Chicago’s Near Northwest Side · Chicago’s Near Northwest Side City of Chicago Richard M. Daley, ... The Vision Completing the Open ... PMD MIlwaukee Chicago Corridor

A Plan forChicago’s Near Northwest Side

City of ChicagoRichard M. Daley, MayorDepartment of Planning and DevelopmentAlicia Mazur Berg, Commissioner

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLPUrban Works Ltd.

Goodman Williams GroupSeptember 2002

A Plan forChicago’s Near Northwest Side

Prepared by

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP.Urban Works Ltd.

Goodman Williams Group

for

The City of ChicagoDepartment of Planning and Development

and theThe Near Northwest Side Planning Advisory Committee

September 2002

September 2002

Table of Contents

Introduction

Executive Summary ES-1

1. The Context - Understanding the Community 1-1

Origins of the Near Northwest SideOpen SpaceTransit and InfrastructureDevelopment CorridorsThe Neighborhoods

2. The Plan 2-1

The VisionCompleting the Open Space NetworkPromoting a High-Quality Transit and Infrastructure SystemGuiding Development

Strengthening Neighborhood CorridorsPromoting Livable Residential Neighborhoods

3. Next Steps 3-1

Implementing the PlanFurther Planning

Public Meeting Summary

Acknowledgements

Near Northwest Side

The Near Northwest Study Area

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Ohio

Grand

Lake

Fulton

Randolph

Wes

tern

Leav

itt

Dam

en

Woo

d

Ash

land Ogd

enN

oble

Eliz

abet

h

Rac

ine

Abe

rdee

n

Mor

gan

Gre

en

Hal

sted

Kenn

edy

Des

Pla

ines

Jeffe

rson

Clin

ton

Can

al

Chicago-HalstedPMD

MIlwaukee

Chicago Corridor

Grand Corridor

Milwaukee Corridor

Wes

tern

Co

rrid

or

Ash

land

Co

rrid

or

Kinzie Industrial Corridor

N 0 1000’ 2000’

Chi

cago

Riv

er

Ukranian VillageNeighborhood

East VillageNeighborhood

Noble SquareNeighborhood

Eckhart ParkNeighborhood

Fulton RiverDistrict

River WestNeighborhood

Kinzie

Hubbard

Study Boundary

September 2002

September 2002

Introduction

The Near Northwest Side encompasses the northwestLoop (Fulton River District), Eckhart Park, NobleSquare, East Village and Ukranian Village neighbor-hoods. The community touches the largest centralbusiness district in the Midwest to the southeast, andsome of Chicago’s most rapidly changing residentialneighborhoods to the north. The Near NorthwestSide is also home to the Kinzie Industrial Corridor andthe Chicago-Halsted Planned Manufacturing District,which includes both older, established facilities andnew high-tech operations.

The Near Northwest Side continues to evolve. Thearea includes the burgeoning residential and mixed-use Fulton River District, where residential conver-sions and new housing are being developed adjacentto industrial districts. New large retail developmentsare also being proposed. The neighborhoods in thewest are seeing new townhomes, single family homesand loft conversions join the historic housing stock.The restaurant and entertainment boom is spreadingnorth from downtown and south from Wicker Park,bringing new evening and weekend visitors to thearea.

Why the Near Northwest Side Needs a Plan

New development and growth in the Near NorthwestSide highlights a number of issues. Some representlong standing community concerns, while otherissues have been raised as a result of new develop-ment. The issues include:

• Providing more open space and recreation ameni-ties to accommodate long-time residents, newresidents and future residents

• Improving the quality and capacity of transit andtransportation infrastructure

• Guiding new development so it fits within existingneighborhoods and provides clarity to the develop-

ment community• Constructing new buildings which properly address

the street• Creating new retail and commercial uses to meet

the needs brought by new residential development.

To address these issues, the City of Chicago Depart-ment of Planning and Development initiated a processto engage community residents and leaders in thecreation of a plan.

Creating a Plan for the Near Northwest Side

The planning process began with a series of neigh-borhood bus and walking tours with communityresidents and leaders in the Spring of 2000. Issuesand opinions were discussed and local informationshared. An Advisory Committee was formed, andover the following months it worked with the City ofChicago to:

• Confirm neighborhood issues• Establish guiding principles• Develop recommendations for open space, transit

and infrastructure improvements, neighborhoodcorridors and residential districts

• Organize wider community input on the recommen-dations developed.

This document represents the culmination of thatprocess and provides a clear guide for the futuregrowth of the Near Northwest Side for residents, forthe City of Chicago, and for the developmentcommunity. This document is also intended to be aworking document over the 20 year life of the plan.Whereas, some recommendations may not come tofruition, new opportunities may arise and futurerecommendations should be reviewed within theframework of this plan.

Near Northwest Side

Executive Summary

Page ES-2 September 2002

Near Northwest SideThe Vision

The Near Northwest Side will continue to grow as acommunity of linked and distinctive urbanneighborhoods. The community will be a vibrantplace to live, offering a mix of uses, a full range oflocal amenities and clear connections to the rest ofthe city for work and play.

The Plan

The Plan’s recommendations are organized in thefollowing way:

• Completing the open space network• Enhancing the transit system• Guiding development in the Near Northwest Side

- Strengthening neighborhood corridors- Promoting livable residential neighborhoods

• Next Steps: Implementing the Plan.

Completing the Open SpaceNetwork

Residents should be within a five minute walk of aneighborhood park. There should be clearconnections to regional open spaces and largeneighborhood parks via pedestrian-friendly andbicycle-oriented landscaped streets. New neighbor-hood open spaces should be created from availableland within large planned developments, through theacquisition of new sites and the improvement ofexisting public facilities. Neighborhood schoolsshould also serve as recreational resources. Keyopen space recommendations include:

• A publicly accessible riverfront• New neighborhood parks• School parks at neighborhood schools• Upgraded neighborhood streets and dedicated

bike routes• New open spaces on underdeveloped land

adjacent to infrastructure projects such as rail-lines and the expressway.

Enhancing the Transit System

Residents should be within a convenient walk of aCTA bus, CTA rail transit or Metra transit stop andadequate transit service should be provided. Thestreets, intersections, bridges and viaducts should bewell-maintained and support the flow of traffic withinthe community. Key transit recommendations include:

• Potential new CTA Green Line stations• Enhanced CTA Blue Line Station entrances• Strengthened pedestrian connections between

CTA and Metra Stations• Improvements to bus stops such as new shelters,

benches, signage and lighting.• Implementation of the Central Area Plan

transportation recommendations

The Near Northwest Side’scommercial “Main Street” alongChicago Avenue near AshlandAvenue will be strengthened.

Enhanced CTA Blue Line Stationentrances will become the focus ofpublic plazas along MilwaukeeAvenue.

September 2002 Page ES-3

Executive SummaryNext Steps:Implementing the Plan

The plan outlines major activities, potential partnersand potential funding strategies for the plan’srecommendations. Key recommendations should beimplemented within 5 years. Longer termrecommendations may be implemented over the next20 years.

Implementation will require the partnership of the Cityof Chicago’s Departments of Planning andDevelopment, Transportation, the Chicago ParkDistrict and Chicago Public Schools. Neighborhoodresidents, elected officials and local organizations willalso be critical partners.

Many of these activities can be incorporated into theCity’s ongoing capital investment and developmentregulation activities. Others will require more directedinitiatives, such as investment in new parks and openspaces and new transit facilities. Recommendationsfor new uses, densities and design requirements mustfeed directly into the efforts of the Mayor’s ZoningReform Commission.

Guiding Developmentin the Near Northwest Side

Strengthening Neighborhood Corridors

Strong neighborhood corridors will offer a mix ofretail, entertainment, office, work spaces andresidential uses. Neighborhood corridors will serveas, and be reinforced by, transit routes. Each corridorwill offer active uses, physically and visuallyconnected to the street. Key corridorrecommendations include:

• Support Chicago Avenue as a neighborhoodmain street

• Support the Italian restaurant district and newmixed-use and residential uses on Grand Avenue

• Consolidate retail, improve transit facilities andupgrade the streetscape on Milwaukee Avenue

• Focus retail at major intersections and transittransfer points on Ashland Avenue

• Reflect the historic character of commercialcorridor buildings in new developments.

Promoting Livable Residential Neighborhoods

Residential neighborhoods will have appropriatelyscaled and well designed residential buildings andhomes. Key neighborhood recommendations include:

• The historic context of the East Village, EckhartPark, Noble Square and Ukrainian Villageneighborhoods should be respected by newdevelopment

• New development in the Fulton River Districtshould respect the scale of existing buildings andthe existing zoning regulations for a C3-5 district(the F.A.R. of seven should be maintained). Tallerbuildings should be located to the east of theDistrict, which reflect heights in the Loop andalong the Chicago River.

