About the Near South Planning Board - Near South Planning Board

Near South Planning Board (NSPB) – Catalyst For Growth – a not-for-profit community based organization serving businesses, institutions and property owners since 1946.

Primary service area is Jackson Boulevard to the north, Dan Ryan to the west, 35th Street to the south and Lake Michigan to the east. While these are NSPB’s “official” boundaries, our focus can extend further south and west to include areas such as Hyde Park and Pilsen if requested.

As one of the City of Chicago’s delegate agencies in the Neighborhood Business Development Center Program (NBDC), NSPB works to attract and retain businesses by serving as a facilitator and by providing resources, referrals, permit assistance, marketing and other educational programs.

Mission

The mission of Near South Planning Board –Catalyst For Growth – is to plan, guide and encourage a program of development for the near south area while creating, supporting and promoting a thriving business district.

Goals

Develop the economic, social, physical and cultural resources of the area.
Create and support a thriving business environment.
Stimulate and coordinate plans of the City, organizations and individuals for the improvement of the area.
Develop relationships with the community and the metropolitan area as a whole.
Promote the Near South as a safe and desirable area for commercial, retail, institutional, residential and open space development.

Communities Served

The NSPB’s primary service area is Jackson Boulevard to the north, Dan Ryan to the west, 35th Street to the south and Lake Michigan to the east. While these are NSPB’s “official” boundaries, our focus extends further south and west to include Hyde Park and Pilsen as needed.

Within our service area are many thriving established neighborhoods such as Bronzeville, Burnham Park, Central Station, Chinatown, Dearborn Park, Franklin Park, Lake Meadows, McCormick Square, Motor Row, Museum Campus, Prairie Avenue Historic District, Prairie Shores, Printers Row, River City, South Commons, The GAP, Woodland Park and newer communities such as the proposed 78 (Clark & Roosevelt) and SouthBridge (former Ickes Site at Cermak & State).

NSPB also provides support to the excellent educational institutions in the Near South area including Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, Illinois Tech, Illinois College of Optometry, The School of the Art Institute, VanderCook College of Music and major stakeholders such as Mercy Hospital and the Chicago White Sox.

Our Story

South Side Planning Board was founded in 1946 through the efforts of Michael Reese Hospital, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Mercy Hospital, when the City of Chicago did not even have a planning department. Burnham Park Planning Board began in 1980 and in 1993 the two organizations were merged into the Near South Planning Board.

For over 72 years, Near South Planning Board has been working to revitalize and enhance the beauty of this area. Our community has been experiencing a period of tremendous growth and development.

New housing, beautification and infrastructure improvements are creating an attractive neighborhood that is bringing in people from all over the city. The variety of housing stock, in all price ranges, assures that we will continue as a diverse and integrated community.

At the Near South Planning Board, we are gratified that our persistence is being rewarded. The Board is constantly involved in numerous issues and concerns, on a variety of levels, that directly or indirectly affect the Near South area. In addition, we sponsor the Authors in the Schools program and we host the Harold Washington Literary Dinner.

Near South History