May 3 - 9, 2023

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Arts & Entertainment Event highlights of the week!

SportsWise

What makes golf exciting?

Cover Story: Cleanslate by cara

Cleanslate by Cara provides an easy on-ramp for formerly incarcerated individuals returning to the workforce, so that they can begin to fulfill their dreams. The social enterprise has nearly 80 clients who use its services in landscaping and street sweeping, creating spending that flows through the workers' communities.

14

From the Streets

The LaSalle Street Reimagined initiative announces three developers, who will build 1000 units of housing – 318 of them affordable – in historic buildings, some of which would otherwise be abandoned. City and business leaders noted also that the initiative will help service industry personnel to live downtown, close to their jobs.

The Playground

DISCLAIMER: The

Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org

Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

Amanda Jones, Director of programs ajones@streetwise.org

Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org

Ph: 773-334-6600

Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616

Cleanslate by Cara participants (photos by Matt Kosterman, provided by Cleanslate).

views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

The Golden Girls Kitchen

Say Yes to Cheesecake!

This custom dining experience is inspired by the girls' favorite iconic Miami hangouts, as well as other memorable moments from the beloved TV show. Photo opportunities are also available, including Blanche’s Boudoir, complete with shag carpet and a palm print bedspread, and the girls’ yellow kitchen phone. Each ticket includes a 90-minute reservation as well as your choice of entree and a slice of cheesecake. Additional sides, desserts, beverages, and merchandise available. The Golden Girls Kitchen will be at 1367 N. Milwaukee Ave., with reservations required. Tickets are $30+ and available May 10 - August 6 at bucketlisters.com/experience/golden-girls-kitchen-chi?

Finding Common Ground!

Film Screening: ‘Stranger at the Gate’ After 25 years of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, a U.S. Marine returned home to Indiana, with complete hatred towards those he fought overseas. He decided to bomb the local mosque, but when he came face-to-face with a welcoming community, his plans took an unexpected turn. The film will be followed by a discussion between its leading subjects and the director, Josh Seftel. The panel will be moderated by Michael Gray, partner at Jones Day and member of Illinois Holocaust Museum’s board of directors. The This screening will be at 6 p.m. May 9 at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie. FREE. Registration at www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/events/

Art By All!

‘SHIFT’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art "SHIFT" amplifies the presence of Black neurodiverse, people who are disabled, by occupying spaces at the Museum of Contemporary Art, both physically and digitally. The new commission will feature a live event and video installation in one of the MCA's public stairwells, from May 2-June 19. During the live premiere, 1-5 p.m. May 6, disability community members will traverse inaccessible staircases, recalibrating the flow of activity within the museum and challenging simplistic depictions of Black bodies with disabilities. The MCA is at 220 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets are $15 at visit.mcachicago.org/events/barak-ade-soleil-shift

Kitchen Showdown!

‘The Cook-Off’

Chicago Opera Theater and Vanguard Opera present "The Cook-Off," a one-act comic opera. The setting is a fictional TV cooking competition, "America Loves Food," in which Ivy, Kendra and Alvaro vie to make the nation's favorite comfort food, mac 'n cheese. Host Kenny Kincaid and celebrity judge Beryl Bennett learn some truths about food, history, an d legacy. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. May 11 at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave. General admission $50; "after-party" package with signature cocktails, a photo booth and a chance to vote on your favorite mac 'n cheese, $150 at chicagooperatheater.org/season/cookoff

Compiled by Emma Murphy

Wine Your Way Around A'Ville!

The 17th annual Andersonville Wine Walk

This year’s event includes two wine routes plus an all-new cheese route, featuring cheese, meats and other charcuterie board favorites. Participants will get a wine tasting glass and route card to keep highlighting each wine before embarking on a tour of local businesses transformed into tasting destinations. The walk includes more than 25 local businesses and will be at 3 p.m. May 7 in Andersonville. Routes and directions will be emailed to ticket holders. Tickets are $20+ at andersonville.org/events/wine-walk

People Say We Monkee Around!

