CHICAGO | General Developments

[Kngkyle]

They could just keep two lanes for busses and build loop link-type stations with some creative landscaping to keep pedestrians out of the bus lanes except at certain cross points. It's a cheaper compromise that would still be a dramatic improvement.

[Mr Downtown]

^Too many left- and right-turning vehicles to be accommodated in that corridor, and only 200 feet between cross streets. Michigan is not like Washington's K St. or Denver's 16th St. or a similar street that's part of a complete gridiron so you can just ban left turns on this one street and put BRT down the middle.

[aaron38]

I had an hour to kill in the west loop yesterday so got to go for a long overdue walk. I think the last time I was down there was two years ago. I only had time for one loop from Randolph to Halsted to Fulton Market to Ogden.

First, I was very impressed how cohesive the neighborhood now feels, how dynamic. Something happening on nearly every corner. So much infill, to the point that the few empty lots and old one story warehouses were the rare exception, not the rule. The scale of the midsize buildings is great. A cute little building going up on one corner on Randolph made me smile.
I walked through the Mews, great potential for that space. Hopefully they put in some artwork along the brick, I want to see it when it's filled out.

West End is massive and provides a great visual termination looking west, making the district feel enclosed. Seeing Salesforce rising to the east only adds to that.

It was hot and sunny but I managed to find lots of shade for my walk, without it feeling dark like in the loop. I want to spend an entire day there, just going street by street, exploring. So many changes.

[Randomguy34]

This month's plan commission has a couple of interesting smaller developments: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/dept...n_Hearing.html

4712-4738 W. Irving Park Rd.
This is the proposed Six Corners Sears redevelopment. The project will result in approximately 50,000sf of ground floor commercial retail with 207 dwelling units. The proposed building height is 97’-0” to the top of the 6th floor roof plus 15’-7” to the top of the rooftop mechanical screening (so 112'-7"). The building’s parking garage is proposed to accommodate 257 automobiles and 207 bicycles.

8535 W. Higgins Rd.
This is like the 3rd or 4th time this project is on a Plan Commission agenda. Same deal, 90’ tall, seven-story building with 297 dwelling units and 270 parking spaces.

7400-7404 W. Talcott Ave. /7401-7425 W. Everell Ave.
Planned development which will consist of 50 new detached single-family houses, 100 garage parking spots, plus 15 additional guest parking spaces along the newly created residential street

835-61 E. 63rd St. / 6301-25 S. Maryland Ave.
A 60’-0” tall mixed-use building next to the Cottage Grove CTA station with two live/work units, retail uses, and residential amenities on the ground floor, 56 residential units, and 40 parking stalls.

[marothisu]

I'm way late on this, but the hot streak of properties selling for above their list price continues in the city. For June 2021, there was an increase of nearly 60% of these properties from May 2021 - according to my data at least.

Map is up to date until 6/30:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...980000002&z=15

Total by month
June 2021: 1225 properties
May 2021: 766
April: 600
March: 306
February: 125
January: 172

June 2021, Totals By Type
Condos + Townhomes: 596 properties
SFH: 478
Multi Unit Buildings: 178
Land: 3

June 2021, Condo + Townhomes
1. Lake View: 70 properties
2. West Town: 67
3. Near West Side: 57
4T. Near North Side: 47
4T. Near South Side: 47
6. Uptown: 46
7. Logan Square: 36
8. Lincoln Park: 32
9T. Edgewater: 23
9T. The Loop: 23
11. Rogers Park: 20
12. North Center: 14
13. Lincoln Square: 12
14. Irving Park: 10
15. Albany Park: 9

June 2021, SFH
1. Roseland: 27 properties
2. Portage Park: 25
3. Ashburn: 23
4T. Garfield Ridge: 21
4T. Irving Park: 21
6. Norwood Park: 18
7. Dunning: 16
8. Austin: 14
9T. Morgan Park: 13
9T. West Lawn: 13
11T. Auburn Gresham: 12
11T. Forest Glen: 12
13T. Chicago Lawn: 11
13T. West Pullman: 11
15T. Albany Park: 10
15T. Chatham: 10
15T. Logan Square: 10
15T. West Town: 10

