August 2012
1 post
Good Bye Tumblr. Hello New North Branch Works...
The new North Branch Works website launched today…..Take a look around and check out some of its new features such as an interactive map of available properties, calendar, up-to-date information on training courses and more.
The new site also has an integrated blog which means we will be leaving Tumblr and writing posts directly on NorthBranchWorks.Org…If you follow us keep an eye...
July 2012
3 posts
North Branch Works: Business Services
What do Recruiting, Hiring Tax Credits, Training Grants, and Fee-for-Service Customized Trainings have in common? They are all services that North Branch Works offers its business partners.
Recruiting
You define the hiring requirements. We sift through hundreds’ of resumes and our own applicant database to find the perfect candidate. Wouldn’t it be nice to free up all those hours spent looking...
Working the North Branch
For the last year and a half, the Local Economic and Employment Development Council and now with our new name as North Branch Works has been expanding our service area north and west along theChicago River into the “Addison Industrial Corridor”, shown below. This area, which is almost contiguous to the rest of our service area, has been the focus of City and local planning efforts for a few...
Available for Hire: Green LEEDers– An Energy-Wise...
“Weatherizing Lincoln Park” was the headline for a workshop, conducted on June 26th by the LEED Council’s Green LEEDers. The workshop was part of Green Week, a community project organized by the office of Michelle Smith, Alderman for the 43rd Ward. The team put forward the basics of what every homeowner or small building owner should know about weatherization - how it leads to energy and utility...
June 2012
2 posts
Rebranding for Future Connecting...
For over 30 years, the Local Economic & Employment Development Council has been connecting industry and community. We partner with local businesses in the North River and now the Addison Industrial Corridors to promote environmentally sustainable economic development, intrinsically linked to job creation and workforce development.
We encourage business-appropriate land use and area...
Illinois Enterprise Zones Get a Lifeline
Chicago has six Enterprise Zones. They all share the same goal of stimulating economic activity in blighted areas by offering tax incentives and other benefits. Next year the first batch of Enterprise Zone incentives are set to expire- spurring a political debate on the future of the program. Enterprise Zone 4, which covers a large portion of LEED Council’s service area, is set to expire in...
May 2012
1 post
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PROJECT REBUILD… WORKING FOR A JUST ECONOMY
Last month, I attended the annual conference of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) in DC. The theme this year was: “Not Just an Economy, a Just Economy.” I have been a NCRC board director now for almost 20 years and have had the opportunity to discuss our local economy with numerous federal officials. I will leave for another time to comment on the flaws and neglect that...
April 2012
10 posts
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Green LEEDers Update: An Evolving Technicolored...
LEED Council’s Green LEEDers presented at the 5th annual Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Summit on April 12. The event provided substantial and informative background on opportunities in the green sector of Chicago’s economy and offered a chance to promote the work we have been doing since the inception of our Green Skills training in 2008.
Dean Tripp (left), Associate Director of Green Skills,...
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Applying SBIF to Your Small Business
Throughout this year I have helped businesses with a variety of different economic incentives. “Each incentive is a unique tool in the economic development toolkit,” my boss, Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Council’s Director of Economic Development, Mike Holzer likes to say.
One of my favorite incentives is the City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). The fund is...
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LEED Council Offers "Home Performance: Green...
We are recruiting for a high-powered, comprehensive job-skills training program designed for individuals with a genuine interest in the rapidly developing specialities of green carpentry and weatherization.
This program is primarily targeted at unemployed or underemployed individuals living in the Austin, Roseland,East Garfield Park, Englewood, West Englewood, Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Near...
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Earth Day Projects in our Neighborhood
Bucktown Community Organization - 9am clean up of Ehrler Playlot Park; located at 2230 W. Cortland - between Leavitt and Wilmot. Organizer Steve Jensen 773.677.6023; steve.jensen@gmail.com
Churchill Park Planting Project - 9am planting of flowers outside of Churchill Park located at 1825 N. Damen - between Churchill and Bloomingdale Avenue. Organizer and plant supplier Sam Marts. Bring...
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Interactive Map of Available Properties in the... →
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Good Beer Hunting: Goose Island the Next king of... →
Take of look at this in-depth tour of Goose Island’s Brewery, one of LEED Council’s business members.
goodbeerhunting:
A couple Thursdays ago, I had the unique opportunity to visit Goose Island during working hours for some photo documentation. I’ve been here a few times for hosted events, but never to document the brewery itself. I was psyched to get some extended access. Paul...
