Teens Grow Greens Plans Big Expansion

Teens Grow Greens, which teaches teenagers about cooking, gardening and healthy habits through paid internships and apprenticeships, is plotting a major expansion.

The nonprofit group is developing a $7 million mixed-use facility, known as The Green Acre, at 4215 N. Green Bay Ave. The new facility, which would replace Webers Greenhouse, will include several new greenhouses and allow TGG to expand its programming. The new facility will continue to serve the public.

The organization has owned and operated Webers since 2018. The business dates back to 1931. The nonprofit started in 2014.

“Webers has served us well for five years now,” said TGG executive director Charlie Uihlein, in a statement. “It has expanded the breadth of experiences for our teens and has built organizational capacity. The Green Acre will allow us to build on that momentum and address more needs that fall within our mission to develop teens through experiences that cultivate belonging and connections to opportunities.”

The new facility is also intended to serve the surrounding Rufus King neighborhood. It will include a teaching kitchen and a space for community events.

The Green Acre is being designed by Quorum Architects and constructed by Catalyst Construction. The initial phase includes hoop houses at the south end of the site. United Greenhouse Systems is to develop teaching and growing greenhouses for the north end of the site.

As of September, $3.4 million has been pledged for the project. That includes a $592,700 grant from the state.

The facility is expected to be completed in fall 2023. City records indicate the site, located just north of W. Capitol Dr., includes 0.7 acres of land.

Teens Grow Greens offers three-different internship programs to high school students to learn a variety of skills. Those who complete an internship are able to apply for an apprenticeship focused on agriculture, entrepreneurship, education or marketing.

The organization’s 2021 annual report lists revenue of approximately $913,000 and expenses of $770,000.

The Green Acre isn’t the only development in the area. A major urban athletic center, The Opportunity Center, is being developed across the street. And the Beerline Trail is being extended underneath Interstate 43 to connect to this area.

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