The 60-unit affordable senior apartment building under construction at 1015 Howard St. was named this afternoon for retiring 8th Ward Alderman Ann Rainey.
Developer David Block of Evergreen Real Estate Group said the name would honor “one of the most dedicated public servants that I’ve ever worked with.”
Mayor Steve Hagerty said, “You can be an elected official, and you can stand up there and vote ‘no’ to lots and lots of things, or you can be an elected official who has vision, who understands the partnerships that you need with the private sector, with the non-profit community, with the faith community, and you can get a hell of a lot done in 30-something years as an alderman here in Evanston.”
“Name any big initiative in this town, and Ann Rainey’s fingerprints are on it,” Hagerty added.
Community Development Director Johanna Nyden said Rainey taught her about the importance of building and sustaining relationships to achieve development goals.
Joe Moore, who for 28-years was alderman of Chicago’s 49th Ward, on the other side of Howard Street, said Rainey’s passion for Evanston and the 8th Ward community “is absolutely unparalleled.”
“You walk from the Howard ‘L’ all the way to Kedzie,” Moore said, “and every single block you see the handiwork of Ann Rainey’s 34-year commitment to the 8th Ward.”
“Ann is absolutely irreplaceable, he added, “and this building will be an everlasting monument to her commitment to the betterment of the senior citizens of Evanston and to this street that we share.”