LEED Council Videos in the Works
This summer we are celebrating Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Councils’ 30th Anniversary. And to celebrate this momentous occasion, we decided to produce three short films about LEED Council. Our Associate Director of Communications and Marketing, Clarisa Ramirez, was zipping around the Clybourn Corridor down to Goose Island and up to Green Exchange via bicycle, bus and taxi with...
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Goose Island Small Business Improvement Fund...
Is your small business located in the Goose Island TIF district?
There are currently substantial funds available in the Small Business Improvment Fund for the Goose Island TIF district. SBIF is designed to provide funding assistance for improvements to qualifying small businesses located in designated TIF districts across the city.The fund uses TIF revenues to help owners of commercial and...
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1st Ward Report: Water Management -- Laborer... →
aldermanmoreno:
Now Hiring – Laborer Apprentices
for City of Chicago Department of Water Management
· Receive on the job training, classroom training, and work experience.
· Salary starts at $21.12/hour.
· Must be 18 years old at time of application.
Applicants must…
March 2012
16 posts
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Vote and Support Preserving Lathrop Homes
Please vote online THIS WEEK to support preserving the Lathrop Homes and SHARE this request with your friends & contacts! The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has a web page — www.thecha.ideascale.com — for the public to comment on how CHA should “Recalibrate” (revise) it’s 1999 Plan for Transformation. The web page will close this Friday, March 30! Anyone...
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FC175: A Chicago 175th Birthday Party - This...
chiboulevards:
The folks at Forgotten Chicago and Revolution Brewing are preparing to host their party in celebration of Chicago’s 175th birthday. Yesterday was the cutoff for $75.75 tickets. Tickets are now $81.75, and will be $85 at the door. Check out Forgotten Chicago for more info.
Green Business Resources Fair
chiboulevards:
The Logan Square Chamber in coordination with the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber, West Town Chamber and Lincoln Park Chamber are hosting a Green Business Resource Fair today.
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CHIBOULEVARDS: Spring Cleaning →
chiboulevards:
With this unseasonably warm weather, it’s been great to walk and bike through the neighborhood. However, while walking through the neighborhood, you can’t help but to notice all the garbage on the sidewalks. There’s really a lot of it. It’s certainly time for some spring cleaning. So far…
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GrubHub Moves Out of the Elston Corridor
Crain’s Chicago Business reported today that GrubHub Inc. is moving out of their Bucktown headquarters on 2211 N. Elston Ave. to a larger building in the loop in September. Their current location on Elston and Webster avenues, a mixed-use business park in the Elston Corridor, is one of the corridors where we operate. Another successful business that spun out of the same building as...
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Home Performance: Green Carpentry and...
This FREE training program, funded by the Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, is designed for unemployed and underemployed individuals with experience in home improvement, a keen desire to begin a career in the carpentry trade, and a genuine interest in the rapidly developing specialties of green carpentry and weatherization.
The course introduces participants to residential...
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Communications and Marketing Internship
Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Council is seeking a highly self-motivated individual for a summer internship for a twelve week internship beginning in May and ending in August. The intern would report to LEED Council’s Associate Director of Communications and Marketing and assist directors with a variety of projects. Those projects include:
helping create marketing material for...
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Positioning Chicago Globally Requires Charting Job...
On February 29th, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Chicago’s new “Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs,” developed by World Business Chicago, at a press conference hosted by WaterSaver Faucet, a member of the Local Economic and Employment Development [LEED] Council.
Mayor Emanuel acknowledged that Chicago needs direction for job creation. “A global city like Chicago needs a clear set of...
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Kingsbury Street Reconstruction Effective Monday
During our Infrastructure Task Force meeting on Wednesday, CDOT announced its initial phase of the Kingsbury Street Project next week. The City is investing TIF dollars and money for infrastructure improvements to remove the train tracks on Kingsbury Street in the Halstead River Triangle. Representatives of the Task Force determined that the industry north of North Avenue no longer needs to use...
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Do You Have Flooding Concerns?
At the last LEED Council Infrastructure Task Force Meeting on Wednesday, some local businesses expressed flooding as an issue. Chicago Department of Water Management was on hand to address these concerns and will be putting together a meeting in the near future to look into the problems in more detail.
If you are a local business that has had flooding problems in the past and concerned about...
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Blue Cart Recycling comes to Chicago's west side...
chiboulevards:
The City and Waste Management are scheduling a series of informational community meetings to answer questions about the program at the locations listed below:
Tuesday, February 21, 7:00 p.m., Humboldt Park Field House, 1440 N. Sacramento Ave.
