Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. Named Winner of the Equity with Impact Award by CMAP

Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation and Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. Named Winner of the Equity with Impact: Regional Excellence Award by Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning  

New community center project recognized for advancing inclusive growth and investment in Chicago’s South Side 

CHICAGO, IL (March 30, 2023) – The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has recognized the Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub project as an Equity with Impact Award winner, which is a part of CMAP’s Regional Excellence Awards program. This prestigious title recognizes a project that has improved the quality of life and strengthened opportunities for people of color and residents who live in communities with low incomes. Milhouse Engineering and Construction (Milhouse) was the owner’s representative on this project for Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC). 

“The story of the Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub — and the many partners who helped rejuvenate a long vacant building on Chicago’s South Side — exemplifies CMAP’s Equity with Impact Award. The Hub is creating tangible results that address gaps in healthcare, financial access, and healthy food options, while providing the community with a destination to socialize with friends and neighbors,” said CMAP Executive Director Erin Aleman. “The work of the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation, Milhouse Engineering and Construction, and the other partners involved in this project reminds us that inclusive growth starts at the neighborhood level.” 

The Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub is a healthy living center that opened on Chicago’s South Side in October 2022. The four-story facility is in a repurposed 60,000 sq ft. building that was vacant for 25 years in a community that has experienced years of disinvestment and business closures. The Hub fills many gaps, including medical care, healthy food, banking, and educational resources. Additionally, the Hub is home to a Bank of America, a Chicago Bears Community Room and Teaching Kitchen, a Big Brothers/Big Sisters office, a pharmacy, a pro-bono legal clinic, and restaurants. Additionally, a Heartland Alliance branch office works to help people out of poverty through housing, jobs, and family assistance, serving as an incredible resource for the members of the community. Lastly, the Hub houses GAGDC’s main office on the 4th floor, providing comprehensive community development services.  

James Fifer, Vice President of Program Management at Milhouse, was born and raised in the Auburn-Gresham community and led the Milhouse team representing GAGDC. “It was very fulfilling to represent GAGDC on this project and help restore a building that has been vacant for as long as I can remember. Carlos and his amazing team are revitalizing the neighborhood and spurring redevelopment throughout the community. I am glad to have been involved in such an impactful project.” 

The tenants of the Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub are dedicated to community engagement and growth, and thus have provided 150+ living wage jobs to people of color. As the Hub continues to thrive, it aims to be an epicenter of health and prosperity through all the opportunities and offerings it provides for the community. “The Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub at 839 West 79th Street is a national model for catalytic community-led, community-sponsored, and community-planned projects,” Carlos Nelson, CEO of GAGDC shared. “This adaptive reuse of a 100-year-old, terra cotta-clad building was done by the local community for the local community with a focus on bringing high-quality healthcare and local wealth generation. Being a historic rehabilitation involving multiple general contracts and multiple tenants, this was a particularly challenging project. Having Milhouse as a trusted partner on the team was crucial to the success of our vision at GAGDC.” 

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About Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc.  

Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. is a full-service engineering firm offering expertise in civil, mechanical, electrical, structural and environmental engineering, as well as construction and program management. We deliver creative solutions to complex problems around the globe. Driven by our diverse perspectives, we challenge the status quo to pursue a brighter future for the communities we serve. Milhouse has been named a ‘Best & Brightest Companies to Work For’ for 17 years in a row and is ranked as an ‘ENR Top 500 Design Firm’. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.  

For further information, please contact:  

Ellen Bremseth, Director of Strategic Communications, Milhouse, ebremseth@zaramilhouseinc.com