Community center to open in South Chicago, city's oldest Mexican-American neighborhood

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A community center is set to open in the South Chicago neighborhood, the oldest Mexican-American community in Chicago.

The woman and group behind it have made it their mission to complete the center and give back to the neighborhood.

They have been putting the appliances in the kitchen of South Chicago's new community center. It is just days from opening after many years of working to make it happen.

"This is a dream come true for our organization and our community," said United Workers Executive Director Uvaldo Aguilar.

Volunteers looked through the building's plans with the general contractor. It was an ambitious dream in 2014, when the United Workers group was able to purchase the vacant building, an eyesore in the community, for one dollar from the county. They managed to get a state grant for $500,000 from then-Gov. Pat Quinn to begin work on the center.

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"This community didn't have anything. And, that was our mission: to have something that could provide services they're lacking," said United Workers Board President Isabel Martinez-Calleros.

The building now has numerous rooms for meeting spaces, classrooms and work rooms. The United Workers organization provides free and low-cost legal assistance, including for those in the community who are undocumented or have citizenship issues.

"More than anything, we want the community to know this is your home. This is not our home. This is a community home," said Ana Guajardo, an owner's representative.

The building also has a storefront for showcasing and selling products and a large work space in the basement. Volunteers have been cleaning it up and getting ready for a grand opening, and, they hope, a new chapter in the community.

"I think this space is gonna allow us to bring more people and fresh air to the community, and relief to the violence we live in day by day," Uvaldo said.

The vacant double lot has been sitting empty for quite some time, and it is right across the street from the new community center. While that took a decade to open, they're hoping to begin growing plants there much more quickly.