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Chicago Neighborhoods 2015: Assets, Plans and Trends – A project of The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Plans Synthesis – Central Area – February 2015 –

CENTRAL AREA

A Vision for State Street, Wabash Avenue and Michigan Avenue Adopted by Chicago Plan Commission January 2000

Community Area: Loop

Department of Planning and Development, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, The Lambert Group, Ed Zotti

The East Loop is a downtown neighborhood which brings together businesses, academic and cultural institutions, large and small retailers, restaurants, hotels and homes, and workers, students, visitors, tourists and residents in an eclectic, vibrant mix. This plan’s goals include that the East Loop district will be cherished for its vibrant street life, rich historic character and unique Chicago shops and institutions: State Street will be reborn as the “classic retail street,” Wabash Avenue will be restored to its historic role as the backbone of the “real Chicago” – an unpretentious street of hidden treasures and noisy charm, and Michigan Avenue will build on its role as Chicago’s “front door.” General Recommendations: Improve infrastructure; Bring upper floors back to active use throughout the area; Strengthen retail at the street level on all streets; Strengthen the academic core around Congress Parkway; Renovate and protect historic buildings; Develop a parking strategy; Maximize open space and landscaping; Establish building design and signage guidelines. Specific Recommendations: Improve the appearance of the El structure and stations; Identify adequate long-term funding for the Loop El; Establish an aggressive approach to maintain the El; Celebrate Wabash Avenue and enhance its historic character; Improve the Congress Parkway streetscape to support the growing daytime and evening academic population around Congress; Actively market buildings with vacant upper floors to commercial real estate brokers; Build on the strengths of existing business clusters, such as Jewelers Row; Explore new market sectors and target firms within them for attraction; Aggressively market incentives, waivers and other technical support to help building owners with needed renovations; Educate building owners about city programs; Offer training programs for managers and leasing agents about providing needed services and raising standards; Provide additional visibility to upper story retail sector and consider some upper story reuse projects as candidates for public subsidy; Market some upper floor spaces for academic facilities, housing or to businesses serving the institutions; Initiate coordinated public relations campaign and marketing mechanisms to increase awareness of the East Loop’s arts and design community; Establish relationships with arts-based network organizations; Leverage cultural anchors for related development; Aggressively market retail space to potential tenants; Address the fragmented and low quality retail around Congress; Attract new retail and affordable restaurants to locate on and around Congress to serve the needs of students and academic core; Encourage neighborhood retail south of Congress; Continue Wabash Avenue and State Street streetscape improvements south of Congress Parkway; Ensure that all new developments have retail space on the ground floor; Ensure a high quality in the design and installation of new signs; Remove old signs from vacant stores; Improve the quality of window displays at street level; Encourage all shops and restaurants in the area to stay open during the same hours and on the weekends; Improve the quality of surface parking lots and prohibit new surface parking lots; Convene representatives from East Loop educational institutions to address common concerns and collaborate with the city; Assemble vacant or underutilized land to build on the emerging academic character of the area; Encourage arts to locate near Congress Parkway; Explore the development of shared facilities, such as day care, student centers and recreational and health facilities; Upgrade the Harrison Street Red Line station; Encourage



convenience retailing near transit stops at Congress, Harrison and Roosevelt; Ensure that the new development at State, Wabash and Congress has a civic character that reinforces the academic core and has significant ground floor retail components; Designate the Historic Michigan Boulevard District as a Chicago Landmark District; Prioritize historic buildings in upper floor marketing efforts; Target distressed buildings for management assistance and marketing efforts; Consider key buildings as candidates for public subsidies that would support renovation and development; Direct new parking facilities to the periphery; Ensure that no parking facility is visible along Grant Park, from Randolph Street to Roosevelt Road; Require landscaping and improved lighting and maintenance for existing surface lots; Develop and enforce design guidelines for accessory and non-accessory parking structures; Regulate size, location and number of parking lot signs; Encourage South Loop educational institutions to develop parking facilities for future academic growth; Restructure rates in the Grant Park North Garage to apply to a range of short term parking needs; Strengthen transit connections to the district; Develop sections of Grant Park along Michigan Avenue to encourage small scale gatherings and individual uses; Concentrate neighborhood scale uses in the south end of Grant Park; Find new opportunities for neighborhood parks in the South Loop; Find new opportunities for pocket parks in the East Loop; Require neighborhood parks in all new residential developments; Remake Pritzker Park to become a more usable, inviting and safe park; Continue Loop-wide streetscaping efforts; Use landscaping elements to connect east-west streets to Grant Park. Plan Maps and Data References: Map of study area, p. 1; Priorities for infrastructure improvements, p. 18; Priorities for upper floor reuse, p. 24; Priorities for street level retail, p. 28; Priorities for strengthening the academic core around Congress, p. 32; Priorities for renovating historic buildings, p. 36; Total public parking supply, p. 37; Priorities for parking lots and structures, p. 40; Priorities for open spaces and landscaping, p. 44; Priority projects, p. 56.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Block 37 commercial redeveloped; Block 37 residential redevelopment in

progress; CD Peacock store re-tenanted; Pritzker Park redesigned and the Chicago Loop Alliance began

programming the space in 2014; Facades redone on the Palmer House and Macy’s; Wabash Avenue

infrastructure and streetscape upgraded; Jeweler’s Row identity markers installed; Heritage building

now a residential tower; Consolidation of Brown Line Randolph/Wabash and Madison/Wabash El

stations into new Wabash/Washington El station development planned; Carbide building redeveloped

as Hard Rock Hotel; 200 N. Michigan Avenue under construction as a residential tower; 360 N. Michigan

Avenue being converted to a hotel; Blackstone façade repair completed; Streetscape on Congress

Parkway completed; Signage guidelines developed; Façade of Carson Pirie Scott renovated and building

re-tenanted with Target, restaurants and other retailers; new Washington Red line station to be built,

combining current Madison and Randolph stations; Heritage building condominiums incorporated

historic facades into high-rise construction; Wabash El stations and structures painted, up-lighted and

improved with planters; Medical Arts Building redeveloped into apartments and ground floor retail;

Heritage Retail Shops located at 125-139 N. Wabash Avenue; 9 and 11 N. Wabash Avenue buildings

improved; 17 N. Wabash Avenue tenanted with Tilted Kilt and Golf Club; Façade restored at Gage Group

building; State Street-Congress Parkway site redeveloped into University Center.

Key Unfinished Projects: Improve lighting, signage and maintenance, and add landscaping to screen lots

from street for surface parking lots; Investigate potential of surface parking lots as redevelopment sites;

Activate the Congress Plaza Hotel street level.