A new gateway park and a potentialcivic institution at the intersection ofOgden and Grand Avenues willanchor a revitalized Grand Avenue‘Restaurant Row”

New riverfront access andneighborhood parks will enhancethe livability of the Fulton RiverDistrict

The Context

Understanding the Community

Page 1-2 September 2002

Near Northwest Side

The Fulton River District

The Fulton River District is located on the edge ofChicago’s downtown, northwest of the Loop. Thedistrict is bounded by the North Branch of the Chi-cago River, Halsted Street, Ohio Street to the northand Randolph Street to the south. JamesThompson’s original 1830 plat of Chicago wascentered on Wolf Point at the fork of the ChicagoRiver and included much of the area that is today theFulton River District. The street grid and block layoutimposed on this small area defined the pattern ofChicago’s development as the city grew.

Commerce dominated the district for much of itshistory. Lumber and grain were shipped through thedistrict, and Sears and Roebuck’s first mail orderwarehouse was located at Fulton and DesPlaines.Randolph Street became the center of wholesaleproduce distribution in the late 19th Century and wasthe site of the famous Haymarket Square labor riots of1886 on DesPlaines Street.

Historically, the district has also moved people. TheCity’s first railroad terminal was built at Kinzie andCanal in 1848. Another terminal was built a fewblocks south along the river and became UnionStation. Today, the Ogilvie Transportation Center is amajor commuter rail hub, and nearby connections tothe Kennedy Expressway make this one of the mostaccessible places in the region.

Today, the Fulton River District serves as a transitionfrom the Loop to the east to the lower density, resi-dential neighborhoods of Eckhart Park, Noble Square,East Village and Ukrainian Village, to the west. Origi-nally dominated by industry, warehousing and trans-portation, the Fulton River District is now increasinglyresidential. Low and mid-rise loft buildings are beingconverted to condominiums and apartments as wellas offices. New residential development is bringing

The historic core of the community developed along thestreetcar lines - the intersection of Chicago and Ashlandaround 1920.

The Fulton River District in the 1940’s - the intersection ofMilwaukee and DesPlaines (looking southeast).

Origins of the Near Northwest Side

September 2002 Page 1-3

The ContextUnderstanding the Community

townhomes, mid-rise and high-rise condos andapartments to the district. The district is also anentertainment venue, with nearby restaurants andnightclubs attracting visitors throughout the week. Tothe north, remaining industrial areas are defined bythe Chicago-Halsted Planned Manufacturing District.This designation indicates the City of Chicago’scommitment to retaining this area for industrial andcommercial uses.

Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village andUkrainian Village

To the west of the Fulton River District lie the historicneighborhoods of Eckhart Park, Noble Square, EastVillage and Ukrainian Village. These developed asworking and middle class neighborhoods through the19th and early 20th Centuries.

Residents came to these neighborhoods for theproximity to local jobs. Building out from what is nowthe Fulton River District, manufacturing and distribu-tion operations moved up the North Branch of theChicago River and west along the freight rail corri-dors. Residents could walk or ride streetcars to localjobs. Today, these industrial districts remain in theform of the Kinzie Industrial Corridor and the Elstonand Goose Island Planned Manufacturing Districts.

Older homes can be found between MilwaukeeAvenue, Ashland Avenue and Chicago Avenue.Worker’s cottages, single family homes, two- andthree-flats, corner walk-ups and storefronts withapartments above characterize the neighborhood. Tothe west of Ashland Avenue, two-flats and singlefamily homes predominate.

Chicago Avenue developed as the “main street” forthe community, offering a wide variety of stores andservices that met community needs. Grand Avenue

functioned as a shopping and restaurant centerbetween Halsted Street and Noble Street, but alsoincluded residents and workshop operations. Moreheavily influenced by neighboring industry, MilwaukeeAvenue developed as a mix of workshop spaces,storefronts and apartments.

In recent years the same “back to the city” trend thathas transformed the Fulton River District has begun tochange Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village andUkrainian Village. This process began with therenovations of older residential buildings in the early1990’s and then new construction later in the decade.New residents have impacted local commercialcorridors, which have seen new shops, restaurants,bars and nightclubs emerge.

Community Influences Today

Kinzie Industrial Corridor(PMD)

The Near Northwest Side

Residential andCommercialDevelopment

The LoopWestLoop

Chicago-Halsted(PMD)

RiverNorth


Near Northwest Side

Northwestern University Settlement House on Augusta Blvd.

Goldblatt’s department store at 1613-35 W. Chicago Avenue

The Historic Character of the NearNorthwest Side

The Fulton River District and the Eckhart Park, NobleSquare, East Village and Ukrainian Villageneighborhoods have played a significant role inChicago’s social and economic development. Thishistory is reflected in the traditional pattern of itsstreets and blocks and also in its residential,commercial and institutional building stock.

The City of Chicago has designated a number ofneighborhood buildings as historic landmarksbecause of their particular importance to the life of thecity. The Chicago Landmark Commissionrecommended landmark designation for the UkrainianVillage Landmark District at its September 2002meeting.

The Northwestern Settlement House at 1400 WestAugusta was one of the first institutions established inChicago to provide the poor with educational andrecreational programs.

Chicago Commons established social programs inthe 1890’s that the organization continues to provideto this day.

Goldblatt’s department store on Chicago Avenue,built in the early 1920’s, was the first in what becamea regional chain and one of the nation’s oldest largeneighborhood department stores. It helpedrevolutionize American retailing. The building wasrenovated and the historic terra-cotta façadepreserved by the Chicago Public BuildingCommission in 1996. It is now used as departmentaloffices for the City of Chicago.



In addition to the neighborhood’s buildings, the NearNorthwest Side has also been the locale for historicevents.

On May 4, 1886 a decade of strife between labor andindustry culminated in a confrontation at the corner ofDesPlaines and Randolph Street that resulted in thedeath of both policemen and workers. This event isremembered across the world at May Day activities. Amemorial to the Haymarket Tragedy and the loss oflife that resulted is now planned close to the site ofthese significant events.

The historic character of these neighborhoods hasplayed a significant role in attracting new residents tothe area in recent years. Many residential buildingsoffer attractive opportunities for renovation, thelandscape character of residential streets is appealingand commercial corridors offer stores, restaurantsand transit service in close proximity to home. Thehistory of the area is a major component of the qualityof life it offers.

The City of Chicago will continue to protect andpreserve the most significant buildings and districtsthrough landmark designation.

There is a rich historic building stock throughout the NearNorthwest Side’s Neighborhoods.

Historic warehouse buildings along Randolph Street.


Near Northwest Side

Open Space

The Near Northwest Side lies between Chicago’s twomain open space resources: the lakefront and thenecklace of regional parks linked by the Boulevardsystem. The Chicago River increasingly offers publicaccess and recreational opportunities. The NearNorthwest Side itself is also home to Eckhart Park andis bounded on the west by Smith Park. Both arelarger Chicago Park District parks offering a variety ofrecreational activities, in both outdoor spaces andfield house facilities.

Regional Open SpaceStrong physical connections to the regional park system, theriver and the lakefront are lacking.

HumboldtPark

LincolnPark

GarfieldPark

DouglasPark

GrantPark

Near Northwest Side

In addition, the neighborhood offers a series ofsmaller parks and school campus recreation facilitiessuch as Bickerdike Park and Talcott, Otis and Carpen-ter Elementary schools.

However, the residents have expressed concerns thatthe community lacks adequate open space and parkamenities.

• In the Fulton River District, public open space andpark amenities have not always been offered inmany of the new residential projects.

• Parks and open spaces have not yet been clearlydefined for all future developments, in anticipationof the influx of residents.

• Much of Noble Square and East Village were alsobuilt without parks or open space.

• Residents feel that the neighborhood must offermore open spaces and recreation opportunities forplay, exercise, dog walking and relaxation.

• Open spaces called for include parks offering activeand passive recreation opportunities, urban plazas,community gardens and improvements to spacesadjacent to highway, railroad or utility infrastructure.

