On Friday, September 27, we were thrilled to host our 2024 ETOD Walking Tour through Bronzeville and Washington Park. We were joined by around 20 partners, including community groups, policy organizations, elected offices, and developers. We were thrilled to be able to experience the impact of ETOD with you on the ground – and to share in conversation what makes this work so important and how to advance it together.
On the tour:
- We got to hear from developer Phil Beckham III about the crucial role of community engagement in bringing to life the 43 Green mixed-income development next to the 43rd Street Green Line station.
- We heard from Cindy Cambray, one of the community stewards at Overton Community Hub in Bronzeville, about how neighbors have activated the former school building, and from Marly Schott about the installation of a rain garden as part of CNT’s Nature Near Transit program.
- Oji Eggleston of The Renaissance Collaborative spoke to us about how the technical assistance they have received through the Elevated Works program has helped the organization move forward with their Abrams Intergenerational Village project – and how important it will be for older adults and children, who can’t or are less likely to drive, to live blocks from a train station.
- Nootan Bharani of University of Chicago Arts + Public Life spoke to why it was important to develop the Arts Lawn on Garfield Boulevard as a place for community members to “just be.”
Projects like 43 Green and Abrams, that turn vacant lots near transit into housing for residents — and Overton Community Hub, which breathed new life into a formerly vacant building – exemplify ETOD and the role it can play in communities.
Check out the full list of tour stops and speakers here. And to keep up with all things ETOD, subscribe to our newsletter.
We hope to see you on the next tour!