A Vision for State Street, Wabash Avenue and Michigan Avenue

http://www.cityofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/zlup/Planning_and_Policy/Publications/State_Wabash_Michigan_Plan/State_Wabash_Michigan%20Plan.pdf



A Plan for Chicago’s Near Northwest Side

September 2002

Community Areas: Loop, Near North Side, Near West Side, West Town

Department of Planning and Development, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Urban Works Ltd., Goodman Williams Group The Near Northwest Side encompasses the northwest loop, Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village and Ukrainian Village neighborhoods. The community is also home to the Kinzie Industrial Corridor and the Chicago-Halsted Planned Manufacturing District, which includes both older, established facilities and newer high-tech operations. The Near Northwest Side Plan focuses on public open space and transit, development guidelines for new construction and techniques to promote livability in the area. The plan is intended to be viable for 20 years. General Recommendations: Provide increased open space and recreation amenities to accommodate long-term residents, new residents and future residents; Improve the quality and capacity of transit and transportation infrastructure; Guide new development to fit within existing neighborhoods and provide clarity to the development community; Construct new buildings which properly address the street; Create new retail and commercial uses to meet the needs brought by new residential development. Specific Recommendations: Develop a publicly accessible riverfront; Create new neighborhood parks; Create school parks at neighborhood schools; Upgrade neighborhood streets and create dedicated bike routes; Develop new open spaces on underdeveloped land adjacent to infrastructure projects such as rail lines and the expressway; Develop new Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) green line stations; Enhance CTA Blue line station entrances; Strengthen pedestrian connections between the CTA and Metra stations; Improve bus stops with new shelters, benches, signage and lighting; Implement the Central Area Plan transportation recommendations; Support Chicago Avenue as a neighborhood main street; Support the Italian restaurant district and new mixed-use and residential uses on Grand Avenue; Consolidate retail, improve transit facilities and upgrade the streetscape on Milwaukee Avenue; Focus retail at major intersections and transit transfer points on Ashland Avenue; Reflect the historic character of commercial corridor buildings in new developments; Respect historic context of the East Village, Eckhart Park, Noble Square and Ukrainian Village neighborhoods in new development; Respect the scale of existing buildings and zoning regulations for a C 3-5 district with new buildings in the Fulton River District; Locate taller buildings to the east of the District. Plan Maps and Data References: Near Northwest study area, Introduction page; Community influences today, p. 1-3; Regional open space, p. 1-6; Neighborhood open space and schools, p. 1-7; Regional circulation, p. 1-8; Neighborhood transit and circulation, p. 1-9; Commercial development along the neighborhood corridors, p. 1-11; Building types and locations in the neighborhood, p. 1-13; Plans completed or in progress, p. 1-14; Industrial districts, p. 1-14; TIF districts, p. 1-14; Existing zoning, p. 1-15; Corridors and neighborhoods, p. 2-13; The open space network, p. 2-5; The transit system, p. 2-9; Development in the neighborhood, p. 2-11; Street character framework, p. 2-13; Chicago Avenue revitalization, p. 2-14; Milwaukee Avenue revitalization, p. 2-15; Grand Avenue revitalization, p. 2-16; Ashland Avenue, Western Avenue and Ogden Avenue recommendations, p. 2-17; Implementation plan, pp. 3-3 to 3-5.



Highlighted Accomplishments: Upgraded streets and added bike lanes on Milwaukee Avenue, Wood

Street and Kinzie Street; Enhancement of CTA Blue Line stations in progress; Bus stops improved with

electronic signs; Added new Green Line stations; Created and successfully reconstituted Chicago Avenue

Special Service Area to support Chicago Avenue as a neighborhood main street.

Key Unfinished Projects: Develop a publicly-accessible riverfront; Create new neighborhood parks;

Develop new open spaces on underdeveloped land adjacent to infrastructure projects such as rail lines

and the Expressway; Upgrade lighting and infrastructure on Chicago Avenue.

A Plan for Chicago’s Near Northwest Side

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Planning_and_Policy/Publications/Near_Northwest_Side_Plan/Near_Northwest_Side_Plan.pdf



Grant Park Framework Plan January 2002


Chicago Park District, Department of Planning and Development, Department of Transportation,

Mayor’s Office of Special Events, Harza Architects and Engineers, Hargreaves Associates, Site Design

Group, Fish Transportation Group, Infrastructure Engineering, Gayles and Associates

Grant Park derived its structure from a set of urban conditions that no longer exist. The Grant Park Framework Plan addresses the complex issues and conditions that arise when dramatic increases in use and demand of a developing city are focused upon a historic park. The plan proposes a broad range of modifications to different areas of the park, transforming it into a fusion of historic and contemporary elements that strengthens its status and allows it to accommodate the needs of current users. The plan embraces Grant Park’s role as a neighborhood, city, regional and international park. The park’s transformation is based on three principles: the park should be green, have multiple uses and a greater sense of human scale. General Recommendations: Expand the role of Grant Park as a regional, city-wide and local resource; Activate the park, especially on non-event days and during the winter; Protect and enhance the unique landscape of the park; Preserve and interpret the park’s historical character while accommodating its evolving uses, including the needs of new residential developments nearby; Integrate Grant Park into the Lakefront open space system; Develop short and long-range guidelines for land use, management, maintenance, transportation, roadway design and use and park development; Integrate the planning process for Grant Park with the plans for other facilities of the Central Lakefront; Research options and develop recommendations for implementation and administration of the Framework Plan. Specific Recommendations: Enhance connections between the city and the park and between the park and the lake; Establish a gridded network of east/west pedestrian paths throughout the park; Mitigate the effects of barriers separating park spaces; Envision ways in which independent park blocks can be stitched back together physically and perceptually, and re-created as a single entity; Reduce the vastness of Grant Park by creating smaller “park rooms” within the hierarchy of existing spaces and divide the Daley Bicentennial Plaza into intimate “Garden Rooms”; Evenly distribute programs and uses throughout Grant Park; Incorporate a multi-use design; Extend the season of use in all of Grant Park by creating and programming spaces and facilities with year-round activities; Relocate current Butler Field/Petrillo Bandshell functions to a new landform amphitheater in the south end of the park; Create a synergistic festival event quadrant between Balbo and 11th Streets, with Columbus Plaza at its heart; Shift the focus of park festivals and events south of Balbo Street; Provide a service corridor along the east side of the railway trench, at park level; Coordinate the Historic Core and Lakefront proposals with those of the Queen’s Landing Project; Improve the loose rock aggregate surfacing and provide access ramps to the Fountain Table to make it universally accessible; Transform Columbus Drive into Columbus Plaza; Connect the Historic Core to the rest of the park; Enhance pedestrian circulation between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive; Maintain and restore the historic tree canopy; Encourage Metra to enhance the aesthetics of the existing railroad trench; Establish a rational and flexible programmatic organization in North Grant Park; Connect Daley Bicentennial Plaza to Cancer Survivor’s Garden and Peanut Park; Renovate and expand the Daley Bicentennial Plaza field house and maintain the existing ice skating rink; Transform vents and stairwells from eyesores and barriers into positive elements; Extend the existing grade of Daley Bicentennial Plaza out toward Monroe Street; Reinforce the north/south



