TCA Health Opens $23M Nutrition and Wellness Center in Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens

• TCA Health celebrated the ribbon cutting for its $22.8 million Nutrition and Wellness Center at 1029 E. 130th Street.
• The two-story facility was designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects and built by Milhouse Construction.
• The project received a $9 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation from the Chicago Development Fund to help address the neighborhood’s food access gap.

A New Community Resource on Chicago’s Far South Side

TCA Health has officially opened its Nutrition and Wellness Center in Altgeld Gardens, bringing fresh-food access and wellness programming to a neighborhood that lost its only full-service grocery store in 2018. The ribbon cutting was attended by Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Boatright and 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico. The project represents a major community-focused investment, combining food access, nutrition education, and wellness services under one roof. Here’s a look at the facility, its funding, and what it adds to the area.

Inside the $22.8M Nutrition and Wellness Center

The two-story center, designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects, connects to TCA Health’s adjacent medical facility. Its planned offerings include a Client Choice Food Pantry, market, teaching kitchen, grab-and-go café, yoga and meditation space, and community meeting areas. TCA Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center founded in 1970. The organization provides primary care and support services to more than 10,000 patients annually, serving Chicago communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare. The center’s design brings nutrition and wellness into the same setting as healthcare, allowing the organization to expand beyond clinical services and respond to a critical local need.

Funding and Development Team

The project carries a reported $22.8 million price tag and received a $9 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation from the Chicago Development Fund. The city-affiliated fund supports projects in low-income communities, including nonprofit-sponsored community facilities and grocery-anchored retail. Additional financing details from the Chicago Development Fund indicate that IFF provided a $7 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation, with JPMorgan Chase providing the NMTC equity. Milhouse Construction served as general contractor, while TCA Health led the project as developer.

Addressing Altgeld Gardens’ Food Access Gap

The neighborhood’s food access challenge dates to the 2018 closure of its only full-service grocery store. Residents have faced long trips to obtain fresh food, with transportation barriers making routine grocery shopping especially difficult for households without cars. TCA Health CEO Veronica Clarke previously described the center as a community investment, saying, “This project isn’t just about building a Nutrition and Wellness Center, it’s about revitalizing our community spirit.” The organization’s plans include food pantry services, nutrition education, and wellness programming intended to support residents beyond traditional medical care. The Chicago Development Fund says the new nutrition center is expected to provide free food through its client-choice pantry and VeggieRx program, alongside cooking classes, wellness activities, and employment and training services.

Investor Takeaway

TCA Health’s opening highlights how community facilities can combine healthcare, food access, and neighborhood services through layered public and private financing. For investors and developers, the project is a reminder that nonprofit-led development and New Markets Tax Credits can help deliver facilities in underserved markets where conventional retail investment has struggled.