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

NORTH LAKEFRONT

Demand and strong assets support diverse, dense communities

The adjacent communities of Rogers Park, Edgewater, and Uptown have been called the most stable diverse neighborhoods in the nation, with a broad mix of incomes, races, and ethnicities. Bordered on the east by Lake Michigan and on the west by the Metra North commuter line, the area is bisected by the CTA’s backbone transit service, the Red Line. With the highest density of all Chicago planning districts, at 28,000 people per square mile, the neighborhoods support more than 1,500 small businesses across a dozen eclectic, pedestrian-oriented retail districts.

Nearly 168,000 residents live in the planning district in a housing mix that includes a high-rise corridor along Sheridan Road, large apartment buildings, and miles of streets lined with two-flats, six-flats, and single- family homes. Two-thirds of the 82,000 households are renters, reflecting the area’s long history as an entry neighborhood for Source: Calculations by Institute for immigrants, students, and young couples. Housing Studies at DePaul University using 2010 Decennial Census.

The North Lakefront has always included a significant population of working-class and low-income residents, with about 23 percent living below the poverty level in 2012. It also includes a large older population in senior buildings, nursing homes, and a naturally occurring retirement community in the elevator buildings along Sheridan Road, which is well served by CTA buses. All three neighborhoods include leafy enclaves of higher-income households in elegant century-old houses, high-end apartments, and newer developments. Many residents and organizations work hard to preserve affordable housing options and neighborhood diversity.

Source: Easy Analytic Software, Inc., updated January 2014, as displayed on Woodstock Institute Data Portal.

New investments Over the past 50 years, the area has experienced disinvestment and population loss, producing pockets of weaker real estate and retail activity, especially in Uptown and Rogers Park. But recent years have also seen strong reinvestment in both housing and retail across much of the North Lakefront.

One driver has been Loyola University’s half-billion-dollar NORTH LAKEFRONT OVER TIME investment in new buildings in and around its Lake Shore 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Campus. Loyola has rebuilt the campus core and expanded two Population 197,197 178,477 184,896 189,213 167,874 blocks south into Edgewater, filling Winthrop and Kenmore Avenues with dormitories, classrooms, and greenspace. The Share of population in poverty 12.4% 20.1% 22.7% 21.1% 23.1% university in 2013 purchased the 6300 block of Kenmore from the Percent owner-occupied/renter occupied City of Chicago and converted it to a pedestrian-only street. West 10/90 18/82 19/81 25/75 33/67 of its campus, Loyola built a public plaza at the Loyola Red Line Sources: Calculations by Institute for Housing Studies station, two mixed-use buildings, and apartments on a long- at DePaul University using U.S. Census data from US2010 Project at Brown University. vacant stretch of Albion Avenue. In early 2015, it announced plans to build a 145-room Hampton Inn at Sheridan and Albion.

Private investors have also played a role, stabilizing weaker areas and attracting new residents. In Uptown and Edgewater, Flats Chicago is rehabbing seven residential buildings and marketing them to

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 2 young, hip renters. In Rogers Park, billionaire Jennifer Pritzker’s Tawani Enterprises restored the historic Emil Bach House on Sheridan Road and the Farcroft high-rise on Fargo near the lake; opened a bed-and-breakfast nearby; and is building a parking garage. On Morse Avenue, Pritzker’s Mayne Stage offers live music and dining in a restored 1912 theater.

The area’s diversity has been a stabilizing force. All three neighborhoods have large populations of white, Latino, and African-American residents, plus a mix of immigrants and second-generation residents from many African countries, Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. A fast-growing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population includes families moving north into Rogers Park. Gay-oriented businesses, long a mainstay on Clark Street in Andersonville, have more recently revitalized retail nodes along the Red Line at Morse and Jarvis.

