Three million dollars in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) will partially reimburse the Chicago Park District for the new Williams Park fieldhouse in Bronzeville, under a plan approved today by City Council.

Completed last year, the $9.5 million building at 2820 S. State St. features a reception area, gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms for performances, art, education, exercise classes and community meetings. Exterior amenities include a spray pool, bike racks, landscaping, exterior lighting, sidewalks, and benches.

The balance of the 11,200-square-foot project was financed by the Park District and the Chicago Housing Authority, which maintains its Dearborn Park housing complex adjacent to the site.

The 6.7-acre park is named for Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a renowned AfricanAmerican surgeon who founded Provident Hospital, the first African-American owned and operated hospital in the United States.

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