ChicagoRiver

Community facility at Eckhart Park

Recreational facility at Smith Park



Bickerdike ParkOtis School

EckhartPark

Mitchell School

SmithPark

Talcott School

Park

Wells HighSchool

CarpenterSchool

Union Park

Neighborhood Open Space and Schools

Kinzie

Chicago

Division

Ohio

Randolph

Hal

sted

Ash

land

Wes

tern

Milwaukee

ChicagoRiver

The Otis School

A neighborhood park in UkranianVillage

Erie Park


Near Northwest Side

Transit and Infrastructure

The Near Northwest Side lies close to the center ofthe regional transportation system. Regional railconnects to Union Station and the Ogilvie Transporta-tion Center. The Chicago Transit Authority RapidTransit Blue Line runs through the Milwaukee AvenueCorridor to the Loop.

The Chicago Transit Authority Rapid Transit GreenLine runs through the Fulton River District connectingthe West Side with the Loop. Major streets also offerCTA Bus Service.

Regional Circulation

The Kennedy Expressway runs through the NearNorthwest Side, and offers numerous connections tothe Fulton River District, Eckhart Park, Noble Square,East Village and Ukrainian Village. Ashland Avenue,Ogden Avenue, Western Avenue and Halsted Streetserve as community connectors to other Chicagoneighborhoods. Chicago Avenue, Grand Avenue andMilwaukee Avenue offer links to other neighborhoodsbut also serve as community commercial corridors.

While the Near Northwest Side is well-served from atransit and transportation perspective, the communitydoes have some concerns.

• Physically, train stations in this area are far apart:there is no Metra Station between Western Avenueand the Loop, and no Green Line Station betweenClinton Street and Ashland Avenue.

• Blue Line Station entrances are not felt to besufficiently welcoming or visible.

• Not enough bus stops have shelters.• Links between transit modes are not fully devel-

oped, and transfer points and route intersectionsare not clearly identified.

• Commercial corridor streetscapes need to beupgraded.

• The pedestrian quality of streets in the Fulton RiverDistrict is undermined by poor sidewalk, crosswalk,at-grade rail crossing and viaduct lighting condi-tions.

• The sidewalk and streetscape conditions in EckhartPark, Noble Square, East Village and UkrainianVillage vary in quality and maintenance.

• At grade rail crossings in the Fulton River Districtare not well maintained and create conflicts withpedestrians and cars.

AshlandCalifornia

Near Northwest Side

Division

Damen

Metra

CTAGreen Line

Metra

Loop

Eisenhower Expressway

WesternChicago

Lake

Grand

KennedyExpress.

CTABlueLine

CTA Blue Line

Metra

Lake Street Green Line

Milwaukee Avenue Blue Line

Chicago Avenue Bus Stop

Transit Plaza - Division and Ashland

OgilvieTrans. Ctr..

UnionStation



Ohio

Division

Chicago

Grand

Wes

tern

Kinzie

Lake

Dam

en

Ash

land H

alst

ed

Clin

ton

Ogd

en

Hubbard

Ken

ned

yE

xpre

ssw

ay

Neighborhood Transit and Circulation

CTA Bus Route

CTA

Bus

Rou

te

CTA Green Line

Metra

OgilvieStation

CTA

CTA

CTA

CTA

CTA

Milwaukee

The Kennedy Expressway

The Union Pacific Viaduct alongHubbard Street

Vacant property along the UnionPacific Viaduct near Kinzie Street

Metra Station

UnionStation


Near Northwest Side

Development Corridors

Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village and theUkrainian Village residential areas are organizedwithin a clear framework of development corridors.

• Chicago Avenue is the neighborhood’s main streetwith a mix of local convenience retail and services,municipal offices, Mexican restaurants, new bou-tiques and Ukrainian bakeries and restaurants. It isalso attracting new independent boutique fashionand furniture stores.

• Grand Avenue connects the West Side to down-town. It is a neighborhood retail district at the east,a residential street around Ashland Avenue and alight industrial and workshop corridor to the west.

• Milwaukee Avenue connects the Northwest Side todowntown. It is home to workshop spaces, afford-able housing, new housing development, artsspaces, renovated storefronts and convenienceretail.

• Ashland Avenue is a major arterial street, runningthrough the neighborhood to the north and southsides of the city. Retail, businesses, housing andschools line the street.

• Western Avenue is a major arterial street, runningthrough the neighborhood to the north and southsides of the city. Western Avenue has industrialbusinesses, lofts and local convenience retailers.

• Ogden Avenue is the gateway to the neighborhoodfrom the Kennedy Expressway. The boulevard alsoconnects the neighborhood to the Near West Sideand functions primarily as a community connectorrather than a major development corridor.

• Halsted Street is a major north-south arterial street.Halsted Street has industrial businesses, lofts,restaurants and local convenience retailers.

• The Kinzie Industrial Corridor continues to oper-ate as an active industrial corridor. The ten largestfirms in the corridor account for more than 2,000jobs.

Today, the Near Northwest Side is confronted with anumber of issues relating to its development corri-dors. Although there have been some recent invest-ments in new retail or residential buildings, thedevelopment corridors have yet to see the renova-tions or new development found in the residentialdistricts themselves. There are also concerns thatnew retail development will come in the form of stripmalls or other auto-oriented businesses that willdetract from the historic character of the neighbor-hood.

• Chicago Avenue has storefront and upper floorvacancies, particularly at the periphery east ofAshland Avenue and west of Damen Avenue.

• The Grand Avenue restaurant district does not haveenough city-wide and regional visibility, and thereare gaps in street level activity elsewhere.

• Milwaukee Avenue is fragmented by bridges overthe Kennedy Expressway, which runs beneath it atAugusta and the Ontario-Ohio interchange. It offershomes, work spaces, restaurants, and convenienceretail but still lacks a clear identity, or a way oforganizing development or pedestrian activity onthe street.

• Ashland Avenue has vacant storefronts, poorquality buildings and facades and poor sidewalkconditions, particularly between Grand and ChicagoAvenues.

• Ogden Avenue has vacant buildings andunderutilized land.

• Halsted Street is fragmented by bridges over theKennedy expressway and Union Pacific tracks.

• The influx of an estimated 4,000 residents into theFulton River District into a previously industrial areahas yet to bring daily convenience retail or createidentifiable commercial corridors. The increase inresidential population and the expanding office corecreate an opportunity for new retail in the district.

Milwaukee Avenue

Randolph Street

Chicago Avenue

Chicago Avenue



Division

Chicago

Grand

Wes

tern

Kinzie

Randolph

Dam

en

Ash

land

Hal

sted

Ogd

en

Hubbard

Milwaukee

Ohio

Industrial(PMD)

IndustrialIndustrial

Small Corner Groceryand Taverns withinNeighborhoods

Restaurants

OfficeEmploymentin the Loopand West Loop

Restaurants

Commercial Development along the Neighborhood Corridors

CommercialServices

Grand Avenue

Ashland Avenue

Ogden and Grand Intersection

Ashland Avenue

Auto-OrientedCommercialServices

Grocery

Housewaresand Grocery


Near Northwest Side

The Neighborhoods


The neighborhoods of the Near Northwest Side beginwith the higher-density, larger-lot Fulton River Districtto the east. Building heights reflect proximity todowntown and the area’s history as an industrial loftdistrict. However, there is also great contrast in scale,with townhomes next to twenty-story towers. This newresidential neighborhood faces numerous issues.

• The height and scale of new buildings is not orga-nized in a clear way.

• Proposed super-block developments do not createthrough-streets or pedestrian routes.

• Buildings adjacent to the bridges over the Metratracks have limited access to the sidewalks andpresent blank walls along the street.

• New building entrances and windows are directedtowards the interior of developments creating blankbuilding facades on neighborhood streets.

• In some cases, garages, driveways and curb cutsline sidewalks, undermining the pedestrian environ-ment.

• The Fulton River District needs retailers that canoffer food service, grocery stores, clothing stores,and book and video stores to support both daytimeworkers and residents.

• There are potential conflicts between historicindustrial uses north of Kinzie Street and newresidential development in the area.

Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village andUkrainian Village

Set between mixed-use corridors, Eckhart Park, NobleSquare, East Village and Ukrainian Village were eachbuilt on the traditional Chicago street grid, block andalley pattern. Lots are typically organized on standardChicago dimensions of 25’ by 125’. Residentialbuilding types include bungalows, single familyhouses, two- and three-flats and some four story walkup apartment buildings. Townhouse, three-flat andsix-flat condominium buildings are common buildingtypes among new developments. The influx of newresidents, renovation and new development hasraised a number of issues.

• The scale of new residential buildings has oftenbeen out of scale with those of neighboring homes.

• There are concerns that entries, doors, windowsand facades do not reflect the historic character ofthe neighborhood or good urban design principles.

