Western Avenue Business Corridor To Get Boost

CHICAGO – The Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association will receive technical assistance and capacity building to foster community-driven economic development in the Beverly/ Morgan Park neighborhood on the far south side of Chicago. The National Main Street Center selected the neighborhood business association to be part of its Chicago UrbanMain program, which is designed to help restore economic vitality and promote quality of life for residents in under-resourced older and historic neighborhood commercial districts.

“The Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association is honored and thrilled to work with the National Main Street Center and Groupon as part of its UrbanMain program,” said Caroline Connors, executive director of the Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association. “With the technical services offered by UrbanMain, we hope to build the capacity of the MPBHBA and create innovative strategies for increased economic growth and development in the community.”

According to the National Main Street Center, the UrbanMain program - which was created through a grant from Groupon - utilizes community-driven economic development tools and services to bring sustainable growth back to traditional neighborhood centers.

The decline of brick-and-mortar retail businesses and increased competition from neighboring suburban municipalities have posed challenges for the neighborhood’s Western Avenue corridor, which the Beverly/Morgan Park UrbanMain program will focus on strengthening with the additional resources.