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PBC Executive Director Erin Lavin Cabonargi

From the Executive Director:

Erin Lavin Cabonargi

As I reflect on my tenure as Executive Director of the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC), I think about all the cooperative efforts required to develop our community facilities and infrastructure. For the PBC, this means a solid partnership with our clients, strong leadership from Chairman Richard M. Daley and the PBC Board of Commissioners, unfailing support from city service departments, and the tremendous investment and guidance by the community groups and citizens of the City of Chicago. Because of this support, we have a proven track record of completing projects on schedule and within budget. Our processes continually evolve and improve so that we may be exemplary developers and stewards of the public fund. I am excited to say that success continues to grow at the PBC as we offer new program services, report exceptional cost performance and continue to bolster the exemplary social benefits derived from the public development process.

For more than fifty years, the PBC has served as the development agent for schools, libraries, parks, police stations, fire houses, city colleges, and other public facilities for the City of Chicago and Cook County at large. The PBC continues this tradition of excellence working in partnership with our clients to plan, design and construct new and renovated public facilities that form cornerstones in communities throughout Chicago.

The PBC's current capital program features 18 projects in design, 27 projects under construction, and $402 million of construction work in place for 2010. By year end 2010, the PBC will have completed 19 projects valued at $425.6 million - on time and with a projected $25 million project surplus - and an equally robust agenda is programmed for 2011. Our program includes vital projects such as schools, libraries, parks, fire houses, police stations, and various other special projects. I invite you to continue to explore our website where you can find details about all our PBC projects.

Strong stewardship of the public fund is paramount to the way we operate. With this in mind, the PBC implements both an Economic Sustainability Program and an Environmental Sustainability Program. These programs are integrated into every project we build and we are proud of both the programs we have created and our continued positive results.

At the PBC, we are keenly aware of the economic impact our projects have on surrounding communities and we take specific steps to ensure that the process of bringing a new facility to Chicago also creates economic opportunities for local residents and businesses and contributes to the overall economic sustainability of our City. We accomplish this through a variety of contract provisions and incentives including: city residency requirements, community hiring requirements, and participation goals for minority and women owned businesses and workers. We also offer bid incentives for apprentice utilization and set minimum standards for local business participation. These efforts are supplemented by outreach events designed to raise awareness of PBC project opportunities.

For years, our Chairman, Mayor Daley, has advocated for environmental sustainability. Because of his leadership and commitment to the environment, elements of environmentally sustainable design are included in all of the projects we develop. These measures are not only good for the environment, but they also lower life-cycle and utility costs for each facility that we build. Each PBC project in development includes green roofs, stormwater management, and recycling of construction materials. To date, Chicago has 38 municipally owned LEED-certified buildings, a number far exceeding any other city in the nation.

The PBC has a unique role in building essential projects that impact our surrounding areas and create ripples of economic activity and community revitalization. For 2010 and beyond, we remain committed to building public facilities that are as solid and vibrant as the communities they serve.

Thank you for visiting our website. I hope you take time to navigate and discover all of the wonderful projects detailed here.