Portage Park – After more than 20 years of promoting the Six Corners commercial corridor, the Six Corners Association announced it will dissolve at the end of 2026. Managing director Amie Zander said the decision reflects the growing number of neighborhood organizations working in the area and the recent loss of tax funding that made operations unsustainable.
Why the association is ending
Founded in 2002 when the Six Corners district began to lose key retailers, the association focused on revitalization, supporting remaining businesses, and fostering a sense of community. Over the years it organized street festivals, holiday celebrations, workshops, and business luncheons, and it highlighted local merchants through social‑media campaigns and its “Get Local Guide.”
“The Portage Park chamber is doing great, so it just seemed more sense to step away,” Zander explained. “With so many other neighborhood groups working in the area, it just seemed like it was time.”
Funding challenges
The group also administered the area’s special‑service‑area (SSA) tax district until 2020, when the City Council’s Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development appointed the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce to that role. After allegations of mismanagement led city officials to pull funding from the Chamber in 2022, the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce took over the SSA district in 2023.
Each SSA provider levies a property‑owner tax within defined boundaries to fund services that benefit all businesses, such as holiday decorations, trash pickup, security and snow removal. Without that tax revenue, the Six Corners Association found it increasingly difficult to sustain its programming and advocacy work.
Final event and legacy
The association’s last public event will be a Women in Business Luncheon and Holiday Sip‑and‑Shop on Dec. 4, hosted at La Villa Restaurant (3638 N. Pulaski Road) and co‑organized with the Pulaski‑Elston Business Association. The gathering will celebrate the district’s entrepreneurial spirit and provide a final platform for local merchants to connect.
During its two‑decade run, the Six Corners Association helped keep the commercial corridor vibrant, drawing shoppers to local stores and fostering a sense of neighborhood pride. Its street fests and holiday events became staples of Portage Park’s community calendar, and its “Get Local Guide” gave residents a reliable resource for discovering neighborhood businesses.
What’s next for Six Corners?
With the association’s dissolution, the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce will continue to oversee the SSA tax district and support local businesses. Community leaders hope the transition will streamline efforts, avoid duplication, and allow other groups to build on the foundation the Six Corners Association established.
Residents and business owners are encouraged to stay engaged with the Portage Park Chamber and other neighborhood associations to ensure the district remains a thriving hub for commerce and community life.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
