SOUTH SHORE — The shuttered Urban Partnership Bank building will become a canvas for artists until it is redeveloped.
On Thursday, the bank said the Neighborhood Foundation will come out to the former bank at 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd. to help paint a tableau of the lakefront neighborhood’s landmarks on the building's boarded up windows.
“We’re just trying to make it look a lot more attractive,” said Christopher Toepfer, founder of the foundation, a Bridgeport nonprofit that helps improve vacant buildings with public art.
He said the group will be out in South Shore for three days starting Wednesday, and community members are welcome to come out to help paint.
“We’re going to include some of the landmarks, and it’s going to have a trail with bikers and a southbound train,” Toepfer said of the preliminary drawings for the murals.
The foundation has helped find an aesthetically pleasing way to spruce up more than 125 boarded-up buildings in the city, including Muddy Waters' former Kenwood home, where the group helped paint pink flamingos on the boarded up windows.
The bank closed on March 22, and many community groups expressed interest in using art to keep some life in the building until Monroe Investment Partners finalizes redevelop the property.
Urban Partnership spokesman Brian Berg said the bank liked the idea.
“We wished it had been done sooner, but it was part of our plan all along,” he said.
Toepfer said neighbors interested in helping with the project should call 312-863-9111 or email ctoepfer@tnfamerica.com.
