Chicago City Council approved the sale of nine contiguous city-owned parcels on W Lake St to Firebird Community Arts under the ChiBlockBuilder platform. The parcels will be used for the construction of a new community arts center designed to provide creative and educational programming for local residents. The project will also utilize New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) proceeds through a related ownership entity, Firebird Community Arts Support Corporation. Sponsored by Mayor Brandon Johnson, the land sale aims to activate vacant land in East Garfield Park while delivering arts-based community development and social impact outcomes.
This land sale empowers a local nonprofit to deliver creative placemaking and neighborhood revitalization through arts infrastructure. It transforms vacant land into a cultural asset and supports equitable investment via NMTC financing.