Announcement: Central West SBIF Lottery
We are excited to announce the winners of the Central West Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) Lottery, facilitated by SomerCor, for the Department of Planning and Development. These winning projects will receive funding to support the development and revitalization of the West Central community.
West Central Association assisted in the outreach and marketing of the SBIF program. Three of our members are on the list of lottery winners. We encourage all applicants to continue pursuing their development plans, even if they were not selected in this lottery. We encourage them to work with the Department of Planning and Development to explore other funding opportunities and find ways to move forward with their projects.
We congratulate all of the lottery winners and look forward to seeing their projects come to fruition. When more requests are received in a SBIF district application period than funds are available, the lottery is necessary to determine the order that applications will be processed.
These investments will help to create jobs, improve local businesses, and enhance the quality of life in the Central West neighborhood.
Central West SBIF Lottery Winners:
Beauty Mark: luxury beauty salon offering a wide range of services, including hair, nails, and makeup, in a chic and relaxing environment.
Jazzy Flowers LLC - Landlord - 35 S. Racine Ave/1148 W. Monore: florist specializing in unique and vibrant floral arrangements for weddings and events.
Chicago Children's Theatre: professional performing arts organization dedicated to presenting high-quality productions for young audiences.
Alta Vista Realty Inc.: full-service real estate company specializing in residential and commercial properties in Chicago and surrounding areas.
PupStars Pet Care dba The K9 Corridor: professional pet care company offering dog walking, pet sitting, and training services
WCA is committed to supporting the growth and development of all Chicago neighborhoods, supporting our members base, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact that these projects will have on the West Central community.
If you have any questions about the SBIF program feel free to reach out to Rod Burch at 312.902.4922
West Central Association presents “ Madison Row Fest, a community block party” as part of the Central City Recovery Program (CCRP)
West Central Association
CHICAGO, IL (August 3, 2022)
Contact: Carla M. Agostinelli
Director of Community Partnerships & Development
carla@wcachicago.org
– West Central Association presents “ Madison Row Fest, a community block party” as part of the Central City Recovery Program (CCRP). The intention of the Madison Row Fest,
a community block party, is to invest back in the community, help develop diverse
programming, enhance the vibrancy of the Madison Row retail corridor, and inspire safer
passage with art installations.
In collaboration with the Department of Business Affairs Consumer Protection, District
Advisory Council of the 12th District Chicago Police Department, the West Central
Association’s Madison Row Committee Co-Sponsors (Moon Rabbit Acupuncture, Leaders
1354 & Viet Five) and Strength in the City, West Central Association will present the
inaugural Madison Row Fest on Saturday, September 17th, 2022. - The event is Free and
open to the public.
“We are excited to be part of an opportunity to rebuild & showcase the small businesses
within the community!” says Liezyl Ribiero of Move the World Operations/Strength in the
City. We look forward to working with each business for the activation of Madison Street,
including examples of lifestyle of health and wellness, all hyper local - Invest Local. Shop
Local. Dine Local.
“Madison Row Fest has been a long time aspiration” said WCA President ”. “We are excited
about the opportunity to continue to work closely with our businesses to enhance foot
traffic to their shops and websites. We are also very excited to see our community come
together on a street frequented by our local residents who define our neighborhood. This
event is also about improving public safety. We at WCA continue to reflect on ways to
reimagine the Madison Row streetscape in ways that improves the pedestrian experience,
increases foot traffic for our local businesses, and improves pedestrian safety. And, who
doesn’t like a street festival highlighting their community?!”
The intention of Madison Row Fest is to help celebrate a world post pandemic. Says
Gudrun Wu Snyder, Founder Moon Rabbit ”When I opened Moon Rabbit during the
Pandemic summer of 2020, the first people in the door were our West Loop neighbors.
The community was the first to support us. We are excited to engage and give back to the
neighborhood.”
Cultural programming from our local schools, musicians and artists will be showcased
throughout the day. “As a new business on Madison Row we share an authentic
multicultural experience with our neighbors and now new friends. We will continue to
support the community and maintain a safe space as we build blooming relationships.” -
VietFive Team.
“Having been a part of the Central City Recovery Plan, since inception, it has provided us
an opportunity to further develop our relationship with the City’s administration yet more
importantly serve as a stronger advocate for the community. says Carla M. Agostinelli,
Director of Community Partnerships & Development at West Central Association. We are
very excited at the opportunity to incorporate Asphalt Art, as a form of urban tacticalism,
into the Fest.”
WCA has proposed the following intersections to CDOT: Madison at Morgan; Madison at
Aberdeen; Madison at Peoria and Madison at Throop. We are hopeful that the Asphalt Art
will inspire behavioral change, encouraging safer passages and ultimately strengthening
our community” says Agostinelli.
Madison Row Fest will take place on Saturday, September 17, 2022.
On Madison between Halsted and Racine; 10am-8pm. Free.
For more information: wcachicago.org
Email: carla@wcachicago.org
About The WCA:
Established in 1918, the West Central Association - Chamber of Commerce (WCA)
represents over 400 member businesses, institutions and organizations across 13
geographic areas in the city of Chicago located immediately west of downtown. The WCA
is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of its members and the communities they serve
by advocating for business and property owners on legislation, taxation, transportation,
architectural treatment and model plans for the area.
For more information, visit wcachicago.org.
# # #
Community Meeting - 301 S. Green Street
Alderman Burnett and West Central Association hosted a community meeting on July 11, 2022, via Zoom. The developer DSP Development and Golub & Co presented the proposed project to over 60 attendees.
New Member Profile : Play
Please help us and welcome play to the neighborhood.
*play is a children's toy, book, & gift shop that has called Chicago home for more than 12 years. We specialize in getting families back to the basics of play. For all of life's celebrations, come *play with us.
West Loop Location:
1112 W. Madison Street
312.285.2365
Fulton Market Metra station needs fast-tracking
Check out WCA's opinion published by Crain's Chicago Business -- Chicago should leverage the growth and momentum of the West Loop to benefit adjacent emerging markets, job seekers, and students in the city’s underserved West Side neighborhoods and the metro area at large. Let's act today.
West Central Association Names Carla Agostinelli as New Director of Development and Community Partnerships
West Central Association Names Carla Agostinelli as New Director of Development and Community Partnerships
Chicago community development veteran to spearhead WCA’s strategic business development efforts in its 13-neighborhood service area, which includes the West Loop/Fulton Market District and Illinois Medical District
NEW MEMBER: Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG)
About Veterinary Emergency Group
Established in 2014, Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) is a company founded on a single mission: helping people and their pets when they need it most. VEG's rapidly growing group of hospitals has revolutionized the pet emergency experience with a customer-centered approach, rapid response times, and a highly trained emergency-focused staff. VEG currently has 28 hospitals operating in 10 states including California, New York, DC, New Jersey, Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois. To locate a VEG hospital near you or for more information, please visit veg.vet.