Roosevelt Square > News > Residents Recognized

COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WORKING ON ROOSEVELT SQUARE RECOGNIZED BY DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND WEST SIDE 2000

Chicago (September 9, 2005) - On Friday, September 9, 2005, a barbeque was thrown in honor of the over 50 community residents hired to date to work on Roosevelt Square, the newest Near West Side community, in recognition of their contribution to the revitalization of the neighborhood. Hosted by LR Development Company, master developer of Roosevelt Square, and its community partner West Side 2000, the event was a great success.

LR Development Company, Quest Development Group, LLC, Heartland Housing, Inc. and the general contracting team have facilitated construction training and job placement programs, along with non-construction-related job-placement services for local residents as well as small contractors and vendors. West Side 2000, one of Roosevelt Square's non-profit community partners, was created to help provide job placement services for Near West Side area residents.

The Roosevelt Square development team, as part of the master development plan, established employment and business development programs tailored to local community residents and participating MBE/WBE contractors that include:

• Retaining West Side 2000 to make employee referrals of community residents to the general contracting team working on Roosevelt Square.
  
  
• Funding a construction training program to offer employment-readiness skills to community residents.
  
  
• Providing individual employment initiatives - some requiring no previous construction-related experience.
  
  
• Hiring the Small Contractors' Network, a small-business advocacy group, to provide technical and support services to participating MBE and WBE contractors.
  
  

These services cover a range of needs, from assistance with securing bonding and meeting insurance-related requirements, to reading and understanding plans and completing project bids.

CONTACT: For more information or to request an interview with a Roosevelt Square or West Side 2000 representative, or to speak to a Near West Side resident working on the development, contact Holly Birnbaum Sherman at (773) 478-0244 or hollybirnbaum@comcast.net.