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

BRONZEVILLE SOUTH LAKEFRONT Woodlawn: Rebuilding the Village May 2005

Community Area: Woodlawn

Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corporation, The Woodlawn Organization, LISC, Camiros, University of Chicago

By 1960, 81,000 people lived in the Woodlawn community, which had become predominantly African- American. The community then experienced disinvestment and decline and the population fell to just 27,000 in 2000. Woodlawn: Rebuilding the Village is a quality of life plan that proposes eight strategies to help Woodlawn strengthen its local economy and stabilize its population. The plan acknowledges recent efforts of local organizations and private developers to build housing in the community. While recognizing the benefits of these new housing options, the plan also recognizes a need for improving school performance, local retail, youth programming, and links to the regional job market. The goal of such strategies is to reverse disinvestment and population decline that has occurred in the Woodlawn community for the past five decades.

General Recommendations: Expand the supply of new housing for a mix of incomes and support improvement of existing housing stock; Develop a vibrant retail and business environment and a central shopping district along Cottage Grove Avenue south of 63rd Street; Promote economic opportunity, workforce development and improved connections to the job market; Organize people and resources to make all Woodlawn schools excellent; Improve communication and coordination among organizations, residents and institutions; Plan and implement activities and programs for youth; Expand recreational activities for all ages and develop new programs around arts and culture; Provide professional development resources and other support to health and social service agencies.

Specific Recommendations: Promote balanced development of housing that includes new and rehabbed market-rate units, while preserving affordable housing opportunities; Establish a comprehensive housing center; Improve maintenance of and encourage reinvestment in rental housing; Survey housing conditions to identify problem properties; Engage residents and stakeholders in a planning process for improvements to Grove Parc Plaza; Support development of the Living Room Café; Develop new housing options for seniors; Create a central business district along Cottage Grove Avenue from 63rd to 67th Streets; Beautify the section of 63rd Street that runs under the El tracks, from Cottage Grove Avenue to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive; Create a local chamber of commerce; Incorporate public art, historic preservation, landscaping and community heritage; Create concentrated nodes of commercial development; Coordinate with the University of Chicago’s South Campus plan; Add a Center for Working Families component to the Woodlawn Employment Center to provide comprehensive employment and financial services; Develop local job opportunities for adults and youth; Connect residents to specialized training and job opportunities for residents with criminal records, limited employment histories or disabilities; Promote local entrepreneurship and new-business start-ups; Create a Woodlawn schools network; Develop two new charter schools; Create community schools; Develop local and citywide resources to strengthen educational opportunities; Expand and strengthen early childhood development programs; Provide community service, internship and co-op employment opportunities; Develop programs to reduce the dropout rate and combat high school truancy; Create

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opportunities for intergenerational activities; Expand the local tradition of block club organizing; Create a program to welcome newcomers; Promote residents’ involvement with local agencies; Identify collaborative opportunities for social service agencies to improve and coordinate programming and services for residents; Develop stronger connections and programming among religious institutions; Create safer streets for residents through expanded partnerships; Monitor crime and develop programs to improve safety; Disseminate community information about social and economic issues; Organize a planning process around youth needs; Develop new or expanded programs based on the planning process and other identified needs; Coordinate and promote established and new programs, including after-school tutoring and cultural activities, such as dance, music and visual arts; Build an injury-free playground for young children in the area bounded by 63rd to 67th Streets and Cottage Grove Avenue to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive; Expand recreational programming throughout Woodlawn; Develop the Chicago Park District Harris Recreation Center as a cultural and recreational hub; Expand neighborhood- friendly programming at nearby major facilities; Create a Woodlawn arts council; Support development of live-work space for artists; Establish a program of public art and beautification along key streets and in public facilities, and involve youth in creating the artworks; Establish social and informational get- togethers for senior citizens; Sponsor regular health fairs and screenings, seminar and other events; Support and strengthen local providers of social and health services; Regularly analyze community health and social service needs to assist in evaluating programs and services.

Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. 6; Catalyst project map, p. 10; Enhancement program for 63rd Street, p. 20; 63rd Street streetscape, p. 21; South campus plan, p. 22; Schedule and priorities, pp. 33-36.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Engaged residents and stakeholders in a planning process for improvements to Grove Parc Plaza leading to a $30M HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant for comprehensive redevelopment; Added a Center for Working Families component to the Woodlawn Employment Center; Created a Woodlawn schools network, the Woodlawn Children’s Promise Community; Expanded and strengthened early childhood development programs; Added two new cafes, “Robust” and “Greenline.”

Key Unfinished Projects: Create a chamber of commerce; Support the development of the Living Room Café; Establish a comprehensive housing center; Build an injury-free playground; Identify collaborative opportunities for social service agencies to improve and coordinate programming and services for residents; Develop the Chicago Park District Harris Recreation Center as a cultural and recreational hub; Create a Woodlawn arts council; Establish social and informational get-togethers for senior citizens and a major annual event to help seniors maintain an active social life.

Woodlawn: Rebuilding the Village

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Quad Communities: Connecting Past, Present and Future May 2005

Community Areas: Douglas, Oakland, Grand Boulevard and Kenwood

Quad Communities Development Corporation, LISC, Camiros, Kym Abrams Design

The Quad Communities, also known as Chicago’s Black Metropolis and Bronzeville, has undergone substantial change. The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is transforming its housing developments, new investors are purchasing the area’s vacant lots and middle-income residents are returning to the area. The history of the Quad Communities is rich with arts and entertainment, and is especially renowned for gospel, blues, jazz and rock and roll innovators, such as Thomas Dorsey, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and Muddy Waters. The community’s location is proximate to the South Loop, Lake Michigan, Hyde Park-South Kenwood, the Museum campus, University of Chicago, the Expressway, Metra and the CTA Green and Red lines. Community activism and local arts and culture organizations are on the rise, as well, most notably with the opening of the Little Black Pearl’s facility at 47th Street and Greenwood Avenue.

General Recommendations: Improve the quality of all local schools and ensure they are open to all residents; Provide employment and financial education services through new programs and better coordination of established ones; Create recreational, social and employment opportunities for youth; Support a mix of low-income, affordable and market-rate housing, and foster interaction among diverse residents; Improve safety through partnerships with residents, the Chicago Police Department and the University of Chicago Police Department; Promote and coordinate health care and social services and help residents develop healthy lifestyles; Develop unique retail and commercial districts and foster locally owned businesses; Improve community infrastructure, including transportation and information systems; Integrate arts, culture and history into the everyday life of the community.

Specific Recommendations: Ensure children living in a school attendance area can attend that school; Create a network of “community schools” that partner with local institutions and have extended hours from 7am to 7pm; Assess child-care needs and affordability and add pre-school and full-day kindergarten at local schools, where needed; Support charter and parochial schools; Improve high school education; Create business and education partnerships; Enable teachers and parents to better help students; Ensure that arts, physical education and health and sex education are core disciplines of the curriculum; Track student progress and attendance; Develop a Center for Working Families; Develop an employment services task force; Develop a Quad Communities employment report and employment resource directory; Initiative a Job Access Reverse Commute program; Improve job-training programs; Organize and host quarterly job developers’ forums; Develop youth enterprise opportunities; Expand year-round recreation programs and facilities; Develop youth leadership; Develop an inventory of community service projects; Create a Digital Youth Initiative; Create intergenerational workshops; Create an Affordable Housing Resource Center; Ensure that long-term economic and social supports are in place at new mixed-income developments; Create live-work spaces for artists and musicians; Develop a Smart Planning Initiative; Create community connection through a Building Blocks Initiative; Develop a Quad Communities Safety Cooperative; Organize a Safety and Strategic Work Group; Further expand University of Chicago Police Department patrols; Develop directories of health and social services; Create partnerships among social service organizations; Create a Senior Heritage Initiative; Support healthy lifestyles; Institute a commercial design standard; Organize, staff and manage a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Advisory Council for the 43rd Street and Cottage Grove Avenue TIF; Develop public- and

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private-sector resources to attract specific types desired by the community; Establish a retail development planning team; Enhance the capacity of chambers of commerce and other support organizations to promote business growth and support locally-owned businesses; Promote neighborhood resources through a Community Information Hub; Beautify the neighborhood; Enhance Drexel Boulevard; Implement a parking, transportation and infrastructure strategy; Create new transit connections and services; Develop an arts council to connect groups involved in arts, culture, heritage tourism and recreation; Implement fine arts programming; Create a neighborhood historical society.

Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. B; Resource map, p. 2; Area highlights map, p. 10; TIF districts, p. 21; Cottage Grove development framework, p. 27; Local transportation map, p. 30; Schedule and priorities, pp. 33-35.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Developed a new SSA on 47th Street; Initiated a Job Access Reverse Commute pilot program; Created a Digital Youth Initiative; Developed youth leadership through mentorship and internship opportunities; Further expanded University of Chicago Police Department patrols; Created partnership among social services organizations; Created a TIF Advisory Council; Implemented fine arts programming; Work continues to enhance the capacity of chambers of commerce and other support organizations.

Key Unfinished Projects: Create an Affordable Housing Resource Center; Establish a retail development planning team; Develop an arts council.

Quad Communities: Connecting Past, Present and Future

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Washington Park: Historic, Vibrant, Proud and Healthy May 2009

Community Area: Washington Park

Washington Park Consortium, Alderman Cochran, LISC, Teska Associates

The 2009 plan, Washington Park: Historic, Vibrant, Proud and Healthy, was developed in anticipation of the 2016 Olympic bid and Alderman Cochran’s re-election. The plan’s recommendations are broad in scope, and include building capacity of local organizations, creating transit-oriented development and improving health and wellness. The plan is a quality of life plan that proposes ten strategies to develop the built environment, as well as the community’s economic, educational, and social foundations.

General Recommendations: Build community capacity to ensure Washington Park benefits from future development plans, including the 2016 Olympic bid; Proclaim and celebrate Washington Park’s proud past; Create an environment where people are safe and accountable; Provide a range of housing choices that support existing residents and attract new residents; Support development of businesses and retail stores; Build partnerships to improve employment options; Support healthy lifestyles and better health care; Provide supervised activities to engage young people; Support youth and adults in and outside of schools; Provide solid services and promote active participation in the golden years.

Specific Recommendations: Build capacity of nonprofit, cultural and faith-based organizations; Promote strategies and actions that can be integrated with major development efforts such as the 2016 Olympic bid; Support and develop new block clubs; Establish community advisory committees; Organize regular community forums; Recruit elders to recount the history of the neighborhood; Preserve and rehabilitate historic buildings; Become part of the proposed Black Metropolis District National Heritage Area; Celebrate the history and culture of the Chicago Park District’s Washington Park through its historic landmarks and boulevards; Preserve housing along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive; Organize beautification and cleanup efforts; Build stronger partnerships between community and police; Involve youth in safety and beautification efforts by awarding service-learning hours; Stress personal accountability and consistent law enforcement; Increase parent participation on safety issues, after-school programs and youth activities; Combat foreclosures to improve neighborhood stability; Expand homeownership opportunities; Preserve and rehabilitate quality rental housing; Invite community participation on all housing-development proposals; Develop or link to housing education and assistance programs; Embrace supportive housing as a tool to alleviate homelessness and dependency; Identify and promote locations for small, unique businesses; Assemble parcels for large-scale retail development; Create transit-oriented development near Chicago Transit Authority transit centers; Develop resources and partnerships to support retail; Develop a Community Benefits Agreement for Washington Park; Increase access to Midway Airport, the Loop and other neighborhoods with rapid bus and Metra services; Create a trolley service to improve local circulation; Create a small business/entrepreneurship center; Boost technical skills through training and certification; Create partnerships with trade unions; Target specific industries for job growth; Attract a major employer to locate in Washington Park; Improve opportunities for residents to be hired for temporary, seasonal and festival jobs; Create a Center for Working Families; Increase wellness through educational intergenerational programs on exercise, sports, recreation and healthy social interaction; Develop civic education campaigns to highlight and foster positive behavior; Take advantage of existing health-related resources in schools and nearby health-services providers; Expand access to fresh food and produce and make residents aware of healthier choices; Create or expand open space; Launch Open Mic competitions and “corner actions;” Support students headed back

