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We need your input!  Please use the comments feature of this web site to help generate a laundry list of capital improvment projects for our Uptown neighborhoods...

The City of Chicago is holding four hearings about capital improvements across the city.  This is an opportunity to voice opinions on where your tax dollars are to be spent.  Some examples of capital improvements include:

• Residential Streets
• New Sidewalks and Curb/Gutter Projects
• Viaduct Clearance
• Lighting and Alleys
• Commercial and Industrial Projects
• Safe Corridors near Schools, Library and Parks

There will be four hearing - four opportunities to direct your tax dollars for the 2006-2010 Capital Improvement Program.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Southwest Regional Center (West, South and Southwest)
6117 South Kedzie St.

Thursday, March 30, 2006
Woodson Regional Library (South, Southwest and Far South)
9525 South Halsted

Tuesday, April 4, 2006
16th District Police Station (North and Northwest)
5151 North Milwaukee Ave.

Thursday, April 6, 2006
10th District Police Station (West and Near South)
3315 West Ogden Av.

6:30 P.M. REGISTRATION
7:00 P.M. – SESSIONS BEGINS

View the City’s Draft 2006-10 Capital Improvement Program at www.cityofchicago/budget.com

The concept of entrepreneurial urban marketplaces is not new.  In fact, Chicago was once home to one of the most famous open air markets, the Maxwell Street Market.  The market saw its demise as the UIC campus expanded and land was re-claimed for real estate development.  But public markets are a good idea in this day and age of big box retailing and rock bottom pricing and the low wage labor that goes along with it.

Public markets, unlike more conventional economic development projects, must not only succeed as businesses but also meet community goals. Indeed, a market is much more likely to thrive economically if it has deep roots in the surrounding community. Whereas a big box retail development relies on cheap prices (and low-wage labor) to draw customers, a market must offer a public space experience and mix of products tailored to the people it serves in order to be economically competitive. Just as crucial, the economic opportunities it creates are more lasting and meaningful.

A marketplace where barriers to entry are attainable and local entreprenuership is encouraged provides the backbone of hope for lower and middle class business owners whose roots in the community run deeply and touch many others.  The Project for Public Spaces identifies three such marketplaces (Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market, New York City's La Marqueta in East Harlem, and The Athens Farmers Market in Athens, Ohio) where local entreprenuerism is the focus of major redevelopment.  The markets intend to encourage local artisans, musicians, food and clothing vendors to expand the local flavor and attraction of the marketplaces.

These projects appear to be wonderfully thought out and well financed projects that have the support of the communities they will serve.

Background

This study was sponsored by Aldermen Smith and Shiller, the Department of Planning and Development of the city of Chicago, and the Uptown Development Corp. 

Purpose

To examine the Uptown Historic Entertainment District and make recommendations for courses of action to develop a vision for this district including:

• Retail
• Dining
• Entertainment venues
• Infrastructure

Panel Members

This distinguished panel was lead by Bill Hudnut, Chair for Public Policy at the Urban Land Institute, sixteen-year tenure as Mayor of Indianapolis, Author of Cities on the Rebound.

Barbara Campagna, principal with Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering, where she directs all historic preservation work.  Projects include the restorations of three New York Broadway landmark theaters: Shubert Theater, Virginia Theater, Eugene O’Neill Theater.

Christopher Degenhardt is a consultant who specializes on master planning for urban revitalization, resort and recreational developments, and community development.

Jonathan B. Eisen is the director of projects for Street-Works, a mixed-use development and consulting firm devoted to designing and developing great urban places.  His projects include:
Development plan for downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, Colorado Center in Denver, Colorado, downtown business improvement district in Washington, D.C.

Ray Forgianni Jr. is the director and city planner for the Kenosha, Wisconsin department of city development.  As an urban planner, he is the founding member of the Kenosha Neighborhood Housing Services, secretary/treasurer of the Kenosha Historical Society, and working on the HarborPark Development—a new neighborhood being developed on a former 69-acre former automobile manufacturing site on Lake Michigan.

Troy T. Palma is a senior consultant with the Chicago office of Robert Charles Lesser & Co. where he specializes in market and financial analyses concerning land uses. He has extensive experience in large-scale master-planned communities.

Michael Staton is the principal at Michael Staton Architecture.  Staton has twice been awarded the AIA’s Citation for Excellence in Urban Design.  He was the head urban designer on the ULI panel for the Richmond Virginia commercial revitalization.  His awards for past projects include the West Bay Community Center in San Francisco and the Potter Electric Co. headquarters.

Phillip E. Stevens holds a bachelors degree in Urban Studies from Yale College and a masters in architecture for Yale School of Architecture. He is the founder and principal of Stevens Property Group in Atlanta, investing and developing shopping centers and older commercial properties. Under Stevens’ leadership, successful projects include: The Oxford Buckhead development consisting of 48,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and a 5-level condominium complex with 225 units.

Strategy for Uptown - Findings & Recommendations

Findings

• There are significant tensions between different community groups, including:  philosophical differences between the two wards, conflict between developers and economically disadvantaged community groups, and an unwillingness to work together.
• None of these recommendations will succeed without the committed involvement and support of local government officials.
• The Uptown community has an incomplete and substandard offering of retail goods and services. Uptown is completely un-served by any national better quality chain retailers.
• Uptown merchants are generally characteristic of retailers doing business in a blighted urban community.
• Redevelopment should focus on creating an arts and entertainment district
• Parking is seriously deficient
• The Wilson CTA station, with 1,450,000 annual patrons, ranks as the 31st busiest station out of the total 142 CTA stations. Yet this and the Lawrence station are dirty, dark and run-down.
• Uptown’s strengths include its diversity, location, and magnificent architectural heritage.

Key Recommendations

• Community leadership and citizens should work together to prepare a development plan and guidelines for this district.  The aldermen, city agencies, UPCORP and local citizens each must take appropriate responsibility for developing this plan and guidelines.
• The #1 priority should be to develop an overall plan to upgrade the streets in Uptown, these improvements include: Sidewalk replacement, establish a community design for open green spaces and streetscaping, improve lighting for building entrances and pedestrians to provide safety, security and create an inviting pedestrian atmosphere.
• Focus on restoring the Uptown Theater, Aragon Ballroom, Riviera Theater and Green Mill
• Attract better quality retailers and restaurants.  Step one—complete the redevelopment of the Goldblatt’s building.
• Illuminate the historic building facades and store fronts.
• Consider developing an indoor ethic marketplace with an emphasis on international foods.
• Successful urban entertainment district development should include:
  • A multi-screen—8 to 12 screens—theater
  • Three to five quality restaurants
  • Nucleus retailers:  Music stores, book stores, casual apparel, 10-15 specialty stores
• Specific recommended retailers are remarkably similar to the Wilson Yard surveys
• All new parking facilities should have street level retail
• A full market analysis of housing, retail, entertainment, office and hotel uses should be conducted, including a full due diligence study of every block within the district
• Aldermen’s responsibility—CONSENSUS, CONSENSUS, CONSENSUS
• UPCORP’s responsibilities—help spur development and attract investors to the area. Begin by hosting monthly, or bi-monthly meetings with community leaders
• Explore financial resources such as Delegate Agency Program from the City of Chicago, SSA taxes for retail enhancement, The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority funding to redevelop the Uptown Theatre, and the National Endowment for the Arts