Cook County Land Bank Partners with Local Developer to Transform Vacant Building into Vibrant Dance Studio, Salon and Homes
If you go to the grey stone building at 7240 S. Wentworth Ave. today, you’ll see people leaping, spinning, and shaking off the stress of the day at En Pointe Dance Productions. Next to the studio, you’ll see people coming out of a beauty salon, looking and feeling their best after getting a haircut or a new style. It’s hard to believe that the building was on the brink of demolition just two years ago, before being rescued by the Cook County Land Bank Authority. The vacant, two-story building in Greater Grand Crossing had been tax delinquent for years and was slowly deteriorating. But the Land Bank stepped in and acquired the building, then sold it to Noe Favela, a local developer with a passion [...]
Superhero Collective Ready to Give Away Home to Family Impacted by Cancer in Evergreen Park
Nonprofit and the Cook County Land Bank Authority turn abandoned property into family home March 22, 2021 (Chicago, Ill.)— Known for bringing smiles to children in the hospital with long-term health issues, the Superhero Collective will soon bring joy to a family impacted by a serious illness. With the help of the Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA), the Superhero Collective is giving away a renovated, abandoned house in Evergreen Park, Ill. to the family of a child struggling with serious health problems. Throughout the year, Tim Brigham of the Superhero Collective dresses in movie-quality superhero costumes and cheers on children and families dealing with illnesses and stress in hospitals. Brigham, a longtime Chicago-area mortgage lender, founded the Superhero Collective after being inspired by the [...]
Michael and Alissa Bolz of Lansing
Their rehab of a house next-door restored their property value Michael and Alissa Bolz of Lansing, Ill. used to live next door to a run-down, vacant property that was formerly owned by Michael’s grandfather. That property, vacant for two years, was eroding the value of their current home at the time—a home that was built by Michael’s grandfather in the late 1950s. So the Bolzes decided to do something about it. In 2016, they decided they would try to purchase that home, fix it up and live in it. They submitted a bid for the house through the Cook County Land Bank Authority’s Homebuyer Direct Program and got the house for its list price of $4,000. Using about $100,000 in rehab loans, they renovated their [...]
Keya Banks, Harvey Resident
Rebuilding her life in a house that is her “castle” Keya Banks said her family and friends thought she was off her rocker when she decided to purchase a vacant home in Harvey, a town that’s known for depressed home values. But when Keya saw her home, she had a vision. “When I saw this house, I said this is it. This is a castle for a queen,” said Banks, who had previously rented a condo in Oak Forest after going through a divorce. “I decided that I didn’t need to be defined by my zip code. The house itself was beautiful. I wanted something that I could afford, whether I was working or not.” Banks, a human resource manager, purchased the home from the [...]
Jose Luis Lopez of Hermosa of Chicago
The Land Bank made homeownership near Lopez’s childhood neighborhood affordable Jose Luis Lopez wanted to live in the Hermosa neighborhood, where he was raised. But the home prices are high, and that made it hard for him to get a bank loan. “Because I am self- employed, it’s complicated to get lending at a high price point,” said Lopez, who has his own home inspection business. Lopez learned about the Cook County Land Bank Authority’s Homebuyer Direct Program, which sells vacant homes to homebuyers at below-market rates, as long as they rehab the property and then live in the home. So, when Lopez found a three-bedroom home in the Hermosa neighborhood on the Land Bank’s website at a price he could afford, he submitted a [...]
Tamara Crossley of Chicago Heights
A house that once sat vacant in Chicago Heights is now bustling with its activity from its new owner Tamara Crossley and her two teenage children. “I love the home,” she said. “I love the neighborhood. I encourage anyone to utilize the services of the Land Bank. I think it’s a great opportunity not only for people to become homeowners, but to be able to come into something where you’re not under water, where you do have equity in your home.” In August 2019, Tamara purchased the four-bedroom, two-bath home for $71,407 through the Land Bank’s Homebuyer Direct Program, which sells vacant homes to homebuyers at below-market rates, as long as they rehab the property and then live in the home. Tamara moved into the [...]