CHICAGO CELEBRATES HARVEST COMMONS REOPENING

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined Near West Side community leaders and site developers Friday, April 12, for the formal reopening of the $22.3 million Harvest Commons apartments, located at 1519 W. Warren Blvd. The multifamily complex was redeveloped last year into 89 low-income studios with on-site social services. The renovation of Harvest Commons was financed through $3.9 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance and $1.2 million in donated tax credits from the city. The city previously owned the building, valued at $2.3 million, and provided it to the developer for $1 through a request for proposals (RFP) process. Heartland Housing and First Baptist Congregational Church completed the project. Built in 1930 as the Union Park residential hotel and renamed The Viceroy in 1963, the six-story building primarily catered to itinerant guests before closing in 2006, when it was purchased by the city. The city council designated the art deco structure as an official landmark in 2010.