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Christy Webber Landscapes is a full-service landscape provider, offering landscape design, construction, and landscape maintenance programs to residential, commercial and municipal properties throughout Chicago. The firm also provides ?EUR??,,????'?????<  In 2008 Webber was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Richard Walsh of De Vroomen Holland Garden Products nominated Webber for her ?EUR??,,????'?????<Photos courtesy of Christy Webber Landscapes Webber is best known for her installation of Chicago?EUR??,,????'?????< She says, ?EUR??,,????'?????< Ultimately, she ended up losing half a million dollars. ?EUR??,,????'?????< A few of the more recent projects include landscape installations for a new feature at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Monroe Gardens (the featured garden of Millennium Park), the new ABN Amro building grounds and 6th floor deck along with many of the landscape revisions at the remodeled Soldier Field, plus the Wrigley Indoor Garden. Christy entered into the commercial maintenance business in 1998 when she won a bid to maintain the United Center. Winning that job and proving that she could provide quality work on a larger scale thrust Christy Webber Landscapes into the commercial landscaping scene. Soon afterwards, large municipal contract holders began subcontracting part of their work to Christy Webber Landscapes. After a few years of experience, Christy began bidding and winning City of Chicago maintenance contracts outright as well as other large commercial contracts. Now the company designs, builds and maintains for residential, commercial and municipal properties located within the City of Chicago. These projects range from $5,000 to $1,000,000 plus.  By 2005 Christy Webber Landscapes already held contracts to maintain McCormick Place, Navy Pier (seen in this image), the Museum of Science and Industry, as well as Midway Airport, O?EUR??,,????'?????<  The construction division provides large scale landscape installations and acts as a general contractor for other landscape related services such as irrigation. A few of the more recent projects include landscape installations for a new feature at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Monroe Gardens (the featured garden of Millennium Park), the new ABN Amro building grounds and 6th floor deck (seen in this photo) and many of the landscape revisions at the remodeled Soldier Field. Photo courtesy of Robert R Gigliotti, Hqprints.net Fear is Not Part of Her Vocabulary?EUR??,,????'?????<
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I?EUR??,,????'?????< Recently Webber bought a commercial snow removal service. They now also specialize in serving medium to large commercial and industrial properties including more environmentally friendly de-icing options as part of their snow removal service. ?EUR??,,????'?????<
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However, that meant they had to show up every day and they didn?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????<
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Growing so fast has also made it harder on Webber because she can?EUR??,,????'?????<
?EUR??,,????'?????< Christy first moved to Chicago for love. Although she had cut grass in college, she also had a teaching degree. She got a job as a gym teacher for one semester and then spent the next semester as a classroom teacher. ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Then in 1988, she bought a truck for $500. ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Then I lucked into getting the United Center contract which was my first big maintenance job (they own the Black Hawks). Now I spend $300 thousand a year on equipment that I always buy from Tony Russo.?EUR??,,????'?????<
?EUR??,,????'?????< By 2005 Christy Webber Landscapes already held contracts to maintain McCormick Place, Navy Pier and Museum of Science and Industry, as well as Midway Airport, O?EUR??,,????'?????< In the beginning Webber bought everything she needed straight out. ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Because she started with nothing, Webber feels it has helped her grow because she knows she can live without much. Between 1988 and 1989, when economy hit the tank, Webber worked hard and did fine because she didn?EUR??,,????'?????<
Webber just gave raises because her year-end numbers looked good. The father of one of her staff members said, ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Even though there are fewer jobs, I don?EUR??,,????'?????< ?EUR??,,????'?????<
She had been leasing space in several locations scattered across Chicago?EUR??,,????'?????<
But, as luck would have it, in 2003 city officials were seeking proposals to develop a derelict site on the West Side. They let Webber know they?EUR??,,????'?????<
Webber submitted a plan for an eco-industrial park, with her company as lead tenant. The city agreed, suggesting that Webber put up a green building as her headquarters. In 2005 Webber bought 12.5 acres from the city for $700,000, with the stipulation that the city will get some of the proceeds from the site?EUR??,,????'?????< Webber recently formed a development company called Chicago GreenWorks. The company?EUR??,,????'?????<
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Located on the site and designed in this same spirit is Christy Webber Landscapes?EUR??,,????'?????<
Christy Webber says, ?EUR??,,????'?????<
Christy Webber Landscapes was also honored with four Excellence in Landscape Awards from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association: |
