ASPIRE will revitalize physical assets in Central Austin, a densely populated area bounded by Madison, Central, Chicago, and Laramie Avenues. The proposal is composed of these projects:
- Build a new early learning center and fitness and wellness center on land controlled by BTHC at Kinzie and Laramie. This health and wellness site will serve 150 families, boosting access to quality early learning opportunities and preparing children for kindergarten.
- Aid in the ongoing reinvention of the Austin College and Career Academy (ACCA). The City of Chicago has made over $40M of renovations in the historic high school building where ACCA is located. Our initiative will engage the community in developing a secondary education improvement strategy to enhance student experiences and improve enrollment at Austin’s neighborhood high schools.
- Redevelop the vacant Emmet School on the corner of Madison Street and Central Avenue. This includes renovating the existing school building, adding an atrium space and plaza, and constructing a new building at the southwest corner of the site to house community-focused retail space, a financial center, and an event hall.
- Build 30 new housing units on vacant lots on Pine and Washington, as well as develop 30 additional scattered city-owned lots, to provide affordable housing for purchase and wealth building for Austin families.
