Dena L. Hicks1350 N. Lake Shore Dr., #1718Chicago, IL 60610Phone: (312) 420-6347dena.l.hicks@gmail.com

Work Samples

Dena L. Hicksdena. l .h icks@gmai l .com

Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corporation | LISC/Chicago’s New Communities Program

WOODLAWN:Rebuilding the Village

QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN MAY 2005

16

Support improvementof housing stock

University of ChicagoSouth Campus Plan

Woodlawn school network

Expand housing supplyfor mix of incomes

Plan and implementyouth activities

Upgrade Metra station63rd Street Under the “El”development program

Artist work/live at old Strand Hotel

17

Eight Strategies to Achieve Our Vision

STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES

Figure 3 Key projects of the plan

This plan calls for programs and projects related to

housing, health, open space, economic development

and education.

The Woodlawn Quality-of-Life Planning Task Force developed eight key

strategies and 47 projects to help residents and organizations achieve their

vision for the community.

Our Strategies:

1. Expand the supply of new housing for a mix of incomes,

and support improvement of existing housing stock.

2. Develop a vibrant retail and business environment and a

central shopping district along Cottage Grove south of

63rd Street.

3. Promote economic opportunity, workforce development

and improved connections to the job market.

4. Organize people and resources to make all Woodlawn

schools excellent.

5. Improve communication and coordination among

organizations, residents and institutions.

6. Plan and implement activities and programs for youth.

7. Expand recreational activities for all ages, and develop

new programs around arts and culture.

8. Provide professional development resources and other

support to health and social service agencies.

Challenge: Following several

successful pilot projects, the Local

Initiatives Support Corporation/

Chicago (LISC) established the New

Communities Program (NCP) to support

comprehensive community development

initiatives in Chicago neighborhoods.

Camiros was retained by LISC to guide

the 10 newest local lead agencies as

they worked with local partners to

develop Quality-of-Life Plans for their

neighborhoods.

Outcome: The work program that is the

central element of each plan is designed

to allow stakeholders to work together

to rejuvenate each neighborhood with

a comprehensive set of projects that

address physical improvements and

social needs. The plans address the

most important aspects of community

life ranging from housing and

employment to child care, neighborhood

safety, parks, schools, health care and

more. While the plans address common

issues, the approaches to solving

problems and vision for the future are as

unique and varied as the communities

themselves.

Neighborhood Quality of Life Plans, LISC/Chicago

Quality-of-Life PlansLOCAL INITIATIVES SUPPORT CORPORATION (LISC), CHICAGO ILLINOIS

The Chicago office of LISC retained Camiros to help prepare strategic

"Quality-of-Life"" plans through a commu-nity driven, planning process which tackled physical economic and social planning is-sues. Working together with the neighbor-hood organizations, identified by LISC as NCP Lead Agencies, the Camiros planners, neighborhood residents and other stake-holders devised strategies to address impor-tant aspects of community life. These ranged from housing and employment to child care, neighborhood safety, parks, schools and more.

The neighborhoods selected to join the program included some of the City’s most troubled as well as others that faced challenges such as gentrifica-tion and resident relocation. While the initial in-tent of the process was to focus on rather compact portions of larger neighborhoods, most often the community determined that its planning should involve all of some rather large neighborhoods. As a result some of the plans address areas in excess of four square miles and populations of 50,000. Hence, the term "neighborhood" is used loosely, as these areas are larger than many cities.

While each neighborhood is unique, there are a number of shared issues and challenges. Cross-community issues addressed by each plan in-clude: building household wealth, reducing crime and increasing personal safety, preserving affordable housing and creating mixed-income neighborhoods, encouraging new commercial and retail development, improving education and focusing on positive youth development.

The proposals developed to address these issues varied by community. Yet, they all contained a range of social and human service actions

Every aspect of this process involved neighborhood resi-dents, businesses and other stakeholders. These methods ranged from interactive mapping to games that helped to establish priorities among projects.

Five Corners community gateway sketch for North Lawndale’s Faith Rewarded Plan.

Dena L. Hicksdena. l .h icks@gmai l .com

Town Center Plan, Richton Park, Illinois

Challenge: Camiros was retained by

the Village of Richton Park to serve as

Project Manager for the redevelopment

of the Town Center project area. The

Village already had two plans done for

the area and wanted to engage a firm

who could drive the redevelopment

process.

Outcome: Camiros performed a

diagnostic review of existing Town

Center redevelopment documents and

determined that these were insufficient

to attract interest from the development

community. The first year of project

activities focused on establishing

redevelopment documents needed to

engage in a productive dialogue with

developers. These documents included:

1) a specific program of redevelopment;

2) a resubdivision plan; 3) Town Center

design guidelines; 4) a Town Center

PUD ordinance; 5) a compendium of

information on Village-owned properties;

and 6) an illustrative plan depicting the

redevelopment program.