visual axis with the design of planning, grading and path systems; Diminish the perceived scale of Monroe Street; Relocate the amphitheater functions to a new venue south of Balbo Street; Create four multi-use “Recreational Rooms” in Butler Field and relocate the softball fields here; Enhance the north/south visual axis of Grant Park by extending a major pedestrian circulation corridor across Butler Field; Construct three mid-block crossings that connect Butler Field with adjacent park blocks; Create a series of open programmable terraces in Peanut Park oriented toward Monroe Harbor; Maintain access to this portion of the park at the intersection of lower Randolph Street and Lake Shore Drive; Provide a network of universally accessible paths through Peanut Park; Enhance connections between Peanut Park and the residential developments north of Randolph Street; Provide a bike path along the northern edge of Peanut Park; Introduce a varied plant palette of native shrubs, trees and grasses in Peanut Park; Develop educational programs focusing on Peanut Park as a native plant showcase; Design and program South Grant Park to satisfy expanding neighborhood, city and regional needs; Connect South Grant Park spaces physically and perceptually; Develop the underutilized southwest corner of the park; Improve the character of Columbus Drive; Adjust driving lanes to a park-wide standard of eleven feet; Create a linear pedestrian plaza between Balbo and 11th Street; Test the concept of weekend vehicular closures of Columbus Plaza; Design Columbus Plaza to specifically accommodate and facilitate Grant Park’s festivals and events and accommodate a variety of festival/event layout alternatives; Separate the curbless driving corridor from the entirely pedestrian walkways and define the circulation spaces at Columbus Plaza; Create a park-like ambience for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians; Build a multi-use landform amphitheater within Hutchinson Field shaped to accommodate a variety of unorganized activities; Configure the landform amphitheater to facilitate stage viewing, universal access to seating and back-of-stage servicing while minimizing sound bleed; Construct the amphitheater within the grid of east/west pedestrian paths; Redesign Avery Field as a multi-use grassy expanse; Extend the chain of Michigan Avenue Park Rooms south to Roosevelt Road; Construct a deck over the railway service/storage for a neighborhood-oriented park expansion; Program the deck by creating a children’s play area and multi-use recreation fields; Incorporate a new Metra station and service access to below-grade program into the design of the deck; Enhance non-vehicular circulation in the southwest corner with three pedestrian/bicycle bridges crossing the active railway corridor; Construct a gateway feature at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road; Transform Grant Park’s Lakefront from a circulation conduit into a city-wide destination; Maintain the essential historic character and recreational/boating capacities of Monroe Harbor; provide a grade-separated pedestrian connection between Buckingham Fountain and the Lakefront at Queen’s Landing; Create a programmable plaza or “room” at Queen’s Landing; Activate the Lakefront slope with seating blocks embedded into its base; Construct a new multi-use path along the top of the slope; Improve the existing structure of vegetation in the area between the slope and Lake Shore Drive; Create an increased opportunity for interaction with water by constructing terraces that descend into the lake; Create universally accessible Lake Rooms that are terraced with steps/seating into the lake and are surrounded and filled with plantings, sculpture and possibly even concessions; Employ selective plant removal, introduce grove plantings; Create a north/south bike path through the center of the park; Provide additional bicycle storage facilities; Provide adequate seating and lighting in all areas; Implement a signage strategy. Plan Maps and Data References: Current plan – remaining historic areas, p. 13; Historic template, 1992 design guidelines, p. 13; Regional context, p. 17; Adjacent land uses, p. 18; Planned and current developments, p. 19; Grant Park proximate parking, p. 20; Grant Park parking, p. 21; Daily traffic volumes, p. 21; Transit, p. 22; Grant park transit, p 23; Grant Park activity areas, p. 26; Possible design schemes, p. 31; Columbus as spine of activity, p. 32; Historic grids as pedestrian circulation, p. 33; Existing festival layout, p. 34; Festival layout, Taste of Chicago, p. 35; Festival layout – typical small/medium-sized event, p. 35; Multi-use path – daily use, p. 35; Multi-use path – event use, p. 35;



Overall plan, p. 39; Historic core, pp. 40-41; North Grant Park, pp. 42-43; Daley Bicentennial Plaza – existing, p. 44; Daley Bicentennial Plaza – short term proposal, p. 45; Daley Bicentennial Plaza vent transformation and garden rooms, p. 46; Butler Field/Daley Bicentennial Plaza transition – existing and proposed, p. 47; Butler Field recreational rooms, p. 49; Butler Field perspective view location, p. 50; Peanut Park existing and proposed, pp. 52-53; South Grant Park, pp. 54-55; Columbus Plaza – Jackson Street to Roosevelt Road, p. 57; Columbus Drive, existing conditions and conceptual drawing, p. 57; Columbus Plaza, p. 58; Columbus Drive – existing, p. 59; Columbus Plaza – small festival program, p. 59; Perspective view location, p. 60; Columbus Plaza – daily use, p. 62; Columbus Plaza – large festival program, p. 63; Proposed landform amphitheater and context, p. 64; Amphitheater scale comparison, p. 65; Existing Hutchinson Field, p. 65; Proposed landform amphitheater in Hutchinson Field, p. 65; Perspective view location, p. 66; Neighborhood park area, p. 68; Railway service/storage area and active railway corridor – existing, p. 69; Deck over the railway service/storage area with pedestrian bridges over active railway corridor, p. 69; Perspective view location, p. 70; Lakefront zones, p. 72; Lakefront Zone A – existing, p. 73; Lakefront Zone A – proposed terraces, p. 73; Lakefront Zone B – existing, p. 75; Lakefront Zone B – proposed, p. 75; Lakefront Zone C – existing, p. 76; Lakefront Zone C – proposed lakefront room Bosque threshold, p. 77; Lakefront Zone C – proposed lakefront room with terrace, p. 77; South Lakefront rooms, p. 77; Perspective view location, p. 78; Lakefront Zone D, p. 80; Lakefront Zone D – existing, p. 81; Lakefront Zone D – proposed terrace, p. 81; Grant Park existing, p. 82; Grant Park proposed, p. 83; Existing park vegetation, p. 86; Proposed transformation of park vegetation structure, p. 87; Daily traffic volumes, p. 89; Existing parking, p. 89; Park lighting, p. 91; Park seating, p. 91; Miscellaneous park furnishings and facilities, p. 91; Existing furniture/systems zones, p. 93; Proposed furnishings/systems zones, p. 93; Large scale interventions, p. 97.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Maggie Daley Park under construction, replacing Daley Bicentennial

Plaza and Peanut Park; Pedestrian crossing at Buckingham Fountain/Queen’s Landing reestablished

instead of pedestrian bridge; Avery Field converted into multi-use grassy area; Skate Park under

construction; Pedestrian bridge built at 11th Street; Congress Parkway underpass completed; Sculptures

installed on western edge of park.

Key Unfinished Projects: Redevelopment of Hutchinson Field with an amphitheater and pedestrian

plazas; Lakefront “rooms”; Year-round programming; Parking and street closures; Waterfront interface

improvements.