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to school; Link evening programs with life skills and values training; Create a residential school for at-risk youth; Develop a Washington Park Peace Festival; Support and promote organized sports and recreation leagues; Develop programs to improve attendance and student achievement; Increase parent involvement in schools; Improve digital literacy through a network of computer centers; Develop a College Resource Center and host career and education fairs for youth and adults; Attract a military- style drill program to a local school; Support lagging students with catch-up and GED programming; Offer vocational and entrepreneurial training as well as creative, performing and fine arts programs during and after school; Create or engage a central agency or ombudsman to serve and advocate for senior citizens; Create financial counseling and literacy programs for seniors; Build senior-youth relationships; Help seniors with housing needs related to foreclosure prevention, property maintenance, home improvements and weatherization; Create a door-to-door shuttle service for senior activities and take advantage of PACE shuttle services.

Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. 2; Community asset map, p. 8; Land use guidelines, p. 20; Raber House Park and 58th Street green corridor, p. 25; Schedule and priorities, pp. 30-33.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Created Washington Park Chamber of Commerce; Established Washington Park Arts Incubator at and near the Garfield station on the Green Line; Opened a new café, Currency Exchange Café, within a half block of the Garfield station; Completed feasibility study of Black Metropolis District National Heritage Area by Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Developed Prairie Avenue urban farm.

Key Unfinished Projects: Build capacity in the chamber of commerce; Establish community advisory committees; Organize regular community forums; Organize beautification and cleanup efforts; Build stronger partnerships between community and police; Involve youth in safety and beautification efforts; Increase parent participation on safety issues, after-school programs and youth activities; Embrace supportive housing; Assemble parcels for large-scale retail development; Develop resources and partnerships to support retail; Create a Center for Working Families; Create or expand open space; Develop annual festival programming; Increase parent involvement in schools; Help seniors with housing needs.

Washington Park: Historic, Vibrant, Proud and Healthy

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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: Consider a new express bus to the Loop; Extend evening hours on the #43 bus; Consider weekend service on the #39 bus; Improve passenger shelters at bus stops; Improve sidewalks, lighting and signage at Indiana Avenue and 43rd Street Green Line stations; Consider adding Metra service in the area; Consider Bus Rapid Transit along 35th and 39th Streets; Consider local street car service on Cottage Grove Avenue; Improve access to the lakeshore; Improve streetscapes; Improve pedestrian crossings along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and Cottage Grove Avenue; Establish a gateway feature at Pershing Avenue from and at 35th Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive; Attract mixed-use development around the 43rd Street Green Line station and at Cottage Grove Avenue from 40th Street to 43rd Street; Locate a commercial and mixed-use node along Pershing Avenue.

Plan Maps and Data References: Map of study area, p. 3; Map of Mid South subdistrict, p. S-1; Map of Mid South study area recommendations, p. S-5; Mid South implementation actions, pp. N-6-7.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Extended hours of Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus #43; Installed dedicated and shared bike lanes and additional bus shelters with CTA Bus Tracker; Scheduled completion for a new arts and recreation center at 35th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in 2015; Planned construction of new bridges planned on 35th Street and 43rd Street to the lakeshore; Issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for development of the area adjacent to the Green Line station at 43rd Street.

Key Unfinished Projects: Implement Bus Rapid Transit on Cottage Grove Avenue; Enhance the streetscape on sections of Pershing Avenue and 43rd Street.

Reconnecting Neighborhoods

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Developing Vibrant Retail in Bronzeville 2012

Community Area: Bronzeville

The Bronzeville Alliance, Metropolitan Planning Council

This study and plan advances and builds on the Reconnecting Neighborhoods plan with retail, transit and pedestrian improvements in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The chief conclusion was that at this time, the local market can support one primary retail corridor and that corridor should be 47th Street, due to its higher existing concentration of retail, strong anchor institutions and potential new developments, and strong access by car and public transit.

General Recommendations: Form a cross-ward agreement and economic development arm; Address both real and perceived safety challenges; Cluster businesses; Enhance the opportunities for a mix of uses; Increase residential density; Create and attract new draws to the area.

