Chatham Property Purchase: Pastor John Hannah Acquires Building on 79th and Cottage Grove for New Life Covenant Southeast in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — Big plans are in the works on the South Side at the intersection of 79th and Cottage Grove.

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A local church purchased a building on the corner that previously known as Happy Liquor and Foods.

Pastor John Hannah plans to breathe new life into a building he hopes will help transform a neighborhood.

Neighbors say the liquor store attracted the wrong kind of business, some even taking a different bus stop to avoid it.

“People just standing outside. It’s real dangerous. So, I just keep walking straight. There’s too much happening,” neighbor Jessica Crowder said.

Last May, police say three men were shot near the sidewalk, one of them was killed.

“Gangs standing in front of their door, literally their very door, selling drugs to the community,” expressed 8th Ward Alderman Michelle Harris. She highlighted the negative impact of having such activities right at one’s doorstep, attracting unwanted traffic.

Eventually the business was shuttered, that’s when New Life Covenant Southeast and Pastor John Hannah entered the equation and bought the property.

“We knew that there’s so much potential in this community,” shared Pastor Hannah optimistically. Despite the challenges, they were aware of the community’s willingness for change and were determined not to let the negativity overshadow the positives.

Pastor Hannah said he views this transformation as an assignment from God.

The pastor aims to revamp the area by introducing a grocery store, a medical facility offering dental and counseling services, and creating space for small businesses to thrive, envisioning a brighter future for the neighborhood.

“We do a prayer down 79th Street every year,” Hannah said. “We’ve been walking past this store for 15 years, and so finally, we don’t have to walk past it. We can put a flag in the ground.”

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