Dena L. Hicksdena. l .h icks@gmai l .com

Illustrative Redevelopment Plan

Figure 17, Core Area Illustrative Redevelopment PlanImag

e pro

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with

perm

ission

from

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Downtown Plan, Bourbonnais, IllinoisChallenge: The residents of the Village of

Bourbonnais, have a long-standing desire to

create a downtown environment that fosters a

sense of pride, heritage and excitement. The

downtown has the components to fulfill the

community’s vision for an active urban space.

These components include the presence of

Olivet Nazarene University, which generates a

vibrant image through the existing pedestrian

and vehicular activity. The downtown area

also includes the intersection of prominent

streets and buildings with architectural

significance. Major regional attractions such

as the Chicago Bears Training Camp and

Perry Farm also contribute to the role of

Bourbonnais as a regional destination.

Outcome: Camiros proposed a combination

of public improvements to support the

existing land use pattern and a development

strategy that can be implemented over

time to accommodate new uses and future

growth. Key elements of the plan include

proposals for vehicular roundabouts to

improve traffic flow and introduce dramatic

visual elements to downtown Bourbonnais,

redevelopment opportunities that respond

to the roundabouts and begin to introduce

mixed-use development within the area,

development standards, links to public open

space including the development of a new

Town Square, and the preservation of older

buildings to retain as much of the downtown’s

original heritage as possible.

1 2 3 4 to 5Phase I Study for Roundabout Design Village/IDOT IDOT should approve engineer

Phase I Study for Street Extensions Village

Initial Residential/Commercial Market Studies Village

Obtain Initial Developer/Investor Feedback Village

Engage in Focused Development Recruitment Village/Olivet 1st project may be on Olivet property

Feasibility Study: Traditional Neighborhood Village

Formulate a Financial Plan Village

Prepare a Summary Report of Year One Village

Adopt Public Financing Mechanisms Village/Prop. Owners

Secure Funding: First Roundabout Construction Village/IDOT

Negotiate First Redevelopment Agreements Village/Prop. Owners

Secure funding for First Street Extension(s) Village

Construction Plans for First Street Extension(s) Village

Establish Maintenance Structure Village/Prop. Owners

Recruit Local Builders for Traditional Neighborhood Village

Prepare Main Street Northwest Streetscape Plans Village

Prepare a Summary Report of Year Two Village

Complete Construction of First Street Extension(s) Village/Prop. Owners

Construction Plans for First Roundabout(s) Village/IDOT

Plans for streetscape and other design features Village/IDOT

Program Second Phase of Street Extensions Village

Construct Main Street N.W. Streetscape Village/IDOT

Prepare a Summary Report of Year Three Village

Complete Construction of First Roundabout(s) Village/IDOT

Construction of First Redevelopment Project(s) Developers

Negotiate 2nd Phase Redevelopment Agreements Village/Prop. Owners

Program Construction of Town Square Village

Construction of Second Redevelopment Project(s) Developers

Prepare a Summary Report of Year Four/Five

Year/SequenceAction Agenda Item

StakeholderResponsibility Comment

Implementation Program Excerpt

Dena L. Hicksdena. l .h icks@gmai l .com

Grove Parc, Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois

Grove ParcThe redevelopment of the 405 unit Grove

Parc project-based Section 8 housing complex represents a transformational project for the Woodlawn community. Located in the heart of Woodlawn along Cottage Grove between 60th and 63rd Street, the site occupies land that is pivotal to establishing a positive image for the neighborhood. Grove Parc has long been considered an impediment to neighborhood improvement and the prospect of replacing the complex with predominantly market-based development is a shot in the arm to efforts for community improvement.

Camiros was retained by Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc. (POAH) to prepare a master plan for redevelopment. POAH was selected by HUD as the successful bidder to undertake the redevelopment. Camiros’ responsibilities included formulating a program for on-site and off-site development, achieving a suitable mix of incomes in the housing portion of the program, establishing a new identity for Cottage Grove Avenue through on-site development and public streetscape improvements, and leveraging redevelopment investment to promote needed public improvements, such as a new CTA station at 63rd Street.

With the plan still in progress, the project faces a number of formidable challenges. Due to the stigma attached to Grove Parc, many in the community do not want any Section 8 housing to return to the existing site. The remedy to this is a mix of housing units with a preponderance of market rate

