Abandoned lots revitalized into vibrant community spaces by Englewood Village Market

CHICAGO — At 58th and Halsted, there is a rebirth of a place once abandoned.

This weekend marked the start of the fifth year of the Englewood Village Market — A start that brimmed with music and community.

“Englewood is the heart of Chicago,” said Anton Seals Jr., co-founder of Grow Greater Englewood. “It’s in the center of this great city.”

The central mission of the Englewood Village Market is to provide local residents with low-cost fresh produce and food from local vendors, which Seals Jr. said is one of the steps he believes will help grow hope and investment in a historically divested community.

“This is what it looks like when you’re investing in black folks who are here, the brown folks who are here who have small businesses,” Seals Jr. said.

For businesses like Only 1 in Chicago and Englewood Branded Inc., being a part of the market is a memorable moment in the community, and they are hoping this is just the beginning when it comes to economic growth in Englewood.

“I loved it last year. I just love the experience of being here in my neighborhood,” said Monica, owner of Only 1 in Chicago. “I was a poor girl here so, this is the idea that Englewood is keeping up with my life and I can share this with my children. It’s just a wonderful experience.”

“It’s a testament to growth and it’s a testament to our community coming together, collaborating and making sure that we have space, beautiful spaces,” added Corie Luckett, founder of Englewood Branded Inc.

Those beautiful spaces at the Englewood Village Market have come a long way too, transforming from the abandoned lots they once were.

“The plaza is a space that was a vacant lot for almost 30 years,” Seals Jr. said. “Filled with glass, and all kinds of fractures of the urban environment.”

Now an urban farm, those participating in it say the Englewood Village Market is a place that has laid the foundation of hope for what is to come.

In about two years, construction will begin on a multi-million dollar re-imaging of a nearly two-mile stretch of abandoned rail line that stretches behind 58th and 59th Streets in the South Side neighborhood.

What the lot looks like today, before the start of an $85 million renovation project.
Rendering of what the plaza will look like when the $85 million project is finished in Englewood.
Rendering of what the plaza will look like when the $85 million project is finished in Englewood.

The plaza — Near where the Englewood Village Market is found this weekend — Will be the entrance to that $85-million project, using federal infrastructure money, along with state and city funding to get the job done.

“So, we’re excited about the future. That black people belong in this city. Make Chicago the greatest city in the world,” Seals Jr. said. “We see this as a change in a new American promise.”