South Side welcomes Englewood Breakroom, pop-up to highlight community's music, sports and arts

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Friday, Chicago's South Side welcomed the Englewood Breakroom, a pop-up to highlight the community's love of music, sports and the arts.

Shalay Breclaw and her 9-year-old daughter, Layla, were there.

"I think it's wonderful. I think it's a great addition to the community," Shalay said.

Located at 63rd and Justine Avenue, the court's transformation is a part of the city's Chicago Recovery Plan. It's one of nearly a dozen projects awarded up to a $500,000 grant by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot to help transform vacant spaces into interactive community hubs.

The neighborhood site has a convertible athletic court. There's also retail space, concession stands and an outdoor area with free Wi-Fi. That's along with stages for live music and fashion shows.

"You can rent the retail space, art activations. We will also have different type of health fairs here," said Team Englewood Executive Director Cecile Demello.

The community plaza is the brainchild of Demello and neighborhood clothing store owner Corie Luckett.

Their vision is supported by the community's quality of life plan, which looks to work with police to address neighbors' concerns about crime in public spaces while supporting youth.

"Ten percent of everything we do goes to youth and community engagement. We've been activating this lot ever since. We're been here six years," Luckett said.

The hope is the breakroom will not only provide residents with a place to Interact and relax, but also support a changing 63rd Street business corridor.

The community organizations behind the pop-up will have access to the city-owned land for the next three years. It's good news for those who love the Englewood neighborhood and want to see it grow.

"This space shows what Englewood can be and what Englewood is," said Joseph Williams, an Englewood resident.