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Pullman Community
Building a brighter tomorrow by enhancing the quality of life today!
In 1999, Anthony Beale became the youngest member of the Chicago City Council when he assumed office as Alderman of the 9th Ward. A lifelong resident of the Rosemoor community, Beale is inspired to make city government accessible and responsive to the challenges faced by 9th Ward residents.
Named the Democratic Ward Committeeman in 2000, and re-elected in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019 Alderman Beale is the former Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and the Public Way, the former Chairman of the Committees on Landmarks and Public Safety (Police & Fire) and a current member of the following City Council Committees:
• Committees and Rules • Workforce Development
• Education and Child Development • Finance
• Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
Alderman Beale's ability to identify resources focused on creating economic opportunity, neighborhood revitalization, quality education, public safety and improvements in public transportation have resulted in the following milestones during his tenure in office.
Economic and Job Development
• The development of Pullman Park, a 170 acre mixed-use development anchored by the Walmart Super Center. Walmart brought 400 jobs with 40% of those jobs going to 9th Ward residents. Future phases of the Pullman Park development will include additional retail, entertainment venues and housing.
• Successfully attracting Method, a manufacturer of eco-friendly household cleaning and personal care products, to open its new $33 million, 150,000 sq. ft. production facility in the 9th Ward. Scheduled to open in 2015, the facility is slated to create 100 jobs at an average salary of $65,000 a year.
• Innovative use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Special Service Area (SSA) funding to spur new economic development, create jobs and make the 9th Ward a desirable location for long-standing businesses (Sherwin-Williams, Keebler, Comcast, NACME Steel Processing) to remain and expand their operations. The Community Development Commission approved $8.1 million in TIF funds for infrastructure improvements in Pullman Park in connection with the Method plant construction.
• Created Special Service Areas (SSA) 40 and 41, resulting in the beautification and other improvements to Michigan Avenue, 103rd Street and other business districts in the 9th Ward.
• Established the Roseland Chamber of Commerce as a business development and information resource for existing and aspiring businesses.
• Negotiated community benefits agreements with public and private employers, ensuring that local residents are hired for development and construction projects in the community.
• A champion of efforts to establish the Pullman Historic District as a National Park and to locate the Obama Presidential Library in the Pullman/Roseland community as economic engines to drive tourism and facilitate job creation on the South Side.
Community Engagement
The Alderman's office sponsors or has sponsored the following community events:
• Senior Sockhop
• Back to School Parade and Picnic
• Wilks' Annual Bike Ride
• Health and Resource Fair
• Senior Thanksgiving Dinner
• Christmas in the 9th Ward
• Monthly Community Meeting
Alderman Beale and his wife Dana have three children. He is a long-time supporter of the Rosemoor Community Association, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the NAACP, Salem Baptist Church and Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). He volunteers as a baseball coach of Roseland Little League and the Gwendolyn Brooks High School Baseball Team.
Education & Youth Engagement
• Construction of the Pullman Community Center, a state-of-the-art athletic and education facility.
• Spearheaded a $32 million upgrade to Gwendolyn Brooks High School, ranked 6th in the city in student achievement.
• Prevented CPS planned closing of schools in the 9th Ward.
• Renewed the Roseland Little League, making history by hosting the 2007 Little League State Championship for the first time in over 25 years.
• Construction of the first water park on the South Side, and four state of the art baseball fields, home to 400 Little Leaguers.
Public Saftey
• Established Special Service Area (SSA) security force to enhance public safety.
• Orchestrated the drive to ban liquor sales in part of the 9th Ward.
• Advocated for reallocation of police staffing to curtail crime and gang violence.
• Participated in marches and community events against violence, crimes and drugs.
Transportation
• As Chairman of the Transportation Committee, successfully advocated for the reconstruction of the South Side section of the CTA Red Line, renovation of the 95th Street CTA station and extension of the CTA Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street to improve our residents' access to convenient transportation options.
• Revitalization projects in Altgeld Gardens, Concordia and Riverside housing developments.
• Development of 102 new units of affordable housing for senior citizens at the Roseland Manor and The All Saints Residence. The 9th Ward is now home to six senior housing buildings: Emil Jones, Pullman Suites, Rosehaven, Roseland Manor, Roseland Village-Grand Families, including housing for grandparents raising their grandchildren.
• Opening of the newly expanded The Chicago Family Health Center facility featuring 21,000 sq. ft. of patient-care space.
• Resurfacing streets and installing new sidewalks and curbs throughout the 9th Ward.