Washington Heights is located on the far south side of Chicago, bordered by 89th Street to the north, 107th Street to the south, Beverly Avenue to the west and Eggleston Avenue to the east. 95thStreet is a main corridor of the Washington Heights neighborhood.
The community is adjacent to the Auburn Gresham and Roseland neighborhoods, the west extension of the Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstate 57), 95thStreet Red Line Terminal, Chicago State University, and home to the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library (a Chicago Public Library). Washington Heights is home to the Endeleo Institute, a not-for-profit affiliate of Trinity United Church of Christ, that addresses Health, Education and Community Development.
With support from CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, the Endeleo Institute developed a planning priorities report for the 95th Street corridor and surrounding neighborhood area. The report prioritized the main issues of Washington Heights and the 95th Street corridor, formulated a plan of action to improve economic vitality, quality of life for residents, and community collaboration. Key themes of the final report include economic development, capacity building and community partnerships, infrastructure improvements, and residential rehabilitation.
The planning process consisted of three phrases to be completed over eleven months. The first phase assessed existing conditions of the neighborhood, including community engagement. During the second phase, initial recommendations were created and vetted with Endeleo staff and project partners including the City of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, and other key institutions. The final phase included report creation, community feedback, and implementation guidance.