Grant Park Framework Plan

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/assets/1/23/Grant_Park_Framework_Plan.pdf



Near South Community Plan Adopted by Chicago Plan Commission April 2003

Community Area: Near South Side

City of Chicago, Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen & Payne

The Near South area was once primarily commercial/industrial. As it shifted to largely residential, the City of Chicago prepared the Near South Community Plan to address the many land use and zoning issues confronting this diverse and dynamic community area. The plan involves a three-phase planning process. Phase One entails the analysis of existing conditions and identification of key issues and concerns. Phase Two consists of preliminary land use and zoning recommendations. Phase Three includes preparation and discussion of the draft and final versions of the plan document. Roosevelt Road divides the area into two study areas. It is unclear if the plan was ever finalized; the following is a summary of a draft version. General Recommendations: Uses should be diverse and exciting; Access and circulation should be safe and convenient; Parking facilities should be well designed and appropriately located; Open spaces and public amenities should be of a rich variety; The neighborhood environment should be pedestrian-friendly; Buildings should be an attractive and compatible mix of old and new. Specific Recommendations: The area should continue to be improved as a vibrant and diverse urban neighborhood serving residents, employees, students and visitors alike; Various land uses and activities should support and complement one another, adding to the overall vitality of the area; The street system should provide safe and convenient access and circulation, enhance the neighborhood’s land development pattern, and unite the area; Develop attractively designed and appropriately located parking facilities that are compatible with the area’s historical scale and pedestrian orientation; Implement a planned and coordinated system of parks, plazas, open spaces, “gateways,” and landscaped streets; Establish and protect an attractive mix of old and new buildings that reflects and complements the neighborhood’s established development pattern and building context; Build support for implementation by leadership and partners, zoning reform and project financing. Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. ii; Development districts within Area 1 and Area 2, p. v; Generalized future land use, Area 1, p. 3; Generalized future land use, Area 2, p. 7; Traffic circulation system, Area 1, p. 11; Traffic circulation system, Area 2, p. 13; Parking system, Area 1, p. 15; Parking system, Area 2, p. 17; Transit system, Area 1, p. 19; Transit system, Area 2, p. 21; Parks and open space system, Area 1, p. 23; Parks and open space system, Area 2, p. 25; Pedestrian system, Area 1, p. 27; Pedestrian system, Area 2, p. 29; Building improvement and development, Area 1, p. 31; Building improvement and development, Area 2, p. 33; Development districts, Area 1, p. 37; Development districts, Area 2, p. 49.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Parks and open space, particularly pet-friendly ones, developed;

Pedestrian infrastructure improvements completed, including crosswalk markings, pedestrian count-

down signals and landscaped medians; The Chicago Transit Authority Green Line stop at Cermak/State

under construction.

Key Unfinished Projects: Parking facilities to replace lost capacity through developments on former

parking lot sites.



Near South Community Plan

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Planning_and_Policy/Publications/Near_South_Community_Plan/Near_South_Community_Plan.pdf



The Chicago Central Area Plan

Adopted by Chicago Plan Commission 2003

Community Areas: Loop, Near North Side, West Town, Near West Side, Lower West Side, Bridgeport, Near South Side

Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Chicago Department of Environment (DOE), Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, The Lambert Group, Panto-Ulema, Arthur Anderson, Goodman Williams Group, Real Estate Planning Group, Emily J. Harris Consulting, Duncan Associates, Dyett and Bhatia, TransSystems Corporation, DLK Architecture, The Wetlands Initiative Initiated by Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Central Area Plan is the product of more than two years of discussion and reflection by a broad group of participants including 24 business and civic leaders. Driven by a “vision of Chicago as a global city, the ‘Downtown of the Midwest,’ the heart of Chicagoland, and the ‘greenest’ city in the country,” the Central Area Plan was intended as a guide for the continued economic success, physical growth, and environmental sustainability of Chicago’s downtown during the first two decades of the 21st century (2003-2023). The plan, the first for downtown produced by the City since 1958, was designed to guide anticipated growth, taking advantage of the Central Area’s strengths: its economic diversity, its central location and quality of life. The plan promotes the idea that the Central Area will attain international standing for the quality of its urban environment and be a model of the relationship between environmental and economic sustainability. The plan also recommends walkability improvements, promotion of recycling and material recovery, retrofitting buildings, limiting downtown parking, encouraging community greening, and more. General Recommendations: Direct growth to create a dynamic Central Area made up of vibrant and diverse mixed-use urban districts; Strengthen transportation connections to keep the Central Area easy to reach and get around; Expand and connect waterfronts and open spaces to create great public places. Specific Recommendations: Extend the highest density office core into the West Loop around transit stations, services and the Chicago River; Develop high-density, mixed-use corridors which extend from the expanded Loop and are linked to transit; Support a diverse collection of livable neighborhoods and special places; Preserve and strengthen the Central Area's world-renowned architectural and cultural heritage; Strengthen Industrial Corridors and Planned Manufacturing Districts; Direct the growth of the Central Area's educational institutions and provide opportunities for lifelong learning; Promote and strengthen cultural assets; Make transit the first choice for people coming to the area; Improve the quality of the pedestrian environment; Efficiently manage traffic circulation and parking to prevent gridlock; Encourage alternative modes of transport such as bicycles and water taxis; Increase Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Metra capacity to bring workers to the Central Area; Improve national and international connections; Strengthen the lakefront as Chicago’s great public space; Develop the Chicago River as a premier public place and continuous open space system; Create the next generation of urban and neighborhood parks to support a growing residential population; Complete the Central Area’s framework of richly landscaped streets and boulevards. Sub-District Recommendations:



West Loop: Develop high density office uses in the West Loop; Create a main street on Clinton Street above the planned multi-story, multi-modal West Loop Transportation Center; Create a new park at Adams Street and Des Plaines Street; Develop a new park over the Kennedy Expressway to connect the West Loop to Greek Town and the Near West Side; Allow for infill residential development at the Jackson Loft District and the Fulton River District; Landscape improvements along the Kennedy and Eisenhower Expressways; Develop a gateway feature and landscaping at the intersection of the Eisenhower and Kennedy Expressways; Develop new parks over the Hubbard Street tunnel; Step development down from the West Loop to the Near West Side. East Loop: Encourage residential, cultural, educational and business uses in historic buildings; Preserve the Michigan Avenue Street Wall; Encourage a vibrant mix of retail on State Street, Wabash Street and Michigan Avenue; Complete Millennium Park; Provide an east-west busway to strengthen transit connections between the East Loop and West Loop; Strengthen pedestrian connections between West Loop transit stations and the East Loop. Near North: Prioritize higher density mixed use infill on major corridors - LaSalle, Chicago, Grand/Ontario, and Michigan Avenue; Create a new park at the Fort Dearborn Post Office; Encourage active uses along the main branch of the Chicago River; Encourage sensitive reuse and infill development in the Courthouse, the Mart and the Gallery Districts; Provide landscape improvements along the Ohio Street feeder ramp; Complete Erie Park at the North Branch of the Chicago River; Create a riverwalk along the North Branch of the Chicago River; Create a recreational and environmental resource along the North Canal on the east side of Goose Island; Widen and landscape the lakefront open space between Olive Park and North Avenue Beach. South Michigan-Wabash-State Corridor: Prioritize high density, infill, and adaptive reuse along the Michigan-Wabash-State Corridor; Preserve and context-sensitively infill the Prairie Avenue District; Complete Central Station residential development; Improve Burnham Park as part of Soldier Field redesign; Develop Northerly Island Park; Provide landscape improvements along the Stevenson Expressway; Expand McCormick Place; Redevelop Motor Row. Cermak Road Corridor: Prioritize mid- and high-density mixed-use infill development along the Cermak Road Corridor; Expand McCormick Place with an active, urban edge along the Cermak Road Corridor and along Indiana Avenue; Construct new Green Line stop near Cermak Road; Complete park at 24th and South Federal Streets; Provide landscape improvements along the Stevenson Expressway; Expand Ping Tom Park with a neighborhood field house; Redevelop the Hilliard and Ickes Homes. Roosevelt Road Corridor: Prioritize high density residential infill development between the east riverfront and Clark Street; Encourage large scale retail west of the Chicago River; Provide landscape improvements along the Dan Ryan Expressway; Complete University Village and neighborhood parks; Develop Roosevelt Road as a gateway boulevard to the Central Area and Museum Campus. South River Corridor: Provide new South River Corridor neighborhoods east of the River; Prioritize higher density mixed-use development at Roosevelt Road; Develop industrial, distribution or warehousing uses west of the Chicago River; Develop new system of riverfront open spaces, parks, and riverwalk; Reuse the St. Charles Airline as a greenway or transit right of way; Extend Wentworth Street north to join Wells Street.



Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. 4; Historic and project growth, 1980-2020, p. 15;

Total central area employment, p. 17; Central area office development, 1950-2020, p. 18; Housing units

and population, 1970-2020; Allocation of market demand by sector and district, p. 30; Development

framework diagrams, p. 44; Proposed central area high-density mixed-use corridors, p. 48; Central area

industrial districts and corridors, p. 52; Future transitway system, p. 58; Proposed West Loop

transportation center, p. 60; Potential CTA rail projects, p. 72; Transportation improvements, p. 76;

Phasing of transportation improvements, p. 77; Central area open space opportunities, p. 80; Lakefront

open space system, p. 82; Grant Park master plan, p. 84; Monroe Street Harbor and Wacker Pier, p. 87;

Burnham Park framework plan, p. 87; Expanded Monroe Harbor, p. 88; Riverfront open space system, p.

90; Park and plaza recommendations, p. 96; Fort Dearborn Park, p. 98; Ping Tom Park, p. 100; Key green

streets and infrastructure recommendations, p. 102; Open space framework, p. 106; West Loop

recommendations, p. 112; East Loop recommendations, p. 114; Near North key recommendations, p.

120; Near North key recommendations, p 122; South Loop recommendations, p. 124; South Michigan-

Wabash-State corridor recommendations, p. 126; Cermak Road corridor recommendations, p. 128;

Roosevelt Road corridor recommendations, p. 130; South River corridor recommendations, p. 132;

Conceptual framework for zoning in the central area, p. 140; Central area transportation projects

estimated capital cost by end date, p. 142.

Status of Recommendations: The redesign of Soldier Field, expansion of McCormick Place, and Millennium Park completed; Riverwalk improvements underway; New Heritage Green Park at Adams Street and Des Plaines Avenue; New Montgomery Ward Park (Formerly known as Erie Park) at the North Branch of the Chicago River; Ping Tom Park Field House new construction and expansion completed; Hilliard Homes (formerly known as Ickes Homes) rehabilitated. Key Unfinished Projects: Develop the West Loop Transportation Center and Clinton “Main Street”

concept; Build a park over the Kennedy Expressway; Reuse the St. Charles Air Line (16th Street Rail

Overpass) as a link for Amtrak Rock Island trains between LaSalle and Union Stations; Extend Wentworth

Street north to Wells (Wells-Wentworth Connector); Create an environmental and recreational center

along the North Canal/east end of Goose Island.

Chicago Central Area Plan - Preparing the Central City for the 21st Century

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/central_area_plandraft.html



Archer Avenue Technical Assistance Panel: Remaking an Historic Corridor June 2006

Community Areas: Bridgeport

Urban Land Institute, Metropolitan Planning Council, Alderman Balcer (11th Ward)

For this plan, a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) was brought in to address transportation, retail and marketing issues, pedestrian safety, land-use regulations and the creation of an identity for Archer Avenue. In 1964, the Stevenson Expressway was built, cutting off Archer Avenue in Bridgeport from the rest of Chicago. Since then, the area has suffered from disinvestment and loss of its pedestrian appeal. Recently, the construction of the Stearns Quarry Park and the demolition of the bridge over Ashland Avenue have provided new opportunities. The TAP includes recommendations that can provide further opportunity through infrastructure, development, and understanding the market potential of the Archer Avenue corridor. General Recommendations: Assess market potential; Upgrade street infrastructure to include “complete streets”— vibrant, safe, enjoyable mixed-use corridors; Focus on transit-oriented development; Establish gateways and a midpoint at Archer and Loomis; Fill in the streetwall; Review zoning and financing. Specific Recommendations: Improve use of the Ashland El stop by upgrading signage; Add a walking path along Bubbly Creek and a kiss-and-ride feature, as well as more parking; Add service and commuter-focused businesses at the Halsted station; Create bumpouts at Archer and Loomis; Add parking and install an historic marker to make this the center of the neighborhood; Improve access to Eleanor Park and Quarry Park. Plan Maps and Data References: Rendering of Halsted Street Orange line station, p. 10.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Three small stores have opened next to the Halsted El station; Parking

stalls installed under the Stevenson Expressway for local businesses; Minor identifier signage installed at

the Ashland and Halsted entry point; Minor interpretive signage and greening improvements made at

Bubbly Creek; City of Chicago working with local colleges and universities on a boat launch structure.

Key Unfinished Projects: Ashland El stop signage improvements; Bubbly Creek kiss-and-ride and

parking; Bumpouts at Archer and Loomis; Improved access to Eleanor Park and Quarry Park.

Archer Avenue Technical Assistance Panel: Remaking an Historic Corridor

http://www.metroplanning.org/multimedia/publication/300



Reconnecting Neighborhoods Adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission July 2009

Community Area: Near North Side, Near South Side, Near West Side

Department of Planning and Development (DPD), Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Chicago

Transit Authority (CTA), Metropolitan Planning Council, HNTB Corporation, MKC Associates

The City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development initiated Reconnecting Neighborhoods through RTA’s Community Planning Program. The study makes recommendations on how the three selected study areas can be “reconnected” to the city through improved access to public transportation, commercial services and an improved pedestrian environment. The study area was divided into three subdistricts: Mid South, Near West and Near North. General Recommendations: Ensure that residents of mixed-income communities have access to adequate retail and job opportunities, and safe and reliable public transportation; Maximize the significant investment in the Plan for Transformation by ensuring the creation of “complete” communities that reduce the cost of both housing and transportation for residents; Provide alternative transportation choices to residents in neighborhoods that are ideally located near the Chicago Central Business District; Create low-cost transportation options that provide an alternative to the personal automobile and its related, rising fuel costs. Specific Recommendations: Reestablish the Clybourn bus; Explore Chicago Avenue and Halsted Bus Rapid Transit opportunities; Improve signage and access to the North and Clybourn Red Line station; Pursue a new elevated Brown Line station at Division and Orleans with mixed use development; Improve the #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick weekend schedule; Consider Larrabee Street bus service; Improve passenger shelters at bus stops; Install improved and extra bike racks at Chicago, Sedgwick and North/Clybourn stations; Install intersection enhancements at Division/Clybourn; Improve pedestrian crossings at future transit stops; Improve streetscape environment in areas slated for retail development; Improve bike and pedestrian access by completing the street grid and adding bike lanes; Establish design elements that welcome visitors and residents; Cluster community facilities along Larrabee and Oak; Locate a commercial node on Clybourn from Ogden to Larrabee, at Division and Larrabee, and at Clybourn and Mohawk; Develop retail at Division and Halsted. Plan Maps and Data References: Map of study area, p. 3; Map of Near North subdistrict, p. N-1; Map of Near North study area recommendations, p. N-5; Near North implementation actions, pp. N-6-7.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Significant retail and commercial transit oriented development at and

adjacent to the Red Line North/Clybourn El station; Marina Planned Development under construction at

Halsted Street/Division Street; Major mixed-use development under construction at Clybourn

Avenue/Halsted Street; Station modernizations completed, including improved pedestrian and bicycle

access and infrastructure at the Division/Clark and North/Clybourn El stations; Shared commercial and

retail parking development serving North Avenue/Clybourn Avenue; Jesse White Community Center at

Chicago Avenue/Sedgwick Street completed; New bridges with pedestrian/bicyclist infrastructure

constructed (two serving Halsted Street and one serving North Avenue); New CTA bus shelters installed

throughout; Station modernization planning underway for the Orleans/Division CTA station.



