To further institutionalize IIT's community outreach efforts, the university applied to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a Community Outreach Partnership Center grant. In September, 1998, IIT secured a $394,000 HUD award.
The following document is the successful proposal which established IIT's Center for Community Development and Technology (CCDT). This document provides the framework for our outreach efforts. To track the Center for Community Development and Technology's programs; reports to HUD can be accessed by linking to semi-annual progress reports.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Introduction & Summary
- Community Descriptions: Key Factors
- IIT in the Community
- Center Organization: Planning and Administration of the Grant
- Organization Chart
- Project Functional Categories
| Illinois Institute of
Technology |
| Community Development Home Page |
| Introduction | GIS Community Database | Center for Community
Development & Technology |
| South Side Partners
| Community Recognition
Dinner | Events |
| Acknowledgements | People | Links | Forms for Volunteers/Work-study &
Mentors |
Introduction and Summary
Greater Grand Boulevard, historically known as Bronzeville, is a community of paradox. Two of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the United States are located in the community adjacent to Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), a highly regarded university specializing in research and the application of technology. At the same time, the area is experiencing a $450-million influx of capital investment from the private sector, local institutions, government and not-for-profit agencies.
Two realities that characterize the neighborhood -- development and poverty -- put Greater Grand Boulevard at a historic crossroads. One road is the hope of unprecedented opportunities for improving quality of life for residents. The other is that those who have been disenfranchised will continue to be left behind.
For in Grand Boulevard, in spite of many positive changes over the past few years, deeply rooted social issues and other urban challenges remain. Initial efforts though successfull have only scratched the surface of fulfilling the need.
For example, although numerous social service and support agencies and organizations serve the community, a grossly unacceptable percentage of constituents are still undereducated, unemployed, and poorly housed.
Further, although part of the community is in the Chicago Empowerment Zone, it is clear that additional resources are needed if residents are to become full partners in the area’s revitalization.
The Greater Grand Boulevard community, also known as Bronzeville, consists of the Douglas and Grand Boulevard neighborhoods, located on the mid-south side of Chicago. The boundaries of the two communities are: (Douglas) 26th Street on the north, 39th Street on the south, the Dan Ryan Expressway on the west and Lakefront/Cottage Grove on the east; and (Grand Boulevard) 39th Street on the north, 51st street on the South, the Dan Ryan expressway on the west and Cottage Grove Avenue on the east. The enclosed map provides an orientation of the community’s location.
Greater Grand Boulevard is primarily African-American and was once the "port of entry" for blacks relocating to Chicago. The community served as the focal point for the economic, social, political, educational and cultural life of Black Chicagoans.
Today, the most pressing challenges faced in Greater Grand Boulevard are national priorities as well. They are:
School Reform
Chicago is known nationwide for its grand reform of the public school system. After years of false starts and failed promises, school officials are putting a plan to work, and the plan is working. With the full support of elected officials, teachers, administrators and parents, children are the priority, troubled schools are turning around, and for the first time in decades, the schools have a balanced budget rather than ricocheting from one financial crisis to the next. In Greater Grand Boulevard, the time is right to bolster what the public schools are doing. In the area of education, IIT seeks to:
- build capacity at local schools to enhance educational outcomes
- establish a database to monitor progress of schools and opportunities for help
- assign university volunteers and mentors at local schools
- offer facilities at the campus for community activities
- boost technology based learning tools in local schools
- train local teachers in math and science aids for classroom use
Welfare Reform
Transitioning from welfare to a good-paying, family-supporting, permanent job is the hope of many and the reality of too few in Greater Grand Boulevard. The transition from welfare to work requires a full continuum of support services, from screening and work readiness and skills training to social support and mentoring for first time employees. In addition, providing opportunities for minority entrepreneurs, contractors and operators and small businesses in the community is important to the job creation process in Greater Grand Boulevard. IIT proposes to:
- stimulate economic development through sound research and outreach
- link available jobs and support services to unemployed
- build the numbers of qualified workers through training and academics
- create entrepreneurial opportunities for minority residents
Reconfiguration of Public Housing
The reconfiguration of public housing affects Stateway Gardens, Robert Taylor Homes, and Dearborn Homes, all of which are located in the Greater Grand Boulevard community. Stateway and Robert Taylor are slated for phased demolition by the Chicago Housing Authority, with future plans uncertain pending the resolution of relocation, funding, and other fundamental issues. Dearborn homes, currently under Resident Management, has received Federal Funds and local support to upgrade and enhance that development. With respect to housing, IIT proposes to:
- conduct a joint studio for community housing to develop concrete proposals and
documentation
- convene a community dialogue series to expand the network of people involved in affordable housing issues and solutions
Finally, IIT proposes to focus on defining and documenting the community development process in Bronzeville:
- implement an applied research project with community service agencies to help their
clients improve skills for self-sufficiency
- maintain and disseminate databases on the physical redevelopment and human capacity
building efforts in Bronzeville and document community change
[ Top ][ Community Descriptions ][ IIT in the Community ][ Center Organization ][ Project Functions ]
Community Description: Key Factors
Income
In the 1990 census, median household income for the Chicago SMSA was $39,000. Income for Douglas was $10,477, or 40 percent below poverty level. The median income for Grand Boulevard was $8,371, or 65 percent below poverty level. For the City of Chicago, less than 20 percent of the population lived in poverty. At the other end of the spectrum, less than 10 percent of the Douglas community and less than four percent of the Grand Boulevard residents had incomes higher than $50,000. Further, actual constant dollar income in these communities declined, as did the purchasing power of residents.
