PILSEN — In an effort to fight a proposed 500-apartment development in Pilsen, a social justice group will host a town hall meeting Thursday.
The meeting hosted by Pilsen Alliance will kick off at 6 p.m. at the Rudy Lozano Library, 1805 S. Loomis St. The group, which opposes the Midwest Jesuits' planned sale of the property to a developer, contends the project would accelerate the gentrification of the neighborhood, hurting poor families in the process.
New York-based Property Markets Group plans to develop 500 apartments on 6.4 acres of a vacant 7.85-acre site between 16th and 18th streets and Newberry Avenue and Peoria Street.
Euan Hague, chairman of DePaul University's Geography Department, is expected to speak at the meeting. It is unknown whether Ald. Danny Solis (25th) or the developer will attend the meeting.
The developer is planning a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. If the Pilsen development committee approves the project, the developer will next meet with the entire community about the plan.
A spokesman for the Midwest Jesuits has confirmed the sale of the property to Property Markets Group is under contract.
In May, the Pilsen-based group hosted a news conference outside of the Midwest Jesuits headquarters in Lincoln Park, blasting the planned sale. The Jesuits bought the land for $6.5 million in 2009.
For more information on the Thursday meeting, call the alliance at 312-243-5440.
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