1978-1985
Refugees from Southeast Asia settle in Rockford’s Midtown. Major recession and unemployment hit the Rockford area.
1982
Members of Zion Lutheran Church (ZLC) found ZION Development Corporation (ZDC) to address economic needs of the neighborhood.
1982-1983
ZDC establishes quality control workshop employing neighbors to sort screws in ZLC parish house with contracts from Amerock Corporation. To help new immigrants settle in, ZDC offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes through Rock Valley College. Zion Church leader and sales executive Curt Wahlmark serves as ZDC’s first Executive Director, calling on local corporations for workshop contracts.
1983-1984
Thriving ZDC workshop expands and moves to the M. West Center at Third Avenue and Fifth Street.
1984
Salem Lutheran Church staffer Dale Johnson becomes Executive Director, assists with the workshop’s move and encourages congregations to volunteer with ZDC. ZDC buys its first house for rehabilitation in the 500 block of Fifth Street. ZDC assists Montessori Learning Path in locating at Bethany Methodist Church at Third Avenue and Eighth Street, bringing new educational resources to the neighborhood. ZDC opens textile arts store on Seventh Street to enable Hmong artists to sell their work on consignment. ZDC leases a building at 1516 Seventh Street to expand the workshop.
1985
Les Lewis, employment specialist with not-for-profit experience, becomes Executive Director and establishes contacts for workshop. ZDC begins summer youth internship program with rafting on the Kishwaukee River. ZDC purchases and operates Top Hat Catering and Wedding Center on Broadway to provide employment and services to neighborhood residents. Sophia Electronics opens on Seventh Street with ZDC’s help, providing work for neighbors.
1986
Retired corporate president Curt Reynolds becomes volunteer Executive Director, establishes ZION’s organizational structure and provides leadership in housing rehabilitation and business development. As a a result of Top Hat business, ZDC develops Oriental Express restaurant on Broadway specializing in egg rolls and Chinese food prepared by area residents.
1987
ZDC is a partner in opening The Dove, an employment training and boat building business opportunity for military veterans to learn fiberglass technology.
1990
ZDC wins the prestigious 11th Annual Excelsior Award sponsored by the Rockford Register Star to recognize positive impact on life in the Rock River Valley. ZDC begins purchase and rehab of apartment buildings in the 500 block of Fifth Street to eliminate blight and produce new housing.
1991
First annual Spring Banquet, ZDC fundraiser, is held at City Club, located atop the AMCORE Bank headquarters on Seventh Street.
1992
ZDC provides leadership in the formation of the Seventh Street Area Development Council, the forerunner of the Midtown District, to encourage business development. To eliminate prostitution and drug dealing, ZDC purchases Rockford’s only adult bookstore, refuses to renew the lease, and partners with the City to prevent the operation of such businesses anywhere in the community.
1994
Rockford native Brad Roos returns from Champaign-Urbana to become Executive Director, bringing 14 years of not-for-profit experience in housing, construction, and human services. US News and World Report names a census tract in the 61104-zip code as the ninth poorest, predominantly white area in the nation. ZDC completes the renovation of the mixed-use building at 524 7th Street into the ZDC offices and two upstairs apartments.
1995
ZDC builds 12 new energy-efficient townhomes, the first new residential construction in the neighborhood in decades.
1997
ZDC purchases the Grand Hotel, the most dangerous building in nine counties, according to police records, to reduce crime and create permanent supportive housing for those coming out of homelessness. ZDC completes $1 million renovation of The National Building on 7th Street, transforming a deteriorated, dangerous flophouse into eight safe, nice, affordable apartments and 2,800 square feet of commercial space.
1998
ZDC completes $6 million renovation of a former hotel to create Longwood Plaza, 65 attractive, affordable apartments for seniors with lower incomes.
2001
To end homelessness, ZDC transforms the Grand Hotel into 45 apartments as Rockford’s first permanent, supportive housing facility, a $5.3 million project. ZDC wins a $3 million private grant to establish the Walter D. Williams Wellness Program on-site at Longwood Plaza for the residents. The Doors of Rockford Art Show and Auction becomes ZDC’s first annual fall fundraiser. To eliminate related prostitution and drug dealing, ZDC purchases and demolishes the Squeeze Inn on Seventh Street. Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwich Shop, the first franchised restaurant in Midtown history, opens in ZDC’s renovated National Building at 528 7th Street.
2002
ZDC establishes the Choppi Youth Leadership Program to help develop young neighborhood leaders.
2003
With Rockford Area Lutheran Ministries (RALM), ZDC begins community-wide Katie’s Cup Conversations about issues of the day as viewed “through the lens of faith.”
2005
Illinois Department on Aging awards ZDC’s Walter D. Williams Wellness Program the Governor’s Unique Achievement Award, recognizing positive impact in the lives of seniors. ZDC begins the Lantow Lofts capital campaign for the area’s first market-rate condo project to attract middle and upper-income residents to the Midtown neighborhood.
2007
Midtown residents begin training in Asset-Based Community Development with the help of a $5,000 ZDC-won grant from the Margaret K. Aldeen Christian Ministry Fund at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Dale Sanders, retired nonprofit executive, joins ZDC as the first Chief Operating Officer. The ZDC Yard Machines lawn maintenance business begins, providing jobs for neighborhood residents in caring for area properties. Partnership with Lutheran Social Services (LSSI) prevents homelessness by providing transitional living services for youth aging out of foster care. ZDC kicks off its 25th anniversary with a Silver Bells Celebration.
