WEST LOOP DESIGN GUIDELINES -DRAFT- City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development August 2017 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT 2 West Loop Design Guidelines WEST LOOP DESIGN GUIDELINES TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 6 2 Introduction Key Zoning Concepts ................................................................................................................................ 10 Review Process ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Organization ............................................................................................................................................... 13 3 Context Study Area .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Historic Significance .................................................................................................................................. 17 Previous Planning Efforts .......................................................................................................................... 18 4 Design Guideline Methodology Transportation ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Development Trends ................................................................................................................................. 26 Retail Areas ................................................................................................................................................ 28 Urban Design Best Practices .................................................................................................................... 30 5 Design Guidelines General Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Tall Building Design Guidelines ................................................................................................................ 44 Site Specific Guidelines ............................................................................................................................ 48 Public Realm Guidelines ........................................................................................................................... 66 Parking and Service Guidelines ............................................................................................................... 70 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................... 74 Resources .................................................................................................................................................. 75 West Loop Design Guidelines 3 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 West Loop Design Guidelines West Loop Design Guidelines 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Purpose Application Public Engagement The West Loop is a diverse and rapidly growing The design guidelines are intended to be applied Participation by community stakeholders was critical neighborhood just west of downtown Chicago. holistically to each project and ultimately each project to the planning process. Initiated in the winter of The neighborhood’s proximity to the Loop, various should respond to these guidelines substantially, with 2017, public engagement included input by more transportation networks as well as a thriving dining the ultimate goal of achieving design excellence. As than three hundred individuals over the course of and retail scene make it one of the most desirable projects respond to the guidelines in unique ways, two open houses, three working group meetings, neighborhoods in the City of Chicago to live, work the built environment of the West Loop will become and an online survey. The Chicago Department of and play. more architecturally rich and diverse. These design Transportation (CDOT) was also a key stakeholder guidelines can be viewed as a reference document and contributed to the development and refinement The West Loop Design Guidelines are the result that facilitates property owners, the community of the document’s Public Realm, Parking and of a community process led by the City of Chicago and the City to work together from a common Service Guidelines. Department of Planning and Development (DPD). understanding when reviewing and refining future DPD has prepared these design guidelines to development projects. The input of Aldermen Daniel Solis, Walter help the West Loop build on the central area Burnett and Jason Ervin was also essential to characteristics of an employment, transportation, The guidelines are not prescriptive, but rather the process ensuring that the demands of local cultural and residential center for the city; while principles intended to balance the interaction of stakeholders were considered and appropriately preserving the urban character and scale that has context, land use, open space, the public realm and balanced. DPD would like to acknowledge the made it so attractive. The guidelines were developed building scale and massing. Therefore, the design thoughtful participation of the following community in consideration of concerns that DPD heard from guidelines do not include recommendations for organizations: the community engagement process, including: architectural styles, zoning or land use changes, or • West Central Association • Loss of the existing character and scale of support for any specific capital improvement project. • West Loop Community Organization the West Loop • Neighbors of West Loop • Density and height of new buildings • Solar access Invaluable consultant services were provided by • Lack of open space Site Design Group, Ltd. in partnership with Solomon • Monotony in the design of new Cordwell Buenz and with assistance from KLOA Inc. developments and Goodman Williams Group. Following adoption, these design guidelines will apply to all projects within the study area boundary seeking Plan Commission approval, but may be used by stakeholders as a tool to discuss and address architecture and urban design issues. 6 West Loop Design Guidelines West Loop Design Guidelines Study Area Map Key Study Area Boundary Transit Station CTA Blue Line Kinzie Planned Manufacturing District CTA Green Line Jackson Boulevard District CTA Pink Line Fulton-Randolph Market District West Loop Design Guidelines 7 2 INTRODUCTION 8 West Loop Design Guidelines West Loop Design Guidelines 9 INTRODUCTION Key Zoning Concepts While these guidelines do not recommend any zoning or land use changes, it is important to Figure 1 understand the underlying zoning ‘envelope’ 10,000 sf building that these guidelines respond to. The following Covering 100% of lot summarizes some key zoning concepts in order to inform and facilitate an understanding of these concepts for users of this document. Floor Area Ration (FAR) Increased density and height of new buildings has been a recurring concern from the community throughout the development of the guidelines. Because these guidelines are responding to the existing regulatory framework, providing more background on how density and height are regulated Figure 2 is necessary. Generally, zoning classifications 10,000 sf building designated to each parcel, determine the Floor Area Covering 50% of lot Ratio (FAR) of a site. FAR determines the density and height of new development proposals. FAR is the relationship between the total amount of usable floor area that a building has, or has been permitted for the building, and the total area of the lot on which the building stands. This ratio is determined by dividing the total or gross, floor area of the building by the gross area of the lot. More information can be found in The Chicago Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 17- 17-0305). As can be seen in figures 1-3., FAR can be utilized on a site in a number of different ways to “sculpt” or break up the massing of a building. Figure 3 10,000 sf building When a property owner proposes a new project, he Covering 25% of lot or she is required to comply with the local zoning ordinance and the existing zoning classification of their property. If the proposed development does not require any modification to the underlying zoning to accommodate it, it is “as-of-right.” 10 West Loop Design Guidelines As-of-Right Zoning vs. Planned Developments Development that occurs as-of-right complies with all applicable zoning regulations, as defined by the Chicago Zoning Ordinance. As-of-right development does not require any discretionary action by the Chicago Plan Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, the Committee on Building Standards and Tests and the Committee on Zoning. At times, a proposed project may require a special zoning designation called a Planned Development (PD) due to its size, use, scale, complexity or location. PDs are reviewed and approved by the Chicago Plan Commission according to standards described in the Chicago Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 17-8-0900) involving: • Use, bulk, density, and intensity; • Transportation, traffic circulation, and parking; • Pedestrian orientation; • Urban design; • Building design; As-of-right Zoning within the West Loop. • Sustainable design; • Parks, open space, and landscaping;