The Monkees' Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz led The Monkees to a dozen Top 20 singles, four #1 albums, and two Emmy awards. He brings a one-of-a-kind presence to the stage, drawing on his background in television, film broadcasting, and Broadway. This is the only stop in Illinois for his tour. For one night only, May 5 at 8 p.m., he will be performing at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Fans can expect to hear all of The Monkees’ classic songs. Tickets are $65+ at northshorecenter.org/event/micky-dolenz

The Power of Forgiveness!

‘The Scorpions' Sting’

While lost in the desert, a group of archaeology students uncovers the Lost Temple of Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess of healing, and a mythic tale unfolds as they read ancient hieroglyphics. Through the story of Isis, the students learn the importance of knowledge and the power of forgiveness. Recommended for ages 7-12. Tickets are only $5 each, for children and adults. The 45-minute show will be at the Reva & David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St., at 7 p.m. May 12. Get tickets at www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/ the-scorpions-sting

Up-and-Coming!

‘Rising Stars in Concert’

The FREE concert is a celebration of the 2022/23 Ryan Opera Center Ensemble’s many accomplishments during their tenures and a unique showcase for these soon-to-be world-renowned artists. The entire ensemble has performed in minor roles in "Carmen" and "Proximity." The free concert is at 7:30 p.m. May 6 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive. Tickets can be reserved at www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/lyric-opera/rising-stars-in-concert-23

To Your Health!

Hyde Park Art & Centered: A Wellness Event

For Mental Health Awareness Month, Hyde Park Art Center is offering a free day of wellness activities including art, sound meditation, yoga, and workshops. Workshops include flow yoga, sound meditation, creating mantra art cards, and a standup comedy special, all presented and led by professionals. Each workshop is designed to promote health and healing. Workshops are between noon - 4 p.m. May 6 at Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Registration and more details are at www.hydeparkart.org/event/hyde-park-art-centered-a-wellness-event

Superheroes in the Park!

Art in Wilder Park

Art in Wilder Park was relaunched last year with over 7,500 visitors. It is one of the season's first outdoor fests. Programming will include over 125 booths for art, food vendors, hands-on kids' activities, and the introduction of a newly commissioned superhero sculpture by area artists and youth groups. The festival is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 6 and 7 at 175 S. Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. Admission is free. More information at www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/ events/art-in-wilder-park/

the state of golf

Patrick: All right, fellas. Let’s talk golf. Take a mini-break from the storm of basketball and hockey we’re about to experience with the NBA and NHL playoffs underway and simply talk golf. State of the game, Tiger, Phil—whatever you got, let’s hear it.

Russ: Golf, in my eyes, is no longer the golf I grew to love. I miss Tiger—the old Tiger— like I would a best friend. I remember when Tiger was winning everything and the PGA decided to Tiger-proof the courses. Extending the shot-yardage and everything. Just to level the playing field between him and the rest.

Patrick: It actually backfired. Did the opposite.

Russ: Tiger actually gained more of an advantage because pushing the distances actually eliminated many of the legitimate contenders before a tournament even began.

Donald: Yep, gotta be a big hitter, but some just don’t have it.

John: The PGA benefits from this because it keeps Tiger in the game. Tiger’s dominance is there even when he’s not in the tournament. It’s weird, but true. After his divorce and his injuries, Tiger lost it a bit. Well, a lot. Now, he’s liv-

ing off his reputation. Unfortunately for the league, it still leans—and stands up on—Tiger’s media sizzle, and with this comes a letdown when he’s not physically out there.

Russ: Tiger is the greatest ever. He just is. And just to be clear, I still enjoy watching golf. I just don’t watch it as much, or with as much of that childlike excitement at watching a great be, well, great.

Patrick: Well said, Russ. That was the determining factor when we had to deal with the coming-out party of the LIV Tour.

Donald: Oh yeah, the new league we talked about a little while back.

Patrick: Yeah, man, it hasn’t been quite the apocalypse we all thought it would be. To be honest, it sounds quite fantastic. Well, first off, golfgreat Greg Norman is the

brains behind this operation titled LIV, which is the Roman numeral for 54, which is the number of holes in each tournament.