2008
ZDC completes the Lantow Lofts project, creating seven upscale loft condos to bring middle and upper-income residents to the Midtown neighborhood. The real estate market and the US economy take downturns.
2009
ZION Development and RALM open Katie’s Cup Coffee Bar and Bookstore in the Lantow Lofts building. Katie’s Cup immediately brings in customers from all over the Rockford area, especially young, educated people, a new and enthusiastic demographic group for the Midtown District. ZDC and the daughters of Chet Anders award Jane LaGrande and Zion Lutheran Church with the First Annual Chet Anderson Civic Hero Award. ZDC partners with Patriots’ Gateway Center and Chicago International Charter Schools (CICS) to win a charter for a public charter school, K-12 for up to 1,500 students. The real estate market and the economy continue to drop, putting great pressure on the Rockford area, and particularly on the poor in Midtown.
2010
ZION Development works closely with Patriots’ Gateway and CICS to open a public charter school (K-4) at Patriots’ Gateway Center with 251 students. Bob Campbell, a neighbor and former ZION Development employee completes his master’s thesis on the cost savings impact of ZION’s Walter D. Williams Wellness Program at Longwood Gardens. The study provides evidence that this wellness program is the best such program for seniors in the nation. ZION is asked by a collection of community organizations to be the lead applicant for a Promise Neighborhood federal planning grant. The Promise Neighborhood program is based on the spectacular success of Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone program in New York. The national and local economy and real estate market remain shaky and pressures on the poor in Midtown remain intense.
2011
CICS-Patriots Charter School begins its second year of operation with 351 students in grades K-5. Police records reveal that property-related crimes in the four blocks around Katie’s Cup Coffee Bar and Bookstore decreased by 300% over the three years since Katie’s Cup opened. The national and local economy continues to show only a slow recovery. Rockford’s area median income has increased by only 1.6% over the past 10 years. ZDC continues to promote the concepts of Christian Community Development and a small group of interest faith leaders forms over the topic. ZDC invites Geoffrey Canada (CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone) to speak in Rockford. Canada agrees and ZDC joins United Way, the Chamber of Commerce, Alignment Rockford, and the Rockford Human Services Department to organize and promote Canada’s visit.
2014/5
Brad Roos, ZION’s long time executive director, retired at the end of 2014. Bob Campbell, formerly the construction manager for ZION from 2000-2005, returned to ZION at the beginning of January to take Brad’s place. ZION launched a partnership with the United Way of Rock River Valley (UWRRV) to create the first Strong Neighborhood House. Located in ZION’s home community of Midtown, the house serves as a community outreach center for various nonprofits and as the office for the Rockford Police Department’s Community Services Officer for the area. The house was donated by Wells Fargo Bank. ZION oversaw the rehabilitation and maintains the ownership and maintenance responsibilities of the house.
2016
The ZION/UWRRV partnership yields a second Strong Neighborhood House in the Ellis Heights community. The house was donated by the City of Rockford. ZION oversaw the rehabilitation and maintains the ownership and maintenance responsibilities of the house.
2020
ZION, along with Pivotal Housing Partners (fka MVAH), is awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) for the rehabilitation of Longwood Gardens. In addition, the ZION/UWRRV partnership yields a third Strong Neighborhood House in Machesney Park. This house is a new construction home built using a plan from Habitat for Humanity. The original house was donated by Associated Bank and demolished by the Village of Machesney Park. ZION oversees the construction of the home and maintains the ownership and maintenance responsibilities of the house.
2021
The ZION/Pivotal HP partnership is approved for two additional LIHTC developments, Lincoln Lofts II in Bloomington, and Harvey Lofts in Harvey. The pre-development process for Longwood Gardens continues to progress.
2022
The financial closings occurs for both Lincoln Lofts II and Longwood Gardens, with construction beginning in the early summer. Lincoln Lofts II is a 54-unit development of affordable family housing. Longwood Gardens is remaining affordable housing for seniors, with 64 units. ZION also begins a formal partnership with Gorman & Co. on the rehabilitation of the Lafayette Hotel (to be renamed Lafayette Apartments) in downtown Rockford. The development is approved for a non-competitive set of LIHTC as well as historic tax credits. The rehabilitation will result in 54 units of permanent supportive housing, similar to ZION’s development of the Grand Apartments. ZION ends the year on a high note by celebrating our 40th Anniversary!
2023
The financial closing for Harvey Lofts occurs in the summer, with construction starting shortly after. This is a 51-unit affordable family development in a community that has not had much development over the years. The location is between City Hall and a major transit hub for Metro and Pace transit lines. The construction at Lincoln Lofts II wraps up at the end of 2023. The construction at Longwood continues, though it had been delayed due to some significant structural issues. The first phase wraps up late in the year, so the focus moves to the south portion of the building. The ZION and Pivotal partnership is approved for LIHTC for Lincoln Senior Flats, a seniors development in Lincoln, IL. This 57-unit development will provide affordable housing for people aged 55+.
2024
ZION and Gorman close on the financing for the Lafayette Apartments in the Spring, with construction beginning very shortly after. ZION and Pivotal close on the financing for the Lincoln Senior Flats development in the summer.
2025
Brad Roos, ZION’s long time executive director, retired at the end of 2014. Bob Campbell (formerly the construction manager for ZION from 2000-2005) became the Executive Director at the beginning of January 2005. Bob served for ten years until his unfortunate passing in 2025. Bob helped ZION expand our focus on affordable housing in Rockford, IL; Bloomington, IL; Harvey, Il and Lincoln, IL (2024-2025 projects).