June 2021, Multi Unit Buildings
1. Austin: 12 properties
2. West Garfield Park: 9
3. Avondale: 7
4T. Chicago Lawn: 6
4T. Englewood: 6
4T. West Englewood: 6
7T. Belmont Cragin: 5
7T. North Lawndale: 5
7T. South Chicago: 5
10T. Albany Park: 4
10T. Auburn Gresham: 4
10T. Jefferson Park: 4
10T. Logan Square: 4
14T. Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Greater Grand Crossing, Irving Park, Lake View, Lower West Side, Montclare, New City, North Center, Portage Park, and Roseland each with 3.

[r18tdi]

https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/08...t-dog-whistle/

Yuck. It's not even a CHA project! The units are affordable at 80 AMI..

[Steely Dan]

^ disgusting dog-whistle NIMBidiots.

a shame that these fuck-wads are my neighbors.

at the very least, their ugly stupidity has persuaded my to pen another letter of support for the project to alderman martin.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/08...t-dog-whistle/

Yuck. It's not even a CHA project! The units are affordable at 80 AMI..

this is a great strategy to get the project approved.... everyone will be falling all over themselves to prove they are not racist

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ disgusting dog-whistle NIMBidiots.

a shame that these fuck-wads are my neighbors.

at the very least, their ugly stupidity has persuaded my to pen another letter of support for the project to alderman martin.

Same, I'll write a letter supporting the project. I wish it had more units too. Such a busy spot next to the train.

[pip]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

this is a great strategy to get the project approved.... everyone will be falling all over themselves to prove they are not racist

come to Boston and see how it works well. It takes a while, I remember Boston as a kid, but eventually pays off big time. Everything is mixed here for the most part. I'm in Boston for the summer, 3 murders since the beginning of June. Granted Boston city is smaller, 1/4 the size of Chicago but 3 murders x 4 times the size is 12 since the beginning of June. Chicago do that last weekend in two days?

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

this is a great strategy to get the project approved.... everyone will be falling all over themselves to prove they are not racist

The argument against the project due to parking is stupid, but why is it wrong to prefer market rate units and not want CHA or Affordable Housing in ones neighborhood?

If there was a CHA or Affordable Housing building going up at Southport and Addison, i'd certainly be against it.

[harryc]

n.m.

[dewbs]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

The argument against the project due to parking is stupid, but why is it wrong to prefer market rate units and not want CHA or Affordable Housing in ones neighborhood?

If there was a CHA or Affordable Housing building going up at Southport and Addison, i'd certainly be against it.

Why would you be against it?

The argument in favor, at least part of it, is that if we're going to have subsidized housing (and whether we do is a separate argument), then it should be spread throughout the city. Creating ghettos is far from ideal. In addition, to the extent that you think there's some kind of cost associated with living near subsidized housing (also a separate argument), it seems like everybody should share that cost.

[the urban politician]

^ Well, then I would view this to be equally a dog-whistle:

August 02, 2021
'This isn’t being built for us.'
Activists push back against planned high-end condos in South Shore.
DENNIS RODKIN

Housing activists say a developer’s plan to build high-end condos near a South Shore lakefront park could set off a chain reaction of increases in home prices that force longtime residents out.

“You’re building $800,000 condos in a neighborhood where the median household income is around $26,000,” said Romeo Dixon, an organizer with the coalition that is pushing for a Community Benefits Agreement with the Obama Presidential Center and with Not Me We, a South Shore housing activist group. “I guarantee you, those are literally not meant for people who live over here.”

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/resi...being-built-us

That shit goes both ways

[marothisu]

If the Lincoln Square project is 80% MHI then lol, these people are just either dumb or have a weird agenda. The median household income of that tract is over $90,000 with the surrounding ones ranging from $77K to $105K. So you are looking at income for it of around $62K to $72K. The horror! That's quite a bit away from lower income CHA.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by marothisu

If the Lincoln Square project is 80% MHI then lol, these people are just either dumb or have a weird agenda. The median household income of that tract is over $90,000 with the surrounding ones ranging from $77K to $105K. So you are looking at income for it of around $62K to $72K. The horror! That's quite a bit away from lower income CHA.