Donald: I heard in its first tournament, there was a shotgun start, meaning all 48 players teed off at the same time on different holes, so, every golfer was hitting on the course at the same time.

John: Now, that is exciting.

Patrick: But, yeah, Tiger’s my main draw. Just Googling about, trying to find out if Tiger’s playing, is exciting. Sad maybe, but true. To realize the difference between Tiger-at-his-peak and Tigernow is eye-opening. I don’t want to know a world that is Tigerless.

John: Well, we’re getting near to that time. Mind you, he’s still around, but he’s fading. Once he hangs it up for good, the ratings for the

major tours will dive. Obviously, the ratings will eventually pick up. However, it’ll be hard to repeat what Tiger’s done for golf—a very tough act to follow.

Donald: Agreed, John. It’s hard to envision a golf-place with no Tiger. Not someone Tiger-like, but Tiger-Tiger.

Patrick: Nothing tougher than finally finding time to sit down and enjoy some golf-only to learn Tiger didn’t even make it to the weekend. Didn’t make the cut. But y’all know what? When I do sit down and watch a Tigerless tournament, it’s not so bad. Obviously, a shot of hot wings is very exciting and quick-hitting, but a decentsized plate of baked chicken—thighs especially—can be just as satisfying.

Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org

Rashanah Baldwin

Vendors Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.

STARTING FRESH WITH CLEANSLATE

by Zoë Takaki / photos by Matt Kosterman, provided by Cleanslate

In 1997, Sam Lovett lost his real estate license and was forced to close his office. Looking for an income, he turned to credit card fraud, and by 2000 he was doing two years in state prison.

After his release, he still lacked a way to support himself. In 2012, Lovett was federally indicted for wire fraud. He was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison.

Back home in 2017, Lovett resolved to remain out of prison.

“I made up my mind that I wanted to become a productive citizen and stop with all of the fraud,” he said with a determined grin.

That’s when a friend told him about Cleanslate, a maintenance and job mentoring program – and an opportunity to earn a living doing honest work. He decided to sign up.

“My main concern was, I needed money. When I came home, I couldn't survive, you know, and I was worried about financially how was I gonna live, and I was tempted to go back to the fraud. And I said, ‘No, I'm gonna fight it out,’” Lovett said.

Lovett had tried other programs for jobseekers experiencing poverty, but he found that they required too much training and work prior to receiving money.

“You sit up all day and do work on a computer and they put us through all of these classes they required,” Lovett said. “I went to a lot of other social enterprises and programs, but no one was offering me money.”

The training required to be a Cleanslate participant involves four days of training.

Another aspect of Cleanslate that pleased Lovett was that there was no experience needed and the requirements for hiring were minimal. His criminal background wasn’t an obstacle.

“You have to be able to walk between five and eight miles a day and lift a maximum of 50 pounds,” Lovett said, simplifying it to, “You just gotta be healthy enough to walk and do the job.”

In July 2017, Lovett started as a participant at Cleanslate, sweeping the streets in neon workwear.

The work was hard. “Everyday, just about, I was ready to quit,” Lovett said, shaking his head.

But, one day Lovett had an “epiphany.”

“One night after leaving Cleanslate, working all day, completely worn out, I got home and I sat down and I thought about it. I thought about the old quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, ‘If you're going to be a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper,’ and I said, ‘You know what? I'm really going to do this,’” Lovett said, “And the very next day when I came to work, I was more enthusiastic, energetic. I was really into it. And I got into it. All of the crew supervisors wanted me on their crew.”

It didn’t take long for Lovett to be promoted for his newfound enthusiasm, being hired as a staff member, a crew supervisor, in October 2017, just three months after he had started as a participant.

His enthusiasm continued throughout his new position. He sometimes worked, “120 - 125 hours in two weeks.”

Lovett was promoted to a recruiter in 2019, a position in which he says, “I shined.”

His progression throughout Cleanslate gave Lovett a “sense of accomplishment. I tell all the participants now, every day, I started right where you are. So if I could do it, you could do it,” Lovett said.

Lovett was promoted again in 2020 to senior manager of business operations, his current position.

Lovett’s story isn’t unique at Cleanslate, which has around 50 permanent staff members who started as participants.

