Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson and BACP Announce Selected Organizations for the Neighborhood Retail Activation Program

CHICAGO — Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the four delegate agencies for the Neighborhood Retail Activation Program. The program is designed to foster partnerships with local community and economic development organizations to assist businesses impacted by the 2023 and 2024 summer storms and bring new vitality to vacant storefronts along commercial corridors in Austin, Belmont Cragin, and West Garfield Park.

"Investments like this are at the center of my administration's commitment to supporting small businesses and growing our commercial corridors into thriving community hubs," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "A community-level partner organization will inspire entrepreneurship and create jobs in one of our city's most well-known commercial corridors. The South Lawndale Small Business Storefront Activation Program will help activate vacant storefronts, support local entrepreneurs, and strengthen the corridor as a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike."

"The Neighborhood Retail Activation Program invests in the recovery and revitalization of commercial corridors affected by the 2023 and 2024 storms," said BACP Commissioner Ivan Capifali. "Through partnerships with the selected delegate agencies, the program will provide entrepreneurs with technical assistance and support to rebuild. The program will bring renewed energy to the impacted commercial corridors."

The four Delegate Agencies selected, one for each RFP representing a different community area and commercial corridor, are:

• Austin African American Business Networking Association for the Austin neighborhood, specifically Chicago Avenue between Austin Boulevard and Cicero Avenue;
• Westside Health Authority for the Austin neighborhood, specifically Madison Street between Austin Boulevard and Laramie Avenue;
• Northwest Side CDC for the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, specifically the Belmont Avenue/Central Avenue commercial corridor;
• Together Chicago for the West Garfield Park neighborhood, specifically Madison Street between Kostner Avenue and Hamlin Boulevard.

The selected Delegate Agencies will be responsible for identifying move-in ready vacant storefronts, negotiating leases, and facilitating a goal of five pop-up activations per commercial corridor. These activations may include community markets or other commercial activations. Additionally, the Delegate Agencies will provide comprehensive technical assistance to participating small businesses, including support in marketing, business development, operational planning, and securing long-term leases. This model is designed to provide immediate exposure and long-term stability for local entrepreneurs.

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"We are truly honored to be awarded the Neighborhood Retail Activation Program grant and to continue investing in the vitality of the Chicago Avenue Soul City Corridor," said Malcolm Crawford, Executive Director, Austin African American Business Networking Association. "This grant will help support our mission as we continue to do the work of uplifting small businesses in Austin and revitalizing the West Side."

"For more than 37 years, the Westside Health Authority has centered Austin residents and their voices, recognizing that West Side families seek not just survival, but the ability to build legacy and pass opportunity to the next generation," said Justin L. Hill, Director of Special Initiatives, Westside Health Authority (WHA). "The Neighborhood Retail Activation Program enables WHA to help five local entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses through targeted technical assistance and strategic marketing-catalyzing long-overdue economic revitalization along the historically disinvested Madison Street corridor and creating pathways to generational wealth for children who have lived through systemic neglect."

"This program will be impactful for the entrepreneurs we serve because it lowers the barrier of access for starting up a new brick-and-mortar location," said Jason Estremera, Executive Director, Northwest Side CDC. "We will be seeking businesses that meet the needs of the Belmont-Central corridor—improving neighborhood walkability and quality of life, bringing in the services and amenities that the community wants to see. Along with the in-depth, individualized business development services that Northwest Side CDC provides, this program will support the Belmont Cragin small business community in building a thriving commercial corridor."

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"Together Chicago is honored to be the recipient of the Neighborhood Retail Activation Program Grant for the Madison Street Corridor in West Garfield Park," said Shelby Parchman, Director of Business Incubation, Together Chicago. "This investment will help strengthen local businesses, activate storefronts, and create more vibrant, welcoming commercial spaces for residents and entrepreneurs alike. We are grateful to the City of Chicago for recognizing the potential of this corridor and for partnering with community-based organizations to drive equitable economic growth."

For information about the program, visit Chicago.gov/BACPRetail.

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