The Planning and Development Department launched the Public Outdoor Plaza (POP!) program in 2020 and has continued in its mission to create and fund plazas and parks “located within moderate- or low-income areas.” One of the latest projects to open is POP! Heights, located at 11249 S Halsted Street in the Roseland neighborhood.
The project was planned by the Far South Community Development Corp in close partnership with the Lamar Johnson Collaborative. The Far South CDC has also pursued funding by way of a $10 million grant from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation that will be announced next month. According to their site, should additional funding be secured, plans will include an entertainment district as well as housing.
As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, the 22,000-square-foot green space is the largest of the current POP parks, and includes a public lawn, a stage, rollerblading circuit, a community garden, a basketball court, food truck parking, and an abundance of locally produced public art. The Sun-Times also noted that the project received $540,000 in grants from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Recovery Plan.
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POP Park, Yay! That’s code for we aren’t going to rebuild the southside we demolished with actual buildings so here’s a park, here’s a farm, here’s a community garden, here’s a memorial plaza, etc.