CATEGORY: Public Engagement & Communications

ENTERING FIRM: Morreale Communication

OTHER CONSULTANTS: Alfred Benesch & Company

OWNER: City of Chicago Department of Transportation

DESCRIPTION: The City of Chicago launched the INVEST South/West initiative in 2019 to re-activate neighborhood cores in ten Chicago neighborhoods on the South and West sides of Chicago. South Chicago was one of the ten priority communities in the INVEST South/West initiative. The project area – the Commercial Avenue Corridor – was identified as a “main street” and a gateway to South Chicago and the southeast side. The project aimed to build upon the vision to create a unified, safe, and attractive commercial destination by providing infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and place making improvements along Commercial Avenue and 92nd Street. As the prime engineering firm, Alfred Benesch and Company led the project efforts and partnered with Morreale Communications to develop and lead the stakeholder engagement and public involvement strategy which informed residents of proposed improvements and addressed the community’s concerns throughout the corridor.