Quad Communities Development Corporation (QCDC)

Full Circle Goals

1. Proposed uses for the “Community Mapping” (Full-Circle) data – Utilize Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (CMAP) community mapping tools in order to implement key commercial/retail development and education strategies outlined in the Quad Communities Quality-of-Life Plan:

a. Commercial: Develop unique retail and commercial districts, and foster locally owned businesses.

i. Retail Development Planning Team (Strategy 7.4) – Develop and maintain a database of all vacant and commercially owned land and buildings as well as lot/building condition. Use this information to help develop design standards for the corridor, advocate for resources on behalf of existing business owners and to attract new retailers/commercial operators.

b. Education: Improve the quality of locally owned schools and ensure that they are open to all residents

i. Community Schools Network (Strategy 1.2) – Identify community school providers (i.e. after-school programs, continuing education service providers, and digital/computer education locations) and negotiate partnerships between these educational institutions and area schools

ii. High School Education Improvements (Strategy 1.5) – Find out where high school student drop outs from this community are (i.e. employers, alternative schools, other programs, etc.) and use this information to help reengage these youth and advocate for an alternative high school in the Quad Communities.

2. Target Data

Commercial

· Land (i.e. Vacant or Improved)

· Land/Building Type (i.e. commercial, residential, mixed-use, parking, educational, etc.)

· Building Conditions (i.e. exterior walls, windows, façade, roof, signage, etc.)

· Features/Characteristics (i.e. fencing, landscaping, litter, loitering, receptacles, etc.)

· Employment (i.e. number of FTEs and part-time employees)

· Other (i.e. independent, corporate owned-franchise, franchise)

Education

· Program (i.e. daycare, pre-kindergarten, elementary school 1-4, junior high 5-8, high school, after school, computer education, other training programs, etc.)

· Clients (i.e. number of children between the ages of 16 and 21)

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:

Quad Communities Development Corporation (QCDC) is a planning and development organization located in the Mid-South region, serving the Quad Communities of North Kenwood, Oakland, and portions of Douglas and Grand Boulevard. QCDC is the only LISC/New Communities Program agency that serves a target area in which the total number of households is expected to increase by more than 50% over the next five-years as a result of three major CHA Transformation housing developments.

QCDC’s mission is to plan, guide, support, and monitor human infrastructure and community development activities that will create a sustainable, healthy, mixed-income neighborhood. QCDC serves as a "convener" of quality of life related programs within the Quad Communities. In this capacity, it organizes stakeholders and leverages resources to support community development initiatives, including commercial/retail, employment, education, and affordable housing preservation programs.

Click Here for a brochure on Quad Communities

Get data and information on Douglas and Grand Boulevard from www.chicagoareahousing.org

Click Below for the Chicago Tribune community profiles:

Chicago Tribune Grand Boulevard Community Profile

Chicago Tribune Douglas Community Profile

Chicago Tribune Kenwood Community Profile

Chicago Tribune Oakland Community Profile

Click below for links to The Local Community Fact Book (1990) Narratives:

Grand Boulevard; Douglas, Kenwood, Oakland

Other community area data resources:

Click here to view The Woodstock Institute's- Community Lending Fact Book

Click here to view Chicago Prospector Area Demographics and Businesses