Each of the neighborhoods has distinct subdistricts, creating cross-traffic among them via walking, biking, bus, train, and auto traffic. Pedestrian streams are heavy at rush hours near transit stops, and on weekends in Andersonville and on Argyle. Parking is tight, which further encourages non-auto trips.

The Metra Union Pacific North Line served 2,363 weekday passengers at the Ravenswood station in 2014 (up from 1,940 in 2006) and 1,498 at Rogers Park (up from 1,176), among Metra’s highest for neighborhood stations. A $15 million station at Peterson is scheduled for construction starting in 2015. The CTA Red Line, meanwhile, serves 45,600 boarding passengers at North Lakefront stations each weekday.

CTA Red Line Ridership (weekday boardings, year-end averages, 2009 and 2013) Bryn Howard Jarvis Morse Loyola Granville Thorndale Berwyn Argyle Lawrence Wilson Mawr 2009 5,925 1,479 4,145 5,039 3,517 2,745 4,499 3,245 2,567 3,261 5,645 2013 6,387 1,555 4,591 5,469 4,017 2,954 4,982 3,159 2,913 3,261 6,328 Source: Chicago Transit Authority Annual Ridership Reports.

Rogers Park is largely residential, tightly packed with apartment buildings, two- to six-flats, and single-family homes, with spines of retail along Clark Street and near the Red Line stops. The North of

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 3 Howard area, traditionally serving a large low-income population, saw major rehabilitation of its aging housing stock in the 1980s and 1990s; it continues today as home to more than 5,100 people.

Retail strength has evolved and shifted in recent years:  Gateway Center at Howard and Clark Streets – bordered by suburban Evanston and adjacent to the CTA’s Red, Purple, and Yellow Line terminal – is anchored by Jewel and LA Fitness and almost fully leased. Retail along Howard Street remains under-developed, with several vacant parcels and empty storefronts.

 Clark Street has been a strong Mexican district for 20 years, though it experienced a loss of businesses during the recent recession.  Morse Avenue is recovering from years of stagnation, attracting customers with new restaurants, sidewalk cafes, bars, and the Mayne Stage. Artist galleries, an annual arts festival, and the Glenwood Sunday Market have also enlivened the strip. A smaller node of vitality has emerged near the Jarvis CTA station.

Edgewater includes a dense high-rise corridor along Sheridan Road; the Andersonville shopping district along Clark Street, filled with independent shops and ethnic restaurants; 1890s-era brick mansions in the Lakewood Balmoral Historic District; and the block-long Gethsemane Garden Center that supplies thousands of area gardeners with flowers, trees, and vegetables. Recent investments include:

 New developments along Broadway Avenue, including a branch library, Walgreens, health club, medical facilities, and a Whole Foods scheduled to open in 2015.  Redevelopment of multi-unit apartment buildings and some new construction, including a 42- unit loft conversion of a former laundry building on Broadway.  Continued rehabilitation of century-old brick and wood-frame homes, with some demolition of older structures to allow new construction.

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 4 Uptown is a mosaic of sub-neighborhoods including the residential Buena Park east of Broadway near the lake; the Asian-dominated shopping district at Argyle and Broadway; and a cluster of new- construction townhouses and condominiums around Lawrence and Clark. The Uptown Entertainment District, around Lawrence and Broadway, includes the active Aragon and Riviera theaters, small clubs, and restaurants, plus the larger-but-vacant Uptown Theater, which is owned by Jam Productions and recently received a $10 million state appropriation to support an estimated $50 million or more in renovation needs. Side streets are lined with multi-unit buildings, single-family homes, and two-flats. Investment drivers include:

 The $151 million Wilson Yard development on a former CTA train yard includes Target, Aldi, and smaller stores, plus 80 affordable family apartments and 98 senior units.  The $203 million rebuild of the Wilson CTA station, which began in late 2014, will revitalize a long-neglected corner adjacent to Truman College, which serves about 22,000 students a year.  At Ravenswood and Lawrence, Metra is rebuilding its station next to a new Mariano’s grocery store and 150-unit housing development.

