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BRONZEVILLE — Prairie Shores’ new community hub has opened more than a year after breaking ground.
The 17,541-square-foot complex at 2937 S. King Drive was unveiled Thursday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Representatives from Farpoint Development, Golub Development, Ald. Sophia King’s 4th Ward office and Rep. Kam Buckner were on hand to mark the occasion.
The facility boasts two workout studios, three tv lounges, study rooms and an oversized outdoor deck with a grilling station. It will also house the development’s leasing office.
The hub’s open floor plan is designed to inspire community and fellowship, from the earth tone couches and loveseats in the TV lounges to the second-floor bar where residents can shoot pool or play foosball on the rooftop deck, developers said.
Credit: Jamie Nesbitt Golden/Block Club ChicagoThe clubhouse is part of an initiative to modernize the 65-year-old housing development, which was built in 1957 and bought by Fairpoint and Golub in 2019. The developers have been renovating the five-building, 1,675-unit complex in phases, completing work on 150 units in 2021.
Known for its history of connecting middle- and working-class denizens of Black Chicago, Prairie Shores’ upgrade dovetails with other efforts to revitalize the area, including Bronzeville Lakefront, a multi-year, multibillion-dollar project of which Farpoint is a partner.
David Rudd, vice president and senior counselor for Rudd Resources, said he remembers moving into his Prairie Shores studio after graduating from Northwestern University to start his journalism career at the Tribune. He feels fortunate to be part of its renaissance, he said.
“It was my first time on my own, and Prairie Shores was a great place to live. Affordable, close to Downtown. … I have great memories here,” Rudd said.
Credit: Jamie Nesbitt Golden/Block Club Chicago
Credit: Jamie Nesbitt Golden/Block Club ChicagoSeeing the finished product gives Cheryl Bynum, a resident of the building, a sense of pride, she said.
The retired chemist was one of the longtime residents who worked with the development team on the concept, offering input on what would work best for the community. Bynum said she looks forward to getting to know her neighbors better and not having to scramble to find a place to host gatherings for friends and family or a meeting space for the organizations for which she volunteers.
“When I saw the space yesterday, I was in awe. It’s everything. The attention to detail, the art, the interior design. I’m so grateful,” Bynum said.
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