WRD Environmental Results Gallery, Stewardship

Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Design Projects, Chicago, IL

The Chicago Department of Housing and Economic Development, promotes economic development by helping businesses grow and by attracting new industry. It works in cooperation with community and business groups, elected officials, delegate agencies and other community stakeholders. One example is a program creating three new community garden and urban agriculture projects in communities lacking green space.

Goals

• Create urban agriculture and/or community gardens on three impacted or former brownfield sites
• Work closely with community groups, adjacent property owners, aldermen, and volunteers to develop gardens that meet local needs

Sample Results

• The first new green space in park-poor Little Village in more than 80 years, a place where residents will advance local solutions to obesity and climate change
• An Eat to Live Princeton Avenue Farm in Englewood that will feed local residents, while creating new civic partnerships
• More than three acres in Austin that will produce food, a garden oasis and an outdoor classroom for a local job-training program.
• Sustainable stormwater management and rain water harvesting techniques that meet City codes at all three sites

Learn more about sustainable development at the Chicago Department of Housing and Economic Development.