GreenBean

Vacation and Media Blitz

Apologies for the slow rate of posts the past few weeks, as first work became overwhelming, and I then withdrew from the world for a week of much-needed vacation. In any case, look for a few, briefer hits the next couple weeks as we work to catch-up on some small projects.

In the meantime, the amount of press for projects previously discussed on GreenBean is growing. First up, the Urban Green Project website is worth a second visit, as the owners are well into construction. The photo documentation they present here is unprecedented and presents a valuable resource to homeowners wondering what their construction project will really be like. The owners are also generating some interest in a few alternative media outlets.

Officer Donald Marquez Charter School

Location
2916 W. 47th St., Chicago Map

Owner
United Neighborhood Organization

Architect
Austin AECOM

Officer Donald Marquez Charter School is one of two green school renovations underway by the United Neighborhood Organiozation (UNO). This first project is housed in a former Misericordia home for disabled children in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. The two & four story, 58,150 sf building is opening this fall as a charter elementary school for 520 students, operated by the UNO Charter School Network. The project is seeking LEED Silver certification.

Boocoo Cultural Center and Cafe

Location
1823 Church Street, Evanston Map

Owner
Enterprise Development Foundation

Architect
studioVIM, LLC

The Boocoo Cultural Center and Cafe in Evanston's 5th Ward was built to engage the community at a local level in many different ways.  The 5000 square foot facility, previously a gas station, grocer, and dollar store, now contains a music school, recording studio, 125-seat performance space, yoga and fitness classes, and a cafe specializing in organic and free-trade fare.  Boocoo, in the words of its director Carolina Pfister, aims to be "a long lasting model of sustainability while catering to human health, intellect, and happiness."  The building boasts several traditional green elements such as permeable pavers, and some that are more unique, like insulation made from recycled blue jeans.  But as it turns out, the greenest features of this building are rooted in Boocoo's commitment to all things local.