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A vast housing, medical, commercial and manufacturing hub is taking shape in Chicago’s famed Pullman neighborhood, hoping to revive the city’s far south side which has seen disinvestment and poverty.

The brainchild of Trinity United Church of Christ, where former U.S. President Barack Obama was a parishioner and which was one time helmed by the controversial preacher Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the almost 40 acre campus combines a wide array of ambitious goals in an “eco-friendly mixed use intergenerational community with a village environment, committed to life-long education, health and economic development.”

The project is known as Imani Village, Imani being Swahili for “faith.”

Taking its themes from Black power and social justice philosophies its motto plays on the well-known political slogan with “By Any ‘Greens’ Necessary,” rooted in “economic justice, health equity, eco justice and redressing the impacts of mass incarceration,” its mandate says.

The project aims to combine physical structures and architecture in a way that promotes “spaces that nourish body and spirit” and “dignified work.”

“One of the mission themes of Trinity is seeking to win the community’s heart,” Village president and legal attorney Patricia Eggleston said.

The “model” community has been in development since 2009, acquiring land and raising almost $8 million in funding. It now has a myriad of private and public partners.

“It really starts with health equity,” Eggleston said. “It’s not just the absence of disease but everything that makes a person healthy.”

So a primary and preventive care center is there.

As well, the village addresses the “social determinants” of health which includes housing, jobs, lack of stress – “things that makes a person healthy from every aspect,” she said.

“So, we said, what would it look like to have a multi-use community that reflects a response to these things.”

The entity known as Imani Village LLC is the property developer and an affiliate Imani Works oversees on site programs.

The actual physical center of the campus is an “empowerment zone”, a 66,000 square foot building that includes the clinic and urgent care center.

Other tenants provide workforce development, environmental training, a child care network HQ, holistic health training, even a partnership with Commonwealth Edison for clean energy skills.

As well, there is a four story “food hub” with a vertical garden, indoor farmers market, soul food restaurant and healing garden. There is also an athletic and wellness center for “non-traditional” sports like girls’ flag football. A cardiac and stroke rehab facility is expected to join the three-floor building.

Meanwhile using a former steel distribution site, Imani Works will be constructing 80 modular two-storey 1,500 to 1,900 square foot three-bedroom homes that will be located on the south end of the site “basically for first time homebuyers,” Eggleston said.

The initial of five phases starts this year.

The first major campus building opened last summer, a $36-million, 70-unit seniors residence co-developed with Chicago’s SPM Properties.

“It’s affordable but upscale – very very modern,” she said.

Phase two, likely starting this year, will add another 60 units. 

Architecturally, “we’re building green from the ground up,” Eggleston said.

This means energy efficiency, structures with “lots of windows, lots of light,” some in circular styles with green rooks and-or solar panels.

A 90-room hotel, already signed with a major brand that can’t be named as yet, is also set to go.

Its five storeys will match the height of the senior buildings.