Accomplishments

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The City of Chicago has a significant role to play in attracting and maintaining businesses throughout our 77 communities. In the 3rd Ward, Alderman Dowell has brought the City’s full suite of resources to the table to grow commercial corridors in previously underinvested neighborhoods, and to score big wins for her community. This includes opening:

  • Mariano’s in Bronzeville
  • Mariano’s in the South Loop
  • Wintrust Arena, and the Marriott Marquis Hotel and Event Center
  • Soul City Kitchen at the former 3rd Ward yard
  • Bronzeville Artists’ Lofts and Gallery Guichard
  • XS Tennis in Washington Park
  • The Plant Chicago
  • Lakeside Bank headquarters in the Third Ward
  • Rosenwald Courts businesses 
  • South Loop Hotels (Motor Row, Tri-Brand Hilton) 
  • Dozens of new small businesses across neighborhoods in the ward
  • Washington Park Arts Incubator & Green Line Theater

EDUCATION

Schools are what make neighborhoods. Under Alderman Dowell’s leadership, schools in the 3rd Ward are making massive gains in educational quality, and are finally receiving their fair share of funding to make long-promised infrastructure improvements to the buildings themselves. This includes:

  • Creating the Bronzeville Classical School
  • Opening the new South Loop Elementary School building 
  • Surplusing unused TIF dollars to fund schools
  • Building a new athletic center for Phillips High School 
  • Helping to create the Bronzeville Community Action Council
  • Securing funding for the construction of a Near South High School
  • Saving numerous schools from closure and supporting a resolution to stop school closings
  • Assisting Bronzeville Scholastic Institute’s authorization as an International Baccalaureate World School
  • Supporting tens of millions of dollars in school infrastructure improvements for things like new roofs, facades, air conditioning, ADA improvements, bathrooms and more.
  • Helping to expand attendance boundaries for Dyett High School
  • Advocating for a new playground for Beasley Elementary School

INFRASTRUCTURE

Maintaining and upgrading the City’s aging infrastructure is a core mission for Alderman Dowell. Since she was first elected, Alderman Dowell has directed over $13 million in spending on 3rd Ward infrastructure improvements through the Aldermanic Menu. That is in addition to countless projects completed throughout the ward with the help of the Chicago Department of Transportation, Water Management, the CTA, and more. Some notable accomplishments include:

  • Redevelopment of the 43rd Green Line Station 
  • Advocated and financed the new Cermak Green Line Station 
  • Directed streetscape projects for 43rd, 47th, King Dr., Motor Row & Michigan Ave.
  • Remodeled the award-winning CTA Garfield Gateway Station 
  • Led community process for new 78 Red Line Station
  • Created the Dearborn Pedestrian Path
  • Reopened residential streets to Chicago’s street grid

LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In City Hall, Alderman Dowell is a trusted and respected leader, regularly working with her City Council colleagues and the administration to advance initiatives that meaningfully improve our City. In recognition of her excellent work, Alderman Dowell was selected as Chairman of the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations, which has oversight of the City expansive annual budget. Through her legislative work, Alderman Dowell has been able to:

  • Lead yearly budget hearings and allocation of special COVID-19 federal funds
  • Serve as the former Chairman of the Committee on Human Relations
  • Be appointed to Council Office of Financial Analysis Oversight Committee
  • Serve on the Task Force on City Employee Absenteeism
  • Be named to Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee
  • Author the Vacant Buildings Ordinance
  • Write the MBE/DBE Contracting Transparency ordinance
  • Authorize Burge reparations
  • Vote no on the Speed Cameras Ordinance
  • Co-sponsor an ordinance to allow police to close troubled businesses
  • Raise Chicago’s Minimum Wage to $15
  • Support the Infrastructure Trust Ordinance
  • Support the synthetic marijuana ban 
  • Make needed changes to the Adjacent Land Acquisition Program
  • Vote in favor of the Lending Equity Ordinance

PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Chicago is known the world around for its unparalleled park system. The “City in a Garden” is something that Alderman Dowell takes very seriously. Through her efforts, parks across the 3rd Ward have been improved, and new ones have been built, so that all residents have access to beautiful public green space. Under Alderman Dowell’s leadership, she has worked to:

 

  • Create Hadiya Pendleton Park 
  • Construct a new Williams Park Fieldhouse 
  • Finance a new arts and recreation center for Ellis Park
  • Rehabilitate Lowe Park and Fuller Park Field Houses
  • Open McCormick Place Pocket Park 
  • Create Fred Anderson Park 
  • Replace Wentworth Garden Park playground 
  • Open Bronzeville’s first dog park
  • Upgrade Armstrong Park
  • Redevelop Lin Park 
  • Refurbish the tennis courts, lights and walking path at Metcalfe 
  • Support the Perry Street Farm 
  • Provide Eden Place Nature Center a permanent home
  • Renovate the Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens fieldhouse

PUBLIC SAFETY

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. Alderman Dowell supports the great work performed everyday by our Chicago Police Officers, and is doing her part to ensure the police and the community receive the support and attention they deserve. This not only includes funding the CPD, but also changing the culture of the police force to prioritize police-community relations, and providing wrap-around services to the community to deal with the root causes of crime. These supports include:

  • Adding dozens of new police officers in the ward
  • Relocating the Citywide Bike Patrol Unit to McCormick Place
  • Introducing ordinances and supporting hearings on dangerous motorcycles
  • Supported Community Oversight Commission for CPD
  • Sponsoring “Safe Summer Initiative”
  • Receiving ShotSpotter for districts that cover the ward
  • Installing license plate readers and cameras in key areas
  • Providing mental health clinicians in every Chicago Police District for officer mental health
  • Assisting with recruitment efforts for new CPD officers
  • Funded neighborhood violence interrupter programs for the 3rd Ward

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Using her background in Planning and Development, Alderman Dowell has turned the neighborhoods in the 3rd Ward into some of the fastest growing areas in all of Chicago. From major residential developments like Southbridge, the Rosenwald Courts Apartments, or NEMA, to small single-family homes, to affordable developments, Alderman Dowell is helping to ensure that everyone can find a place to live wherever they want to live in the 3rd Ward.

  • Redeveloped the long-vacant Rosenwald Courts Apartments
  • Opened Savoy Square 
  • Redeveloped Dearborn Homes
  • Opened Park Boulevard Phase 2, 3B under construction
  • Guided Legends South Phase C-3 development
  • Assisted in construction of townhomes at 1712 S. Prairie
  • Created the Bronzeville Parade of Homes
  • Financed the rehabilitation of 4800 S. Calumet 
  • Financed the rehabilitation of the Paul G. Stewart Campus Apartments 
  • Led Disruptive Design Competition
  • Coordinated 43 Green mixed-use development
  • Announced the Legacy District at 47th and Vincennes 
  • Southbridge development opens first units, on track to develop entire campus
  • Financed the KLEO Arts Residences 
  • Welcomed Bronzeville Salon Suites development
  • Pursuing the City’s first Tiny Homes Initiative