What’s Next – New City United Yards

The New City United Yards development is entering an exciting new phase as it transitions from construction to activation, building on the momentum of its early successes to deliver even more opportunity, equity, and community impact in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Now Open and Coming Soon

Back of the Yards Works—the collective of rent-free, locally owned businesses—is now fully constructed and active.
Friend Health, the federally qualified health center offering medical, dental, and mental health services, is nearing completion, with its official opening anticipated in Summer 2025.
Back of the Yards Coffeehouse, Aracely’s Bakery, Chop Shop Barberia, and La Selva Apparel are open for business as of Spring 2024, bringing early energy and community access to the site. More are expected in the years to come as more business space is opened up.

Progress on Residential Development

Construction will be completed in Fall 2025 on the housing developments at Justine and Marshfield, which will bring 51 affordable homes to the community—offering family-sized units and equitable housing opportunities for residents earning between 15% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Expansion of Economic Infrastructure

Immediate plans are underway to develop administrative and packaging space for Back of the Yards Works within additional sections of the Goldblatts Building. This next step is subject to funding, but would allow the business collective to scale operations, increase production capacity, and deepen its economic footprint in the neighborhood.

Next Phase Visioning and Community Engagement

Looking ahead, the development team is preparing a comprehensive plan to be presented to the Community Fall 2025. This proposal will include:

A new youth focused community center, the Prosper Center, in the historic Rainbow building at the corner of 47^th Street and Ashland Avenue
Service-enriched housing for families and individuals at the Ashland Hotel
Workforce development and training space in the immediate surrounding community
And much, much more!

This next chapter represents a continued commitment to community-first development, rooted in local ownership, inclusive growth, and long-term neighborhood stewardship. As each piece of the project comes online, United Yards is steadily becoming a national model for equitable, paradigm-shifting neighborhood revitalization.