Specific Recommendations: Recruit neighborhood serving retail; Cluster complementary businesses; Create a central retail development hub; Beautify and improve safety on 47th Street; Create a 47th Street Urban Design Master plan and conduct a parking study; Allow flexibility and update zoning on 47th Street; Shore up the intersections at Cottage Grove Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive; Rejuvenate the Harold Washington Cultural Center; Attract a wider variety of retailers; Target recruitment on 43rd Street at the Green Line Station and Cottage Grove; Beautify and improve safety on 51st Street; Develop a Station Area Plan for the 51st Street CTA Green Line station; Make Bronzeville Cookin’ a reality; Create a new Special Service Area (SSA) on 47th Street in the 3rd Ward; Engage in placemaking; Create a comprehensive land use and zoning plan; Return Bronzeville signage to the Dan Ryan Expressway and Lake Shore Drive; Determine a plan for the interim use of vacant land.

Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. 4; Local retail market, p. 7; Convenience trade area adjusted float, 2009, p. 7; Corridor recommendations, p. 9.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Issued Request For Proposals for new retail or mixed-use development of the Green Line station at 43rd Street and Cottage Grove; Improved 51st Street through SSA ; Planned improvements for the 51st Street Chicago Transit Authority Green Line station, including Adopt-A- Station; Initiated Bronzeville Cookin’; Created new SSA on 47th Street in the 3rd Ward; Engaged community organizations deeply in placemaking through events, signage, banners, murals, etc.; Developed comprehensive land use and zoning plan in concert with Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning in 2013; Returned Bronzeville signage to the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Key Unfinished Projects: Create a 47th Street Urban Design Master plan and conduct a parking study; Rejuvenate the Harold Washington Cultural Center; Return Bronzeville signage to Lake Shore Drive; Determine a plan for the interim use of vacant land.

Developing Vibrant Retail in Bronzeville

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South Lakefront Corridor Transit Study November 2012

Community Area: Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Oakland, Kenwood, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, South Chicago, Washington Park, Avalon Park, Calumet Heights, Greater Grand Crossing, Burnside

Chicago Department of Transportation, Cambridge Systematics, URS, O-H Community Partners, EJM Engineering, MKC Associates The South Lakefront study area (the lakefront on the east, the Stevenson Expressway on the north, the Dan Ryan Expressway/Norfolk Southern rail yard/Cottage Grove Avenue on the west and on the south) is served by a variety of transit services, including local and express bus routes, the Red and Green lines and the Metra Electric District. This study was initiated in order to identify gaps in the ability of the mass transit’s existing network to meet current and future needs and to develop, evaluate and recommend improvements. The recommendations are intended to enhance mobility for residents of the study area communities and increase access to jobs located throughout the city and surrounding areas.

General Recommendations: Focus improvements on safety, travel times, key linkages, customer comfort, frequency of service, seamless travel, knowledge of services and economically viable neighborhoods.

Specific Recommendations: Improve safety and security features; Provide better coverage with high- capacity, high-speed modes, targeting areas where walking distances to stations are above 0.5 miles; Enhance travel time and reliability; Identify and strengthen connections and travel options within major east-west corridors to serve work and discretionary trips; Improve station and bus environment for users who are waiting; Improve frequency of service to match demand, especially bus service, in key areas; Integrate the network of transit service so users can easily go from one mode or one transit provider to another; Offer more integrated, seamless transfer and fare policies; Increase creative marketing efforts to ensure that those who have Internet access are aware of these features; Increase information options for those without Internet access; Highlight opportunities to cluster development around existing transportation hubs, particularly rail stations; Complement the transit system improvements with pedestrian, bicycle and other enhancements to station access.

Plan Maps and Data References: Map of study area, p. 2; 2006 typical weekday boardings and alightings, p. 9; Average weekday entering ridership at Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) stations, p. 10; Average weekday ridership on current CTA bus routes, p. 12; Key characteristics of the population, p. 15; Characteristics of work and non-work trips, p. 17; Transit market share, p. 20; Study area land use, p. 22; Stakeholder identification of goals and objectives, p. 29; Evaluation screening criteria, p. 33; Candidate projects by category, p. 35; Alignment of Jeffery Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), p. 38; Comparison of example project improvements, p. 42; Location of the nine example improvement projects, p. 42; Stations with transit oriented development (TOD) potential, p. 48.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Completed the Red Line South Reconstruction Project (9 stations from 95th Street/Dan Ryan to Cermak/Chinatown) including improved pedestrian, security, way-finding and lighting infrastructure; Installed new CTA bus shelters throughout the area with a select number (including along the J14 Jeffrey Boulevard Jump route) having the CTA’s Bus Tracker displays; Undertook Red Line track and structure repairs to reduce commute times.

