Starling aims to grapple with the profound complexities of ownership and investment. The realization dawned that Crowdfunding Investments, while a noble venture, was but a single brushstroke on the vast canvas of community empowerment. It became clear that the model, as it stood, painted a future where only a select few would reap the harvest, regardless of who tended the garden.

Thus, we found ourselves at a crossroads, contemplating the true meaning of "ownership" and how it could be redefined to better serve the many, not just the few. The vision evolved, not as a monument to investment but as a public utility—a shared resource, a wellspring of collective prosperity.

In this renewed vision, the building itself would become a vessel, channeling a portion of its profits back to the community that it served. No longer would the barrier of investment stand between the people and their right to the city's wealth. Instead, a simple act of presence, would be enough to earn a share of the profits.

This model—revolutionary in its simplicity—proposes that those who visit, who linger on benches, who engage in the ebb and flow of daily life in and around Starling, should be the beneficiaries of its success. The more the building thrives, the more the neighborhood benefits, creating a virtuous cycle of prosperity and presence.

As we stand on the threshold of this new paradigm, we reflect on the lessons learned, on the resilience of a neighborhood that has taught us so much about strength, about dignity, about the unyielding hope for a brighter tomorrow. And as we prepare to lay the cornerstone of Starling in the Fall of 2024, we do so with the knowledge that this is not just a building—it is a new chapter in the story of North Lawndale, and a testament to the enduring spirit of its people.