Chicago School District Unlocks New Path Forward with Affordable Housing and Sports Center.
A unanimous vote by the Chicago Board of Education has paved the way for a new project that aims to transform two shuttered schools into affordable housing and an athletic center serving underprivileged youth in Austin. Breakaway Community Development, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Khalilah Johnson, plans to repurpose the former Armstrong Elementary School building into a two-story facility with full-size basketball and volleyball courts, as well as indoor turf fields for baseball, soccer, football, and other sports.
According to Johnson, the group's training sessions have been hampered by the lack of space to accommodate their programs. With the new project, Breakaway aims to provide affordable access to youth sports for underprivileged children in the area, who often struggle to afford these activities. The facility will also offer spaces for kids to learn skills in fields such as sportscasting, photography, and sports officiating.
In addition to its focus on youth sports, the athletic center will provide mental health services to help treat the "whole athlete." Johnson emphasized that sports can be a powerful tool for education and personal development. The project's estimated cost is $12.5 million, with $2.25 million already secured.
After weeks of deliberation, the Chicago Board of Education approved Breakaway Community Development's bid of $100,000 for the Armstrong Elementary School property. In contrast, Chaste Hair Institute submitted a proposal for $50,000, which was deemed insufficient by the board due to concerns over underestimating renovation costs.
The Paderewski Elementary School building will be repurposed as an 86-unit affordable housing development, with plans to donate part of the site to the ARK Entrepreneurial Center. The center aims to develop a mixed-use building containing a community center for youth programming.
While challenges persist in redeveloping vacant CPS properties, this latest approval marks a significant step forward for Breakaway Community Development and its mission to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth.
A unanimous vote by the Chicago Board of Education has paved the way for a new project that aims to transform two shuttered schools into affordable housing and an athletic center serving underprivileged youth in Austin. Breakaway Community Development, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Khalilah Johnson, plans to repurpose the former Armstrong Elementary School building into a two-story facility with full-size basketball and volleyball courts, as well as indoor turf fields for baseball, soccer, football, and other sports.
According to Johnson, the group's training sessions have been hampered by the lack of space to accommodate their programs. With the new project, Breakaway aims to provide affordable access to youth sports for underprivileged children in the area, who often struggle to afford these activities. The facility will also offer spaces for kids to learn skills in fields such as sportscasting, photography, and sports officiating.
In addition to its focus on youth sports, the athletic center will provide mental health services to help treat the "whole athlete." Johnson emphasized that sports can be a powerful tool for education and personal development. The project's estimated cost is $12.5 million, with $2.25 million already secured.
After weeks of deliberation, the Chicago Board of Education approved Breakaway Community Development's bid of $100,000 for the Armstrong Elementary School property. In contrast, Chaste Hair Institute submitted a proposal for $50,000, which was deemed insufficient by the board due to concerns over underestimating renovation costs.
The Paderewski Elementary School building will be repurposed as an 86-unit affordable housing development, with plans to donate part of the site to the ARK Entrepreneurial Center. The center aims to develop a mixed-use building containing a community center for youth programming.
While challenges persist in redeveloping vacant CPS properties, this latest approval marks a significant step forward for Breakaway Community Development and its mission to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth.
I'm not convinced that this is just about helping underprivileged kids, you know? 
I mean, have you seen the amount of money Breakaway Community Development is getting from CPS? $100k for the bid, but $12.5 million total? That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me 
And what's up with this Chaste Hair Institute guy trying to lowball them for $50k? Maybe he's just trying to get in on the action and make some easy cash 
. I've got a feeling there's more to this story than meets the eye... 
. The idea of repurposing old schools into something new and useful is genius. I'm loving the fact that they're not just focusing on sports, but also mental health services and other skills like photography and officiating. 
This project has got me feeling hopeful about the future of our community 
. What do you think? Should we see more projects like this in the city? 
I'm loving this idea, but let's get real, $12.5 million is still a crazy amount of money! Can't they just make it more affordable like 1/4th of that? 
. I mean, affordable housing is always needed and it's awesome that some people are stepping in to make a change 
. But what really gets me is that they're not just stopping at the physical stuff – they're also gonna have mental health services on site, which I think is super important 
. It's always cool when people come together to make a difference 
.
also the part about treating the whole athlete, not just physical health, is super important we gotta prioritize mental well being too 
I mean, who wouldn't want to get involved in sports or learn new skills? And the fact that it's going to help underprivileged kids is just amazing 
. I'm all for this project moving forward and can't wait to see what Breakaway Community Development comes up with 
and it's actually kinda inspiring. they're making spaces for kids to learn skills outside of school, like sportscasting & photography, which is low-key genius 
! Affordable housing and sports centers for the kids? That's like, totally genius 
! I'm all for this, it's like, the city is finally doing some real good for its people. Let's hope it doesn't get bogged down by red tape and gets done ASAP!
This new project is exactly what the city needs - affordable housing and sports center that can give back to the community, especially to those who need it most. I'm glad the board of education made the right decision in approving Breakaway's bid for the Armstrong Elementary School property 
. It's crazy how sometimes you gotta take two steps back before you can move forward, right? Those old schools just been sittin' there collectin' dust, and now they're gonna become somethin' real special 
. Kids need a safe space to grow, you know? And with all these programs comin' together, I'm sure this is gonna have a ripple effect and make some real positive changes in that community 
.
! I'm all about supporting initiatives that help our youth develop their skills and become confident individuals 
. Can't wait to see this project come together and make a real difference in Austin 
the current situation is just not right - all those empty schools just collecting dust while more & more families struggle to make ends meet 
so yeah, let's see how it plays out!