Sheila Dantzler, a Bronzeville real estate agent and developer, aims to provide quality housing through her nearly two decades of work in Chicago.

by Nicole Jeanine Johnson

Real estate developer Sheila Dantzler has been living in Bronzeville for over 25 years. (Photo: Courtesy of Sheila Dantzler)

When real estate agent Sheila Dantzler first arrived in Bronzeville, she knew it would be home. 

Since then, she has laid down her roots and made significant investments in the community to promote economic inclusivity. Her nearly two decades of real estate work includes building single-family houses on city-owned lots in Bronzeville as part of the 3rd Ward Parade of Homes initiative, along with renovating a commercial building in the neighborhood with her husband in hopes of sparking new retail investment.

Dantzler’s fervent desire to bring quality high-end housing to the neighborhood is her way of contributing to Bronzeville, as she seeks to make positive change in what she sees as a community on the rise.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What initially attracted you to Bronzeville?

I came up from the South with my parents over 25 years ago. When we first got here, we were in the suburbs. When I became an adult, I had a corporate job and was excited about moving to the city. 

At first I was in Hyde Park, and then I visited a friend of mine who lived in Woodland Park by the Lake, a small gated community in Bronzeville. Eventually I moved to the same community because I loved it so much. Later on, when my husband and I got married, we moved to Fuller Park, which is where we are today. 

This community has everything. It’s centrally located with the highway; you can get to work downtown in under 20 minutes. It is close to where we shop, where our friends live, and our businesses are here. The history, the architecture — all of those things are what make this community unique. 

What are some factors you consider when it comes to your real estate work in Bronzeville?

We can’t have this conversation without mentioning the need to balance both market-rate and affordable housing. I believe this is what makes a thriving community. It is a mix of housing that can meet people where they are, financially: apartments, luxury housing and affordable housing. 

People often ask us, “Why are the homes that you sell so expensive?” To answer, I always go back to the math. I have to make sure that the cost to build is covered, at the very least. In recent years, the cost of construction has increased significantly. And in order for us to run our business and build a quality home, it has to cover the costs and bring a profit to the business. 

We set a goal to bring high-quality housing to the neighborhood. Most of our projects are new construction. We acquire vacant lots from the city and build on those. We’ve built three-story condominiums, and a few single-family homes. We’ve also completed a few gut rehabs. 

How can developers promote a balance of affordable and high-end housing within a community?

It is something that exists in the community today. On most traditional blocks, there are new houses that have been built in the last five years, and they sold between $500,000 to $800,000. On that same block, you’ll find apartment buildings that have been there for 50 years. You’ll have the greystones that have been there for 50 to 100 years — these are family homes that have been passed down from generation to generation. There are condos on the same block that sell for $200,000 to $400,000. 

So that is a mix of different price points. You would assume that, depending on the type of housing, there are different demographics, and a diversity of jobs and industries. From the CEO, the teacher, to school custodian. From seniors to young professionals fresh out of college and in their first job. 

Over the years, Bronzeville has experienced significant false starts toward “taking off” — author and WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore talks about this in her book “The South Side.” What do you think is the result of this?

In 2009, there was hope that the 2016 Olympics would come to Chicago, but our bid was unsuccessful. This brought a lot of interest to the area, people wanted to buy. But, when we lost the bid, the speculated opportunity pretty much disappeared. [The city’s 2008 purchase of a 49-acre Bronzeville parcel of land for an Olympic Village left the site vacant for over a decade.] 

Eventually we experienced an upswing in home values like everyone across the nation, then the market tanked in 2007-2008, devastating Black neighborhoods like Bronzeville. Then there was the COVID-19 pandemic, which was good for the housing market. These last 2½ years were probably the best for homeowners and real estate agents who sold homes. People realized that when you were in lockdown, you needed more space. If you had a family, you needed a place to work, you needed a place for your kids for either homeschool or to create a home gym.

The South Shore community has a community investment pilot program called “We the People.” Through it, residents can invest their own money into local economic development projects and benefit from the growth. Do you think a project like this could work in Bronzeville?

Absolutely. I think if people can pull together, that would definitely work here. It would need to be formalized here to consider ownership percentage, how the money is invested, down to the type of property. But it would give residents of all income levels the opportunity to invest in their community and reap the benefits.

Support City Bureau’s Civic Reporting Fellowship program by becoming a recurring donor today.