Sheffield Neighborhood Association (SNA)
The Sheffield Neighborhood Association (SNA) was officially incorporated in 1959 as a non-profit community organization devoted to improving the Sheffield community. The Sheffield neighborhood is part of Lincoln Park, an area on the north side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Sheffield is bounded by Armitage Avenue on the south, Fullerton Avenue on the north, Halsted Street on the east, and the Chicago River on the west. The Association is comprised of all neighborhood interests – residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional alike.
Much of Sheffield is a National Historic District, with original architecture in Victorian-era styles dating to 1875, including Italianate, Romanesque, and Queen Anne. In addition, Sheffield is home to four Chicago landmark districts: The McCormick Row Houses, the Armitage-Halsted commercial district, the Fremont Row Houses, and the Bissell Street Row Houses.
For more than 45 years, the Association and its all-volunteer Board of Directors have pursued the SNA mission. To that end, the Association disseminates information regarding neighborhood issues such as zoning and parking, provides forums for neighbors to discuss these issues, and serves as a neighborhood advocate. It also produces the Sheffield Neighborhood News which, unlike many community newsletters distributed only to “members,” is delivered to every resident, business, industry, and institution in Sheffield. Using funds generated from its annual Garden Walk & Festival, the Association supports Sheffield parks and play lots, organizes events like family concerts in Trebes Park and the Annual Spaghetti Dinner, and donates funds to local schools and nonprofit institutions.
The Association mission is most visible through its long-term community projects, however, such as the Beautification Program and park improvements.
Sheffield has undergone vast changes during the past two decades, including an increase in residential population; renovation of original structures as well as replacement of original structures with new construction; changes in the retail, commercial, and industrial sectors; expansion by DePaul University; and increasing affluence. Yet Sheffield sustains its vibrant and unique mix of interests, and the Association continues to serve its varied constituents by tangibly improving the neighborhood and by monitoring all development.