• Some new projects have placed garage doors andcurb cuts at the sidewalk, undermining the pedes-trian quality of local streets.

• The local stand-alone convenience stores that wereoften found on residential streets are disappearing.

Single family development

Single and multi-family mix

Corner Lot Development

Multi-family flats



Multi-family onCorner Lots

Single FamilyHousing

New Multi-lotDevelopment withStreet-facing Garages

New RowhouseDevelopment

Residential overRetail on Grand

Mix of Single Family and Multi-Unit Flats

Residential overRetail on Chicago

Warehouse LoftConversions andNew Mid-rises New

Rowhouses

New Highrises

Ohio

Randolph

Chicago

Division

Kinzie

Ash

land

Hal

sted

Milwaukee

Building Types and Locations in the Neighborhood

Loft Development

High-rise development

Inappropriate new developmentthat does not face the street

Inappropriate development with agarage facing the street


Near Northwest Side

Planning Area Summary

The City is engaged in numerous planning effortswhich may influence development in the Near North-west Side. The maps to the left identify the relevantcompleted and in-progress plans, industrial districtsand T.I.F districts.

Existing Zoning

The zoning map for the Near Northwest Side isincluded on the facing page. The allowable land usesare determined by 4 categories: Residential (R),Business (B), Commercial (C) and Manufacturing (M).The allowable build-out is determined by Floor AreaRatios (F.A.R.). The F.A.R. for a site is based on thelot size. For example, the F.A.R. for a lot in the R3zone is 0.9. If a lot is 25’ by 100’, the lot size is 2500square feet. The allowable build-out for the lot wouldbe 2500 x 0.9 for a total of 2250 square feet of build-ing space.

Zoning Map Summary

Residential Districts F.A.R.R1 Single Family 0.5R2 Single Family 0.65R3 General Residence 0.9R4 General Residence 1.2R5 General Residence 2.2R6 General Residence 4.4R7 General Residence 7.0R8 General Residence 10.0

Business Districts (B1 thru B7), Commercial Districts (C1thru C5), Manufacturing Districts (M1 thru M3)

F.A.R.B/C/M -1 1.2B/C/M -2 2.2B/C/M -3 3.0B/C -4 5.0B/C -5 7.0B -6 12.0B -7 16.0

Plans Completed orin Progress

1 Central Area Plan2 Near West Side Area

Land Use Plan3 Cabrini-Green

Redevelopment

Industrial Districts

1 Goose Island2 Elston Industrial

Corridor3 Kinzie Industrial

Corridor4 Chicago-Halsted

P.M.D.

T.I.F. Districts

1 Kinzie IndustrialCorridor

2 Central West3 Near West4 Central Loop5 River West6 North Branch South7 Goose Island8 Near North9 Chicago Kingsbury

Near Northwest Side Study Area

1

2

3

1

3

2

4Near Northwest Side Study Area

Near Northwest Side Study Area

1

2 3

6

4

5

7 8

9



Existing Zoning

The City of Chicago Zoning Ordinance and Map may be found on the internet at http://w5.ci.chi.il.us./Zoning/Zoning.html.

The Plan


Near Northwest Side

A Visionfor the Near Northwest Side

The Near Northwest Side will continue to grow as acommunity of linked and distinctive urbanneighborhoods. The community will be vibrant placeto live, offering a mix of uses, a full range of localamenities and clear connections to the rest of the cityfor work and play.

There will be clear connections to regional openspaces and large neighborhood parks via pedestrian-friendly and bicycle-oriented landscaped streets.New neighborhood open spaces will be created fromavailable land and as major new developments occur.Neighborhood schools will also serve as recreationalresources. Open lands associated with highway andrail infrastructure will be upgraded to add to thelandscape quality of the neighborhood.

The neighborhoods will be linked to each other withcorridors that offer a mix of retail, entertainment, officeand residential uses. Each corridor will offer activeuses, physically and visually connected to the street.Neighborhood corridors will serve as, and bereinforced by, transit routes. Streets will offer highquality pedestrian environments through theappropriate design of streets and the buildings thatline them. Where corridors connect, they will bemarked by high quality streetscapes, transit facilitiesand a cluster of active street-level uses.

The Fulton River District will grow into a high qualityurban neighborhood. The scale of new residentialbuildings will be greater than elsewhere on the NearNorthwest Side. With appropriate design, a mix ofuses, a high quality pedestrian environment andpublic amenities, a strong residential community willbe created.

Ukrainian Village, East Village, Eckhart Park and theNoble Square Neighborhoods will continue to bestrong residential areas, offering a mix of appropriatehousing types, high-quality housing and streetenvironments. The neighborhoods will haveappropriately scaled and well-designed residentialbuildings and homes. People will be able to see ontostreets from their homes and passers-by will be ableto see into homes, creating a visual connectionbetween them and putting “eyes on the street”. Thepreservation and renovation of historic buildings willbe encouraged. Parking access will be provided fromalleys or the rear of buildings.

Industrial corridors will remain viable places to dobusiness, whether manufacturing or for distribution ofhigh tech operations. Many neighborhood andChicago residents will continue to hold jobs in thesedistricts.


The Plan

Corridors and Neighborhoods

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Ohio

Grand

Hubbard

Lake

Kinzie

Fulton

Randolph

Wes

tern

Leav

itt

Dam

en

Woo

d

Ash

land Ogd

enN

oble

Eliz

abet

h

Rac

ine

Abe

rdee

n

Mor

gan

Gre

en

Hal

sted

Ken

nedy

Des

Pla

ines

Jeffe

rson

Clin

ton

Can

al

Chicago-HalstedPMD

Milwaukee

Chicago Corridor

Grand Corridor

Milwaukee Corridor

Wes

tern

Cor

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Ash

land

Cor

rido

r


N 0 1000’ 2000’






Chi

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Near Northwest Side

Guiding Principles

The following principles will guide the development ofopen space and recreation amenities in the NearNorthwest Side.

• Encourage an open space network in the NearNorthwest Side Neighborhood.

• Promote access to the Chicago River and theLakefront.

• Promote access to regional parks such as Smith,Humboldt and Eckhart Park.

• Encourage the use of neighborhood schools foropen space and recreation resources.

• Enhance the landscape quality of key pedestrianstreets linking neighborhood and regional openspaces.

• Encourage public parks and plazas as part of newlarger scale residential developments.

• Encourage the inclusion of landscaped privateopen spaces that are visible from streets in newresidential development projects.

• Incorporate landscaping into infrastructure such asviaducts and expressway edges and interchanges.

• Promote a diversity of open spaces for adults,children and their pets.

Residents should be within a five minute walk of a well-maintainedneighborhood park.

Recommendations

New Open Spaces

• Create new publicly accessible, landscapedriverfront greenways as new development occursadjacent to the Chicago River. Public access to theriver edge and links between existing segmentsshould also be created as new developmentoccurs.

• Create a new neighborhood park at the southeastcorner of DesPlaines Street and Kinzie Street aspart of the Kinzie Station Planned Development.

• Create a new neighborhood open space south ofthe Union Pacific tracks at Union Street.

• Create an urban plaza in the core of the Fulton RiverDistrict in the vicinity of Lake, Jefferson and Clinton.Potential sites include the southeast corner of theLake and Jefferson Streets intersection or thesouthwest corner of the Lake and Clinton intersec-tion.

• Improve the recreational facilities of school parks atMitchell, Carpenter, Peabody and Wells Schools.Otis and Talcott have been completed.

Completing the Open Space Network


The PlanThe Open Space Network

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Erie

Ohio

Ohio

Grand

Hubbard

Lake

Kinzie

Fulton

Randolph

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Milwaukee

N 0 1000’ 2000’

Existing and Identified Bikeways

Potential New Bikeways

Existing Open Space

School Campuses (Existing & Potential)

Potential New Open Space

MitchellSchool (Potential)

TalcottSchool(Existing)

OtisSchool(Existing) Carpenter

School(Potential)

PeabodySchool(Potential)

Wells HighSchool (Potential)

Chi

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Chicago-HalstedPMD

Potential new bikeway alongthe Kinzie viaduct from Leavittto Fulton River District


Near Northwest Side

New open spaces (continued)

• Encourage a new gateway park on the vacant landat the northwest corner of Ogden Avenue andGrand Avenue.

• Encourage a new park at the southwest corner ofErie Street and Damen Avenue.

• Promote new open spaces on underdeveloped orremnant land adjacent to the Kennedy Expresswayand the Ohio Feeder between Augusta and Grand.Potential improvements include dog-walking spacesand a sculpture garden adjacent to Grand Avenue.

