Galleria 89
Commercial Ave, South Chicago
Proposed Program
Community Cafe
Business Center
Green Transportation
Sustainable Housing
Empowering Artists
Community Integration
“Galleria 89” is more than just a building, but a vibrant gallery showcasing the diverse people, experiences, and expressions of Chicago’s South Side. This is a community hub and meeting place for the culture makers and consumers of South Chicago.
The anchor of our development is a flexible Community Cafe, where locals can grab a cup of coffee, meet for business or social visits, access high speed WiFi, host community events, and view a showcase of artwork from the neighborhood.
Community Cafe
Dollop Coffee Co.
Dollop Coffee Co. is firmly established in Chicago with 14 storefront locations throughout the city. Their focus has been on building community spaces and bringing people together. Dollop has committed to hiring locally, so people from the community will serve their neighbors, and will donate a portion of each coffee sale into a fund for projects in the space.
Community Space
The cafe will be an all-ages gathering place and community hub, with a space conducive to working and socializing. Flexible design will allow various groups to utilize the space in different ways at the same time to host workshops, book groups, game nights, paint nights, etc. The walls will serve as additional opportunities for community expression through murals and art showcases.
Cambio Labs
Youth programming will be provided by Cambio Labs, a Latinx-owned nonprofit venture that creates educational apps and programs in fields of social entrepreneurship, design for impact, and community partnership. Cambio will train local facilitators to help walk students through the virtual curriculum.
Business Center
Run by The Jamii Group, this will be a tech-enabled space where local entrepreneurs can hone their ideas, conduct business, and utilize professional services that will help them scale.
Print Shop
Community members will have access to basic print and business services that will help be available for those printing resumes and proposals, binding presentations, flyers, business signage, etc.
Pack & Ship
A portion of the center will be used for pack and ship services, providing a vital infrastructure for residents and small businesses to mail and store packages, allowing new businesses to grow and flourish.
Coworking Space
Designed for various uses, including whiteboard rooms for brainstorms, conference rooms for presentations, and solitary + collaborative workstations.
Tele-Advisory
Virtual kiosks will connect people in the business center with mentors and advisors, as well as investors, potential clients and business partners that can support the growth of entrepreneurs.
Sustainability Partners
Millennium Solar Electric
The largest minority run solar training program in Illinois, will skill a cohort of local residents that participate in building this development. Participants will be placed in full-time construction careers at completion of the project
EVMatch
EVMatch will power a flexible, book-by-app communal electric vehicle charger at 30-60% cheaper than other options. Their solution includes a payment processing system so EV drivers pay for their own electricity use.
Empowering Local Artists
SkyArt + Nine3 Studios
We have partnered with SkyART and Nine3 Studios to be our community-led art consultants, commissioning uniquely local murals and sculptures to showcase original art throughout the inside and outside of the building.
Archival Brick Wall Mural
Secondary Mural on Residential Building
548 Development Coalition
548DC is built on diversity, made up of 100% minority and/or women-owned businesses.
INVEST South/West is a $750 million initiative led by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, that is focused on a number of underserved neighborhoods. The project we are bidding on is expansive, involving the renovation of a historic bank landmark and the development of commercial retail and residential property.
Syzygy Cities' role in this program is to align business interests with community benefit, ultimately investing time and resources into the people of South Chicago that will in turn empower them to thrive in pursuits of education, business, and quality of life.