The Renaissance Letter: An amphitheater. A fishing pond. Explaining the Harvey Central Park project
Harvey’s new “Innovation House.” The Central Park initiative. Here are the top 5 things you need to know about the latest happenings in Harvey for the week of June 3.
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Harvey’s new “Innovation House.” The Central Park initiative. Here are the top 5 things you need to know about the latest happenings in Harvey for the week of June 3.
5. Harvey City Council meeting cancelled with little city business on agenda
The May 13 meeting was called off at the umpteenth hour. No new or old business was on the agenda.
The Council was set to go into executive session, which isn’t open to the public. The finance committee meeting, where chairs would have discussed whether to approve the most recent bills list, That would’ve meant the public would have attended a meeting where city officials were having discussion they couldn’t attend, making a meeting unproductive. On May 29, the city was scheduled to hold a special City Council meeting with one agenda item but cancelled that meeting, also.
The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for June 10.
4. NeighborScapes program rehabs dilapidated Park Ave. row house
The first “Harvey Innovation House” is now complete.
NeighborScapes, a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate abandoned properties and spur community action, celebrated its renovating a home on Park Ave. last Friday. Through the Community Building Fellows program, the home is renovated, then rented to Fellows at below-market rates. The Fellows dedicate over 10 hours weekly in volunteer service to the community.
The program previously operated in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood for 7 years before its Harvey expansion. Those interested in becoming a Fellow can access the application on the nonprofit’s website.
3. After approving new contractor, community hub project begins construction
There’s a new contractor set to complete the community hubs and police substation project in Harvey. And with summer kicking off, construction is underway.
Chicago-based Cortex Construction, LLC will complete construction of the hubs, now an eyesore, by the fall, after the City Council approved a contract with the company in February. The price tag is $1.27 million, according to city records. The city will pay the company in monthly installments, per the contract. About 5% will be retained, serving as the final payment once laborers have fully completed the project. Laborers have until September 30 to finish.
Mayor Chris Clark previously said the prior contractor was unable to complete the initiative.
2. Harvey receives $500,000 county grant for police station repairs
The Harvey police facility will seen receive significant upgrades.
It’s part of the county’s Build Up Cook program, key infrastructure investments leveraging “a total $30.5 million budget from the American Rescue Plan Act funds,” a spokesperson wrote in a news release.
Per the county’s announcement of all grant recipients, it’s currently unclear if this project refers to the Harvey police headquarters on Dixie Hwy. or substation on 154th St. Harvey also received another $500,000 through the program to for a water main project. South and west suburban communities received extra consideration. View all selected projects here.
1. After submitting funding application for Central Park idea, Harvey withdrew request
In September 2023, Harvey submitted an application to the state for over half-a-million dollars to help finance a new public park but later withdrew it before a funding decision was made.
The Central Park project envisions an amphitheater, fishing pond, dog park, and partly repurposed Ascension-St. Susanna Catholic School campus, which Harvey owns. It dovetails with plans to place a water detention pond on 153rd St. and Myrtle Ave., met with pushback as several longtime residents will be moved to make way.
A state spokesperson confirmed last week that Harvey’s application wasn’t rejected but rather the city withdrew it. It’s currently unclear why. The city would’ve used the funds to appraise and purchase vacant land along 154th St. for the endeavor and relocate the Community Economic Development Association’s Harvey office from the corridor, Maureen Dunne and Kristin McKee report. [full story]
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