, my 13th birthday, when I received the call that I actually received the
apartment. So I knew that our lives were changing for the better, knowing that we would be living
in a place of our own. This apartment that I live in, again, with my two daughters, is the very
first apartment that I've ever had on my own. It's also our very first home that we get to have to
ourselves as a family. So before this, I lived with my mother, and
of course there were great memories, but I know we needed space,
and we needed something to call our own, so it
started here with 23rd at South Bridge. The location of the building
is great. My daughter's schools are very close. I can take my youngest daughter
to school just four minutes away. My oldest daughter has an
easy commute, as I call it. She's only ten minutes away from her school.
Another huge part of our experience here has been the opportunities that are offered for families and residents.
My daughters enjoy the after-school program that was offered here when we moved in.
The computer classes that I took were great and easy to get to.
And I would also like to thank TCB and to everyone who helped make this happen.
Congratulations to the new businesses, and I'm looking forward to what moves in next.
Welcome to Mr. David Carson.
Well, I want to thank you.
That was a great way to bring me up, I feel like.
Back as a player running through the tunnel.
You know, as a former professional basketball player, that gets my juices going.
All right?
So you guys have to excuse me when I see a crowd like this.
I just want you guys to stand up and start sweating, make you start doing squats or anything.
But I'll pass today.
I know the mayor is a busy man.
So my name is David Carson.
I'm a founder and owner of 24 Life Training and Fitness.
I'm also a Nike Global Master Trainer.
As I said, as a former professional basketball player, I understand team.
So first I want to give a shout out to the leadership because of any leadership, anything that happened, leadership, coaching has to be number one.
Also believe in role players, right?
So I believe that everyone who I haven't met who have anything to do with any organization, thank you so much.
To my personal team, thank you guys so much for being there for those sleepless nights,
me annoying you at 5 o'clock in the morning with a crazy harebrained scheme.
All right?
24 Life evolved from a change.
I was a professional basketball player.
I got in a car accident.
I broke my arm, broke my leg, dislocated eight toes.
Was never the same player.
Still played in Europe.
Was never the same player after that.
my journey into fitness came with helping my mom lose 150 pounds in that journey that's my mom
in that in that journey I found my calling so as we fast forward to today what 24 life is
we are a community brand you may see it through our ministry which is health and wellness
so I'd like to say we're not a part of the community we're of the community right we want
to look like you guys. We want to help you. We want to be ambassadors to health and wellness
inside every different community. 24 came from, you know, you guys will like this, always want to be
one better than the best. The best is Michael Jordan. So we're here, right? So we invite all
of you guys to come into our space and not only feel like home, but also here. One of our biggest
proponents of our fitness is what we do with youth athletes. We've sent 200 young athletes to have
four RISE scholarships, either Division I level, D2, D3.
Thank you. So what we do with youth is
so important for us. So again, we want to be creative in how we are
in this community. We want to thank you guys for all of your help in making
this happen. Come sweat inside our gyms. Come with
all your ideas. We're here to help it happen. Pleasure. Thank you guys.
And now I'm going to pass it over to my neighbors.
So this is a great partnership because I want you to eat all the food you can there and come lose it at our gym.
Craig Richardson from Batters, I mean Batter and Bears.
Oh, wow.
A room full of people.
Hey, thank you all for being here today.
I really appreciate it.
I really have to thank a lot of folks, but I've got to start with some folks in the back of the room, and I need to stand up.
Y'all know who you are. Family, come on.
Those are three of my four kids.
One of them could not be here today because he's doing flight training, trying to be a pilot.
But he's a twin brother to the tall one there.
And they're both sophomores at Hampton University.
And my oldest son is a senior at Xavier University in New Orleans.
My daughter just graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans and doing her master's at Meharry.
And my wife, Tanya, Dr. Tanya Richardson, who is the co-owner of Battenberry's.
Her name doesn't get mentioned much because I'm counting the one that's always around because she's a full-time practicing physician.
so she's not in the restaurant, but she is the founder of the restaurant.
She's the one who said, hey, we're going to open a restaurant.
And I tried to ignore it as best I could because at that time, the twins were in kindergarten.