Housing
According to the 1990 census, approximately 20 percent of the 32,000 total housing units in the study area were vacant. Although currently experiencing a modest reversal of the recent past, only five percent of the 15,000 housing units in the Douglas community are owner occupied. In contrast, in the Gap community, immediately to the east of the IIT main campus, over 20 percent of the housing units are owner occupied. In Grand Boulevard there are over 16,000 housing units of which over 20 percent are vacant. Further, of the total housing units in both communities, more than the Chicago Housing Authority owns 10,000.
Commercial/Industrial/Warehouse
Major commercial corridors for Greater Grand Boulevard are the east-west thoroughfares of 35th, 39th, 43rd, 47th, and 51st Streets. The primary north/south commercial corridors are State Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. King Drive, though a primary north/south thoroughfare, is largely a residential street except at cross street commercial intersections. The commercial corridors of 35th, 47th and 51st streets are the most viable. Retail expenditures in the target area are approximately $150 million, with food purchases totaling half of that amount. Although the target area of the project is in an Empowerment Zone, few businesses have taken advantage of the financial or tax incentives available through the Zone to bolster the commercial, retail or industrial activity of the community. In order to accelerate the development of commercial and retail centers, the City of Chicago is designating key segments of the community as a redevelopment zone, (43rd Street commercial zone and the Bronzeville Tax Incremental Financing District).
The northern portion of the study area contains several large industrial and warehouse buildings. These buildings house construction companies, automotive-related businesses, and display companies that serve the trade show industry. Many of these buildings are vacant or underutilized. This part of the area has excellent potential for redevelopment as a business park for business service firms whose major customers are located downtown in the central business district or at McCormick Place, major trades show center for the Midwest.
Educational Attainment and Unemployment
In the Douglas community, 35 percent of the population did not graduate from high school. In Grand Boulevard, the high school graduation rate is 42 percent. According to a recent report by the Grand Boulevard Federation, more than two-thirds of the residents in the community are not in the labor force. The unemployment rate for the City of Chicago is four percent.
Social Organization
The collaborations listed below and their memberships -- the SouthSide Partnership, the Mid-South Planning and Development Commission and the Grand Boulevard Federation -- comprise a coalition that represents the majority of the organizations and their constituents residing in the targeted community.
In 1989, IIT and others organized the SouthSide Partnership, a coalition of community-based organizations, institutions, service agencies, corporations, and philanthropies. The coalition set out to identify, articulate and facilitate the resolution of community issues. The Partnership consists of:
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago Urban League Dev. Corp. |
| Centers for New Horizons | Mid South Planning and Development Commission |
| The Gap Community Organizations | Chicago Urban League |
| Elliott Donnelley Youth Center | Michael Reese Hospital |
| First Chicago / NBD Corp. | STRIVE, Chicago Employment Service |
| Grand Boulevard Federation | The John D. and Catherine T. |
| Ahkenaton Community Dev. Corp. | MacArthur Foundation |
Click Here for Contact Details for this South-Side Partners
The SouthSide Partnership was the genesis for the subsequently organized Mid South Planning Group. As a result of IIT’s assistance and intervention, in June of 1990, the City of Chicago was awarded a grant from the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation to prepare a comprehensive land use and community development plan for the area surrounding the main campus of IIT. To ensure that the plan reflected the wishes and needs of the community, the City’s Department of Planning took on responsibility for coordinating the Mid South Planning Project. In January of 1991 the Mid South Planning Group, the predecessor of the Mid South Planning and Development Commission, became the community’s advisory council.
