Mayor Rahm Emanuel today joined leaders from Jewel-Osco and the Woodlawn community to cut the ribbon at the newest South Side grocery store. This is the Woodlawn’s first full-service grocery in more than 40 years and the 11th new or repurposed grocery store on the South Side.

“Across Chicago, we are working to replace increase food access with new grocery stores and availability of fresh food in every community,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This new store is the latest phase of the renaissance and resurgence happening across Woodlawn and will build on the unprecedented level of investment, growth and progress to make the community even stronger.”

The $20 million, 48,000-square-foot grocery store is now employing 300 full- and part-time workers.  It offers residents fresh produce, a deli counter, ready-to-eat meals and a drive-through pharmacy. City support included $11.5 million in New Market Tax Credits.

“Jewel-Osco is thrilled to be part of the resurgence of Woodlawn by giving residents a place to buy fresh food, spurring economic development by creating hundreds of jobs and bringing in local and minority owned vendors,” said Paul Gossett, President of Jewel-Osco. “This store underscores our commitment to serving Chicago communities and to working with Mayor Emanuel on his pledge to eliminate food deserts in the city.”

The new Jewel-Osco is the latest effort by Mayor Emanuel to increase access to healthy food choices across the city. Under his leadership, the number of residents that live in an underserved food area has declined by over 30%. Over 800,000 residents live within a 10-minute walk of a new grocery store opened since 2011. Additionally, over 190,000 residents of low-income communities are served by new community gardens growing healthy food.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opening of the new Jewel-Osco,” said Aaron Gornstein, CEO and President, POAH. “It represents the latest development on the site of the former Section 8 Grove Parc project and brings jobs and a full service grocery to a community that will benefit from both.  We’re proud to have worked with the City of Chicago and all of our neighborhood partners to turn a $30.5 million HUD grant into more than $410 million of public and private investments for new housing and businesses. This new Jewel-Osco, along with many other businesses headed to Woodlawn Station and the rest of the neighborhood, stand as a national model of community renewal.”

Increasing access to grocery stores and healthy food is key to building stronger neighborhoods and this new store is the latest in a surge of City-supported development in Woodlawn along Cottage Grove Avenue near 61st Street, which is just minutes from the future home of the Obama Presidential Center.

The new Jewel-Osco is within walking distance of MetroSquash, a recreational and educational center, the Woodlawn Resource Center, a University of Chicago residence hall, five new apartment buildings from the Preservation of Affordable Housing, the first market-rate apartment development to be built in Woodlawn in decades, a rehabilitated Strand Hotel, new dining options, coffee shops and more.

A dozen Woodlawn businesses have participated in the City’s Small Business Improvement Fund under Mayor Emanuel, using more than $800,000 in TIF-financed grants to make more than $1.2 million in building improvements, retaining and creating 120 jobs in the neighborhood.

Under Mayor Emanuel’s leadership, there have been over $33 million in renovations and upgrades to schools in the area. Additionally, more than 160 homes have received Neighborhood Improvement Program grants for basic repairs, totaling $1.63 million in investment. Other nearby public investments include the Shankman Orthogenic School, the Hyde Park Day School and the University of Chicago Charter School.

ABOUT JEWEL-OSCO

Jewel-Osco was founded in 1899 and is owned by New Albertsons, Inc. The grocery and drug retailer has 187 locations encompassing Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Iowa, and employs 31,000 associates. For more information log onto www.JewelOsco.com and follow on social media at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, Instragam.com/JewelOsco, Pinterest.com/JewelOscopr and YouTube.com/JewelOsco