1.      Who is Blacks in Green - BIG™?

Founded in 2007 by West Woodlawn resident Naomi Davis, Blacks in Green (BIG) is the creator of the Sustainable Square Mile™ which implements our 8 Principles of Green-Village-Building. Our work in West Woodlawn is based on this model, which is rooted in the African American traditions of land stewardship. BIG is a community-based neighborhood organization that is building a national network for environmental justice and economic development

BIG is a 501c3 non-profit tackling pollution and poverty with a goal of closing America’s racial health/wealth gap via the new green economy to produce two critical outcomes:

§   Increase household income via the new green economy

§  Transform Black communities into oases of resilience against the harms of climate crisis

BIG is building economies in energy, horticulture, housing, tourism, and waste via our Sustainable Square Mile™ system, a whole-system solution for the whole-system problem common to Black communities everywhere.

2.      What is BIG’s concept for the neighborhood?

As the market demand for high-end housing in West Woodlawn is rapidly increasing after decades of neglect and decline, BIG’s community- oriented strategy will revitalize and redevelop vacant and underutilized properties to create a network that is more than the sum of its parts. Our request for city owned vacant parcels is focused on properties that will produce critical environmental and economic synergies for our neighbors.

BIG’s Sustainable Square Mile creates affordable housing options, infrastructure for locally owned businesses, and green spaces that serve practical purposes while enhancing the neighborhood’s character and beauty.

3.      Why does BIG want to acquire four City of Chicago-owned parcels?

BIG is seeking these four key parcels to continue and expand the Sustainable Square Mile’s capacity to create a greener, cleaner, more affordable West Woodlawn:

1. Sustainability Teaching Garden - 6000 S. St. Lawrence Ave.

BIG's first community enhancement garden, improvements in place

2. Mamie Till-Mobley Forgiveness Garden - 6356 S. St. Lawrence Ave.

BIG's third community enhancement garden, demonstrations of green infrastructure garden improvements in place

3. Richard Hunt Sculpture Garden at the Till House Museum - 6421 S. St. Lawrence Ave.

Proposed arrival garden for the Till House Museum, will include Richard Hunt sculpture

4.   BIG Cottage Grove Campus Expansion - 6441 S Cottage Grove Ave.

As an addition to BIG's headquarters and community space, this parcel would be developed with a new building addition that will be mixed use (affordable housing and commercial space)

4.      What is proposed for BIG’s NEW Cottage Grove Campus Expansion development?

BIG’s existing Green Living Room will anchor Woodlawn’s Cottage Grove corridor with a mixed-use development encompassing affordable housing, commercial spaces, and BIG’s headquarters. The initiative combines restoration of historic masonry buildings with new construction to foster sustainability, cultural vitality, and equitable community wealth.

o   16,000 sq. ft. NEW mixed-use

o   The city-owned lot will be new construction, and will include rehab of 2 BIG-owned buildings immediately to the north

o   12 total commercial Units (Ground Floor):

§  4 Retail/Commercial (1,100 sq. ft. each)

§  8 Live/Work Retail/Commercial (300 sq. ft. each)

o   20 total Residential Units (Upper Floors):

§  16 apartments - $1,100/month

§  2 apartments @ 80% AMI $900/month

§  1 apartment @ 50% AMI $800/month

§  1 apartment @ 30% AMI $600/month

o   Office Space for BIG Headquarters: 1,700 sq. ft. (to be added above garage)

5.      Will the Cottage Grove development bring good jobs?

a.      TEMPORARY - YES!!  100+ construction jobs of which ½ will be for Chicago residents

b.     PERMANENT – YES!!  36 permanent jobs (estimated)

                             i.      4 new retail/commercial spaces – up to 20 jobs

                             ii.      8 live/work spaces – up to 16 jobs

6.      How does BIG’s project benefit me and my neighbors?

As part of a comprehensive neighborhood strategy, the acquisition and on-going redevelopment of these four key parcels will help to further improve and optimize the entire neighborhood with performance-based green redevelopment as part of broader vision to achieve multiple community benefits:

o   Provides affordable housing- apartments and live/work Studios

o   Meets or exceeds Woodlawn Housing Ordinance

o   Slows down gentrification and displacement, helps retain existing Residents

o   Workforce development

o   Supports neighbor-owned businesses and local economy

o   Helps continued restoration of a vibrant, walkable Cottage Grove corridor

o   Provides opportunity to shop where you live, work where you live

o   Best green practices for buildings and sites-

§  Clean, efficient energy systems

§  Improved air quality, cooling benefits from trees and plantings

§  Reduced flooding/rainwater absorption

§  Walking paths, connection to nature, beauty