Oakland Residents to Shape 'Mandrake to the Lake' Development at Community Forum

50 million investment, planned by The Habitat Company and Abide Capital Group, aims to create a gateway connecting Mandrake Park to Lake Michigan with three mixed-use buildings providing 268 workforce and market-rate housing units.

The thoughtfully designed landscape, managed by OMNI Ecosystems, will incorporate new plazas and green streets that enhance the connection between the park and lakefront while responding to community priorities. The sites present a unique opportunity to create an equitable, transit-oriented neighborhood adjacent to valuable community assets including the historic Bronzeville and Kenwood communities, Oakwood Beach, 31st Street Beach, Burnham Lakefront Park, and Lake Michigan. The development represents another step in Oakland's ongoing revitalization, as this small but vibrant lakefront community continues to transform.

Residents interested in participating in the community forum should visit the Oakland Community Center website for details on date, time, and virtual attendance options. The project aligns with Oakland's broader renaissance as many of the neighborhood's quiet residential streets now feature newly built single-family homes and multi-unit constructions with manicured lawns, part of a full-on neighborhood revitalization spearheaded by enthusiastic local organizations and community centers.

Sources:
1. https://chicago.urbanize.city/post/designs-released-oakwood-and-lake-park-rfp
2. https://www.dreamtown.com/neighborhoods/oakland