WOODLAWN COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

CTA

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100

77230

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513018

2225552

38625

105

Cottage Grove Plaza South

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit2131052

710017

522532

33635

101

Cottage Grove Plaza North

Total Housing Program

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit99730

17230%

20735

9817%

10488

10729953%

223234112569

Mixed-Use Mid-RiseLegend

3 Story ResidentialOn-Site

CTA Green Line

3 Story ResidentialOff-Site

Mixed-Use 3-Story Phase I Priority Projects

Green Improvements

Programming Concept PlanCottage Grove Master PlanChicago, Illinois

°0 200 400 600Feet

August 7, 2008

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0000

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0157590

04580125

Off-Site Family Housing

61st Street Family Housing

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit0000

013013

032225

0162238

TOD Building

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit0000

0000

77230

100

77230

100

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit1124035

513018

2225552

38625

105

Cottage Grove Plaza South

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit2131052

710017

522532

33635

101

Cottage Grove Plaza North

Total Housing Program

1 BR2 BR3 BRTotal

TotalSection

8 MarketTax

Credit99730

17230%

2073598

17%

10488

10729953%

223234112569

Mixed-Use Mid-RiseLegend

3 Story ResidentialOn-Site

CTA Green Line

3 Story ResidentialOff-Site

Mixed-Use 3-Story Phase I Priority Projects

Green Improvements

Programming Concept PlanCottage Grove Master PlanChicago, Illinois

°0 200 400 600Feet

August 7, 2008

The Grove Parc Programming Concept Plan il-lustrates locations of residential and commercial land uses. This plan also dem-onstrates the mixed income approach proposed.

Proposed 63rd and Cottage Grove redevelopment including a new CTA station and TOD projects.

Challenge: The redevelopment of the

405 unit Grove Parc project-based

Section 8 housing complex represents

a transformational project for the

Woodlawn community. Located in

the heart of Woodlawn along Cottage

Grove between 60th and 63rd Street,

the site occupies land that is pivotal to

establishing a positive image for the

neighborhood. Grove Parc has long

been considered an impediment to

neighborhood improvement and the

prospect of replacing the complex

with predominantly market-based

development is a shot in the arm to

efforts for community improvement.

Outcome: Camiros was retained by

Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc.

(POAH) to prepare a master plan for

redevelopment. POAH was selected

by HUD as the successful bidder to

undertake the redevelopment. Camiros’

responsibilities included formulating

a program for on-site and off-site

development, achieving a suitable mix

of incomes in the housing portion of the

program, establishing a new identity for

Cottage Grove Avenue through on-site

development and public streetscape

improvements, and leveraging

redevelopment investment to promote

needed public improvements, such as a

new CTA station at 63rd Street.

Project Implementation:

Woodlawn Center South is a 67-unit affordable housing development for low and moderate income families and individuals and is the first phase of the larger redevelopment of the existing Grove Parc Plaza, a distressed 504-unit Section 8 complex being demolished and rebuilt as a mixed-income community named

Woodlawn Park. The developer and sponsor is Preservation of Affordable Housing Inc. (POAH), a national affordable housing nonprofit with a local office in Chicago.

Woodlawn Park will be an environmentally sustainable, transit-oriented development. About 40% of the existing project-based Section 8 subsidized units will be preserved onsite within a mixed-income, mixed-use community providing approximately 65,000 ft. of commercial and retail space in later phases.

The first phase, Woodlawn Center South, is located at the terminus of the CTA Green Line el, and will be a sustainable, transit-oriented development. It will consist of two LEED-rated 33-unit and 34-unit 3-story walkup buildings constructed mainly of brick masonry veneer on opposite sides of Cottage Grove Avenue between 62nd and 63rd Streets. Amenities will include private rear yards for all three-bedroom family units, a tot lot play area, and extensive green building enhancements. POAH has also obtained funding for solar thermal hot water.

Article posted May 2010 by the Woodlawn New Communities Program. Read more at: http://www.ncp-woodlawn.org.

Dena L. Hicksdena. l .h icks@gmai l .com

Community Service, Chicago Cares

Chicago Cares BlogLeader Spotlight - Dena Hickshttp://chicagocaresblog.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 17, 2010

Dena Hicks may have had her first volunteer experience with Chicago Cares in 2001, but it was hardly her first brush with service. Dena’s family instilled

the importance of volunteerism and the act of giving back at a very young age. Those lessons have inspired Dena to work with the community.

“I believe it is important to take an active role in our community to keep our neighborhoods strong, enjoyable places to live.” ~Dena Hicks

Dena took her volunteering experience to the next level in 2006 when she agreed to be a team coordinator for a children’s education program with

Chicago Cares. Although Dena has volunteered with many different issue areas, she feels a special calling to children’s programs. “I really enjoy watching

the kids get excited about the new things they are learning. It’s rewarding to see their imaginations process these new tools and get excited about what

they can do with all that new knowledge,” says Dena.

In the past few years Dena has taken her volunteering another step further, assisting with refining curriculum for the Children’s Education and

Development department’s programs. Her expertise has been a huge help, especially with programs like Just Click Here. In addition to her work with

children’s programs, Dena is also a member of the Chicago Cares leadership council. Her dedication to Chicago Cares and service is a true inspiration.

On behalf of the Chicago Cares staff, we would like to say “THANK YOU Dena!” for all your hard work, dedication and inspiration. Your leadership and

awareness for service are an inspiration for so many others to get out into the community and give back.