• While Commercial Park lies just beyond the studyarea, consideration should be given to enlarge thepark at Rice and Wolcott so the park has directfrontage on Chicago Avenue.

• Create a new pedestrian and bicycle open spaceconnection on the rail right-of-way along KinzieStreet, linking Leavitt Street to the Fulton RiverDistrict.

Access to Regional Open Spaces

• Maximize the visibility of designated and proposedbikeways on Grand Avenue, Hubbard Street,Milwaukee Avenue and Kinzie Street with bike lanestriping, signage, lighting and landscaping.

New development adjacent to the river should provide a high-qualitylinear greenway.

Residential

Residential

Neighborhood streets, Ohio and Noble, should be enhanced withbike routes, lighting and signage to create strong links betweenneighborhood parks and open space.


The Plan

• Upgrade the landscape character of Noble Streetand Ohio Street to create strong pedestrian andbicycle links between neighborhood parks andopen spaces.

• Add directional signage to street connections to theChicago River and the lakefront from the NearNorthwest Side.

• Slow traffic at neighborhood schools.

Private Open Space in New Development

• Chicago has a strong tradition of front yards andcourtyard entries to residences that are private, yetstill contribute to the landscape quality of neighbor-hood streets. Ensure that private open spaces thatare created in new developments, such as land-scaped entries and courtyards, are visible from localstreets.

• Private landscaping such as trees, shrubs, andflowers adjacent to and visible from neighborhoodstreets is encouraged. Also, the inclusion of groundcover and shade trees can help minimize the urbanheat-island effect.

• Maximize landscape opportunities in private devel-opments. Encourage the use of green roofs forprivate open space.

The Union Pacific Viaduct along Hubbard and Clinton may bedeveloped as a linear park.

Residential

Residential orCommercial

A linear park with pedestrian and bicycle pathways may be devel-oped along the Kinzie railroad right-of-way.


Near Northwest Side

Guiding Principles

The following principles will guide the development oftransit and infrastructure in the Near Northwest Side.• Ensure that the Near Northwest Side offers a variety

of convenient transportation alternatives.• Ensure that adequate transit service is provided.• Ensure that streets, intersections, bridges and

viaducts are maintained and support the flow oftraffic through the neighborhood.

• Ensure clear truck route access to industrial busi-nesses.

• Extend Chicago’s Bike Route network through theneighborhood.

• Ensure that new development, especially largerdevelopment projects, maintain the block and streetpatterns of the neighborhood.

• Use street and building design to minimize negativeimpacts caused by bridges, viaducts and rail.

Residents should be within a convenient walk of aCTA Bus, CTA Rail Transit or Metra Transit stop.

Enhance subway entrancesalong Milwaukee Avenue.

Improve bus stops to include shelters,lighting and informational signage.

Promoting A High Quality Transit System

Recommendations

• Assess CTA usage on the Green Line and developrecommendations for new stations. Potential loca-tions are Western Avenue, Damen Avenue and eitherMorgan Street or Halsted Street.

• Upgrade entrances to Blue Line Stations throughmaintenance, redesign, new signage and lighting.

• Improve the pedestrian environment along ClintonStreet between the Ogilvie Transportation Center andthe Clinton Street Green Line station.

• Improve bus stops at all quarter mile streets and bus-route intersections by improving sidewalks and

lighting and adding shelters, benches and providingclearly visible signage.

• Improve bus signage throughout the community.• Improve CTA service hours to reflect areas’s demand.• Improve at-grade railroad crossings.• Implement Chicago’s Central Area Plan, including:

• West Loop Transportation Center on three-levels below Clinton Street with CTA subway, commuter

rail and Clinton Street Busway.• Carroll Avenue Busway: an exclusive busway using

existing rail rights-of-way to connect Union and Ogilvie Stations with River North and Streeterville.


The PlanThe Transit System

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Erie Ohio

Grand

Hubbard

Lake

Kinzie

Fulton

Randolph

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Ogden

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Milwaukee

N 0 1000’ 2000’

CTA - Green Line (Existing & New)

CTA - Blue Line

Metra

CTA - Enhanced Bus Stops

Enhanced Street Level Environment

Between CTA and Metra Stations

PotentialNew CTAStation

PotentialNew CTAStations






Chi

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Chicago-HalstedPMD

PotentialNew CTAStation

EnhancedStreet LevelConnections


Carroll Ave.Busway

West LoopTransp.Ctr.with ClintonSt. Busway


Near Northwest SideGuiding Development

New development in the Near Northwest side will bedirected in a way that maintains and strengthens thehistoric framework of urban corridors and residentialdistricts. New development should be consistent withCity Ordinances and Guidelines. Relevant CityOrdinances include: Parking Garage, Townhouse,Landscape, Strip Mall and Drive-thru Regulations.Relevant Guidelines include: NeighborhoodCommercial Corridor Guidelines, RiverfrontGuidelines, Open Space Guidelines and CTA’s TransitOriented Development Guidelines.

Strengthening NeighborhoodCorridors

Guiding Principles

The following principles will guide the development ofneighborhood corridors in the Near Northwest Side.

• Support strong mixed-use corridors with retail,office, workshops and housing providing an activestreet orientation.

• Encourage higher density and mixed use develop-ment on commercial streets and close to transitstations and intersections.

• Consolidate retail at commercial street intersectionsand close to transit stations.

• Ensure that neighborhood-scale retail is availablefor residents within a convenient distance fromhome.

• Support the development of the Chicago-HalstedPlanned Manufacturing District and the KinzieIndustrial Corridor as a place for production anddistribution.

Promoting Livable ResidentialNeighborhoods

Guiding Principles

The following principles will guide development in theNear Northwest Side neighborhoods.

• Maintain the neighborhood’s mix of housing, retail,industrial, commercial and institutional uses.

• Encourage the development of a mix of housingtypes and tenures in residential neighborhoods.

• Respect the historic development character of sub-areas with regard to building scale, orientation andsetbacks.

• Support the development of local institutions suchas schools, churches and neighborhood settlementhouses.

• Explore the development of a new regional library.• Work with the community and developers to

reinforce a pedestrian-friendly and safeenvironment. Potential improvements includeenhanced lighting and traffic-calming measures.


The Plan

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Erie Ohio

Grand

Hubbard

Lake

Kinzie

Fulton

Randolph

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tern

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Milwaukee

N 0 1000’ 2000’

Mixed-Use - Retail Focus

Mixed-Use - Office Focus

Mixed-Use

Residential

Industrial

Development in the Neighborhood






Chicago-HalstedPMD


Chi

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Near Northwest Side

Residential

Residential

ResidentialOffice orHome-Office*

ResidentialResidential

Industrial

Community Commercial - Chicago Avenue, Grand Avenue

Community Connector - Ashland Avenue, Ogden Avenue Neighborhood Connectors - Ohio Street, Noble Street

Retail RetailIndustrial

Community Connector - Western Avenue

Street Character FrameworkThe Street Character Framework establishes ahierarchy of streets that may be used to guidedevelopment and streetscape improvements.• Community Commercial streets should be the focus

for commercial development in the neighborhood.• The priority for Community Connector streets is to

ensure adequate circulation throughneighborhoods and to provide access to the cityand regional road network. Development mayinclude commercial, mixed-use or residential uses.

• Neighborhood Connector streets provide linksbetween community open spaces and may includemore amenities, such as special lighting andsignage than typical Residential streets which areprimarily for local access.

• Industrial streets should support industrialdevelopment needs by providing adequate accessand loading.

Recommendations• Implement streetscape improvements that reflect

the function of neighborhood streets and the type ofdevelopment found on them. Street design ele-ments include roadway widths, sidewalk widths,street lighting, street furniture, bus shelters anddevelopment uses.

• Traffic management techniques, such as traffic lightsynchronization, addition of stop signs, left turnlanes and traffic calming should be incorporatedwith the design of streetscape improvements.

* Home-office spaces incorporate residentialuses (bedrooms, kitchens, etc) withoccupational uses such as office and studios.When home-office space is developed atstreet level, the work space should beoriented toward the street frontage.



The Plan

Division

Thomas

Augusta

Iowa

Chicago

Huron

Ohio

Grand

Hubbard

Lake

Kinzie

Fulton

Randolph

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N 0 1000’ 2000’

Community Commercial

Community Connector

Neighborhood Connector

Residential

Industrial

Street Character Framework







Chi

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Chicago-HalstedPMD



Near Northwest Side

Western

Damen

Ashland

Chicago

Chicago Avenue streetscapeenhancements include improvedsidewalks, lighting and busshelters at intersections of busroutes.