Since early 1991, the SouthSide Partnership organization has met regularly to identify issues, develop goals and objectives and implement programs that reflect the desires and concerns of the community regarding the future of the development of the Mid South area.
In early 1995, the Grand Boulevard Federation, a broad based collaboration of residents, service providers and public sector representatives, was formed under the aegis of the State of Illinois to serve as a catalyst for change in Bronzeville, particularly as it relates to local and state reforms in the delivery of human services. Illinois Institute of Technology was a founding member of the Federation and was represented on its initial Board of Directors. The Federation addresses the issues of jobs and economic development, youth, education and housing. Target populations of the Federation include: youth and families, low-income residents, the unemployed, policy makers and the recipients of the human service delivery system.
In February 1996, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded IIT a grant to become part of the Bronzeville Grantee Cluster. This cluster, comprised of the Illinois Institute of Technology, Mid South Planning and Development Commission, STRIVE, Centers for New Horizons, Partners in Community Development and the Grand Boulevard Federation, was funded to target the Foundation’s Program on Human and Community Development work in the Greater Grand Boulevard community.
[ Top ][ Introduction ][ IIT in the Community ][ Center Organization ][ Project Functions ]
IIT in the Community
IIT is truly a part of the community because the University is located right in Greater Grand Boulevard. The bond goes well beyond physical location, however. The destinies of IIT and the rest of the community are intertwined.
With a diverse population, a university work force, students from all over the world, two of the most poverty plagued areas in the country, and a huge amount of capital investment committed, it is not an overstatement to say that Greater Grand Boulevard is unique.
Through a coordinated and collaborative process, IIT has brought, and
will continue to bring, diverse partners, expertise and resources to bear to benefit the
community. It is within this context that Illinois Institute of Technology and its
Community Department decided restructuring needed to occur to provide additional
academic resources and coordinated programs with a comprehensive mission to more
effectively serve the needs of the university and the adjacent community. The Center
for Community Development and Technology is that newly created university/community
entity.
Establishment of the Center for Community Development and Technology at Illinois Institute of Technology
IIT's Center will focus on the areas of
- education
- economic development
- housing
- community development.
The Greater Grand Boulevard community identified these areas of concern through an ongoing planning process over the past 10 years, throughout which IIT has been a full partner. IIT has worked in partnership with community-based organizations, the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, the Chicago Housing Authority, the private sector and other area institutions. These same partners will be involved in the Center.
The Center for Community Development and Technology is the entity that
will provide the cohesive structure for the university’s work to be organized,
developed and implemented for the purpose of maximizing its resources to respond to
identified community needs. The Center will also use its resources to assist the community
in identifying additional technological resources to foster the community’s
development.
Role of the University: Fulfilling its Teaching, Research and Service Mission
The successful revitalization of the community and the future of the university are inextricably linked. Illinois Institute of Technology, through its Board of Trustees, has adopted policies, established principles and is implementing strategies that will lead the university and the community together into the 21st century. In 1995 and again in 1997, Trustees called upon the university community to engage directly, through teaching, research and service, in community revitalization. This policy coincides with the Board’s decision to renovate IIT’s Main Campus, through a $250-million capital campaign, of which $70 million is for new and renovated facilities.
The proposed Center for Community Development and Technology, building on the work of IIT’s Community Department, is designed to respond the Trustees’ directive. The Center will:
- coordinate student service and learning projects and foster IIT's community outreach in response to community need
- conduct research that leverages IIT’s technology focus to improve the community
- develop and conduct community-based, academically-supported programs, including implementing technology-related programs in the schools
- serve as a clearinghouse for both physical redevelopment and human capacity building activities using technologically driven geographic information systems and computer databases
- evaluate actual progress in achieving community improvement goals through community documentation
- implement and facilitate university/community programs and policy activities
- exchange information with other HUD-sponsored community-outreach partnership centers
Impact Objectives for the Center
The Center expects to achieve the following impact objectives:
- Establish a functioning umbrella structure for the university that effectively
coordinates IIT’s technology-oriented academic research and educational resources to
maximize community benefits within one year.
- Improve student IGAP reading and math achievement test scores in the eight to 12
Bronzeville schools served by the Center, resulting in the removal of academic probation
for at least 25 percent of the schools within five years.
- Achieve IIT’s minority enterprise contractor and resident hiring goals of 25 percent minority and 5 percent women contractors for its construction and renovation projects by 2000.
- Complete a community-generated housing design studio leading to one symposium and 40
community dialogues over three years on affordable housing and options for public housing
residents in Bronzeville.
