Chapter 4: Central Area Planning Subdistricts Page 4-35 August 2009 South West Loop The South West Loop is bounded on the north by Congress Parkway, on the south by 16th Street, on the east by the South Branch of the Chicago River and on the west by the Dan Ryan Expressway. The South West Loop contains light industrial and back office/service operation uses, with significant new retail development along the Roosevelt Road corridor. Zoning in the subdistrict is committed to protecting the existing non-residential uses, and as of 2007 fewer than 1,200 people lived in the South West Loop, mak- ing it the least populated subdistrict in the Central Area. Chicago Central Area ACTION Plan Page 4-36 Chapter 4: Central Area Planning Subdistricts August 2009 SOUTH WEst LOOP Trends, 2000-2007 Clinton Street that provide direct Consistent with the 2003 Central service into the West Loop. Area Plan, Roosevelt Road has joined Michigan Avenue and State Street as a major retail corridor in the Central Policies & Actions Area. Whole Foods, DSW, Home Depot, Best Buy, Panera Bread, and Financial / Incentive Starbucks are among the new offer- • The Jefferson/Roosevelt TIF and ings along Roosevelt Road. Roosevelt/Canal TIF funds should continue to make a priority of ad- These projects have followed in the ditional River crossings and exten- example of South Loop Marketplace, sion of the grid system. anchored by a Dominick’s grocery store, which opened in 1998 and pro- Regulatory vided the first new shopping south of • Current zoning in South West Congress Boulevard. Loop does not allow residential The new Cook County Family Justice developments and permits greater Image SW-1: The new Cook County Family Courthouse is an important institu- density than typical uses require. Justice Courthouse. tional development located in the Up-zoning could be incorrectly South West Loop at Clinton and Har- perceived as future willingness to rison Streets. allow office and residential uses that are not permitted and would not be desirable. Forecast, 2008-2020 As of 2008, 550,000 SF of retail is under construction for the South West Loop, with additional projects being planned. The Maxwell Street market is sched- uled to move within the district from Canal Street to DesPlaines Street. 2020 Vision/Goals • The Roosevelt Road corridor will offer contemporary urban retail serving the residents of surround- Image SW-2: Roosevelt west of the River has attracted retailers serving the Central ing districts, as well as a broader Area’s growing residential population. Chicago market. • Back-office, light industrial and distribution uses will remain as compatible neighbors to the new retailers and as providers of critical services to the Downtown business district. • While active rail yards along the River will continue to be a pre- dominant land use, rail-adjacent parcels are likely to be part of new development projects. • The South West Loop will be better connected to the Central Loop, River South and Near South by street and pedestrian connec- tions that cross the South Branch of the River at several locations. • Public transportation in the South West Loop will be improved to Image SW-3: The Maxwell Street Market will be moving to a new site along Des include new rail station(s) along Plaines Street in the South West Loop. Chicago Central Area ACTION Plan Chapter 4: Central Area Planning Subdistricts Page 4-37 August 2009 SOUTH WEst LOOP Urban Design Signature Street – Roosevelt Roosevelt Road is undergoing mas- Signature Street – Congress sive change as a subregional shop- Parkway ping anchor for Chicago’s South Side. The role and function of Congress High levels of residential development Parkway is changing due to the in the South Loop and Near South, as development of student housing at well as new retail development west University Center, high levels of mar- of the Chicago River in the South ket rate residential development in West Loop, have resulted in increased adjacent areas of the South Loop, and vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian foot expanding office functions in the area traffic within this corridor. associated with the financial industry The visual character of Roosevelt is and government services. Congress appealing as the result of high levels Parkway is transforming from a pre- of investment by the city in the bridge dominantly auto-oriented function Residential design andExisting associated Land Use streetscape. Commercial Figure:to one # that must accommodate high Mixed Use KER VAN BUREN WAC Office Public CONGRESSlevels of PARKWAY pedestrian mobility. Develop- Urban design recommendations for Institutional Boundary excerpt Parking Image SW-4:SALLE LA Congress Parkway provides ment proposals for areas immediately this corridor include theI-290 following CONGRESS PKWY westernE access into the Central Area ON PLAC Residential (see Figure SW-2 below):PLAINES through the Old Post Office, which is CANAL south of Congress along the Chicago FRANKLIN CLINT DES Existing Land Use JEFFERSON proposed for mixed-use redevelopment as Commercial HARRISON TE PLYMOUTH DEARBORN STA WABASH CLARK Mixed Use WELLS