Structured Finance & Development Consulting Services
Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) provides specialized advisory and execution support for complex real estate and community development projects in the Chicagoland area and across the country. Our services combine expert financing solutions with hands-on project management, helping clients navigate regulatory requirements, secure capital, and bring projects to successful completion.
Our integrated approach bridges financial structuring with on-the-ground project execution – allowing clients to focus on their mission while we navigate the complexities of development and finance.
“Partnering with CNI’s NMTC consultants was critical to the success of the Comer XChange project. Their deep expertise, hands-on engagement, and proven reputation as community development financing leaders helped us close the deal with confidence. We’re proud to have worked with them and look forward to collaborating again on future opportunities.”
– Greg Mooney, President & Executive DirectorComer Science & Education Foundation
Structured Finance Services
We help clients design and secure optimal financing structures to support complex development projects, with expertise in leveraging multiple funding sources.
- New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Consulting Identify available NMTC allocation through CDE partners, facilitate introductions to equity investors, and coordinate the full NMTC transaction process.
- Leverage Funding Sources Identify philanthropic and government grants, as well as other low-cost capital, to strengthen project financing.
- Stakeholder Education Train staff, boards, and partners on the economic, compliance, and legal aspects of financing tools such as NMTC.
- Transaction Support Assist in selecting legal counsel, reviewing term sheets, gathering due diligence, and coordinating deal calls.
- Negotiation & Closing Manage negotiations with financing partners, coordinate weekly closing calls, and connect clients with post-closing compliance experts.
Developer Consulting Services
We act as the owner’s trusted development partner, managing the planning, approvals, financing, construction, and closeout phases.
- Project Approvals & Compliance Secure all necessary governmental permits, licenses, easements, and approvals.
- Team Assembly & Oversight Select and contract with architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants, and oversee their work.
- Financing Strategy Identify and structure funding sources, negotiate terms, and manage sources and uses.
- Construction & Equipment Oversee construction and installation/testing of equipment.
- Budget & Draw Management Review and approve construction draw packages; ensure lien-free completion.
- Quality Assurance Monitor for defects, delays, and non-conformance, and manage punch lists to ensure final acceptance.
- Risk Management Maintain appropriate insurance coverage throughout the project.
Ozinga Slag Cement Manufacturing Facility
Ozinga is developing a low-carbon slag cement manufacturing facility in East Chicago, Indiana, repurposing infrastructure from a former steel plant. The new facility will produce Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBFS), a sustainable alternative to Portland cement that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. Strategically located in a federally designated Disadvantaged Community (DAC) and Energy Community, the facility will provide a secure domestic supply of low-carbon cement, while driving economic revitalization.
Fillmore Linen Service
CNI guided NMTC financing for Fillmore Linen Service, enabling the expansion of this family-owned West Side manufacturer. Designed to support Chicago’s healthcare system, Fillmore Linen Services will advance job creation and increase economic opportunity for North Lawndale residents. At full capacity, it is expected to create more than 180 jobs, 100% of which will receive a living wage and benefits. Employees will also receive financial literacy and support services through external partners, covering topics from opening a bank account to home ownership programs.
Austin HOPE Center
CNI is partnering with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Stone Community Development Corporation to develop the Austin HOPE Center – a three-story, 25,000 square foot facility. This new neighborhood facility will be a welcoming space for youth and families to seek community-based services and pediatric clinical and behavioral health care. Wintrust Bank will open a branch in the building and provide financial workshops for community members.
Ozinga Slag Cement Manufacturing Facility
With support from the City of Chicago, CNI invited Whole Foods’ leadership to Pullman to see for themselves the unmatched infrastructure that connects the rail, roads and waterways, and an industrial park that had already attracted new companies, like Method Home Products and Gotham Greens, and access to a skilled workforce and a supportive community. As a result, the 150,000 square-foot Whole Foods Distribution Center (twice the size of their former facility) opened in Pullman in 2018, and now serves 70 Whole Foods Market locations across the Midwest, including Chicago and Eastern Canada, and the more than 100 jobs it brings to Pullman. The facility was financed with $23 million in New Markets Tax Credit investment provided by CNI and partners.
North Austin Community Center
In partnership with Intentional Sports, Grace and Peace Church, and By the Hand Club for Kids, CNI led the development and structured financing of the first nonprofit campus in Chicago dedicated to sports, wellness, and education. The 140,000 sq. ft. community center delivers a full-sized indoor sports field, 2 basketball courts, room for tutoring, community gathering space, a café and more. It also includes an extensive outdoor area with playgrounds, sports courts and fields on a long-vacant 6.7-acre former brownfield site on Chicago’s West Side. The North Austin Center serves 60,000 individuals annually and provides more than 100 hours each week for members of the community to participate in sports, classes and other activities. The Center created 55 new jobs with 85% of all hires from the North Austin community. From Memorial Day to Labor Day 2024, the surrounding neighborhood experienced a15% reduction in summer violent crime.
XChange Chicago
Working with the Comer Science & Education Foundation, CNI structured NMTC financing for an expansion of the Comer Education Campus. The expanded campus will provide an innovative workforce solution for residents. By offering training, wrap-around services, and a direct pathway into apprenticeships and jobs at employers located within the community, Xchange Chicago will spur neighborhood revitalization.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jennifer Bransfield | jbransfield@cnigroup.org | 773.301.2647
Kyle Harvey | kharvey@cnigroup.org | 773.954.8790