Growing Home Unveils Plans for $25 Million Eco-Campus in West Englewood

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Englewood · January 31, 2026

West Englewood residents will soon benefit from a transformative $25 million campus focused on urban agriculture and workforce development. Growing Home, a nonprofit organization operating USDA-certified organic farms in the neighborhood since 2009, recently announced plans to break ground on a 56,000-square-foot campus by spring 2026.

The expansion will significantly increase the organization's capacity beyond its current 1.75 acres of farms and hoop houses, which already provide over 100 types of vegetables and herbs to more than 3,700 Englewood residents through partnerships with local food pantries, markets, and other nonprofits. The new agro-eco district will enable year-round food production, reduce waste, train more people through workforce development programs, and introduce more healthy recipes to combat food inequity in the neighborhood. "I want people to drive by and ask, 'What is that beautiful building, and how can I get involved?' I want pride. I want to show off Englewood," said Janelle St. John, Growing Home's executive director.

West Englewood residents interested in learning more about this development can visit the current Growing Home farms at 5814 S. Wood Street or contact the organization directly to explore volunteer opportunities, job training programs, or ways to support this transformative community project. The initiative represents another important step in the ongoing revitalization of West Englewood's 59th Street corridor.

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/08/07/a-25-million-organic-farm-and-job-training-campus-could-come-to-englewood/