History of action EMPLOYMENT – NORTH LAKEFRONT All three neighborhoods have been shaped by Top six employment sectors (# jobs) 2005 2011 citizen activism and “Lakefront Liberals,” Health Care and Social Assistance 10,350 12,348 including a long history of independent aldermen Educational Services 6,523 5,728 in the 46th, 48th, and 49th Wards. Rogers Park Accommodation and Food Services 2,788 3,313 Retail Trade 2,547 2,978 residents saved their beloved street-end beaches Other Services (except Public Admin) 1,831 2,488 from development by sending bags of sand to the Manufacturing 2,006 2,080 first Mayor Daley; organizers have fought steadily Total # jobs in planning district 34,902 35,341 to preserve and maintain the area’s affordable District Citywide housing; and block clubs and neighborhood Unemployment rate 2012 8.9% 12.9% associations hold annual parties, multi-street yard Sources: Calculations by Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University using Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data (top sectors) and sales, garden walks, and tours of historic houses. 2012 Five-Year American Community Survey (unemployment).

The area has many nonprofit organizations that provide social services based on particular needs, neighborhoods, ethnic groups, and ages.

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 5

Business-development and community groups have been instrumental in maintaining stability and attracting economic development.  The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce in 2002 rallied city support for $8 million worth of new pavement, trees, and planters that strengthened Clark Street’s corridor of independent businesses. A subsequent 2005 study, Preserving, Supporting and Extending Local Retail, recommended further strengthening of the core and strategic improvements to adjacent areas.  Uptown United co-sponsored the Discover Asia on Argyle planning process in 2008 to revitalize the area’s aging cluster of Southeast Asian stores and restaurants. Its recommendations for a “night market” and new signage have been implemented and in 2015 the Chicago Department of Transportation will convert Argyle between Sheridan and Broadway into a “shared street” with sidewalk cafes, pedestrian amenities, and landscaping.  The North Lakefront was an early leader on traffic-calming improvements and bike lanes, and is seeing significant new investment, including protected bike lanes on Broadway in Uptown and a “road diet” for Lawrence west of Clark. A $6 million streetscape is on tap for the Entertainment District, and a 2014 North Broadway Corridor Plan seeks to improve that commercial corridor.

 The Rogers Park Business Alliance, which partnered on development of the Gateway Center at Howard Street, provides maintenance of retail strips with revenue from Special Service Area taxing districts, and supports the thriving Glenwood Sunday Market.

 Edgewater Development Corporation recently helped attract four more small theaters, strengthening the local art scene. In Uptown, the Black Ensemble Theater built a 170-seat facility on Clark Street in 2011.

Though almost completely built up, the North Lakefront communities have some vacant land and pockets of underutilized real estate, as shown in Development Opportunities below.

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 6 Challenges and opportunities Two longstanding challenges on the North Lakefront are preservation of affordable housing options and improvement of local schools. Recent development across all three neighborhoods has reduced the percentage of renters (to about 67 percent in 2010, from 81 percent in 1990) and increased rental prices in most areas. Conversion of low-rent and Single-Room-Occupancy apartments by Flats Chicago has prompted community opposition that led to a commitment by Flats to maintain 58 affordable units in partnership with the Low-Income Housing Trust Fund. That is just one-tenth of the units converted by that company, and market pressures continue to drive up rents elsewhere.

Improving neighborhood schools is a priority of many community groups to attract new families and retain existing residents. Performance is uneven, with some top-rated neighborhood schools but many others at Levels 2 and 3 (lower standing). Senn High School is now a “wall-to-wall” International Baccalaureate school and has achieved a Level 1 rating, but Sullivan High School in Rogers Park remains a Level 2 school requiring “intensive support.” Two schools in Uptown were closed in 2013 due to declining enrollment. The area has a number of private alternatives including Chicago Waldorf School, Rogers Park Montessori, and Northside Catholic Academy.