Renovate upper floors forresidential or home-office spacealong Chicago Avenue

Mixed-use infill at Chicagoand Western Avenue

Residential and home-office infilland conversion along AshlandAvenue

Enhance streetscape atstrengthened neighborhoodretail core

Improve sidewalks andlighting on Ashland

Chicago Avenue RevitalizationThe Neighborhood’s Main Street

Recommendations• Support Chicago Avenue as the neighborhood

main street, with a variety of goods and services.• Renovate and convert vacant storefronts and upper

floors of buildings to residential, workshop, office orother uses at the east and west edges of ChicagoAvenue.

• Use streetscaping to identify and promote theintersection of Chicago and Ashland as the centerof the retail strip.

• Enhance bus stops at all quarter mile streets.• Study and implement methods for alleviating traffic

and parking congestion.

Chicago

Potential Streetscape Enhancements at Intersections

Potentiallandscapeimprovementsalong AshlandAvenue

Bus stop improvements may include curbextensions, new bus shelters, benches,improved lighting and signage. Privatedevelopment adjacent to bus stops mayalso provide amenities such as awningsand lighting.

Ash

land

Ave

nue

ChicagoAvenue


The Plan

Division

Ashland

Milw

aukee

Milw

aukeeChicago

Ogden

Milw

aukee

Grand

Halsted

Milwaukee, Ashland andDivision IntersectionStrengthen existing retail atenhanced transit plazaintersection

Milwaukee, Chicago and OgdenAvenues IntersectionPromote new retail at enhancedtransit plaza intersection

Milwaukee, Grand and HalstedIntersectionReinforce existing character ofarea with new dining and retailestablishments.

Milwaukee Avenue RevitalizationA Diverse Neighborhood Commercial Street

Recommendations• Encourage mixed-use development along

Milwaukee Avenue. Consolidate convenience retailat Division Street, Chicago Avenue, and GrandAvenue adjacent to CTA Rapid Transit Stations andbus transfer points.

• Improve visibility of CTA Rapid Transit Stationentrances through new shelters, improved signage,lighting and public art.

• Enhance bus stops at all quarter mile streets.• Improve the Milwaukee Avenue streetscape.

Streetscape improvements may include lighting,benches, trash receptacles, benches, specialpaving and public art.

Milwaukee Avenue at Rapid Transit Stops Milwaukee Avenue at locations withoutRapid Transit stops

Residential

Retail

Residential

Office orLive-Work


Near Northwest Side

Grand

Western

Damen

Ashland

Mixed-use infill at Grandand Western intersection

Mixed-use infill at Grand andDamen intersection.

New light industrial, home-officeand residential development

Mixed-use infill at Grandand Ashland intersection

Potential light industrialexpansion alongAshland Avenue

Otis School

Residential and home office infillalong Ashland Avenue

Renovate auto-related businesseson Ashland Avenue

Grand Avenue RevitalizationNeighborhood Transit Developmentand Restaurant District

Recommendations

• Improve streetscaping to increase visibility of ItalianAmerican restaurant and retail district.

• Encourage mixed-use infill development at theGrand and Ashland Avenue intersection.

• Encourage new home-office and residential uses onblocks between major north south streets.

• Encourage convenience retail at Damen Avenue atthe bus transfer point.

• Enhance bus stops at all quarter mile streets.• Encourage landscape improvements adjacent to

the Kennedy Expressway.


The Plan

Ogden

Enhanced streetscape tostrengthen area identity

Potential landscape improvements alongKennedy Expressway may include a sculpturegarden and areas for walking dogs

Ashland Avenue

Recommendations• Focus retail at the major intersections with Grand

and Chicago Avenues and Division Street.• Encourage residential and home-office infill north of

Grand Avenue to Chicago Avenue at inactivebusiness locations.

• Improve sidewalk conditions, minimize curb cutsand encourage parking lot landscaping, lightingand fencing improvements.

• Renovate and convert vacant storefronts and upperfloors of buildings to other uses north of ChicagoAvenue to Milwaukee.

• Enhance bus stops at all quarter mile streets.

Grand

Western Avenue

Recommendations• Focus retail at the major intersections with Chicago

and Grand Avenues.• Add bus shelters at all quarter mile streets and at

Hubbard to encourage transfers to and from Metra.• Encourage residential and home-office infill north of

Grand Avenue to Chicago Avenue. Support indus-trial development south of Grand Avenue.


Ogden Avenue

Recommendations• Focus retail at the major intersections with Grand

and Milwaukee Avenues.• Create a new gateway park at Ohio Street and

Grand Avenue.• Encourage residential and home-office infill north of

Hubbard Street. Support industrial developmentsouth of Hubbard Street.


A new gateway parkand a potential civicinstitution at theintersection of Ogdenand Grand Avenueswill anchor a revitalizedGrand Avenue‘Restaurant Row”


Near Northwest Side

Design Recommendations

Reflecting the ContextNew infill development and building renovationsshould be of high architectural quality and be sensi-tive to the historic context in which it is occuring. Newbuildings should reflect the scale, orientation andcharacter of existing surrounding buildings on thestreet. By following some simple guidelines, newbuildings can become vibrant, contemporary addi-tions to commercial corridors, while reflecting thepositive qualities so valued by earlier generations.

Uses along Commercial CorridorsCommercial corridor buildings may have retailing,restaurant, office, workshop or residential uses. It islikely that many buildings will have a mix of uses, withresidential on upper floors. Regardless of the overalluse, the ground floor should always have active usesfronting the street.

Building setbacksBuildings should be built to the property line or reflectthe typical setback established for the block as awhole. Most buildings on local corridors are built tothe property line. However, some residential buildingsare set back five or ten feet. Where new residentialbuildings are constructed, they may follow this patternif they neighbor such historic examples. Retail andoffice buildings should be built to the property line.If there is an existing streetwall along the block, itshould be maintained, avoiding upper floor setbacks.


Ground Floor Flexibility and TransparencyMany corridor buildings have been homes, storefrontsor workshops over the course of their life. To allow forfuture adaptation in case of the change of uses, theground floor of new mixed use buildings should bedesigned to allow the conversion from retail or officeto residential and vice versa. Ground level floor-to-ceiling heights should be a minimum of 14 feet. Theground floor facades should be transparent along thecommercial corridors regardless of use.

Parking and Service AccessParking and service access should be at the rear ofbuildings off the alley and should not front commer-cial corridors. Access from secondary streets may beconsidered, where no alley exists. If interior parking isrequired, it should be recessed to allow active uses atthe ground floor facing the commercial corridor.

Contextual design principles, such asmaintaining the streetwall, offering a mixof uses and at-grade storefronts can beapplied to contemporary architecture.

Access to parking and service should beoriented to the alley or the secondarystreet.

Building articulation can help enhancethe pedestrian environment.


The Plan

District Commercial Corridors- Infill DevelopmentHigher-density mixed-usebuildings along the commercialcorridors

Façade Composition andArticulation

A pleasant arrangement ofdoors, windows and awningsalong with attractive facadearticulation can enhance thepedestrian realm.

Building Orientation andLot Access

The front door should face thecommercial corridor.

Vehicle and service accessshould be from the alley.

Building Massing

Maintain existing streetwall andcontinuity of streetfrontage.

Building height, width and depthshould reflect the scale andpattern on the block. Develop-ment should be reviewed withinthe context of the adjacentbuildings.

District Commercial Corridors- Intersection DevelopmentHigher-density mixed-use, multi-family and corner buildings

Ground Floor Flexibility andTransparency

Ground level floor-to-ceilingheights should be a minimum of14 feet, the supporting structureand the mechanical systemshould allow for flexibility. ADAaccessibility should be ensured.Ground floor facades along acommercial corridor should betransparent, and potentiallyfeature display windows.

Design Recommendations for Neighborhood Corridors


Near Northwest Side

Recommendations

Building Orientation and Lot Access• The front door or main entry to all residential

buildings should face the street.• Parking should be accessed from the alley.• Surface-parking lots, garages and corresponding

curb cuts along public streets are discouraged.• Parking and trash receptacles should be located at

the rear of properties, preferably along alleyways,and shielded from view with landscaping or fencing.

• Loading facilities should also be designed for rear,alley access.