FINANCIAL FINANCIAL River will further increase pedestrian • Focus on the pedestrian orienta- pictured. MICHIGAN ES Open Space S Public traffic. MBU tion of new commercial develop- TE Institutional CANAL DESPLAIN CANAL HALSTED CLARK STA I-90/94 Figure: # MORGAN MICHIGAN WABASH COLU Parking ment along Roosevelt, as well as ROOSEVELT ROOSEVELT ROAD Urban design recommendations for BLUE ISLAND this corridor include the following pedestrian access from Roosevelt One of the areas undergoing the most dramatic change in the Central Area is the into development sites immedi- Roosevelt Road corridor. The section of the corridor(see that liesFigure between SW-1 the South below): Improved Streetscape Branch of the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue should be comfortable, conve- ately north and south of the cor- Approved Developments nient, pedestrian friendly, and shall function as an attractive• Congress entryway to theParkway Central streetscape en- ridor. Area and Near South community. hancements should include strate- • Wide sidewalks and bike lanes New Developments gies to buffer pedestrians from that connect to Roosevelt should Opportunity Sites vehicular traffic and provide safer (THE FOLLOWING IS TO BE COM- be incorporated into each devel- Open Space intersection crossing conditions. Improved Streetscape opment scheme. Gateway Features PLETED BY TASK FORCE) • New street lights, landscape, fo- Approved Developments cal point features and wayfinding Riverfront Path New Develpments signage should be incorporated. Residential ROW Alignment Existing Land Use Commercial Mixed Use Opportunity Sites Pedestrian Connection ES Open Space S Public MBU Open Space Opportunities Map TE Institutional Lighting Enhancements CANAL DESPLAIN CANAL HALSTED CLARK STA I-90/94 Figure: # MORGAN MICHIGAN Figure SW-1: Congress Parkway Urban Design Recommendations WABASH COLU Parking ROOSEVELT ROOSEVELT ROAD BLUE ISLAND Marina One of the areas undergoing the most dramatic change in the Central Area is the VAN BUREN Gateway Features WACKER Roosevelt Road corridor. The section of the corridor that lies between the South Image SW-5: The cluster of retail along CBOT Metropolitan Harold Branch of the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue should be comfortable, conve- CorrectionalRoosevelt isWashington expected to grow, and sites Lighting Enhancement Center Library should be developed to accommodateAuditorium nient, pedestrian friendly, and shall function as an attractive entryway to the Central SALLE LA Old safe pedestrian access and circulation.Building Riverfront Path Area and Near South community. I-290 Post Office CONGRESS PKWY La Salle Street ROW Alignment Greyhound Station University Station Center FRANKLIN (THE FOLLOWING IS TO BE COM- CANAL Pedestrian Connection JEFFERSON DES PLAINES DES CLINTON Improved Streetscape HARRISON HIGAN CLARK WABASH PLYMOUTH STATE Opportunities Map DEARBORN Existing Bike Path WELLS District PLACE FINANCIAL Approved Developments PLETED BY TASK FORCE) MIC Courthouse Post Office New Develpments CITY OF CHICAGO/Central Area Action Plan/SIGNATURE CORRIDORS Opportunity900 S.. Sites Figure SW-2: Roosevelt Road Urban Design Recommendations CLARK Open Space DEARBORN PARK Marina I CLARK ST WHOLE IGNATIUS LOFTS @ Gateway Features FOODS ROOSEVELT HS AN UIC TARGETLighting Enhancement STATE DESPLAINES CANAL WABASH I-90/94 MORGAN HALSTED COLUMBUS DR COLUMBUS MICHIG COLUMBUS Riverfront Path ROOSEVELT ROW Alignment BLUE ISLAND BEST BUY/ MUSEUM UNIVERSITY HOME PLACE VILLAGE DEPOT Pedestrian Connection CONDOS DEARBORN Opportunities Map Existing Bike PathPARK DOMINICKS II 900 S.. CLARK CITY OF CHICAGO/Central Area Action Plan/SIGNATUREDEARBORN CORRIDORS Chicago CentralPARK Area ACTION Plan I CLARK ST WHOLE IGNATIUS LOFTS @ FOODS ROOSEVELT HS AN UIC TARGET STATE DESPLAINES CANAL WABASH I-90/94 MORGAN HALSTED COLUMBUS DR COLUMBUS MICHIG COLUMBUS ROOSEVELT BLUE ISLAND BEST BUY/ MUSEUM UNIVERSITY HOME PLACE VILLAGE DEPOT CONDOS DEARBORN PARK DOMINICKS II CITY OF CHICAGO/Central Area Action Plan/SIGNATURE CORRIDORS Page 4-38 Chapter 4: Central Area Planning Subdistricts August 2009 SOUTH WEst LOOP South West Loop Projects 3. Clinton Subway (see project map below) In the South West Loop, the Clinton subway line would generally be 1. South Branch Bridges located beneath Clinton Street, with Along the River on the south side a potential station located on Roos- of the Central Area, the street grid evelt. Goal: Complete by 2020. is interrupted. As development con- tinues in River South and the South 4. South Branch Riverfront West Loop, east-west connections at In the South West Loop, the western Polk, Taylor and/or 16th Street may riverbank should be enhanced visu- be needed. Initial progress has been ally, though pedestrian access will made on the Taylor Street Bridge in not be encouraged. Goal: Complete the form of a bridge approach east of by 2020. Canal Street. Goal: Complete Taylor by 2016, with additional bridges at Polk or 16th completed by 2020. Image SW-6: The rail tracks and yards that cover much of the South West Loop and 2. Bicycle Lanes & Markings feed into Chicago Union Station.