Otis' son was in second grade
daughter's in third grade
so I thought we were busy enough
with two careers
and all that going on
but apparently we weren't
and so
she had it in her head
that it was going to happen
and it happened
and I went right along with it
and did whatever I could
to make it happen
And so she's actually the one who's responsible for the whole thing.
I'd also like to thank Chef Ken.
Come on up here.
Come on up here.
Come on up here.
Come on up here.
And his wife Kay.
Kay.
This is our culinary team, the head of it.
And, you know, he brings the recipes.
He brings the excitement to the kitchen.
He has a YouTube show, Kinspiration Kitchens, so go check it out on Thursdays.
That was perfect timing, wasn't it?
Yeah.
Thank you for that.
I also need to thank Alderman Dowell, the third ward.
Alderman Dowell is a transformative alderman.
I mean, what's going on here is just incredible in this ward.
We've been watching this ward for years.
Me and my wife are pretty private people.
We don't talk about our intentions or our plans to people.
But we've had our eyes on the Third Ward for a long time, and we've just watched the growth economically.
And it's just an exciting place to be.
And, you know, she's got a great vision.
She's got a great staff.
Robert Charles in the back of the room there, you know, Robert would call me up during this process just to check on me,
make sure everything was good, offering assistance, words of encouragement.
And, you know, that's top-notch, you know, for an Auburn's office.
So I just want to thank you guys for, you know, for all your assistance and for all your leadership.
I also want to thank Will Woodley and his team, particularly Gabby Ritter, who couldn't be here today,
for really, you know, kind of wrapping your arms around me and helping me through this whole process.
Because it is a process.
It is a process.
DXU Architects for making the design.
R&M.
I don't know if they're here.
R&M, who is our contractors, who did a phenomenal job.
Hope you guys all come down and take a look at what they did there.
But they really did a great work, and they're really great to follow up with.
Sidney Reed, our building manager, who's always, you know, Johnny on the spot when we need anything here.
And I also have to thank, really, Mayor Brandon Johnson.
We appreciate your thoughtful leadership of our city.
We see you out there taking the arrows for doing the right thing, and we appreciate you standing in there.
and fighting the good fight.
And your leadership is very important to what the city is trying to do.
We know that you understand that Chicago is more than a skyline.
It's more than a downtown.
It's really about the neighborhoods.
And having things like this Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, which we were able to take advantage of,
is really so critical in terms of being able to build the neighborhoods outside of downtown.
And so we just really want to thank you for it because we know how, we know that you understand how important that program is to us and how necessary it is.
Sorry.
I want to thank the Department of Planning and Development and Commissioner Boatwright for their work.
And I also want to thank, you know, my Battenberry staff because, you know, nobody can do this by themselves, right?
It takes a lot to run a small business.
Even if the word says small, it takes a lot.
And so I appreciate them.
And who's next?
I think Will.
So I know we're all eager to cut some ribbons and eat some terrific food,
but I do need to add a couple more thank yous.
In addition to all the support from the public sector,
we've had tremendous support from the private sector in terms of financing.
Thank you to our lenders, Citibank and Benefit Chicago, to our investment team, National Affordable Housing Trust, and Goldman Sachs.
Thank you to our construction and our design teams.
Thank you to McShane Construction and Powers and Sons Construction, and thank you to the design team led by NIA Architecture and Antunovich Architects.
Also, a special thank you to Habitat for leading property management at Southbridge.
And a special thanks to McCaffrey Interest, our JV partner at Southbridge, who helped lead building design, master planning, zoning, and commercial leasing.
And last but certainly not least, thank you to all of my teammates at the Community Builders.
It is an honor for the last 20 years to work with the most committed and talented people I've ever met.
And, you know, I appreciate and sometimes feel sorry that you all have me up here representing you.
They are an incredible group, and I'm the luckiest person in the world in terms of who I get to work with every day.
So thank you, and let's eat.
Actually, we've got to go cut some ribbons first.
So we're going to head on down to battering berries and 24 Life are right next to each other at the end of the block.
That's where the ribbon cutting will take place, and then we'll come back for food.