Key Unfinished Projects: Re-establish Clybourn local bus route that was eliminated; Implement Chicago

Avenue and Halsted Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); Install community identifiers and informational

signage along Division Street, Halsted Street and Chicago Avenue; Develop a retail node at the BRT stop

at Division Street/Halsted Street; Make pedestrian crossing improvements at key intersections.

Reconnecting Neighborhoods

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/reconnecting_neighborhoodsplan.html



Chicago Central Area Action Plan

Adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission August 2009

Community Area: Loop, Near North Side, Near South Side, Near West Side

Department of Zoning and Land Use Development (now the Department of Planning and

Development), Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Department of the Environment,

Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, Aldermen Robert Fioretti,

Madeline Haithcock, Pat Dowell, Dorothy Tillman, Daniel S. Solis, Walter Burnett, Jr., Brendan Reilly,

Burton F. Natarus, Vi Daley, URS Corporation, Site Design Group, Goodman Williams Group

The Chicago Central Area Action Plan provides a road map for the continued implementation of the 2003 Central Area Plan. The Action Plan envisions that the Central Area will expand its role as the core of the regional economic and a center for cultural and recreational amenities. The plan identifies key transportation improvements as the foundation for expanding the employment base, increasing residential population, accommodating more tourists, attracting more shoppers and supporting more students. Sustainable urban design, additional open space and improvements to the waterfront are recommended to enhance the attractive qualities of the environment that connect people to place. A Steering Committee oversaw the creation of the plan, and was guided by input from three task forces: Economic Development and Land Use, Transportation and Urban Design and Waterfront and Open Space. The Central Area was divided into twelve planning subdistricts. General Recommendations: Maintain Chicago’s position as the economic engine of the region; Support dense residential growth to enhance urban vibrancy and utilize infrastructure; Implement cutting-edge environmental practices and green building techniques; Enhance parks, corridors and waterfronts for residents, workers, students and visitors; Better connect to the world through O’Hare and Midway airports as well as the regional rail network; Strengthen Chicago’s ties to the North American economy through efficient freight delivery; Invest in transit to support the growth envisioned by the plan; Frame a city/state/federal capital investment plan supplemented by private participation; Incorporate the Central Area Action Plan into the Regional Transportation Plan as well as state and federal capital programs. Specific Recommendations: Extend the highest density office core into the West Loop around transit stations, services and the Chicago River; Develop high density, mixed-use corridors which extend from the expanded Loop and are linked to transit; Support a diverse collection of livable neighborhoods and special places; Preserve and strengthen the Central Area’s world-renowned architectural and cultural heritage; Strengthen Industrial Corridors and Planned Manufacturing Districts; Direct the growth of the Central Area’s educational institutions and provide opportunities for lifelong learning; Promote and strengthen the Central Area’s world-class cultural assets; Make transit the first choice for people coming to the Central Area; Improve the quality of the pedestrian environment; Efficiently manage traffic circulation and parking to prevent gridlock; Encourage alternative modes of transportation, such as bicycles and taxis; Increase CTA and Metra capacity to bring workers to the Central Area; Improve national and international connections; Strengthen the Lakefront; Develop the Chicago River as a premier public place and continuous open space system; Create the next generation of urban and neighborhood parks to support the growing population; Complete the Central Area’s framework of richly landscaped streets and boulevards.



Improve transit in central area; Increase regional transit capacity; Improve the pedestrian environment; Manage traffic circulation; Encourage alternative modes of transit; Improve national and international connections; Strengthen Chicago as an environmentally sustainable city; Strengthen the lakefront as Chicago’s great public space; Develop the Chicago Riverfront as a continuous stream of premier public places; Create the next generation of downtown parks; Complete the Central Area’s framework of richly landscaped streets and boulevards. Plan Maps and Data References: Map of Central Area subdistricts, p. ES-4; Annual growth benchmarks by sector, p. ES-5; Central Area project cost summary, p. ES-16; Action plan projects, p. ES-17; Phasing plan, pp. ES-18-20; Regional supporting projects, p. ES-20; 2007 City of Chicago capital budget, p. ES-21; 2007 City of Chicago capital budget funding sources, p. ES-21; Transit capital funding patterns, p. ES-22; Central Area TIF district spending, p. ES-22; Central Area growth trends and forecasts, p. 1-2; Office development, p. 1-4; Residential development 2000-2007, p. 1-5; Retail development, 2000-2007, p. 1-6; Hotel development, 2000-2007, p. 1-7; Central Area schools (planned and existing), p. 1-8; Central area worktrips, Year 2000, p. 2-2; Metra system ridership, p. 2-3; Central Area station boardings, p. 2-3; Central Area transportation projects, p. 2-7; Regional supporting transit projects, p. 2-17; 2008-2012 transportation projects, p. 2-18; 2012-2016 transportation projects, p. 2-18; 2016-2020 transportation projects, p. 2-19; Regional supporting projects, p. 2-19; Urban design focus areas and signature streets, p. 3-6; Conceptual principles for building heights, p. 3-7; Urban design, waterfront and open space, p. 3-8; 2008-2012 urban design, waterfront and open space projects, p. 3-15; 2012-2016 urban design, waterfront and open space projects, p. 3-15; 2016-2020 urban design, waterfront and open space projects, p. 3-16; Clybourn south area urban design recommendations, p. 4-5; Cabrini area projects, p. 4-6; Division Street recommendations, p. 4-9; Near North projects, p. 4-10; Streeterville projects, p. 4-14; Wolf Point, p. 4-17; River North projects, p. 4-18; Kennedy Corridor urban design, p. 4-21; West Loop project map, p. 4-22; East Randolph urban design recommendations, p. 4-26; Congress Parkway urban design recommendations, p. 4-27; Central Loop project map, p. 4-29; Kennedy Corridor urban design recommendations, p. 4-33; Near West projects, p. 4-34; Congress Parkway urban design recommendations, p. 4-37; Roosevelt Road urban design recommendations, p. 4-37; South West Loop project map, p. 4-38; Congress Parkway urban design recommendations, p. 4-41; Franklin Point and Roosevelt Road recommendations, p. 4-41; Rivers South project map, p. 4-42; Cermak Road urban design recommendations, p. 4-45; Chinatown project map, p. 4-46; Congress Parkway urban design recommendations, p. 4-49; Roosevelt Road urban design recommendations, p. 4-49; South Loop project map, p. 4-50; Roosevelt Road urban design recommendations, p. 4-43; Cermak Road urban design recommendations, p. 4-53; McCormick Place, p. 4-53; Near South project map, p. 4-54.

