Introduction to the E.G. Woode Food Hub
ENGLEWOOD — Plans to build the E.G. Woode Food Hub, a dining development on 63rd Street, are moving ahead months after project leaders faced funding delays from city officials. Scaffolding surrounds the dilapidated building at 1022 W. 63rd St. as leaders at E.G. Woode — a collective of architects, designers and entrepreneurs — work to transform the century-old building into a culinary destination.
The Vision for the Food Hub
The food hub will be home to Pass the Peas, a casual soul food joint, and Ellie’s Urban Grill, a sports and entertainment eatery. An upstairs floor will be reserved for three offices and a pop-up kitchen for aspiring restaurateurs. The gut rehab of the 10,500-square-foot space began in March, said Deon Lucas, architect and leader at E.G. Woode.
Overcoming Funding Delays
If all goes as planned, the $7.1 million E.G. Woode Food Hub will open by summer 2026, Lucas said. The restaurant hub will be the collective’s second addition to the 63rd Street corridor. E.G. Woode celebrated the grand opening of a commercial space at 1122 W. 63rd St. in 2022. The 4,000-square-foot building houses a clothing store, coffee shop, barbershop and design firm led by entrepreneurs of color.
1022 W. 63rd St., where E.G. Woode — a collective of architects, designers and entrepreneurs, hopes open a food hub in the dilapidated building in Englewood on Oct. 13, 2023. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Securing Funding and Permits
Lucas announced his vision for the Englewood food hub in 2022. The project appeared before City Council in October 2023 when E.G. Woode asked alderpeople to approve up to $5 million in tax-increment financing to fund the dining space. Despite initial approval from City Council’s financial committee, Alds. David Moore (17th) and Raymond Lopez (15th) voted to delay a vote on the development until a future meeting.
Construction and Renovation
Next was working with Francis Construction Group to secure the “hazardous, challenging” building, Lucas said. To begin light demolition of the interior, the construction group had to find a shoring company willing to enter the building and erect scaffolding to stabilize its structure, said Alicia “Missy” Gaskin, project manager at Francis Construction Group.
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