Five Berwyn Businesses Receive Good Neighbor Awards

Research shows that properties in poor shape, including vacant lots and abandoned buildings, can take heavy tolls on their communities, decreasing property values and deterring potential home buyers. The Chicago Association of REALTORS® created the Good Neighbor Awards in 1992 to encourage rehabilitation and redevelopment in Chicago’s north side neighborhoods. Today, these awards showcase ground-breaking rehabs, redevelopments, historic preservation and new construction in the nine-county Chicago metropolitan area. Award-winners are visionaries who set new standards of excellence and make their communities better places to live.

Good Neighbor Awards recognize those efforts that go above and beyond the norm to surpass challenges, take special care to create properties that enhance surrounding neighborhoods and bring stigmatized properties back to life. These awards recognize properties that offer unique facilities and amenities that support economic development and strengthen community pride.

The City of Berwyn is proud to announce that five of its businesses received Good Neighbor Awards in 2013, including the following:

• Bounce Sportsplex, 3310 S. Grove Avenue, a new complex that intends to transform youth sports and fitness in Chicago’s western suburbs. Bounce Sports offers a nearly 16,000 square foot, state-of-the-art indoor facility with a large multi-purpose field, two-story ceilings, high-tech batting cages, a basketball half-court and a fitness/lesson area. The facility helps fight childhood obesity by offering free memberships and special programming for overweight youth.
• Meijer Marketplace, 7111 W. Cermak Road, a new 91,000 square foot “mini” supercenter, offers grocery items, fresh produce, a meat department and bakery along with a full-service pharmacy. The addition of Meijer Marketplace to Cermak Plaza concludes the multi-phase redevelopment of one of Berwyn’s cornerstone commercial properties.
• Berwyn Gateway Plaza, 7130-7180 W. Cermak Road, resulted from a comprehensive effort to create a retail center at the high-impact northeast corner of Cermak Road & Harlem Avenue. This new 21,900 square foot center revitalized a formerly underutilized block with the addition of six national credit retailers, including The Vitamin Shoppe, Play N Trade, Verizon Wireless, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar.
• J.D. Byrider, 6539 W. Ogden Avenue, is a commercial renovation project that resulted in a 12,500 square foot dealership devoted to used car sales, financing, automotive work and customer service. This project filled a vacancy on the site of a former car dealership.
• Capri Ristorante, 6611 W. Roosevelt Road, undertook the renovation of a 3,100 square foot vacant restaurant space to make way for this new restaurant. A family-owned restaurant, Capri offers an intimate dining area and bar, delivery area and catering services.

Additionally, three honorable mentions were awarded to Berwyn’s Big Guys Sausage Stand (7021 W. Roosevelt Road), Reel Art Collectibles (6727 W. Stanley Avenue) and Off the Traxx (3144 S. Oak Park Avenue).

“Our eight honorees at this year’s Good Neighbor Awards highlight the excellent work being done in the City of Berwyn. These developments have brought back purpose and new life to their surroundings,” said Jon Fey, Berwyn Development Corporation (BDC) Board President. Mayor Robert J. Lovero remarked, “These projects have had a tremendous, positive impact on Berwyn and will influence future development for years to come.” Anthony Griffin, BDC Executive Director, concurred, “All eight of these developments were able to leverage local incentives and move ahead expeditiously. Berwyn’s success is a testament to the shared vision of our City Council and BDC Board.”

CAR’s 21st Annual Good Neighbor Awards Reception (chicagorealtor.com/gna) was held on Thursday, May 23 at The Green Exchange’s Greenhouse Loft in Chicago.

About the Berwyn Development Corporation
The BERWYN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (BDC) is a public-private partnership with the City of Berwyn that provides economic development and Chamber of Commerce services to all segments of the Berwyn community. The BDC is a not-for-profit membership organization that serves over 300 business and individual members. The BDC focuses its efforts on those activities that will improve the overall climate for local businesses and residents, in addition to encouraging the development of new commercial venues and employment opportunities. The BDC continually strives to develop new programs, services and events that promote Berwyn businesses and the community. For more information, visit www.berwyn.net, www.whyberwyn.com or follow the BDC at facebook.com/BDCorp and twitter.com/bdc_berwyn.