An Exclusive Interview: Mayor’s South/West, with Development Commissioner, Maurice Cox, with Bruce Montgomery, Business Development Coach for South Side Drive Magazine
When Mayor Lori Lightfoot named distinguished urban planner Maurice Cox as Chicago’s new commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development there was every intention, he would hit the ground running. He needed to be a quick study of the needs and opportunities of bringing equity and inclusion to those neighborhoods hungry for resources to enable their plans that for too long languished without the comprehensive effort to propel them from concept to fruition.
His early efforts included riding and walking tours of many of Chicago’s most under-invested areas to see them firsthand and listen to leaders, residents, business owners and community developers to gain perspective from their insights. When asked what resonated with him most about these neighborhood excursions Cox says, “I am struck by the rich architecture and quality of buildings along key corridors that are available to be reclaimed and re- purposed. I believe we can leverage these historic assets, transforming them into the vibrant local business districts they can become again.”
Commissioner Cox is the point man for the City’s INVEST South/West, a new initiative launched by May- or Lightfoot designed to leverage resources from public, private and nonprofit sectors to revitalize commercial corridors in 10 South and Westside neighborhoods. The 10 areas targeted for investment are Auburn Gresham, North Lawndale, Austin, Englewood, Humboldt Park, New City, Roseland, South Chicago, South Shore and an area that city officials identified as the Quad Communities, which includes North Kenwood, Oakland, and portions of Douglas, Grand Boulevard, all portions of historic Bronzeville. INVEST South/West intends to leverage $250 million in existing business development and infrastructure funding from the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) through the Tax Increment Financing, Small Business Improvement Fund, and Neighborhood Opportunity Fund programs to support economic development that align with identified local priorities, especially those that are well documented and ready to go.
To better understand the needs of these communities Cox understands that the clearest vision is held within the minds of the residents and local stakeholders them- selves. To that end, community engagement workshops are being held designed to get up to date input that informs, illuminates and validates the highest and best use of applying these taxpayer derived resources.
The next INVEST South/West Celebration is for the Roseland/Pullman com- munity: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM CST Pullman Community Center 10355 South Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, IL 60628
INVEST South/West is a three-year initiative to align private investment alongside more than $750 million in public funding to re-activate neighborhood cores on the South and West sides that have historically served as focal points for pedestrian activity, shopping, and services for local residents. All are invited to learn more about the initiative or sign up for email updates by visiting: www.chicago.gov/investSW. Cox is fully aware that mega-projects like those proposed for Lincoln Yards, Th e 78, the former Michael Reese site as well as the Obama Presidential center get an abundance of media attention and public scrutiny, as well they should. He is committed to bringing balance to the appearance of favoring grand slams instead of base hits on his watch. Neighborhood-based business owners and grassroots community developers aren’t always versed in crafting alignment with the array of city agencies sometimes required to push through a single project which can create needless delays and enormous frustration that appears adversarial to the goals of creating jobs and healthy, thriving communities.
Cox is directing his DPD team to bring new energy to engage every community in the development process. New DPD staff will be hired that will focus alongside community development professionals to help bridge the experience gap and assist with disciplined project management. Maurice Cox has seen a lot in his 60 years. He served as mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, from 2002 to 2004. He was an associate dean for community engagement at Tulane University in New Orleans.
Just before coming to Chicago Cox led the city of Detroit’s planning department effort to wrestle with many of the same systemic challenges that he now faces here, decades of neglect, disinvestment, and exclusion. The new commissioner is getting a sense of another important resource that Chicago’s urban communities can build on, Cultural Capital! Project ideas which advance the creative soul of the city must be key launch pads of social and civic engagement. “Each one of these neighborhoods has unique cultural, physical and human capital assets, and they require a tailored strategy to leverage their assets,” Cox said. From re-purposing formerly closed school buildings into live-work spaces to mindfully designed walkable streets- capes Cox wants to spark an inclusive and equitable community development playbook the works for today and for future generations that choose to call Chicago their home.
Bruce Eric Montgomery, Founder, Entrepreneur Success Program, Chief Innovation Evangelist, Technology Access Television and Business Development Coach