ORIGIN OF THE PROGRAM

Cleanslate was created in 2005 by Mark Carroll, former managing director of Goldman Sachs when he won a one-year public service fellowship. Carroll collaborated with Cara Col-

lective, a nonprofit that connects jobseekers experiencing poverty with employment, and created Cleanslate.

Carroll modeled Cleanslate after Ready, Willing & Able, a program supported by the Doe Fund that employs people experiencing poverty through snow shoveling and similar landscaping tasks.

Cleanslate is a social enterprise, an organization that differs from nonprofits because it is designed to be profitable as opposed to relying on grants or funds. Cleanslate had a surplus in 2021.

Earning a profit requires having paying customers -- something Cleanslate has developed over time. When Brady Gott, current managing director of Cleanslate, started 15 years ago, Cleanslate had “five or six” customers hiring their services. Now, they have 79.

Gott said Cleanslate “grew rapidly through business districts in Chicago, from 2005 to probably about 2013.”

Since its inception, Cleanslate has created 4,526 transitional jobs, 1,674 of those leading to permanent jobs.

And once people are in those jobs, they more often than not stay. Cleanslate had a 57% one-year retention rate for permanent jobs last year.

HOW IT WORKS

The program recruits participants through self-referrals, recommendations from Cara and from recruiters going out and searching for participants.

Gott explains that recruiters will “find organizations that work with individuals that would be a good fit for our program: recovery homes, homeless shelters, other community based organizations that are doing work.”

They work with people aged 18 and up; the average age is 35.

Gott said that “most Cleanslaters, they do Cleanslate 101: sweeping sidewalks, emptying trash cans. But some will graduate and work on landscaping crews, or power washing crews or snow removal crews, which is kind of an enhanced skill set for them to move forward with.”

Cleanslate is 75% sanitation work, a good transitional job for those who haven’t worked traditional jobs in a while.

“If you haven't worked in a long time, and you say ‘Hey, welcome back to the workforce,’ Most people can kind of get over the intimidation of going back to the workforce knowing that they're just sweeping sidewalks, they're running to the broom and dustpan. And, so, that's a really easy on-ramp back into the workforce for a lot of individuals coming to work for us,” Gott said.

Some participants move up to those positions over time, while some come in with prior landscaping experience.

Others make a long-term commitment to a specialized skill set. Jermaine Bufkin, for example, specifically cleans the Cleanslate office. He was hired after Cleanslate noticed how well he cleaned. These participants get a 50-cent wage increase.

Over time, Cleanslate has decreased snow removal services and increased sanitation and landscaping services.

Snow removal is hard on the staff and the participants, Gott said.

“If you live in a homeless shelter, it's hard for you to get called in at 1 in the morning when you need to go out. And so we by design have shrunken our snow contracts to decrease the amount of labor we need on them. So five, six years ago, on a snow day, we needed like 40 people. Now we're down to maybe 10,” he said.

Cleanslate did this by not plowing sidewalks, (which required a lot of labor and was slowed down due to pedestrians), to now only plowing parking lots, which can be done in a snow plowing truck.

Participants are provided cold-weather gear, and also warmweather clothes.

The amount of time participants work depends on the season, but on average, it’s four days a week, adding up to 30 hours. They receive minimum wage, $15.40 an hour.

Most of the work is done in the morning, from around 7 to 11 a.m.

Cleanslate workers meet their crew supervisor at a predetermined location close to their assignment for that day. They wear gray, reflective work vests and bright yellow long-sleeve

shirts, a uniform that is iconic enough that, “people drive up the street and holler out the window of their cars ‘Cleanslate! Go Cleanslate!’” as participants work, Lovett said.

Crew supervisors take attendance, pass out cleaning supplies and go over what needs to be done for that day. Crew supervisors coach them, tell them what they are doing well, and how they could improve.

A sea of yellow and gray then move as a group, up and down blocks sweeping litter, whacking weeds and moving snow piles.

Once the assignment is completed, participants are off and crew supervisors return to Cleanslate to fill out evaluations. Each person is graded on five workplace competencies: professionalism, communication, customer service, time management, and conflict management.

