Gotham Greens, an organization focused on urban agriculture, will open a new, 105,000-square-foot greenhouse in the South Side neighborhood of Pullman, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. The greenhouse is expected to bring 60 jobs to the neighborhood. The project is expected to cost a total of $12.6 million, but the City of Chicago is offering a $3.5 million tax-increment financing (TIF) subsidy, according to the report. 

“It's been amazing to be part of economic revitalization in historic Pullman, and our strong desire has been to expand in Pullman itself,” said Viraj Puri, Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO.

Rendering photo courtesy of Gotham Greens

This development is adding to the Gotham Greens footprint already in the neighborhood. The company also has a 75,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse in the neighborhood, which opened in 2015. The greenhouses grow produce which goes to grocery stores like Whole Foods. Whole Foods just opened a distribution center not far from the existing greenhouse.

The Gotham Greens and Whole Foods projects are part of a larger story that is reshaping Pullman. Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that the neighborhood has added more than 1,000 jobs over the past five years.

The second Gotham Greens greenhouse is a part of the Pullman Park development that is being masterminded by developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives. According to the CNI website, the development covers 180 acres in the neighborhood and includes a 150,000-square-foot Walmart and 70,000 square feet of retail space with an Advocate Health Care location, a Planet Fitness, a Method Home Products manufacturing facility, a Ross Dress for Less, and the Whole Foods distribution center. The development, located at 111th Street and I-94, has brought $250 million of investment to the neighborhood.

Rendering courtesy of Gotham Greens

 The second greenhouse isn’t the only major development changing the neighborhood. Pullman Crossings is a 62-acre industrial park being developed by Ryan Companies. Located at 103rd Street and Woodlawn Avenue, the development is expected to feature residential space, retail space, and hotels. Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives is also involved in this project, according to the Pullman Crossings website. The development is projected to cost between $50 million and $90 million, and it is slated to break ground this year. 

The City of Chicago is also investing in the nearby neighborhood of West Pullman through Emanuel’s Retail Thrive Zones initiative. Last year, the initiative awarded $5 million in grants to 51 small business owners in a number of South Side and West Side neighborhoods, including West Pullman. The grants are designed to stimulate business growth in those neighborhoods by funding new businesses and supporting the renovation of existing businesses.