Highlighted Accomplishments: South Wacker Drive reconstruction completed; Wells Street bridge

replaced; Congress Parkway streetscape completed; Chicago Transit Authority stations at Morgan/

Grand renovated; Ping Tom Park Phase II and Ping Tom Field House built; Jones College Prep

constructed; DIVVY bike stations installed; Bike lanes added in Loop; Transitways became Bus Rapid

Transit plans; McCormick Place campus expanded; Wells/Wentworth connector in progress; Chicago

Riverwalk in progress; Navy Pier Flyover, an elevated path for pedestrians and cyclists along the

Lakefront Trail near Navy Pier, is scheduled to be completed in 2018; DuSable Park improved; Maggie

Daley Park under construction; Northerly Island Improvements completed.

Key Unfinished Projects: Undertake feasibility study for creation of park over Kennedy Expressway;

Improve Lake Shore Drive; Develop the West Loop Transportation Center, incorporating planned Union

Station Improvements.



Central Area Action Plan

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/central_area_action_plan.html



Chicago Union Station Master Plan Study May 2012

Community Area: Near West Side

Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Department of Housing and Economic Development

(now Department of Planning and Development), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Amtrak, Metra,

Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Illinois Department of

Transportation (IDOT), Metropolitan Planning Council, U.S. Department of Transportation, TranSystems,

EJM Engineering, Ross Barney Architects, Hatch Mott MacDonald, Big Picture Marketing

The Chicago Union Station Master Plan Study identifies ideas for adding tracks and platforms to the at-capacity station, as well as opportunities for improving passenger flow. The station is the hub of Amtrak’s network of regional trains serving the Midwest as well as most of the nation’s overnight trains. The recommendations are categorized as short-, medium-, and long-term opportunities. The impetus of the study was to provide sufficient capacity for significant increases in Metra and intercity passenger train ridership. General Recommendations: Convert baggage platforms for commuter use; Convert mail platform for intercity passenger train use; Enhance existing passenger station facilities to improve traffic flow and make the terminal more inviting for passengers; Provide more direct and convenient transfers to buses, CTA trains, taxis, shuttles and pick-up/drop-off; Rebuild Canal Street viaduct to improve street access; Create a terminal that is vibrant, a civic asset and a catalyst for growth in the West Loop and region. Specific Recommendations: Improve circulation and relieve congestion, particularly during peak periods and in the event of a major train delay; Improve sight lines; Expand capacity to allow for bi-directional access at major points of vertical circulation; Create traffic islands in Canal Street to add curb space for pick-up and drop-off traffic; Add direct stairs/escalators between street level along Canal Street and the track/concourse level immediately below; Develop a new passenger train station facility in the 300 S. Riverside block constructed on air rights over Union Station’s south tracks or develop a completely new commuter and intercity passenger train station in the 200 S. Riverside block, replacing the structures currently on this block; Construct a new lead track or build a new subway under Clinton Street or Canal Street. Plan Maps and Data References: Union Station passenger access modes, p. 21; Levels of ridership, p. 22; Midwest regional rail initiative, p. 31; Ridership projections, p. 32; Estimated Union Station annual ridership, p. 32; Projected increased number of trains needed for increased ridership, p. 33; Union Station development context, p. 34; East-West BRT corridor, p. 38; Union Station Transportation Center concept plan, p. 40; Space for improved through tracks with elimination of unused mail platform, p. 44; Conceptual plan of concourse area reconfiguration, p. 46; Conceptual illustration of passenger flows in PM rush, existing conditions, p. 48; Conceptual illustration of passenger flows in PM rush, proposed conditions, p. 48; Map of Clinton and Canal subway alternatives, p. 57.

Highlighted Accomplishments: CDOT, Amtrak, and Metra completed concept planning for reconfiguring

Union Station to expand its capacity; Simulation modeling to assess the new capacity underway, to be

completed in early 2015; Phase 1 engineering study underway for replacing Canal Street viaduct;

Conversations underway between the City of Chicago, Amtrak and Metra about reconfiguring Union

Station and redevelopment of 222 South Riverside; IDOT has applied for funding on behalf of CDOT,



Amtrak and Metra for Federal Railroad Administration funding to establish best passenger train routes

in and out of Union Station and improvements needed to ensure sufficient future capacity; Award

announcement expected in early 2015.

Key Unfinished Projects: Develop the air rights above the transportation improvements on the 300

South block of Riverside Plaza and the Amtrak parking garage block in order to capture a portion of the

proceeds from future private-sector development to fund transportation improvements; Expansions and

renovations to Amtrak’s passenger departure lounges; The station’s historic headhouse building and key

nearby Amtrak- and City-owned properties redeveloped in a manner that leverages development

proceeds to improve transportation facilities.

Chicago Union Station Master Plan Study

http://www.cityofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/cdot/CDOTProjects/Chicago-Union-Station-Master-Plan-Study.pdf



Central Loop Bus Rapid Transit

2012


Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), in partnership with Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT),

Department of Planning and Development and Federal Transit Administration

Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, is planned for the Central Loop. The east-west corridor will be serviced by

1,000 buses per day, making it one of the busiest bus routes in the nation. The project is financed by a

$24.6M Federal Transit Administration grant and $7.3M in local Tax Increment Finance funds. CDOT

planners, in conjunction with the CTA, have begun design and engineering work on the project.

The Central Loop BRT will feature:

Dedicated bus lanes on Washington, Madison, Clinton and Canal

Queue jumps

Turn restrictions

Raised platforms at Madison and Washington

Protected bike lanes at Randolph, Washington and Clinton

A new, off-street transportation center just south of Union Station

Connections from Navy Pier to Union Station

Off-board fare collection system

Improved reliability and speed for six bus routes: 56 (Jefferson Park),157 (Michigan

Avenue/Illinois Medical District), 124 (Navy Pier), 20 (United Center), 60 (Pilsen/Little Village)

and J14 (Jeffery Boulevard)

Highlighted Accomplishments: Construction planned to begin by March 31, 2015.

Central Loop BRT

Central Loop BRT Bus Map

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/central_loop_busrapidtransit.html

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/Bus%20Rapid%20Transit/Chi_BRT_Map.pdf



Jeffery Jump Bus Rapid Transit August 2013

Community Areas: Loop, Near South Side, South Shore, Avalon Park, South Chicago, South Deering,

Riverdale, Hegewisch

Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Department of Transportation

The Jeffery Jump features:

Dedicated bus lanes between 67th Street and 83rd Street during congested periods

Fewer stops to increase travel speeds, with the exception of the #15, which will continue all

local stops including shared stops at all Jump stations

Queue jumps via bypass lanes, which will allow a Jump bus to advance through an intersection

Transit signal priority

High quality stations, including lighted shelters with Bus Tracker displays, high-visibility kiosks

and ADA-accessible sidewalk ramps

Select locations will also feature bike racks, benches, trash cans and landscape planters

Unique graphics identifying Jump service for easy identification

On-board Bus Tracker displays that display arrival times at key destinations

Non-stop service from 11th to 67th Streets

Dedicated bus lanes

Commercial area showcase station at Jeffery Boulevard and 71st Street

Residential showcase station at 100th Street and Paxton Avenue

Plan Maps and Data References: N/A

Highlighted Accomplishments: Service is active; Dedicated lanes are in use; Showcase stations have

been built

Key Unfinished Projects: The project has been fully implemented.

