With the release of our Elevated Works 2025 Impact Report Bridging Visions, Accelerating Impact I’ve been reflecting on lessons learned about the state of equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) and technical assistance.

When we started Elevated Works in 2023 shortly after the Connected Communities Act passed, it felt more like a movement moment than a program rollout to me. That vision came true as developers have built community cafés, affordable housing, arts spaces, and workforce hubs —places that serve, not displace, communities.

As the report shows, in two years, we've supported 29 projects with $300 million invested in Chicago communities leading to 24 site acquisitions, 7 groundbreakings and 5 completed projects to date. Through over 2,000 hours of coaching, we helped developers navigate zoning codes, secure funding, and build community engagement strategies.

These aren't just numbers—they're community cafés, affordable housing, arts spaces, and workforce hubs that serve rather than displace their communities. But the real magic happened in the relationships—developers sharing tips, swapping contacts, and talking openly about what was working and what wasn't. We built much more than buildings.

We built more than buildings

We’re proud of each project, but Elevated Works is more than a collection of individual success stories. It’s a community of developers sharing tips, swapping contacts and talking openly about what was and wasn’t working.

Building relationships through peer learning events and group education opportunities countered a prevalent scarcity-focused mindset and instead fostering a culture of trust and shared success.  

As one developer said, “Sometimes the best technical assistance is just having someone you can text when you hit a wall.” Another example: grocery store Wild Onion Market had a refrigerator fail, so they donated perishables to Ignatian Mission Center’s Food Pantry before they spoiled. 

Countering a Legacy of Disinvestment

Providing technical assistance requires more than technical expertise.

Most Elevated Works developers have never navigated Chicago's full development process before, and it's a complicated system that often seems to require deep resources or insider knowledge.As if that were not enough, they also were facing Chicago's history that includes decades of investment flowing into some neighborhoods while bypassing others, especially Black and Brown communities.

Our Elevated Works partners countered that legacy, providing support and relationships, and sharing hard-won experience. By leveling the playing field, they helped bring community developers’ visions to life. Each project we’ve supported has added to the fabric of their community.

Here’s the best part: this work will continue for the rest of this year. We look forward to sharing what we’ve learned so far. Thank you to our partners—Elevated Chicago, IFF, Rudd Resources, Metropolitan Planning Council, and our network of TA partners, funders, and the City of Chicago. And to the developers who trusted us with your vision: thank you for building a more just, transit-connected city from the ground up.