Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Environmental Justice
People for Community Recovery has battled to preserve and save the historic C Building from demolition since 2021. Newly under PCR's ownership, the C Building will be revitalized to a life which restores the Green Vision of Altgeld Gardens and transformed into a green community hub: Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice.
The Hazel M. Johnson Institute aims to provide a historic landmark and educational institution in the center of Altgeld Gardens. The building will be a 100% efficient, electric and sustainably powered center of learning and research--a living classroom, bringing together Altgeld residents with sustainable development leaders from across the nation. In addition to workforce development and training programming, the center would have office space for local organizations, host community and youth programming, and have community meeting space.
In 2021, People for Community Recovery successfully stopped Chicago Public Schools from its planned demolition of the historic C Building at Altgeld Gardens. Staff and advocates educated city officials on the importance and historical significance of the building (Altgeld’s first school) as well as Altgeld Gardens as whole, given the legacy of PCR’s founder, Hazel Johnson. This work also contributed to the decision by the City of Chicago Commission on Landmarks to vote in favor of Altgeld’s registered historic landmark status.
PCR's vision is to restore the C Building into an Environmental Justice center for the far South Side community. Late August 2024, PCR was granted ownership of Building C in Altgeld Gardens on the far South Side of Chicago from Chicago Public Schools’ Board of Education.
While we’ve reached a crucial milestone, our work continues. Named after PCR’s founder and resident of Altgeld Gardens, known internationally as the mother of the environmental justice movement, PCR plans to restore the building into a sustainable community center that will serve as a community resilience hub, remediation and renewable energy job training center, and host youth educational and after school programming, community events and more.
We need your support to continue our work to restore Building C into the Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice. 🌿