Safety is a related issue, with an increase in gang-related shootings in recent years. All three neighborhoods are attempting to address this issue through active partnerships among residents, neighborhood groups, elected officials, and police.

Two long-term projects are likely to attract new investment. The first phase of the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization will include complete rebuilds of the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr stations plus all track and structures; the work will require demolition of some existing properties along Broadway and subsequent redevelopment after construction is complete. Later phases will rebuild north to Howard. The rebuild would increase capacity by as much as 40 percent.

Equally large is the Redefine the Drive plan to completely rebuild North Lake Shore Drive from Grand to Hollywood, including the Inner Drive, overpasses, bike and pedestrian paths, and the bottleneck at Hollywood and Sheridan. The north end of the Lake Shore Drive corridor each weekday handles 60,000

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 7 to 100,000 vehicles, 56,000 transit passengers, and 7,400 trail users. The rebuild seeks to improve safety and overall volume without increasing auto usage. Construction would begin in 2019 at the earliest.

With strong reinvestment already underway and large new projects on the horizon, the North Lakefront appears to be well positioned for continued stability and growth. The area’s longstanding support for economic and racial diversity will be an important factor in maintaining the area’s unique culture and streetlife.

Examples of development opportunities Place Address Status Notes Howard at Ashland 7519-33 N. Ashland City Request for Proposal issued May 2014 seeks Peterson Garden Project has developed a community garden on the site Ave. transit-oriented development for 1.05-acre site as an interim use. near Howard CTA station. CTA Wilson station Two sites adjacent to Parcels will become available in 2017 after Development concepts were created during 2014 community sessions area new station, on south completion of Wilson station project. sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Council. side of Wilson Ave. Edgewater 5700 N. Ashland Ave. Buildings remain on 2.58 acres; requires Demolition of the parking garage along Edgewater Avenue is scheduled Hospital (vacant demolition. for early 2015, with subsequent development of 15 single-family homes since 2001) by CA Development. Plans for the larger hospital plot are not finalized. Vacant parcels Various locations Infill and transit-oriented opportunities on Clark, There are some empty parcels in the area and more that are Howard, Sheridan, Loyola, Lawrence, Ridge, and underutilized. The long-vacant Carson’s Ribs site at 5970 N. Ridge was other streets. purchased by Crossroads Development in January 2015; development plans have not been announced. Trumbull School 5200 N. Ashland No mechanical or exterior work needed; site is 1908 decorative brick structure was designed by Dwight H. Perkins; an (closed 2013) .65 acres. invitation from the 40th Ward alderman resulted in five proposals for mixed uses in the building. Stewart School 4525 N. Kenmore Mechanical work needed; 2.33 acre site has Waldorf School in Rogers Park has expressed possible interest; the (closed 2013) green space on Broadway. Metropolitan Planning Council led workshops to discuss re-use options.

Data note: Unless otherwise stated, demographic and other information is provided by Chicago Community Area, which may differ slightly from the boundaries of the CN2015 Planning Districts. Community Areas included in this profile are Rogers Park, Edgewater, and Uptown.

Research support for Chicago Neighborhoods 2015: Assets, Plans and Trends was provided by a team convened by The Chicago Community Trust. The summary of assets for this planning district was created by LISC Chicago and Teska Associates with materials from Metropolitan Planning Council, Place Consulting, Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University, and many other sources. Author: Patrick Barry.

Learn more about the North Lakefront and Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 at cct.org/CN2015/NorthLakefront. Learn more about data and sources at cct.org/CN2015/DataSources.

