City official leaders joined representatives Stone Community Development Corporation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI), Wintrust Bank, and Thresholds to cut the ribbon on the Austin HOPE Center.  Located in the heart of the Austin community at 5036 W Chicago Ave., the City-backed project brings pediatric specialty care, behavioral health services, and neighborhood-centered programming together under one roof at a state-of-the-art community hub designed with and for Austin families. The Austin HOPE Center was one of the first developments to benefit from support made available by the City of Chicago’s $1.25B Housing and Economic Development (HED) Bond.  The nearly 25,000 square foot facility will house an outpatient Lurie Children’s location where patients can access pediatric specialty and behavioral health services, reducing barriers to care while expanding access to nationally recognized pediatric expertise. Beyond healthcare, the center will serve as a flexible community space for youth development, health education, workforce training and neighborhood programming, reflecting the priorities identified by Austin residents throughout the planning and design process.