Tuesday, February 28, 7:00 p.m., St. Helen School, 2347 W Augusta Blvd.
Thursday, March 1, 7:00 p.m., Humboldt Park Field House,...
February 2012
15 posts
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Food Service Industry Jobs Posted on Worklocal.org
We just posted several positions on Worklocal.org for a food service provider in Pilsen. Positions include Cook, Driver, Server, Packer, Receiver, Production Team Member, Janitor/Dishwasher and Expeditor. The company’s mission is to dramatically improve the food and food service experience in schools in order to reduce obesity and improve health, education and well being for students in...
Neighborhood Cultural Conversation February 29th
chiboulevards:
As part of the Chicago Cultural Plan 2012, there will be a community meeting in Portage Park on Wednesday to discuss goals for the community.
Neighborhood Cultural Conversation
@ The Austin-Irving Branch Library
6100 West Irving Park Chicago, IL
5:30-7:30, Registration begins at 5pm.
RSVP here.
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Local Hiring: The Key Connection
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago touted Green Exchange in their February newsletter with their story “Connecting the Dots.” The article examined the Cooper Lamps Task Force’s work preserving the Cooper Lamp Factory building, for its transformation into The Green Exchange, and creating jobs there through community planning and organizing. It accurately credits Logan Square...
CAPS Meeting tonight!
chiboulevards:
February 23, 2012, 6 pm 2402 N Washtenaw, Haas Park, Chicago, IL 60647 Add this event to your calendar Add to Google calendar 14th Police District Chicago CAPS
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1st Ward Report: Jobs for Chicagoans-- Resolution →
aldermanmoreno:
Today, I introduced a Resolution strongly urging (because I couldn’t legally enforce) that all jobs created by a $20 million Federal Tiger Grant be used to create jobs for residents of our city.
The Ordinance and Press Release are below:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Federal…
CHIBOULEVARDS: Streets for Cycling West Side Map →
chiboulevards:
Yesterday, CDOT posted an image of their west side map that shows all current bike lanes and sections of roadway that may feature protected bike lanes in the near future, and once again asked for more input from folks on where they would like to see bike lanes:
(this map is hard to read, …
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LEED Council: Connected in More Ways on the...
Our Klout score went up! Before you ask what that means, we should tell you what we’ve been doing to bring it up. Since the beginning of the year, LEED Council and our Community Jobs Initiative, Worklocal.org, has spread its wings by getting the word out about what we do via social media. We’ve been using these embassies to share training and job opportunities, post photos and even venture...
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Special Meeting to Review Kingsbury Street...
If your company or property is located in the Halsted-River Triangle along Kingsbury Street (from North Avenue south to Halsted Street), you are encouraged to attend a meeting facilitated by the Chicago Department of Transportation and the contractor for the job to review plans for this substantial street reconstruction project. CDOT and their engineer will discuss the scope of the project, design...
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Home Energy Auditor Training Starts Feb 27
The LEED Council is offering a free training program designed to prepare individuals to become home energy auditors. This is the second year in a row that we’ve offered this exciting program in partnership with eZing, one of Chicagoland’s leading energy auditing firms. We are preparing to get trainees ready to obtain the Building Analyst certification, developed by the Building...
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Working Locally for Ten Years...
That’s what I have been doing since I became the President and CEO of LEED Council on February 4, 2002. I have lived in Logan Square for over 30 years and have witnessed many changes there. As I drive by on my way to and from work, I have watched the transformation of the old Cooper Lamp factory into the Green Exchange (see before and after images below).
,
Here in our corridor, driving over the...
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Computer Skills Alumni Success Stories
This is part of a monthly series LEED Council created with Danny Shields, Associate Director of Computer Skills, and some of his students. In addition to this series, we are highlighting success stories of students who go through his classes on made-for-Web videos hosted on LEED Council’s YouTube channel and airing on Chicago Access Network Television. Off camera, Angela McLaurin, one of the...
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January 2012
17 posts
Cement maker Ozinga's plan for new plant aims to... →
LEED Council CEO and President Ted Wysocki was quoted in Crain’s Chicago Business January 30.
Development officials are gaga over the economic implications of a rare industrial project built from scratch in a part of the city devastated by the loss of manufacturing over several decades. It’s been roughly 20 years since a major industrial plant has been built within the city’s...
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