City Grant Would Support New Little Village Business Incubator
Department of Planning and Development 312.744.9267
A 135-year-old South Lawndale building would be rehabilitated as a $4.6 million neighborhood business incubator through a City financing proposal introduced to City Council today by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Little Village Business Incubator LLC would use a $1.7 million Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant to rehabilitate the vacant, three-story building at 3523-25 W. 26th St. as the Xquina Business Incubator, which would support local entrepreneurship with approximately 13,000 square feet of shared offices, a shared commercial kitchen, a bank, and a minority-owned café.
Little Village Business Incubator LLC was formed by the Little Village Community Foundation in 2018 with a goal of supporting economic growth, educational opportunities, and wellness in the Southwest Side neighborhood. The rehabilitation project was first proposed in 2018 but was delayed to pandemic-related timing issues.
The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund uses development fees paid by downtown construction projects to support business investment along South, Southwest and West side commercial corridors.
###