- Implement by the year 2000 the applied research of IIT’s Institute of Psychology to
assist community organization measure the path to self-sufficiency by their clients.
- Document and disseminate the results of community change to all community organizations and the City of Chicago starting in 1998.
SouthSide Partnership as Community Advisory Committee: Avoiding Duplication of Efforts
As part of the Center, IIT has engaged the SouthSide Partnership as its community advisory committee. The partnership includes the major community organizations serving Greater Grand Boulevard. The Partnership will serve as a sounding board, resource and forum for community programming and university research. Because of the pervasive character of the Partnership’s membership and community links as well as IIT’s own network of contacts, IIT believes strongly that it will be able to avoid duplication in the implementation of this proposal.
In addition, IIT has consulted directly with the City of Chicago, The State of Illinois, and the Chicago Housing Authority in the development of this center.
[ Top ][ Introduction ][ Community Descriptions ][ Center Organization ][ Project Functions ]
Center Organization: Planning and Administration of the Grant
IIT Core Center Staff
- Director, Center for Community Development and Technology (Sharon Grant)
Primarily responsible for the day-to-day operations of the center. Primary focus will be educational impact and the coordination of academic and technology resources with community needs. Included among those responsibilities are administration of the Center’s programs, and budget.
- Vice President for External Affairs (David Baker)
Responsible for the administration of the Community
Department, Public Relations Department and Governmental Affairs. Provides oversight of
the Community Department’s overall operation and management.
- Associate Vice President for Community Development (Leroy Kennedyt)
Directly responsible for the operations of the Community
Development, its programs and budgets.
- Manager, Special Projects, Community Development (Sheila Green)
Responsibilities include the development and implementation of the
Department’s special projects and events, as well as database development and
utilization, community/university linkages and project management.
- Administrative Assistant , Community Development (Deborah Brown)
Primarily responsible for all the Department’s administrative duties. Specifically those associated with the direct work of the Associate Vice President and the Director of the Center for Community Development and Technology.
For detailed bios of this staff members, click here.
For organization chart, click here.
[ Top ][ Introduction ][ Community Descriptions ][ IIT in the Community ][ Project Functions ]
Project Functional Categories
The four functional categories for which IIT seeks COPC funding include: Education, Economic Development , Housing and Community Development. Each is described below by activity.
Education
Once Chicago Public Schools were called the nations worst. Now, public officials and school administrators flock to Chicago to see how the public schools here can be applied to other troubled urban school systems that face similar challenges. Nowhere in Chicago does the challenge remain greater than in Bronzeville.
As a result of local school test scores and Chicago Public School system-mandated levels of achievement, 12 public schools in the Greater Grand Boulevard community are on probation or assigned for reconstitution. This means that the Chicago Public Schools leadership team has identified a need to concentrate energies on these schools to improve academic performance and achievement.
The removal of probationary or reconstitution status requires improved scores in state tests, and ongoing review, and change, as appropriate, of school administrative and instructional staff. The Chicago Public Schools have also mandated summer school sessions for those students performing below grade-level requirements.
As a leading component of this proposal, IIT will organize its resources and those of neighboring institutions to improve the schools' performance and to help maintain the gains achieved through school reform. IIT’s programs will increase student test scores, develop innovative enrichment programs and utilize creative teaching methodologies.
Objectives for Education
As specific school needs are identified through individual school improvement plans and the resultant resource needs are secured from IIT and/or its community partners, at least 25 percent of the schools in the target area that are now on probation will be removed from that condition within five years. Further, as a result of establishing a more positive learning environment, school attendance is projected to increase as will student achievement tests scores in reading and math.
Improving Education in Bronzeville
Activity |
IIT Partners |
Community Partners |
| Bronzeville Educational Collaborative | Center for Community Development & Technology | De La Salle Institute Illinois College of Optometry Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority SouthSide Partnership Chicago Public Schools VanderCook College of Music |
| Volunteer Mentor and Tutor Program | Center for Community Development & Technology Student Organizations Office of Student Affairs |
Selected Local Schools Chicago Public Schools |
| Facilities Use for Education, Recreational and Social Programming | Center for Community Development & Technology | Ada S. McKinley Center Selected Local Schools |
| Partners in Education | Center for Community Development & Technology Computer and Networking Services Distance Learning Office |
Daniel Hale Williams School Chicago Public Schools A. Finkl & Sons |
| Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE) | Department of Biological, Physical and Chemical Sciences Center for Community Development & Technology |
Selected Local Schools Chicago Public Schools Teachers Academy for Math and Science |
| Visualizing Learning to Improve Educational Outcomes | Institute of Psycology Department of Computer Science and Mathematics College of Law Institute of Design |
Chicago Public Schools Selected Local Schools |
Economic Development
Welfare reform is a national force that will have tremendous consequences for Greater Grand Boulevard. Welfare reform will only work if there is a collective commitment by government, business, institutions like IIT and community organizations to training, placing and transitioning community residents who are not employed into meaningful, good-paying jobs--so-called head of household jobs--wherever possible.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Quarterly indicates that professional specialty occupations and technicians and related support jobs are projected to be the fastest growing employment areas. Technology-related employment, construction-based jobs, employment in manufacturing and light industry, as well as jobs associated with retail sales, are projected to be keys to stimulating employment in the Greater Grand Boulevard communities. Currently the local labor market does not possess the range or frequency of skill levels that are required for many of the technology-based jobs.
