Duo Development: NOF Feature in North Lawndale
Company Profile
Duo Development, founded in 2019, is a non-profit development firm led by siblings Rafael Robles, Carlos Robles-Shanahan, and Karla Robles. Their organization’s approach is based on principles of community ownership, collective well-being, and a mission to find creative solutions to multifaceted social challenges.
Neighborhood Opportunity Fund Impact
Duo Development received a $250,000 Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) grant to transform a vacant lot. The Robles siblings envisioned a hyperlocal space for the neighborhood to “replenish, gather, learn, and create” without financial impediment.
As a new construction project, NOF grant funds covered excavation costs, interior and exterior building construction, HVAC, door and window installation, plumbing, and tile installation. The completed building, Starling Community Center, features a host of resources, spaces, and a full-time café provided by Monday Coffee Company.
Per Duo Development’s press release:
Starling’s flexible design offers multiple spaces to rent by the hour for private work and collective planning. Whether it’s a resident starting a business, a lecture, painting a masterpiece, or simply doing homework, the building provides an environment that adapts to their needs. These spaces are imbued with intention, designed to honor the ways people create and collaborate.
Photos provided by Duo Development
Duo Development’s Starling Community Center is Open for Business:
You can now visit Starling on the corner of 16th and Sawyer at 3243 W. 16th St. The building is available for free daily use, or paid reservations for spaces including: a library nook, an open workshop area, an equipped sound studio, a small meeting room, three outdoor terraces, and a garden.
Click here to view upcoming public and private events at Starling. Learn more about Starling at @starlingbyduo or keep up with Duo’s future projects at @ duo__________ on Instagram.
Learn More About the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund
The City of Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund generates revenue from downtown developments to finance permanent building improvements for small businesses and nonprofits. Administered by SomerCor, NOF grants are for commercial property acquisition, improvement or new construction and can range up to $250,000. If you have a vision to strengthen the commercial corridors in Chicago’s South, Southwest, and West Sides, click here to learn more about the program.