A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

For participants to reach Send Out Eligibility (SOE), when they are ready to graduate from transitional work to permanent employment, they must show proficiency in the same five workplace competencies. Each participant has a caseworker who tracks their performance and guides them towards this goal.

Bufkin says that his case worker has helped him to gain the required skills to be SOE.

“He just taught me a lot how to better myself, how to keep my composure and how to hold my temper on certain things,” Bufkin said, “So he just guides me in the right way.”

It can take weeks to years for people to reach SOE. Cleanslate works on the participants' timeline, to be sure they succeed.

“We really stick with people until they get placed. During my tenure here, we've had people here for two years,” Gott said. “We've had people here for a few weeks, because they might have come here, and they were hungry and ready to work.”

Once participants get hired in a permanent position, their caseworker stays in contact with them for a year, to ensure they are doing well.

If permanently employed clients are ever struggling with housing or childcare, Cara will be there to support and offer solutions to ensure they are able to work.

And if someone finds themselves jobless again, they can return to Cleanslate as a participant. A graduated participant lost his job during the pandemic, for example, and needed to re-engage to find another before he was ultimately re-employed.

CLEANSLATE AND THE COMMUNITY

Cleanslate hires people all over the city of Chicago, Lovett said.

The social enterprise matches participants with work near where they live, to keep their commutes short. Transit passes are provided to minimize the cost of travel.

Having participants cleaning spaces in their community not only benefits them, but also the businesses' partners. Hiring people from their community allows for community bonding, and increased local income, which helps local spending.

“Communities wanted their business corridors cleaned up and looking great, and also saw the social fit by working with us, as we would recruit individuals from their communities to work on those crews and make their business districts look nice. They

“IF YOU HAVEN'T WORKED IN A LONG TIME, AND YOU SAY ‘HEY, WELCOME BACK TO THE WORKFORCE,’ MOST PEOPLE CAN KIND OF GET OVER THE INTIMIDATION OF GOING BACK TO THE WORKFORCE KNOWING THAT THEY'RE JUST SWEEPING SIDEWALKS, THEY'RE RUNNING TO THE BROOM AND DUSTPAN. AND, SO, THAT'S A REALLY EASY ON-RAMP BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS COMING TO WORK FOR US”

saw the win-win,” Gott said, “So now the business districts are cleaner, they have individuals who may have been homeless or not working, now working so now they have money to pay rent and shop at Walgreens and be part of the local economy – and in a new way.”

Customer satisfaction is important to the social enterprise.

“We have well over 90% customer retention rate, people renewing their contracts with us and continuing with us,” Gott said.

Big Buzz Idea Group, a business management group for nonprofits, has hired Cleanslate since 2008 to clean up after festivals it organizes. Melissa M. Lagowski, CEO and founder of Big Buzz Idea Group, said that Cleanslate’s participants will “leave the communities we serve cleaner than we found them.

“They are some of the hardest working people we have met,” Lagowski said.

While Big Buzz and other customers know the quality of their work, some are initially skeptical about hiring people with criminal backgrounds. However, Gott has found that customers have come around.

“I remember one, they said, ‘We don't want anybody with a felony on our properties.’ And I said, ‘We have a great history of working with organizations and companies, if you just take that for this first year, give us a shot, if there's an issue that we can revisit next year. And they've been a customer of ours now for seven, eight years, because they were open to listening to us and being more inclusive in how they view their

vendors. So, I think it's great. Right now, there's a lot of push for inclusiveness, not just hiring, but employment.”

Cleanslate used to have restrictions on hiring individuals with violent backgrounds, but no longer does, Lovett said.

“I had an older gentleman that did 30 years in prison for murder. He's went on from Cleanslate. He's working as a building maintenance man in a building now. I talked to him often,” Lovett said. “He came to me, I was a recruiter, and he had lost all hope. He said, ‘With this background, I know I'll never get a job.’ And I coached him along and told him about the program and Cleanslate and Cara. And he's happy now, I still keep in touch with him. He's working.”

Gott appreciates how Cleanslate “can show, a social enterprise can do this. Somebody who may have a background that's different from what you're typically exposed to, can be successful and do a really good job as well.”

