- Credibility:
BRONZEVILLE — As plans for the former Michael Reese site proceed, the team behind the multibillion-dollar project is using social media to connect with the community.
The Bronzeville Lakefront project to overhaul the former hospital got a big boost after the city approved the sale of the site to Chicago GRIT, a team of developers led by Farpoint Development. Now the zoning changes and land sale required to launch the first stages of the $3.8 billion project await approval from the city’s zoning, and housing and real estate committees.
The developers launched Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages this month to promote and share updates about Bronzeville Lakefront.
“In order to reach people in the Bronzeville community and surrounding areas, we’ll need to meet them where they are and make an effort to communicate as broadly as possible. A part of making sure that the community is involved every step of the way is ensuring that we’re using every avenue to communicate and reach different demographics,” said Morgan Malone, Farpoint’s director of Development and External Affairs.
Malone said the development team will advertise events on social media and answer questions from the community. They’re also profiling Bronzeville businesses and institutions in hopes of using their network to “showcase the richness, depth and breadth” of the neighborhood.
The massive project calls for the 48-acre site to be transformed into apartments, office, retail and research laboratory space. The plan includes 10 acres of parkland and green space. Construction would be in phases, starting with an innovation center, a welcome center and senior housing to be built over the next five years. The entire project will take an estimated 20 years to complete.
While support for Bronzeville Lakefront has been generally positive, some have criticized the project’s failure to include Latino developers, an issue GRIT says it’s “committed” to addressing.
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