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Key Unfinished Projects: Establish new bus route on 83rd Street; Create Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Express bus service; Develop bus priority on South Lake Shore Drive; Explore Cottage Grove Bus Rapid Transit; Explore Cottage Grove Avenue streetcar; Explore 55th Street/Garfield Boulevard corridor Bus Rapid Transit; Explore 79th Street corridor enhanced bus; Explore development of the Gold Line; Integrate CTA-Metra fares; Explore Transit-Oriented-Development potential at stations.

South Lakefront Corridor Transit Study

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Bus Rapid Transit Jeffery Jump 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  Unique graphics identifying Jump service for easy identification  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

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Bronzeville Retail District Land Use Plan August 2013

Community Area: Bronzeville

Bronzeville Alliance, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Metropolitan Planning Council, Department of Planning and Development, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

The Bronzeville Retail District Land Use Plan is a policy and general planning document prepared through CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance program, in partnership with the City of Chicago and the Bronzeville Alliance. The plan is intended to better focus retail and commercial investment along 43rd, 47th and 51st Streets, and includes recommendations for a land use context that will support and enhance the overall community.

General Recommendations: Prioritize infill development and redevelopment of vacant and underutilized properties; Consolidate parcels to support larger development; Physically arrange land-use activities in compact, interconnected ways to permit convenient and efficient movement between land uses; Introduce flexible zoning in transition areas between the primary nodes; Increase development intensity in the priority nodes; Introduce a pedestrian zoning district on 47th Street; Focus and increase development density and mixed-use/commercial use near retail nodes and transit stations to support pedestrian-friendly retail and promote use of public transit; Rezone areas not in high demand for retail use to permissive or flexible zoning, allowing for other potential uses in appropriate areas between the primary retail nodes; Focus retail uses along east-west streets within the study area; Encourage new residential development, redevelopment and investment, particularly multifamily buildings, near but outside of retail nodes and transit stations to help provide appropriate population density and customer base for businesses within the priority nodes and easy access to transit; Prioritize vacant parcels for use according to their location; Do not increase parking capacity within the primary retail nodes beyond that required by zoning; Stimulate redevelopment within the primary retail nodes by using incentives to direct development and facilitating potential catalytic projects; Locate parks and open space, including public plazas, near but outside of retail nodes and transit stations; Encourage a diversity of businesses, goods and services, some of which should be locally-owned, and expand “buy local” campaigns; Continue coordinating efforts of local organizations to combine resources and to achieve greater and faster success; Implement urban design and enhancement strategies to improve the streetscape, identity and safety of retail nodes.

Specific Recommendations: Adopt and promote the plan; Refine development regulations and strengthen code enforcement; Align capital budgeting and programs in Bronzeville to the strategies of this plan; Improve parking management in the commercial corridors; Develop the capacity of neighborhood organizations to take ownership of corridor development efforts; Designate a local entity to help expedite development approval and business licensing; Prioritize the completion of catalytic projects to demonstrate success in corridors.

Plan Maps and Data References: Study area map, p. 13; Race and ethnicity, p. 24; Change in race and ethnicity, 2000-2010, p. 24; Household income, 2010, p. 25; Percentage of commercial real estate square footage by type, 2012, p. 25; Retail space and vacancy rate, 2012, p. 26; Housing and transportation costs as a percentage of household income, p. 29; Current land use in study area, p. 33; Summary of land use by acreage in study area, 2011, p. 34; Future land use in study area, p. 37; Land use changes within the corridors of study area, p. 40; Current zoning in study area, p. 45; Future zoning in

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area, p. 47; Zoning changes within corridors of study area, p. 48.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Issued Request For Proposals for development of area at Green Line station at 43rd Street; Launched outdoor programming activities, such as music, arts festivals and farmers markets; Identified and marketed development and investment opportunities to potential investors; Initiated Adopt-A-Station and/or other improvements for 51st Street Green Line station.

