CHICAGO, IL - Chicago-based Pangea Properties (Pangea), through its nonprofit 501(c)(3) community service arm, Pangea Cares, has partnered with The Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI) to launch Artists on the 9, an art gallery and workspace in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood. Representatives from Pangea and GCI were joined by city and state officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, April 26.
Located in a Pangea-owned property at 735 E. 79th St. in Chicago, Artists on the 9 is one component of a broader effort to develop the Mahalia Jackson Cultural District. This initiative aims to reclaim vacant storefronts along 79th Street and convert them to fully functional workspaces and galleries for artists in the Chatham area.
“Our goals at Pangea include creating and maintaining quality housing for residents of underserved communities and working with local organizations to improve those neighborhoods for our residents,” said Derek Reich, chief operating officer of Pangea Properties. “It’s so rewarding for Pangea to be a contributor in the creation of this artists’ space, which can bring new opportunities for connection, personal growth, outreach and education to our residents and the greater Chatham neighborhood.”
The 1,400-square-foot storefront features three private workspaces, a gallery, an exhibition room and a kitchen. Artists on the 9 will also be open to the community for gatherings and events, providing exposure for the artists’ work. Pangea’s construction arm, Motus Construction, served as the construction contractor for the project and fully rehabilitated the formerly vacant space.
Artists on the 9 is a unique venture in the underserved Chatham neighborhood. The intent of the space and the ambitious Mahalia Jackson Cultural District initiative is to stimulate economic and social transformation in the area, particularly along the historic 79th St. corridor. The space offers a haven for area artists to work and display their art, while simultaneously providing Chatham residents with a gathering space and exposing them to the artists’ work.
“Greater Chatham Initiative is thrilled to offer a makerspace for local artisans,” said Nedra Sims Fears, executive director of Greater Chatham Initiative. “Their art provides an injection of beauty, inspiration and cultural representation into the community that is unmatched. We are excited to see the results.”
The Artists on the 9 project was developed in honor of Dr. Betty Howard, a special education teacher at Gwendolyn Brooks Preparatory Academy. Dr. Howard was a notable leader in the community and a beloved educator who was fatally shot in 2014 while working at her second job at a real estate office formerly located in the space.
“From pain and suffering comes community and creativity,” said Rep. Bobby Rush, speaking about the history of the area and hope for the future at the opening of the artists’ space. “This is indeed a renaissance moment.”
“I think that this is going to be the impetus … to make sure that we have cultural events and cultural identity here on 79th Street and all throughout the ward and the South Side of Chicago,” said Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th). “This is going to be a crime fighting initiative … because once people know more about themselves and become proud of who they are, violence decreases naturally.”
About Pangea Properties: Pangea Properties is a Chicago-based private real estate investment trust founded in 2008 by Al Goldstein to provide quality, affordable housing. Pangea Properties acquires value-add apartment buildings and renovates them as workforce housing, investing almost $500 million in 12 years to acquire and rehabilitate almost 13,000 units in Chicago, Indianapolis and Baltimore. By doing so, Pangea Properties helps to improve neighborhoods block by block and catalyze nearby development. At a time when most U.S. cities face a workforce housing shortage, Pangea Properties has committed to this housing sector, holding assets for the long term and working to be a positive force in residents’ lives and in the neighborhoods it serves.
About The Greater Chatham Initiative: The Greater Chatham Initiative is an organization charged with developing and driving the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the Chatham, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park and Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods on Chicago’s south side.