Chicago City Wire

Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP), a prominent Chicago-based redevelopment firm that specializes in the revitalization of obsolete industrial sites, has unveiled the recipients of the fifth annual Hilco Scholars scholarship program. 

HRP's scholarship program, which started in 2019, awards scholarships to deserving students from Southwest Chicago who wish to further their studies at one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago or a 4-year college or university. To date, the Hilco Scholars program has granted more than $85,000 in scholarships to ten local students, each of this year's awardees will receive $10,000 towards their educational aspirations.

The 2023 Hilco Scholars are Pamela Almanza, studying real estate and marketing at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Tianyao Lu, studying business at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Notably, Almanza will be joining HRP as an intern through the company's workforce development program. 

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunities HRP is providing in both my academic and professional career,” Ms. Almanza said. “As a college student, we are asked to balance a lot. HRP is helping alleviate some of that stress by removing a financial burden and providing real-life experience to ensure I am qualified to succeed once I am ready to pursue a career.”

“We are deeply invested in our role as neighbors and community members, and the Hilco Scholars program is one way we can give back and foster growth here in our hometown," said HRP Chief Executive Officer Roberto Perez. "Transforming industrial sites that no longer serve communities into sustainable economic engines means more than putting up buildings and planting trees – it means ensuring local residents can share in the opportunities our projects create. We are extremely proud of all Hilco Scholars and the successes we have seen from participating students as they pursue their full potential.”

Past recipient Rudy Cordero also testified about the importance of the Hilco Scholars program. "The Hilco Scholars program was an opportunity I couldn't turn down. When I started applying to college, I was worried about the financial strain on my family. Since receiving the scholarship, I've gone on to pursue further education at Yale, and I couldn't have done it without this program,” Cordero said.

HRP’s redevelopment approach emphasizes environmental, community, and economic sustainability. An example of this approach is seen in their project at the former Crawford Station power plant, which was transformed into Exchange 55, Chicago’s largest LEED-certified industrial building, generating over 2,000 jobs.