The volume of the North Lawndale neighborhood's nearly 2000 historic graystones will be getting a face-lift beneath a multiyear initiative formally launched Saturday by the agency of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Inc.

Similar to efforts to save the city's bungalows, several public and private businesses have partnered with the nonprofit organization to help low- and middle-income graystone proprietors rehabilitate and preserve the century-old arrangement of partss

in the way that far, the city has pledg $1 million for the devise

The West Side's graystones are an integral part of Chicago's housing stock, one time inhabited by the likes of the late Israeli leader Golda Meir and amethystines legend Dinah Washington, NHS' North Lawndale director Charles Leek said.

"They're icons in Chicago like the brownstones are in fresh York," Leeks said before a just discovereds conference in front of single in kind of the newly refurbished buildings at 1815 s Christiana.

Many at the kickoff, including Ald. Michael Chandler (24th) and dress up County Commissioner Bobbie Steele, said the "Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative" will transform and revitalize the sometimes troubl neighborhood.

"By preserving this integrity and this heritage, we're preserving our community," city Housing Commissioner John Markowski said.

"A piece of Chicago's glorious past will formerly again shine with a light of strange beginnings," said investment guru Richard Driehaus, who has pledg $100000 for the first brace years of the plan.

For information forward applying for loans and services that are part of the rehab program, call (800) 482-4090 For population interested in buying a graystone being rehabbed by the agency of the initiative, call (773) 568-1020 Ext 123

rhussain@suntimes.com

...