Initial funding was approved for the new BandWith Chicago headquarters at 134 S California Avenue in East Garfield Park. Bound by W Wilcox Street to the north and W Adams Street to the south, the new center will redevelop an existing industrial building with a sawtooth roof. The project is being developed by the non-profit organization BandWith and is being designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative.
Site context map of 134 S California Avenue via Google Maps
BandWith was started in 2013 by Annie Palomino when the band program was dropped from LEARN Campbell Charter School in East Garfield Park due to budget cuts. The organization has continued to provide free music instruction within schools, offer after school programming, small group instruction, assembly play, and performance opportunities for over 145 students annually within the community.
Current view of 134 S California Avenue via Google Maps
Now the 21,460-square-foot structure will be completely renovated to serve as BandWith’s headquarters with educational, rehearsal, and performance spaces to house their free dance, drumline, sound engineering, instrumental and choral assemble programs. They hope to also provide job training and potential employment for the teens enrolled, as well as spaces for the community to use.
Rendering of new BandWith Chicago HQ by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
This will be joined by a new office area for Deborah’s Place which provides social services for homeless women. A small retail space will go to Dark Matter Coffee for a new outpost with a patio and large mural on its side. Along with facade repairs and new tuck-pointing, the development will also bring a handful of new parking spaces.
Current view of 134 S California Avenue via Google Maps
Future users will be able to reach the center with direct access to CTA bus service for Routes 20, 94, and 126, with the CTA Green Line California station nearby. With a total cost of $12.4 million, the approval by the Community Development Commission was for $5 million in TIF funding which will combine with over $8 million including grants. The financing will now need to be approved by City Council, with construction slated to begin March 2024 and wrap up by early 2025.
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With the Perkins project, new CTA station by United Center, this project, and some other minor stuff, development is finally closing in on 5th City.
Fingers cross things keep moving in an upward direction. Still so many gems left in a gamble of time throughout East Garfield Park.
Coffee. I like it!