Perhaps I read the article wrong, but isn't it UP TO 80% MHI and not you NEED to make 80% MHI? Very different things.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by dewbs

Why would you be against it?

The argument in favor, at least part of it, is that if we're going to have subsidized housing (and whether we do is a separate argument), then it should be spread throughout the city. Creating ghettos is far from ideal. In addition, to the extent that you think there's some kind of cost associated with living near subsidized housing (also a separate argument), it seems like everybody should share that cost.

I get that, but you don't understand why someone would be against CHA and/or Affordable Housing being built in their neighborhood? Homeownership is by far the biggest wealth builder for most people, and these types of properties typically slow appreciation. I'm not saying reject the proposal, but seems very reasonable to me that people may not want this in their neighborhood/near their home.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Well, then I would view this to be equally a dog-whistle:



https://www.chicagobusiness.com/resi...being-built-us

That shit goes both ways

Maybe it's a subtle difference but the people in South Shore aren't protesting the project or calling for it to stop. They're using it as an example of why they need tenant protections and investment in affordable housing. It's refreshing to see housing activism that doesn't see development as a zero-sum game. It's also nice to see Black developers working in these neighborhoods, it kind of weakens the usual "fat cat outsider developer" argument when the developer is from the same community.

Granted, I might be giving the protesters too much credit. The South Shore project is as-of-right under current zoning and sales efforts have already launched for the condos; if the alderman tries to downzone the project, he will lose in court. I suspect the alderman told the protesters as much.

This is apparently Ald. Greg Mitchell's ward, I don't know much about him but he has a resume that includes lots of work in corporate America including CME Group. Not exactly a woke-ster, like Jeannette Taylor to the north!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

Perhaps I read the article wrong, but isn't it UP TO 80% MHI and not you NEED to make 80% MHI? Very different things.

I believe it's a range, correct me if I'm wrong of no less than 50% and goes to the household size. I think you are looking at a household of 1 at minimum of $45K. Maybe drop it to $40K these days, I don't know. Again I ask how this is similar to very low income CHA?

For comparison, my wife 8 years ago was making only $45K in NYC after completing her masters in marketing (she's way above that now but besides the point). The company she left 2 years ago in NYC was paying entry-ish level marketing professionals only $50K. These are people with college degrees, and many time actual masters degrees. Just keep in mind that even people like that in Chicago could be in housing like this. This income level is a far cry from someone in public housing making say under $20K per year.

Regardless, having some mixed income and diversity is actually a good thing. Unless some people haven't realized why some areas in SF cannot support some normally priced businesses anymore as those who are going to work at those businesses are literally too poor to work there. Thank god Chicago is big enough with a good enough infrastructure.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Well, then I would view this to be equally a dog-whistle:



https://www.chicagobusiness.com/resi...being-built-us

That shit goes both ways

People, whether high income or low income, black, white, brown or anything in between, don't understand what makes a healthy, vibrant, safe city. It's not really anyone's fault, urban planning is weird and counter intuitive a lot of the time.

Of course, the two situations are exactly apples to apples comparisons, as one group is speaking from a place of decades long neglect, but both are examples of conservative provincialism at the expense of making the city a better place.

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

I get that, but you don't understand why someone would be against CHA and/or Affordable Housing being built in their neighborhood? Homeownership is by far the biggest wealth builder for most people, and these types of properties typically slow appreciation. I'm not saying reject the proposal, but seems very reasonable to me that people may not want this in their neighborhood/near their home.

Dang, sounds like they made a really bad investment if they are that risk averse and planned on a home in Chicago being their generational meal ticket. Should have purchased in a small town that doesn't have to balance the economic well-being of 2.8 million people. My girlfriend and I own about 4 blocks from here and are all for the project, the neighborhood has been hit by so many deconversions over the years that we can use all the people we can get. The Lincoln bus doesn't run anymore and the neighborhood is filled with empty store fronts, nail salons, and professional services. The more they build around here the better in the long run.