Rooted and Rising receives We Rise Together grant

Rooted and Rising, a mixed-use development in Back of the Yards has received a grant from We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery, a funders collaborative that supports thriving local economies and a stronger Chicago. Located at 4630 S. Ashland and 4615 S. Marshfield, The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council is collaborating with Park Row Development on the project.

Designed by JGMA, the seven-story mixed-use building will include 99 units of affordable rental housing for neighborhood families and individuals, a performing arts center, three community-based service providers, a new Chicago Public Library Branch, and a federal qualified health center, as well a retail space.  

Born in the shadows of the Union Stockyards, the Back of The Yards has served as a model neighborhood for self-improvement and reinvention in Chicago for decades. From Chicago suburb to, "Butcher for the World" to, an enclave for untold numbers of immigrants and customs, the area continues to adapt to changing times. JGMA, along with Park Row Development, and the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council has developed a concept for the next era of modernization. 

Clad in masonry, the material was chosen to connect the contemporary form with the industrial character of the area and connect with its rich history. Featuring a fully glazed first floor, the architecture floats over the site making it feel light and open despite the dense material above. The intent is to create a new hub for Back of the Yards; one that both acknowledges the area’s history and enriches its future.

Set to cost approximately $69 million, Rooted and Rising received $500,000 from the We Rise Together grant. A timeline for construction of the new building is currently unknown.