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PARIS?

>>> CHICAGO'S INVEST SOUTHWEST IS UNDERWAY IN THE BACKYARD NEIGHBORHOOD , THERE IS A PLAN AIMED AT REVITALIZING THE COMMUNITY.

$58 MILLION DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS UNITED YARDS WILL HAVE RETAIL, HEALTH CLINICS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE ARE HERE AS PART OF YOUR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERIOUS WITH MORE.

AMANDA, TAKE IT AWAY.

>> Reporter: PARIS, BACK OF THE YARD IS GOOD BECAUSE IT WAS THE BACK OF WHAT WAS AT ONE TIME THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIVESTOCK AREA .

RIGHT NOW IT IS AN INDUSTRIAL PARK AND DEVELOPERS ARE WANTING A NEW DEVELOPMENT NEARBY.

THEY WANT TO TRANSFORM WHAT WAS A DEPARTMENT STORE INTO LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.

>> THIS WAS OUR SHOPPING STREET.

THE BASEMENT HAD STEREOS AND TOYS .

THE FIRST FLOOR HAD THE CLOTHES AND FURNITURE.

>> JESSE IS NOW AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD REINVENTION.

IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED, BY THE END OF SUMMER HE WILL BE SAILING SELLING FRESH ROASTED COFFEE BEANS AT THE STORE HE ONCE VISITED AS A KID.

>> WE WANT TO HELP REINVENT THIS CORNER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I THINK THERE WERE OVER 4500 YOUNG PEOPLE JUST IN BACK OF THE YARDS ALONE.

WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND USE UNEMPLOYMENT IT IS GREAT.

TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE JOBS IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.

>> Reporter: ONE GROUP SAID THE UNITED YOUTH PROGRAM WILL CREATE 300 JOBS IN ABOUT THIS TIME.

>> Reporter: LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES WASN'T ALWAYS AN ISSUE.

FAMILIES CAME HERE BECAUSE OF THESE JOBS AVAILABLE IN CHICAGO'S MASSIVE MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY.

WHEN THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE IS CLOSED, THE DOG SLEPT, TOO.

AS THIS WOMAN TOLD US SHE HOPES THESE NEW JOBS WILL BE HELPFUL.

>> Reporter: ORGANIZERS ALSO WORRY THE PROJECT COULD LEAD TO DISPLACEMENT , NOTING THAT DEVELOPMENTS OFTEN DRIVE PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY.

>> THIS SHOULD BENEFIT THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE NOW , OR WILL IT DRIVE UP PROPERTY TAXES AND PUSH PEOPLE OUT?

IT COULD BE A REALLY COOL THING FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

IF THAT HAPPENS, WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW TOGETHER TO SLOW THAT GENTRIFICATION PROCESS.

>> Reporter: THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE PART OF THE PROJECT ARE SIGNING A BENEFITS AGREEMENT WITH THE PROMISE TO RAISE WAGES , HIGHER LOCAL WORKERS AND SUSTAIN GOOD PRACTICES.

>> DO I BELIEVE THIS CAN HAPPEN?

ABSOLUTELY.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE LOCALLY AND INSIST WE BUY LOCALLY AND SERVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS .

>> Reporter: THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE A BRAND-NEW BUILDING .

IT IS A BACK OF THE YARD STARTED.

THE HONOR THAT HAVE BEEN RUNNING THIS BEAR BUSINESS IS A POP-UP AT FESTIVALS AND NOW HE GETS A CHANCE AT RUNNING A BRICK-AND-MORTAR OPERATION.

>> OUR AMBITION IS TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.

TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM THAT THEY CAN CALL THEIR PLACE.

>> Reporter: THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT POSSIBILITY.

THE PROJECT WILL LEAD TO A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF BELONGING FOR RESIDENTS.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS IT WON'T BE SINK OR SWIM FOR THESE NEW BUSINESSES.

>> THEY ARE DOING A COHORT OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND WE LEARN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THEY NEED TO PREPARE FOR OPENING AND MEETING WITH THEM , EACH SPECIFIC BUSINESS TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES OR GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES THE SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT THAT HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR FAR TOO LONG.

>> Reporter: WITH MAYOR, LORI LIGHTFOOT TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ONE SIGNATURE PROGRAMS , BUT A BLACKFOOT DEVELOPER BELIEVES CHICAGO'S FUTURE MAYORS WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE SOME VERSION OF IT >> IT WILL BE HARD FOR THEM TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS THIS PROGRAM IS PROMISING.

I SUSPECT IT WILL CONTINUE .

IT MIGHT BE BRANDED OR TWEAKED , BUT THE MODEL SENDING THOSE INVESTMENT DOLLARS LOCALLY , I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TURN THAT BACK.

>> Reporter: THOSE BUSINESSES ARE SET TO OPEN ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE NEW BUILDING BY THE END OF SUMMER.

THAT WILL INCLUDE A BAKERY, A BARBERSHOP, AND AN APPAREL STORE THAT IS NAMED AFTER A NOVEL BASED ON THE SLAUGHTERING THAT WENT ON HERE AT THE STOCK YEAR.

DON'T FORGET THE BACKYARD COFFEE.

THERE WILL BE MORE BY THE END