Key Unfinished Projects: Redevelop the Green Line station at 47th Street and Cottage Grove; Inventory vacant properties, regularly update vacant property database and coordinate use of existing resources related to vacant property management; Streamline business assistance by aligning responsibilities to a single position or neighborhood organization; Focus transit-oriented development at the CTA Green Line’s 43rd, 47th and 51st Street stations; Focus mixed-used development at existing retail nodes of 47th Street/Cottage Grove Avenue, 47th Street between and Cottage Grove Avenue, 43rd Street/Cottage Grove Avenue, and 47th Street/Lake Park Avenue; Rezone low-use retail areas for flex- zoning opportunities; Target vacant parcels within 1/4 mile of transit stations and commercial nodes for commercial redevelopment; Strategically develop parks and open spaces.

Bronzeville Retail District Land Use Plan

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Green Healthy Neighborhoods March 2014

Community Areas: Englewood, West Englewood, Washington Park, Woodlawn, and parts of New City, Fuller Park and Greater Grand Crossing

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicago Department of Planning, LISC, South East Chicago Commission, Washington Park Consortium and Teamwork Englewood

Green Healthy Neighborhoods is a 10 to 20 year neighborhood stabilization plan designed to mitigate the decline of a 13-square-mile area that encompasses multiple communities on Chicago’s south side. The proposed strategies maximize the use of vacant land and other neighborhood resources. The plan was inspired by the disinvestment and population loss that has characterized the area over recent decades.

General Recommendations: Preserve and rehabilitate residential buildings on larger-than-average lot sizes; Encourage the rehabilitation and development of retail spaces at strategic nodes and along key arterial streets; Encourage development of clusters of vacant land for urban agriculture in strategic locations; Build upon the area’s industrial base, workforce, real estate and transportation infrastructure to increase the number of well-paying industrial jobs; Expand the number and variety of recreational opportunities; Preserve, protect and restore historic buildings; Design state of the art stormwater landscapes to bring a useful public purpose to vacant city-owned land.

Specific Recommendations: Reuse existing housing; Develop a residential Large Lot Program to foster the private ownership of existing city owned land; Concentrate new housing along key corridors, at transit nodes and adjacent to existing institutions; Encourage retail density near transit stations; Assist retail development at strategic locations with public subsidies; Make public investments to improve the pedestrian environment at strategic locations; Develop city-owned vacant land around the landmark Raber House for urban agriculture prior to full implementation of the planned Chicago Park District park; Develop clusters of city-owned vacant land for urban agriculture along the Rock Island rail line between 70th and 73rd Streets; Develop clusters of city-owned vacant land for urban agriculture along the Englewood Line trail; Leverage the impact of the Norfolk and Southern rail yard expansion by designating a new Industrial Corridor along the Dan Ryan Expressway to support new and existing manufacturing and logistics jobs; Create ecologically functioning and aesthetically pleasing landscapes to buffer rail activity from nearby residential uses; Create new or expand existing parks at Raber House, along the Englewood Loop connected to Micek Park, on the abandoned 49th Line, at Back of the Yards Park and on the abandoned 59th Line; Identify strategic locations along designated bike routes and on city-owned land to develop stormwater landscapes as part of the Green Infrastructure Plan; Work with local organizations to identify vacant land that is appropriate for green infrastructure projects in public or community-managed open spaces.

Plan Maps and Data References: Vacant parcel map p. 7; Land use vision p. 9; Housing and population data p. 13; Open space deficit p. 45; Historic resources p. 59.

Highlighted Accomplishments: Constructed new park fieldhouse at Jesse Owens Park; Built demonstration rain garden on 55th Street.

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Plans Synthesis – Bronzeville South Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 14 Chicago Neighborhoods 2015: Assets, Plans and Trends – A project of The Chicago Community Trust

Key Unfinished Projects: Develop city-owned land around the historic Raber House; Develop city-owned vacant land for urban agricultural purposes adjacent to the Rock Island Rail line between 70th and 73rd Streets and along the Englewood Line Trail; Build/expand parks at 5 identified areas, as listed above.

Green Healthy Neighborhoods

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Plans Synthesis – Bronzeville South Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 15