By William S. Bike
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) and the City’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) announced a long-awaited new library will arrive as part of a mixed-use development planned for the Back of the Yards community.
Part of the City’s Invest South/West initiative, the new library will anchor a mixed-use development that also will include residential and commercial spaces.
“These new facilities will provide crucial resources and support to our residents, helping to strengthen our communities and promote education and lifelong learning,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot before she left office.
“The mayor’s Invest South/West initiative is what will bring this project home,” said Craig Chico, CEO of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council. “This commitment and financial support was long overdue in our community, and others like ours that have been neglected for so long.”
The Back of the Yards branch library will replace the library currently located within the Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School and be accessible to the entire community. In addition to the new library, the development at 4630 S. Ashland Ave. will include affordable housing as well as a Federally qualified health care center, performing arts center, headquarters for the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, and spaces for nonprofits Chicago Commons and Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation.
“We are thrilled with the location because it is located in almost the geographic center of the community, giving all residents in the Back of the Yards access to the library and overall development,” Chico said.
Funds will come primarily from a $15 million State grant, obtained by State Representative Theresa Mah (D-2nd) at the request of the Back of the Yards High School local school council.
“This new CPL branch is the result of years of advocacy and discussion and coordination across multiple levels of local government,” said Mah. “I’m proud to have played my part in securing State funds to support this development and know the final product will be a valuable asset to the Back of the Yards and New City communities.”
The new branch will offer easy access to pedestrian traffic and those using public transportation. As with the current branch, the City will own the approximately 16,000 square foot space; a separate entrance will provide access to the remainder of the building. The project will include below ground parking for the library as well as exterior green space available for public use.
Many amenities
Plans also call for a built-out early childhood active learning space and programs and spaces for area children, teens, and families. School aged children will be able to get free one-on-one homework assistance through CPL’s Teacher in the Library program. Teens will have access to technology, resources, and classes that inspire exploration, creativity, and learning through the YOUmedia program. The new branch also will offer traditional library programs, such as book clubs and educational and cultural programming, as well as computer classes and one-on-one coaching to build digital literacy and technology and job-seeking skills for adults and seniors.
“Chicago is fortunate to have such an active, community-focused library system whose branches are gateways to so many critical City resources,” said Alderman Ray Lopez (15th Ward). “By integrating this library branch into a mixed-use development with residential units on site, we are working to intentionally foster a learning- and health-centered neighborhood here in Back of the Yards that is inclusive of our cultural richness and diversity.”
“When I was a kid, the library was a safe place but it was hard to get there,” said Back of the Yards resident Joseph Mapp. “The current library is even more difficult to access and is not safe for my part of the community.
“It is very exciting to learn that this new library will be located at the center of our community, and we have the chance to build a safe space with all the resources we need, and it can be a library for everyone,” Mapp continued. “Black, brown, everybody—doesn’t matter. We can all get to know each other without worrying and hopefully that will carry forward to the whole community.”
The current library in Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School at 2111 W. 47th St. concerned parents because both students and members of the public used it at the same time. Back of the Yards High School plans to keep its current library open for students only once the new library opens.
“This started as an effort to give the Back of the Yards College Prep its own library for the students,” Chico said. “The current situation is not optimal for the students or community residents. Thanks to the efforts of a group of moms who worked tirelessly to secure funding, we are able to offer this amazing amenity to the Back of the Yards.”
Concerns about current library
Both students and the public have used the library within the high school since the school opened in 2013. Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel came up with the unusual idea of combining the high school library with the community library when the school first opened; community members felt this arrangement negatively affected students and residents. Intermixing between students and adults bothered many parents concerned about safety.
The City has been using the mixed-use approach for libraries in recent years. The Roosevelt Square branch at 1340 W. Taylor St. features not only a library but public housing and affordable and market rate apartments; it ranks as one of three new mixed-income housing developments with libraries as anchor tenants.
“Investments in Chicago libraries are an investment in safe and welcoming community anchors,” said CPL Commissioner Chris Brown, who said library/mixed-use facilities “are not just spaces to access information but…serve as catalysts for community growth and development” and “support educational milestones, provide vibrant cultural hubs, and bridge the broadband gap by bringing together books, technology, and community resources to create vibrant, mixed-use spaces that will benefit residents for generations to come.”
DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said such libraries are “centered around colorful, light-filled, multi-purpose spaces that serve as a beacon and focal point visually for the neighborhood.”
For the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, call (872) 281-7832 or log on to https://bync.org. To contact the current library, call (312) 747-9595.
For more information about CPL and its programs and services, visit www.chipublib.org.
Editor’s note: Liv Brown also contributed to this article.