by Diana Pando
On Tuesday, February 9^th The Resurrection Project (TRP), celebrated the completion of Casa Querétaro, located at 2012 West 17^th Street, Chicago, IL 60608. The packed event was attended by community stakeholders, leaders, media, and elected officials. Raul Raymundo, TRP’s CEO, kicked off the event with a warm welcome, followed by Father Charles Dahm of St. Pius Parish who blessed the new space.
Speakers included Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Alderman Daniel Solis of the 25th Ward, Eugene Jones, CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority, George Wright, Director, Citi Community Development – Global Consumer Group, neighborhood leader Alica Rocha, and Casa Querétaro tenant Soledad Dieguez. The event concluded with a reception and tours of Casa Querétaro.
Casa Querétaro, is a brand new, state-of-the-art apartment building which has 45 units of quality, affordable housing. It was created to help working families stay in the neighborhood while enjoying the amenities, safety, and comfort of a modern home.
For the last 25 years, TRP has developed more than 600 unites of safe, high-quality affordable housing solutions in Pilsen, Little Village, Back of the Yards, and Melrose Park.
“The Resurrection Project continues its commitment to balanced development by creating affordable and dignified housing for working families,” said Raul Raymundo, TRP’s CEO. “The new construction comes at a time when people are struggling to find housing within their budgets and TRP is proud to be able to offer quality, safe housing people can afford.”
Nationally and locally, tenants are spending more than 30% on housing costs while employment wages continue to remain stagnant. TRP is proud to be able to offer quality, safe housing solutions people can afford.
“The new apartment building is impacting my family because for the very first time in my life I have a new apartment and my two sons have their own bedroom,” said Soledad Dieguez, a new tenant at Casa Querétaro. “This type of affordable housing is important because it gives us the opportunity to live with dignity and respect in places like this.”
While Casa Querétaro is a beautiful building and a community asset, this wasn’t always the case. Prior to the construction, TRP and area residents organized to tear down the abandoned silos that used to be on the vacant lot where Casa Querétaro now stands. The silos were a magnet for vandalism and criminal activity, and the site itself was often used to burn tires, creating a health hazard for area families and children.
“We are delighted to partner with TRP,” said Eugene Jones, CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority. “What we’re doing here today is the future, ensuring that Chicagoans can find the affordable housing they need in the neighborhoods they call home.”
“Citibank is proud to collaborate in partnerships like Casa Querétaro because together we can strengthen local communities and support the expansion of affordable housing opportunities for families in Chicago,” said George Wright, Director, Citi Community Development – Global Consumer Group. Citibank provided $8.5 million as bond financing that was used during the construction of Casa Querétaro.
Alderman Daniel “Danny” Solis of the 25^th Ward also commented on the importance of projects like Casa Querétaro to transform the community. “Our partnership with TRP is helping to provide affordable housing solutions to families,” said Alderman Solis. “To-date TRP is the leading developer in the neighborhood that has provided over 370 units of quality housing in Pilsen to ensure families can afford a dignified place to live.”
Casa Querétaro represents a $15 million investment in Chicago’s Pilsen community that has created jobs and economic opportunity. In the summer, TRP will host a community celebration for families to come and learn more about this new community asset.
“I’ve been living in Pilsen for 40 years and I live in front of Casa Queretaro,” said Alicia Rocha, who advocated alongside TRP for years to complete this project. “Today, the empty lot has become a positive community space for families and our street is safer, more vibrant, and healthy for everyone.”
The project is possible thanks to significant investment from the following financing partners: City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development, Citi Community Capital, Chicago Housing Authority and The National Equity Fund. The architects are DesignBridge Ltd., the general construction company was DENCO Construction, Inc.
The completion of Casa Querétaro is just the beginning of TRP’s Vision 2020, a five-year strategic plan that will allow TRP to do more in five years than in the last 25.
ABOUT TRP:
After 25 years and an initial seed capital of $30,000 from area parishes, The Resurrection Project (TRP) is a powerful and effective social enterprise that seamlessly blends community development, community organizing, and advocacy with human services delivery to create vibrant, healthier and involved communities. Our efforts have resulted in leveraging $346 million in community investment.