Quote:
Originally Posted by LA21st
But they're not really desirable neighborhoods to attract developers with giant TODs.
People love to talk about DC Metro's TODs, but the Orange Line in Fairfax County took decades to develop around it's stations as well. Same for the Blue Line. Same for many parts of Maryland suburbs with metro stations.
These places were stagnant with growth for a long time. But nobody wants to talk how long it's taken because Arlington/Alexandria/Bethesda were successful.
Chicago is somewhat new to the "new" giant TOD development craze in general.
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But there's lots of ways to concentrate housing near transit. We don't have to sit around and wait for the market to be ready for sleek modernist midrises.
For one, we could be pro-active about upzoning these areas to lay the groundwork. You wouldn't see highrises overnight, but you might see 3-flats and 4-flats going up. Bridgeport and McKinley Park are all RS-3 except for the arterial streets (and developing housing on those streets is more expensive for a variety of reasons). If the ADU ordinance ever passes, I imagine these will be prime locations to build out garden units and wood-frame coach houses on residential blocks.
Also, the zoning code allows parking reductions near transit, but not on residential blocks! Even if they did upzone to RT4 and allow new 3-flats to be built, you'd still need to provide 3 off-street spaces. Let's do something about that!
Lastly, to the extent that we invest in public or subsidized housing in neighborhoods that can't support new market-rate construction, that new housing should be located near rail lines.