Chicago Neighborhoods 2015 Summary of Assets – North Lakefront – February 2015 – Page 8 NORTH LAKEFRONT PLANNING DISTRICT ASSET MAP CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS 2015

Evanston

Gale ES A Just Harvest SHERIDAN HOWARD Rogers Park Farms Howard Northtown-Rogers Park Mental Health Ctr Access Gateway Center Lang House B&B Emil Bach House Jarvis Jarvis Square

CLARK ROGERS PARK Chicago Math & Science HS

Former Adelphi Theater Loyola Rogers Park Business Alliance Park Heartland Health Mayne Stage Theater Glenwood Ave Arts Rogers Park Field ES Glenwood Sunday St. Jerome's Church Morse New Field ES New 400 Theater Rogers Park

D Kilmer ES

N

A

L H

S Sullivan HS A

Chicago Waldorf School Loyola LAKE MICHIGAN 24TH Leather Archives Loyola & Museum University Ruby Garden Heartland Health See North Central DEVON Planning District Northside Catholic Academy Centro Romero Hayt ES Raven Theater Granville Kindred- Lakeshore

Edgewater

Edgewater Workbench Thorndale Jewish Day School Rickover Naval Military HS Senn HS Swift ES Broadway Armory EDGEWATER

Former Edgewater Hospital Asian Human Services - Passages BRYN MAWR Peirce ES St. Gregory the Great HS Bryn Mawr Jewel Osco 41 Edge Theater

Andersonville Lakewood

N Balmoral A

Edgewater Historical Society D

Historic District I

R E

Berwyn H Foster Beach Asia on Argyle Women and Children First S Chinese Mutual Aid Association Swedish American Museum Argyle Night Market FOSTER Marianos The Neo-Futurists Goudy ES Uptown Entertainment District Uptown Theater Argyle Aragon St. Augustine College Riviera Theater Methodist RefugeeOne Bezazian Mccutcheon ES Uptown United Bridgeview Bank

St. Bonafice Cemetery Lakeshore Org of the North East RAVENSWOOD Rainbo Condos Alternatives, Inc. LAWRENCE Peoples Music School Inst of Cultural Ravenswood Community Wilson Abbey Chase Park Affairs Counseling Ctr Cornerstone Weiss Wilson Skate Park Sheridan Park Historic District Winthrop Garden Arai Int’l MS Uptown Neighborhood Health Center AICC YCCS Truman Wilson Uplift Community HS Cricket Hill Dover Street District Montrose Beach Truman College Former Stewart School Black Ensemble Theater Courtenay ES Target MONTROSE 41 UPTOWN Ravenswood ES Brennemann ES Graceland East Ravenswood Cemetery Uptown Hutchinson Street Historic District Historic District Target Profiles Theater Disney ES Buena Park Historic District Lycee Francais Lake View HS Thorek

DATE | 01.16.2015 NORTH LAKEFRONT PLANNING DISTRICT WARD/TIF/SSA MAP CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS 2015

Evanston JONQUIL

HOWARD SSA#19

Howard/Paulina

D

N

A L

A

N H

I SHERIDAN S

L A

U

A

P CLARK Ward 49

Rogers Park Business Alliance SSA#24 LAKE MICHIGAN See North Central Planning District

Devon/Sheridan

DEVON

Devon/Western

Y

A

W

D

A

O R Ward 48 B

Clark/Ridge Edgewater Chamber of Commerce SSA#26 Hollywood/Sheridan

Edgewater Development Corporation Edgewater/Ashland RAVENSWOOD

BRYN MAWR SSA#22 Bryn Mawr/Broadway Ward 40

Andersonville Chamber of Commerce FOSTER Lawrence/Broadway Business Partners, The Chamber for Uptown Clark/Montrose Uptown United

LAWRENCE Lakeside/Clarendon Western Avenue North Wilson Yard SSA#31 SSA#34 Montrose/Clarendon Ravenswood Corridor MONTROSE Ward 46

Ward 47

See Lincoln Park Lakeview Planning District

(NBDC) serves this district but main o ce may be located o the map

*This planning area is located within the North Business & Industrial Council (LIRI) DATE | 01.16.2015