For some clients, the social enterprise makes Cleanslate stand out amongst other landscaping competition.

“We hired somebody to do some research for us, and they came back and said they surveyed a bunch of our existing customers, former customers and prospective customers. When we bid on a contract, if our prices are equal or better, and our services are equal or better, sometimes our mission is a tiebreaker,” Gott said, “Some people love our mission. Again, some people were deterred by it. I would say that's changed. I think more people are embracing organizations like Cleanslate.”

3 winners for 'lasalle street reimagined'

by Suzanne Hanney

Chicago has shown national leadership in urban planning, city officials said, with the selection of three proposals for more than 1,000 mixed-income apartments on LaSalle Street, including 318 affordable units.

"The LaSalle Street corridor is a vital economic engine for our entire city, and we must ensure it remains that way by transforming it from a homogenous office district into a thriving, mixed-use community,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said of proposals for 111 W. Monroe St., 135 S. LaSalle St. and 208 S. LaSalle St. “By converting underutilized office space to residential units, we will make the Loop a safer, more dynamic and vibrant place to live and work.

“This means that people who clean offices will be able to live there,” Lightfoot added during the March 28 announcement. “We will be the envy of the nation.”

The three winning proposals from among nine submitted for the LaSalle Street Reimagined Initiative will bring over $560 million in investment to 1.6 million square feet in Chicago’s former financial district:

• The Monroe Residences & Hotel, 111 W. Monroe St. (1)

The Prime Group Inc. and Capri Interests LLC

The $180 million proposal would adaptively re-use 610,000 square feet of space to create 349 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units within the upper stories of a 1910 National Register high-rise. Lower floors would include a separate, 226-key hotel. Related improvements would include lobby renovations, a bar and restaurant, and basement parking. Its tax increment finance (TIF) request is $40 million.

• The Field Building, 135 S. LaSalle St. (2)

Riverside Investment & Development and AmTrust Properties

The $258 million proposal would adaptively re-use 750,000 square feet to create 430 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units within a 1934 National Register high-rise. Multi-level retail space of 80,000-square feet could include a neighborhood grocer. Its TIF request is $115 million.

• The LaSalle Residences, 208 S. LaSalle St. (3)

The Prime Group Inc.

The $130 million proposal would adaptively re-use 222,500 square feet of space to create 280 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units within a 1914 landmark high-rise. Related improvements would include 6,900 square feet of retail upgrades, a full-service restaurant, and tenant amenities. Its tentative TIF request is $33 million.

Each finalist meets the city’s objectives to revitalize an underperforming historic property, to provide 30 percent affordable units (an expansion over the 20% required of projects seeking public assistance or zoning changes) and to create building amenities that contribute to the downtown environment.

Affordable units are aimed at tenants earning an average 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), or $50,040 for a two-person household.

TIF money makes affordable units possible, said Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Commissioner Maurice Cox. “Chicago dared to be different. If you work in an office, in a bar, you could live here, surrounded by a transit-rich neighborhood.”

DPD is now preparing for the next phase, in which small businesses can receive grants of up to $250,000 to revitalize LaSalle Street lobbies into work/play/live environments. Businesses from the South and West Sides will be encouraged to apply, which will expand the equity.

Department of Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara commended Lightfoot for the project’s use of tax dollars. Besides building affordable housing where there wasn’t any, LaSalle Street Reimagined helped the city address abandoned spaces creatively, Novara said. “People want government to be innovative and to take chances. That’s what we did.”

The 111 W. Monroe St. building has been vacated by BMO Harris Bank, which has moved to a new tower near Union Station. The 135 S. LaSalle building was former home to Bank of America, which has moved to a new building on Wacker Drive.

The affordable housing component will also end segregation downtown, said Novara, and also World Business Chicago CEO Michael Fassnacht.

“Steps like these are what help us transform Chicago into a more equitable city,” Novara said.

“Not just revitalize the city, but in ending segregation, ensure Chicago has more good days as the most diverse city, not the most segregated one,” Fassnacht said.

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the

Last week's Answers

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