BRT Jeffery Jump

http://www.transitchicago.com/jump/



Chinatown Community Vision Plan December 2013

Community Area: Armour Square

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community,

Alderman Danny Solis (25th Ward)

In 1912, the Chinatown community moved from the southern edge of downtown Chicago to its present location centered at Cermak Avenue and Wentworth Road. The neighborhood has developed its own unique sense of place over the years, but has never had its own plan to guide development in ways that align with community priorities. The process for the Chinatown Community Vision Plan included multiple steps and lasted more than a year. The planning process was designed to include extensive input from Chinatown’s residents, business owners and community leaders. This plan is still in draft form; therefore, Highlighted Accomplishments and Key Unfinished Projects were not included in this summary. General Recommendations: Enhance access to transit; Improve pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure; Explore parking management strategies; Strengthen the connection between Old and New Chinatown; Develop flexible age-friendly residential neighborhoods; Maintain quality affordable housing; Strengthen support for existing local businesses; Promote tourism in Chinatown; Attract new businesses to meet the needs of residents; Expand services for Chinatown’s residents with limited English proficiency; Work with the City Colleges of Chicago as pipelines for residents to enter the workforce; Improve safety of parks and public spaces; Conduct regular community clean-up activities; Activate parks and public spaces through placemaking initiatives; Promote complete streets and enhance streetscaping; Develop effective signage and advertising to increase awareness of park amenities; Find creative solutions to increasing community green spaces; Define community priorities for future development within Chinatown’s core; Position the community to work with neighboring communities and benefit from anticipated development in adjacent areas; Establish a framework for sustained, inclusive community involvement in planning decisions. Specific Recommendations: Improve existing transit infrastructure and make it easier and more comfortable for people to access trains and buses; Increase the number of bus shelters, add heated shelters when possible and include bus schedule displays; Focus on better connecting transit to Chinatown’s many amenities with easy-to-read wayfinding signage; Continue to explore other funding sources and project ideas to enhance the aesthetic quality of the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line station; Incorporate curb extensions, bump outs, in-road stop signs, pedestrian refuges and leading pedestrian intervals into pedestrian crossings; Focus on improving particularly challenging intersections, such as Wentworth and Cermak, Wentworth and Archer, Wentworth and 18th Street, and Cermak, Archer and Princeton; Promote the use of the city’s 311 service; Improve existing lighting and install new lighting; Expand and strengthen bicycle infrastructure to improve connections to the City’s existing and proposed bicycle network routes; Install additional bike racks; Conduct a comprehensive parking study; Improve pedestrian crossings at the triangle-shaped block formed by Cermak, Archer and Wentworth; Improve pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Cermak, Archer and Princeton; Incorporate age-friendly design throughout the community; Improve mobility for seniors, young children and people with disabilities; Expand activities for seniors; Consider establishing an assisted living facility; Compile owner assistance resources and programs for landlords and promote the resources and programs through an education and awareness campaign; Organize a landlord commission; Expand training



workshops for businesses; Gear Chamber resources toward prominent industry clusters in the community, such as the food sector; Conduct outreach to and hold trainings for restaurant owners; Develop more community-wide promotional events and campaigns to bolster tourism and stimulate the local economy; Identify strategies to reduce barriers to event organizing; Explore options for partnering with Choose Chicago; Post more physical or web-based directories about the many retail and dining options in Chinatown; Capitalize upon new opportunities for expanding or attracting new retail during the Wentworth realignment process; Conduct an initial market analysis to assess the viability of options for commercial development along the Wentworth corridor; Focus on potential strategies that provide greater support for new and potential entrepreneurs in the long-run; Work in partnership with Haines Elementary School and Kelly High School; Explore options for supplemental after school tutoring or ESL programs; Work with the City Colleges of Chicago’s Colleges to Careers program specializations to enable more residents to obtain training in their fields of interest; Design and maintain park landscaping to preserve clear sightlines into Ping Tom Park from afar, as well as viaducts on the southern edge of the community; Ensure that all residences and commercial establishments have access to designated dumpsters and that the dumpsters are used; Conduct a broader Chinatown-wide public awareness campaign to keep Chinatown clean; Develop bilingual flyers about the protocol for notifying the city about full public garbage containers; Establish an “adoption” to maintain various types of infrastructure; Identify placemaking projects and activities that are scalable and appropriate to specific sites; Explore options for programming or designing shared uses on underutilized land; Prioritize Chinatown’s busiest streets for standard streetscape improvements; Advocate for the provision of publicly accessible green spaces in new development projects; Define community priorities for future development within Chinatown’s core; Position the community to work with neighboring communities and benefit from anticipated development in adjacent areas; Implement the Community Vision Plan. Chinatown Community Vision Plan

http://www.cct.org/sites/cct.org/files/ChinatownCommunityVisionPlan2013.pdf

http://www.cct.org/sites/cct.org/files/ChinatownCommunityVisionPlan2013.pdf



Streeterville Neighborhood Plan August 2014 (update of original 2005 plan)


Streeterville Organization of Active Residents

The objective of the Streeterville Neighborhood Plan is to preserve, promote and enhance the quality of life in the community. Since the initial plan was created in 2005, Streeterville’s population has grown by 50%, and there has been significant new development including hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues and institutional buildings. This plan was completed in August of 2014; therefore, Highlighted Accomplishments and Key Unfinished Projects are not included in this summary. General Recommendations: Promote a balance of uses and encourage place sensitive development for the future, concerning style, scale, integration and interactions within the neighborhood; Prioritize non-motorized transportation and mass transit modes while emphasizing safety; Advocate for accessible open spaces and incorporate higher standards for air quality and sustainable building materials; Create a strategy to improve the places that make Streeterville a great place to live and visit. Specific Recommendations: Maintain a balance of uses; Enrich commercial streets and create commercial corridors; Encourage place-sensitive developments; Encourage public participation in decision-making processes; Create a safe and inviting pedestrian and bicycling environment; Promote efficient and convenient mass public transit system; Encourage forward-thinking street planning, design and management; Ensure that the use of water, energy and materials promote sustainability; Maximize air quality and temperature; Promote development of neighborhood parks and planted spaces; Promote a quiet and peaceful neighborhood; Encourage aesthetic improvements and lighting; Improve security and safety; Promote a unique experience; Create a sense of place; Preserve landmarks and historic districts; Improve accessibility to attractions and make connecting routes more inviting. Plan Maps and Data References: Map of Streeterville, p. 7; Population demographics, pp. 9-11; Transit in-flow and out-flow analysis, p. 11; Land use map, p. 15; Institutional land use, pp. 16-17; Zoning map, p. 19; Transportation map, p. 21; Bike map, p. 25; Parks and open space map, p. 29; Landmarks map, p. 35; Development heat map, p. 43.

Streeterville Neighborhood Plan

http://soarchicago.org/neighborhood-plan/

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