City funding awarded for Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Community Center

The City of Chicago has awarded a $5 million Community Development Grant to Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Community Center at 2653 S. Kildare. Planned by Erie Neighborhood House, the community center development will replace a vacant lot at the corner of S. Kildare Ave and W. 27th St.

Designed by Canopy / architecture + design, the five-story community center will be a new intergenerational, youth-focused space serving families in the Little Village neighborhood. 

The 22,000-square-foot, five-story building will include a full-size gymnasium, flexible classrooms, an arts studio, private counseling and therapy offices, teen and tech lounges, a community kitchen, outdoor green spaces, a rooftop playground, and children’s gardens. Each space has been shaped by community input to ensure safety, accessibility, and a reflection of neighborhood identity.

Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Community Center will be a place where families can access vital services, develop skills, and forge connections rooted in culture and community strength. It aims to foster resilience, promote mental health, provide educational opportunities, and support economic mobility, all within an environment that celebrates Little Village’s rich identity.

The organization recently gained ZBA approval for the project back in March and has been in the process of fundraising for the $21.5 million project. With this $5 million Community Development Grant awarded by the city, the organization is closer to meeting its funding goals. Once full funding is secured, the organization can move forward with construction.