Through the coordination and management provided by the Center for
Community Development and Technology, IIT and its partners will foster real opportunities
for the residents of Greater Grand Boulevard.
Objectives for Economic Development
- Work with IIT partners to identify a total of 1,500 residents for screening, education and job training and place 300 residents over three years.
- Achievement of IIT’s minority enterprise contractor and resident hiring goals of 25 percent minority and 5 percent women contractors for its construction and renovation projects by 2000.
Economic Development in Bronzeville
| Activity | IIT Partners | Community Partners |
| Interprofessional Project: Stimulating Economic Growth in Bronzeville | Manufacturing Technology Department College of Architecture Civil and Architectural Engineering Stuart School of Business Institute of Design |
MidSouth Planning and Development Commission City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development |
| Neighborhood Learning Network Collabortive | Center for Community Development & Technology Manufacturing Technology Department |
Chicago Urban League Chicago Public Schools Office of Catholic Education Chicago Housing Authority City Colleges of Chicago Quantum Opportunities Program Grand Boulevard Federation STRIVE |
| Academic and Vocational Curriculum Development | Manufacturing Technology Department | Chicago Public Schools City Colleges of Chicago |
| Minority Business Development | Center for Community Development & Technology IIT Office of Minority Business Development |
Local and City wide minority business development agencies and
associations STRIVE Grand Boulevard Federation |
Housing
Greater Grand Boulevard is about to experience the impact of the reconfiguration of public housing to a far greater degree than any community in Chicago, perhaps in the country. This community has the highest concentration of public housing units in the nation. Two of the most troubled public housing developments in the United States are located in Greater Grand Boulevard: Stateway Gardens and Robert Taylor Homes. The Chicago Housing Authority has announced the demolition of 11,000 high rise units within ten to 15 years. While future plans for the accommodation of residents remains uncertain at this time, the Chicago Housing Authority and residents share a desire to achieve mixed-income communities that will enhance the quality of life for public housing residents.
Objectives of Housing
Completion of a community-generated housing design studio leading to one symposium and 40 community dialogues over three years on affordable housing and options for public housing residents in Bronzeville.
Affordable Housing for Bronzeville
| Activity | IIT Partners | Community Partners |
| IIT / Harvard Design Studio | Center for Community Development & Technology College of Architecture Harvard Graduate School of Design |
MidSouth Planning and Development Commission Centers for New Horizons City of Chicago, Department of Housing City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development Chicago Housing Authority |
| Community Dialogue Series | Center for Community Development & Technology | Same as above Local Areas Councils, Stateway and Robert Taylor |
Community Development
Illinois Institute of Technology has historically been a major proponent of investment in Bronzeville. The extensive use of educational and community outreach programs for the area’s youth has been a significant investment in the community’s revitalization. An earlier grant from the Robert R. McCormick-Tribune Foundation in 1989 had as one of its goals the attraction of capital investment to communities adjacent to the IIT main campus to stimulate the area’s physical development. In addition, IIT is now using supplemental academic and research-sponsored resources to assist in the development of the community’s human capital.
Objectives for Community Development
- Implementation of an applied research project with community service agencies to help their clients improve skills for self-sufficiency.
- Maintenance and dissemination of databases on the physical redevelopment and human capacity building efforts in Bronzeville to document community change.
Community Development Activities
| Activity | IIT Partners | Community Partners |
| Visualizing for Self Sufficiency | Institute of Psychology Center for Community Development & Technology |
Grand Boulevard Federation STRIVE |
| Database and Documentation | Center for Community Development & Technology University of Kansas Work Group |
Centers for New Horizons Mid South Planning and Development Commission Partners in Community Development (PICD) Grand Boulevard Federation STRIVE City of Chicago |
