CRG, in conjunction with parent company, Clayco, has donated $1 million to Rebuild Foundation, the non-profit platform for art, cultural development and neighborhood transformation founded by artist and social innovator Theaster Gates. CRG’s grant will help Rebuild Foundation fund its largest project to-date – rehabbing the former St. Laurence School, located in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, into an incubator for artists and creative entrepreneurs.
CRG is making its donation through CRG Cares, its philanthropic arm that provides funding, services and volunteers to enhance communities in cities where it operates, and will be funded through The Clayco Foundation, the 501(c)(3) non-profit of CRG’s parent company, Clayco.
Housed in a former elementary school that was abandoned and slated for demolition, the innovation hub at St. Laurence will offer 40,000 square feet of artist studios, makerspaces, classrooms, coworking spaces and an auditorium, along with a permanent archival space for Rebuild’s expansive collection of culturally relevant objects. It will be the first space of its kind dedicated to helping Black and Brown artists and creative entrepreneurs scale their ideas to build income and operate a business. CRG’s grant will help fund the first phase of construction, which is already underway and includes plumbing, electrical, mechanical operations and HVAC systems. Building completion and programming is slated for Fall 2023.
