LAKEVIEW — Construction began Thursday on a permanent home for Lakeview Pantry next to the Sheridan "L" station.
Ald. James Cappleman (46th), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-5th) joined leaders of the pantry for the ground-breaking celebration on Thursday.
"Lakeview Pantry is a place where the entire Lakeview community comes together to ensure that everyone has enough," Cappleman said.
Ald. James Cappleman (46th) addresses a crowd gathered to celebrate the ground-breaking of Lakeview Pantry's first permanent home at 3945 N. Sheridan Road. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
While the pantry has been providing food to those in need since 1970, the building at 3945 N. Sheridan Road will be its first permanent location. So far, it has raised 85 percent of a $3 million goal to buy the new building.
"Three years ago, we realized we were outgrowing our space, which we never thought would happen. And it's really a testament to the services we provide and the beacon of hope, really, that the pantry is," said Dan Laytin, president of the pantry's board.
Construction began Thursday on a permanent home for Lakeview Pantry next to the Sheridan "L" station. [Wheeler Kearns Architects]
The building that formerly housed The Houndry remained vacant after the pet boarding business closed in early 2015, making way for the pantry. Construction should finish in June.
The building will be nearly twice as large as Lakeview Pantry's current digs, 3831 N. Broadway, and will add more cold food storage, conference room and meeting spaces for cooking and nutrition classes. All 12 staff members will also move to the building's second floor, instead of being scattered through the neighborhood, as they are currently.
[Wheeler Kearns Architects]
Architecture firm Wheeler Kearns is designing the building's interior, while Friedler Construction will complete the renovation of the property.
Lakeview Pantry distributed 1.6 million pounds of food from its Broadway and Oakdale locations last year, serving more than 4,400 households. The pantry also provides services addressing employment, health care and housing.
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