The community-driven project which will expand health and wellness efforts on the West Side was supported through the discounted sale of vacant City-owned land.
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined community leaders and residents on Chicago’s West Side to break ground on the Blocks Together Community Plaza, a project aimed at fostering healing, wellness, and community-driven development in West Humboldt Park.
The plaza, led by local nonprofit Blocks Together, will serve as a permanent space for violence prevention efforts, youth and arts programming, cultural events, food distribution, and resident-led organizing. The site, located at 3713–17 W. Chicago Ave., sits next to the organization’s existing offices and has already been used for community programming in recent years.
City officials say the project was made possible through the ChiBlockBuilder program, which allowed Blocks Together to purchase the land—formerly city-owned vacant parcels—at just 10% of its market value. The $7,100 sale was approved by City Council earlier this year.
“Today’s groundbreaking demonstrates what community power looks like,” Johnson said, pointing to broader investments along the Chicago Avenue corridor, including affordable housing and infrastructure improvements.
Blocks Together leaders emphasized the project as a model for community ownership amid ongoing development pressures. “The Community Plaza is a symbol of hope, healing, and long-term investment in our neighborhood,” said Executive Director Carolina Gaete.
Organizers say the plaza will expand their ability to provide mutual aid and strengthen connections among residents, offering a community-centered alternative to profit-driven development in the area.
The project also received support from Chicago Public Schools’ Sustainable Community Schools program. A community celebration followed the groundbreaking
