Strengthening Transit Through Community PartnershipsNow, the Center for Neighborhood Technology has stepped forth with an appropriately grand ambition: a "vertical, green, and urban industrial park" and food manufacturing outpost, with a network of related firms. So-called EcoDistricts—which integrate energy, transportation, water, and land use—would drive everything from bakeries to soybean processing to technical support for area growers.
"CMD is obviously a big project," Stephen Perkins, communications director at CNT, told Chicagoist. "It takes a big, compelling vision—which has been lacking. Something that makes companies and tenants be more productive, create more jobs, be more profitable than they would be elsewhere."
Perkins is convinced food manufacturing makes the most sense. "Food is a huge opportunity. There's a lot of growth potential there. So many places are just not structured to take advantage," he said.