Scale and Massing of New Development• Development should respect the scale of the

adjacent properties.• Development should maintain the existing streetwall

and building setback along the street.• The Fulton River District generally consists of low

and mid-rise (four to twelve story) masonry ware-house buildings from the late 19th and early 20th

Century. New development in the Fulton Riverneighborhood should be respect the scale of theexisting buildings. The existing zoning regulationsfor a C3-5 district and a F.A.R. of seven should bemaintained. Scale will vary among developments,and taller buildings are appropriate within the FultonRiver District especially along the Chicago River andadjacent to transit where higher density develop-ment is appropriate. Mid-rise buildings in the FultonRiver District should be built to the property line tomaintain the area’s historic street walls.

• Development should respect the historic scale ofthe Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Village andUkrainian Village by building single family, two andthree flat buildings. Larger buildings are appropri-ate at corners, but they may not exceed the heightlimits recently adopted for R-3, R-4 and R-5 districts.

• Development along the corridors may not exceedthe height limits recently adopted for B-1, B-2, B-3,C-1, C-2 and C-3 zones.

• Front and side setback for bungalows, single familyhomes, townhomes, two-flat and three-flat buildingsshould reflect the typical setback alignments for theblocks on which they are located.

Façade Composition and Articulation• Façade composition and building articulation

should reflect its specific block and site context.• Exterior street level features such as entrances,

windows, awnings and architectural ornamentationshould be included and scaled appropriately to thepedestrian environment. Visible blank walls arediscouraged.

• Porches, bay windows and corner windows are allencouraged.


Infill development projects should reflectthe scale and character of the existingbuilding pattern on the block. The streetwall should be maintained. The heightand scale of buildings should averagethe existing building massing aroundnew developments. Existing patternsestablished by floor heights, openingsand materials should be reflected in newinfill development.


The Plan

Residential BlockDevelopmentSingle-family, two- and three-flats on neighborhood streets

Residential Blocks -Intersection DevelopmentHigher-density multi-family andmixed-use corner buildings

Façade Composition andArticulation

Specific residential designguidelines may be developed toaddress issues such as façadecomposition, front porches, andbay windows. Additionalguidelines for corner lotdevelopments may addresspotential bay projections

Building Orientation andLot Access

Front door should face the street

Vehicle access should be fromthe alley

Building Massing

Maintain existing streetwall

Height should not exceed theaverage number of storeys onthe block or as allowed byzoning

Lot widths, building setback,width and depth should reflectthe development patterns on theblock

Eckhart Park, Noble Square, East Villageand Ukrainian Village


Near Northwest Side

Canal

Clinton

Jeffers

on

DesPlain

es

Kenne

dy Expres

sway

C h

i c

a g

o R

i v

e r

Randolph

Lake

Fulton

MetraKinzie

Wayman

Union

Halsted

Milw

aukee

Grand

Maintain and improve public accessalong the river.

Potential heightincrease nearViaduct.

New park at DesPlainesand Milwaukee

Orient private open space, such as courtyards,along improved Kinzie Parkway.

Potential height increaseadjacent to existingtower and Metra tracks.

An urban plaza shouldbe developed at theneighborhood core.Potential locationsinclude the south sideof Lake near Clinton orJefferson.

New development should respect the existing scale of the Districtand maintain the loft character. The maximum floor area ratioshould remain as allowed under the existing zoning.



Additional height maybe allowed adjacent tothe Clinton L Station.

New park at Unionand Wayman.

Enhance the pedestrianenvironment betweenthe Clinton L Stationand Ogilvie TransitCenter.

(A)

(A)

(A)

(A)

(A)

(A)

Enhance public open space at WolfPoint.

KEYExisting

Potential / Approved (A)Development

North Not to Scale

Establish a HaymarketTragedy Memorial.


The Plan

Lake Street DesPlaines Street

Kinzie Street

Residentialor Office

Retail /Commercial

Residential

Retail / Commercial

Parking

Residential

Industrial

Retail /Commercial

Parking

Residential

Home-Office,Retail orCommercial

Retail /Commercial

Residentialor Office

Next Steps

Implementing the Plan


Near Northwest Side

Next Steps

Further Planning

This plan has not addressed all issues faced on theNear Northwest Side. Additional efforts arerecommended to respond to calls to reduce theimpact of traffic. A comprehensive traffic and parkingstudy should be developed for the community. Retailparking must also be managed in neighborhoodshopping areas where store employees, delivery truckand customers often jostle for space.

The Chicago Department of Transportation isencouraged to take on traffic and parking issues aspart of the Chicago Central Area Transportation Plan.The Zoning Reform Commission is also encouragedto respond to issues relating to parking forneighborhood retail districts, where localorganizations and elected officials can also helpdevelop parking implementation strategies.

This document is intended to be a working documentover the twenty year life of the plan. Whereas somerecommendations may not come to fruition, newopportunities may arise and future recommendationsshould be reviewed within the framework of this plan.

Implementing the Plan

The time line for implementation of this plan is twentyyears. Implementation will require the partnership ofthe City of Chicago’s Department of Planning andDevelopment, Department of Transportation, theChicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools.Neighborhood residents, elected officials and localorganizations will also be critical partners.

Implementation will require the promotion ofneighborhood corridors as places for newdevelopment, investment by City of Chicagodepartments and agencies, and the guidance of newdevelopment as it occurs.

The tables on pages 3-3 to 3-5 outline major activities,time frames, potential partners and potential fundingsources for implementing the plan’srecommendations. Additional information onpotential implementation and funding tools isprovided on pages 3-6 and 3-7.

Many of these activities can be incorporated into theCity’s ongoing capital investment and developmentregulation activities. Others will require more directedinitiatives, such as investment in new parks and openspaces and new transit facilities. Recommendationson new uses, densities and design requirements mustfeed directly into the efforts of the Mayor’s ZoningReform Commission.


Next StepsImplementing the Plan

Open Space

Key to Abbreviations:Potential Partners:CDOT Chicago Department of TransportationCTA Chicago Transit AuthorityIDOT Illinois Department of TransportationCPD Chicago Park DistrictCPS Chicago Public SchoolsDOZ Department of ZoningDPD Department of Planning and Development

Activities Time Frame Potential Partners Potential Funding In Progress 1 – 5

Years6 – 20Years

School Campus Greening- Talcott School- Otis School- Carpenter School- Mitchell School- Peabody School- Wells School

CompletedCompleted

•

•

•

•••

CPSDPDCPD

City - CitySpace Open Space Impact Fee

Coordinate Development of New PublicOpen Space- Ogden Gateway Park (Ogden & Grand)- Kinzie Park (Kinzie & Des Plaines)- Wayman Park (Union & Wayman)- Urban Plaza (Lake & Clinton or Jefferson)- Riverwalk Greenway

•

•

•

•

••

• DPDCPDProperty OwnersNeighborhood Organization

City - TIFCitySpaceNeighborSpace

Open Space Impact FeePrivate

Develop Bike Routes • • DPDCDOT

FedStateCity - TIF

Develop Linear Open Space alongRail Viaducts- Hubbard Street- Clinton Street- Kinzie Rail Connector

•

•

Union PacificDPD, CPDOpen Space OrganizationsArts OrganizationsMetra

FedStateUnion PacificCityPrivate

Develop Plan for Pocket Parks • DPD (NeighborSpace)Neighborhood Organizations

City - CitySpaceNeighborSpace

Private

Potential Funding:Fed Example: TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century)State Example: Illinois First FundingCity Examples: CIP Capital Improvement Program

EZ Enterprise Zone SSA Special Service Area TIF Tax Increment Financing CitySpace Program NeighborSpace Program Open Space Impact Fee Program

Private Impact Fees and P.D. Negotiation Concessions


Near Northwest Side

Transportation and Infrastructure

Key to Abbreviations:Potential Partners:CDOT Chicago Department of TransportationCTA Chicago Transit AuthorityIDOT Illinois Department of TransportationCPD Chicago Park DistrictCPS Chicago Public SchoolsDOZ Department of ZoningDPD Department of Planning and Development




Activities Time Frame Potential Partners Potential FundingIn Progress 1 – 5

Years6 – 20Years

Develop a Comprehensive Traffic andParking Plan- Fulton River District- Milwaukee Avenue- Halsted Street- Chicago Avenue- Grand Avenue

••

CDOTDPDElected OfficialsProperty OwnersNeighborhood Organizations

City - TIFPrivate

CTA Rail Improvements- New Green Line Stations- Enhanced Blue Line Entries

•••

•••

CTA FedStateCity

Improve pedestrian environment on ClintonStreet between CTA station and OgilvieTransportation Center

• Union PacificCTACDOT

FedStateCity – CIP, TIFPrivate

CTA Bus Stop Improvements • CTA, CDOTNeighborhood Organizations

FedStateCity

Streetscape Improvements- Milwaukee Avenue- Grand Avenue- Chicago Avenue- Ohio and Noble Street

