Initial renderings have been revealed for the commercial development at 1158 W 59th Street in Englewood. Located on the intersection with S Racine Avenue just south of the future Englewood Nature Trail, the new project will rehab the existing multi-story building on the site which once housed neighborhood staple Leon’s Bar-B-Q. Now the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (RAGE) plans to bring back dining to the location with a new design by local firm QORF Studios.
Site context map with the Englewood Nature Trail highlighted via Google Maps
The development is part of RAGE’s Economic Uplift Program (Re-Up) which was started in order to reduce the retail leakage of the neighborhood. Currently roughly 69 cents of every dollar spent by locals is done outside of the community’s bounds, losing roughly $194 million per year as Englewood has around 10 times fewer businesses than places like Little Village and Chinatown. It is also worth noting of all the businesses in the neighborhood only seven percent are non-faith/non-social service Black owned, thus this new commercial center aims to change that.
Current view onto site via Google Maps
Having recently purchased the two-story structure the team at RAGE will embark on a full gut rehab and facade remodel, giving them a new inset entrance off of Racine, outdoor dining patio, and small rooftop deck. Within there will be space for a small retailer, a new headquarter space for RAGE, and room for three restaurants with Morrison’s Soul Food, Slow Smoked Mae’s Que House, and Jars by Jasiman Puddings having shown interest as tenants. The completed proposal will be known as ‘The Re-Up 1158 Project’ according to Block Club.
Rendering of The Re-Up 1158 Project by QORF Studios
The team hopes this is just the beginning of the revitalization of 59th street, with the $5 million project serving as a catalyst for future growth to complement the busier 63rd Street corridor nearby. RAGE has so far collected around $1.4 million in private funding and hopes to achieve the rest via private and city funds as well, with an expected groundbreaking in the fall and completion date late next year.
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Great design…..not the usual cheapie cookie cutter. Great work !!