••

•

•••

CDOTDPDProperty OwnersNeighborhood Organizations

FedStateCity – CIP, TIF, SSA, EZ

CitySpace

Expressway Landscaping • • IDOTChicago Gateway GreenCorporate OrganizationsFoundations

FedStateCityPrivate

Chicago’s Central Area Plan projects- Clinton Street Subway- Clinton Street Busway- Carroll Avenue Busway

•

••

USDOTIDOTCDOT, DPD, CTAMETRA, Amtrak, Union Pacific

FedStateCityPrivate



Land Use Development

Key to Abbreviations:Potential Partners:CDOT Chicago Department of TransportationCTA Chicago Transit AuthorityIDOT Illinois Department of TransportationCPD Chicago Park DistrictCPS Chicago Public SchoolsDOZ Department of ZoningDPD Department of Planning and DevelopmentDCA Department of Cultural Affairs

Activities Time Frame Potential Partners Potential FundingIn Progress 1 – 5

Years6 – 20Years

Coordinate with Zoning Reform Commission:- Land Use & Density Regulations • • Zoning Reform Commission

DOZElected OfficialsDPDProperty OwnersNeighborhood Organizations

N/A

Retail Corridor Strategy • • • DPDElected OfficialsProperty OwnersResident OrganizationsChambers of Commerce

City - TIFPrivate

Residential Development • • • DPDProperty Owners

City - TIFPrivate

Civic and Institutional- Ogden Gateway Project (Ogden & Grand) • DPD

Neighborhood OrganizationsCityPrivate

Industrial Development • • • DPDLocal Industrial Council

City - TIF EZ

Historic Preservation- Landmark Preservation • • • DPD, Landmarks Division Property Tax Incentives, Income

Tax Credits and Permit Waiversfor designated buildings

Haymarket Tragedy Memorial • DCA City of Chicago and CivicOrganizations





Near Northwest Side

Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

The CIP identifies the physical facilities andimprovements planned for the City to support andenhance its neighborhoods, stimulate the economy,and make City services more efficient. Capital projectsare permanent “bricks and mortar” improvements tothe City’s physical infrastructure and to City-ownedbuildings. Examples of capital improvement projectsare construction of new branch libraries, rehabilitationof bridges, repaving of streets and alleys, and thereplacement of deteriorated sewer and water mains.New construction may be required to accommodateincreased demand, while existing infrastructurerequires periodic rehabilitation or replacement toprotect the City’s earlier capital investment.

Planning for capital improvements is an ongoingprocess; as the City’s infrastructure ages, and asneeds change, capital programs and priorities mustbe adjusted. Each year, City departments submit theirprojected capital needs for the next five years. Publichearings are held in late Fall to inform citizens aboutthe capital selection process and to obtain additionalpublic input. Aldermen are also given the list ofproposed capital projects for review and comment.As with citizens, the aldermen makerecommendations on the proposed projects or submitrequests for new capital projects. The Office ofBudget and Management (OBM) then meets witheach department to examine the merits of their capitalrequests. Recommendations are incorporated into adraft CIP which is reviewed by the CapitalImprovement Advisory Committee. The final CapitalImprovement Program is presented to the Mayor forapproval and then released to the City Council andthe citizens of Chicago.

CTA Adopt-A-Station Program

The Adopt-A-Station Program is an initiative forcommunity groups or businesses to “adopt” stationsand take responsibility for improving the physicalcondition of rail stations/sites.

Chicago Gateway Green Partnership

The Partnership is a nonprofit corporation dedicatedto the beautification of Chicago area expresswaysincluding litter removal, landscape plantings andinstallation of participant recognition signs.

CitySpace Program

The City Space Program is an intergovernmentalinitiative including the City, Chicago Park District, andCook County Forest Preserve District to implementthe CitySpace Plan. Program initiatives addressimprovements to school parks, greenway planning,neighborhood parks and streetscapes.

Enterprise Zone Program

The objectives of the City of Chicago EnterpriseZones are to stimulate economic activity and revitalizedeclining neighborhoods. The Program providesState and City incentives and assistance to encouragethe retention and expansion of businesses in theCity’s six designated Enterprise Zones including:

• Sales Tax Exemption• Property Tax Reduction• Finance Assistance• Real Estate Tax Exemption• Investment Tax Credit• State Jobs Creation Credit• Machinery and Equipment Sales Tax Exemption• Utility Tax Exemption.

Summary ofPotential Implementation Tools



Facade Rebate Program

The City’s Facade Rebate Program is administered byDPD and provides rebates for building rehabilitationsuch as facade renovation, exterior lighting, signage/graphics, windows and display, security and energyconservation systems.

Micro Loan Program

The City’s Micro Loan Program provides businessloans to eligible small businesses which create jobsfor low or moderate income City residents. The fundsmay be used for machinery, equipment, renovation orworking capital.

NeighborSpace Program

The NeighborSpace Program is a nonprofitcorporation created by the City, Chicago Park District,and Cook County Forest Preserve District to developand support small neighborhood open spaces suchas community gardens, mini-parks, greenways,plazas and industrial area landscapes.

Open Space Impact Fee Program

The Open Space Impact Fee Program requires newresidential development to contribute to a pool ofmoney for expanding the supply and capacity ofpublic open space within the community area.Permitted uses of the fund include: acquisition/development of new parks and development of landssurrounding public schools to provide landscaping,playground equipment, sidewalks, recreation areasand park furnishings.

Special Service Area Financing (SSA)

The SSA program is a state-authorized financingprogram administered by the City and funded througha separate property tax levy paid by property ownerswithin the designated area to support localimprovements.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

TIF is a state authorized program administered by theCity that provides targeted financial resources for aspecific redevelopment area. Projects eligible forfunding include property acquisition, demolition,infrastructure improvements, certain financing costs,relocation, job training and environmentalremediation.

Resources for Historic Landmarks

Financial benefits from federal and local programsinclude: reduced property tax assessments forcommercial rehab (Class L), income tax credits forcommercial rehab and for easement donations,building permit fee waivers, property tax freezes forresidential rehabilitation, building and zoning codeflexibility and technical assistance from City preserva-tion specialists.

AcknowledgementsThe Near Northwest Side Planning Advisory Committee

Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. 27th WardAlderman Jesse Granato 1St WardAlderman Theodore Matlak 32nd WardAlderman Burton Natarus 42nd WardChuck Abraham MetraJohn Bosca Neighbors of River WestRandall Buescher Neighbors of River WestCarl Byrd Chicago Department of TransportationKathy Dickhut Chicago Department of Planning and DevelopmentDavid Eisenberg Eckhart Park Community CouncilGail Filkowski West Loop GateJonathan Fine East Village AssociationBarbara Frankel Fulton River District AssociationMartha Goldstein West Loop GateDon Grabowski Chicago Department of TransportationJeff Hinkle Chicago Transit AuthorityJim Horan Industrial Council of Nearwest ChicagoJean Jell Ukrainian Village AssociationJohn Joslin Near Northwest Chamber of CommerceTim Later Chicago Department of TransportationAnthony Lucafo Near Northwest Civic CommitteeMary Clare Maxwell Fulton River District AssociationPatrick McAtee MetraBrenda McGruder MetraCyndi Saylor West Central AssociationMartin Stratton Chicago Department of Planning and DevelopmentRobert Wiggs West Central Association

Project StaffNori Bleiman Chicago Department of Planning and DevelopmentMary Bonome Chicago Department of Planning and DevelopmentEdel Perez-Campos Chicago Department of Planning and Development

Project ConsultantsChristopher Hall Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLPOtto Condon Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLPLisa Willis-Brown Urban Works LtdScott Swearengen Urban Works LtdChristine Williams Goodman Williams Group

Near Northwest Side

September 2002

Near Northwest Side

September 2002

Public Meeting Summary

Advisory Committee Study Area Tours:May 16 & 18, 2000

Advisory Committee Meetings:June 8, 2000June 27, 2000July 26, 2000September 26, 2000October 18, 2000June 26, 2001

Public MeetingsNovember 15, 2000 - West Central AssociationNovember 16, 2000 - Fulton River District Neighborhood AssociationDecember 4, 2000 - Neighbors of River WestDecember 5, 2000 - West Loop GateOctober 23, 2001- Eckhart Park Field House

Documents

Chicago’s Near Northwest Side · Chicago’s Near Northwest Side City of Chicago Richard M. Daley, ... The Vision Completing the Open ... PMD MIlwaukee Chicago Corridor