CHICAGO | Obama Presidential Library

[the urban politician]

^ That's like 0.03% better than Dearborn Park. Bravo!

[pilsenarch]

^^Clearly, Mr. D., they are not talking about 'activating' the west side of the street, but the OPC campus on the east side... would you prefer that everyone visiting the center be encouraged to stay inside?

[left of center]

^ It would be cool if we could get some kind of retail or otherwise more street-engaging development on that stretch of Stony Island, but it appears that those buildings are public housing so they most likely aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by pilsenarch

would you prefer that everyone visiting the center be encouraged to stay inside?

I'd prefer that the center go where it can play some rôle in revitalizing the urban fabric. Not be an isolated object in the park.

[KWillChicago]

Whats the reason for choosing the Monroe street bridge to reconstruct? Just to expand it to four lanes? Are planning on rebuilding all the bridges over the kennedy eventually? Monroe just doesnt seem to be in any worse condition than the other bridges or am I wrong about that?

Sorry wrong thread. Can a mod transfer this to the general development thread.

[ardecila]

^ Van Buren is also being rebuilt right now. Eventually the Adams and Jackson bridges will be rebuilt as well. All part of the Circle Interchange project that will totally eliminate the left-hand ramps from Adams and Jackson. I’m not sure if IDOT will bring the 1996 Democrat themeing back.

[KWillChicago]

Will they be tearing down those eliminated ramps then or keeping them for emergency and IDOT vehicles? If they removed them it would definetly make the kennedy less intimidating to out of towners or those not used to driving it. But they are useful in case of an emergency, especially during rush hour.

[pilsenarch]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I'd prefer that the center go where it can play some rôle in revitalizing the urban fabric. Not be an isolated object in the park.

So, you should be honest with what is really fueling your criticism... otherwise, it just comes off as bitter and misguided...

[MayorOfChicago]

Originally Posted by ardecila

^ Van Buren is also being rebuilt right now. Eventually the Adams and Jackson bridges will be rebuilt as well. All part of the Circle Interchange project that will totally eliminate the left-hand ramps from Adams and Jackson. I’m not sure if IDOT will bring the 1996 Democrat themeing back.

It's not even that old, that "themeing" was from the 2000's. I moved here in 2001 and I remember they started those campy bridge redesigns shortly thereafter. Doing a few a year through the mid 2000's. They lasted what? Three years? Before they started rusting to hell.

[Chi-Sky21]

..

[Mr Downtown]

President Obama appeared in person at last night's meeting at McCormick Place:

From today's Tribune:

Obama downplayed concerns about increased housing costs and other issues that have been raised by residents who live near the center.

"A lot of times, people get nervous about gentrification and understandably so," he said. "It is not my experience ... that the big problem on the South Side has been too much development, too much economic activity, too many people being displaced because all these folks from Lincoln Park are filling in to the South Side. That's not what's happening.

"We have such a long way to go before you will start seeing the prospect of gentrification,” he said. “(My daughter) Malia's kids might have to worry about that. Right now, we've got to worry about broken curbs and trash and boarded-up buildings. That's what we really need to work on."
***
Leaders of Jackson Park Watch, a park advocacy group, on Tuesday criticized the [$175 billion] roadwork plan as an “undue and unnecessary burden on taxpayers.” Yet in a sign that it will be hard to turn back the political momentum behind the center’s proposed location, the group’s leaders said that they are not calling for the center to leave the Jackson Park site but instead want the city to consider alternatives to the road proposal.

The city’s transportation spokesman on Tuesday defended the plan for addressing “long-standing traffic safety needs” in the area. And a spokeswoman for Gov. Bruce Rauner signaled that the governor “is open to working with the General Assembly on options” to support some of the roadwork.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, a prayer vigil was mounted outside McCormick Place by residents pushing for a plan that will preserve affordable housing in Woodlawn, Washington Park and South Shore. The activists worry that lower-income African-Americans, seniors and disabled residents will lose their housing if property taxes and rents increase because of the attraction.

While the group of residents has been unsuccessful in persuading the Obama Foundation to sign a contract guaranteeing property tax freezes and rental assistance programs, leaders said they were continuing to fight so they won’t be left behind or pushed out of their neighborhoods. They are pushing for a community benefits agreement — a contract enforceable in court — from the foundation, the city and the University of Chicago.

[the urban politician]

Let's hope housing costs DO go up.

For the love of God, we need a serious infusion of wealth down there..

[left of center]

Jackson Park residents having fears of gentrification is silly and misguided. Even if wealthier people started moving down there today (which I assure you they are not), it would take decades to work through the backlog of abandoned buildings and empty lots before current residents begin feeling any form of price pressure.

Investment like the library and any possibly commercial development that will come as a result of the library is sorely needed down there. A new strip mall or grocery store opening up isnt a cause for concern, its beneficial for the neighborhood. Last I checked, people there were complaining about living in a food desert, as opposed to acting satisfied that they live in an economic black hole...

[Halsted & Villagio]

^ As have said this many times... as someone who lives in Hyde Park, is developing a property in Bronzeville, I come in contact with Southsiders on a daily basis. The vast majority of Southsiders that I talk to are very much looking forward to the Obama library and hope and pray that their property values go up.

Imo what you are hearing from is the loud minority opinion on this issue... not the silent majority of hard working Southsiders who just go to work every day, pay their mortgages and taxes while choosing to stay out of politics. In a large metropolitan city, there is pretty much ALWAYS a group (large or small) angling for something. Thats not to say that they should be summarily dismissed as I am sure many of their points are valid. But categorizing this group's opinion as the monolithic opinion of all Southsiders is a mistake.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by left of center

Jackson Park residents having fears of gentrification is silly and misguided. Even if wealthier people started moving down there today (which I assure you they are not), it would take decades to work through the backlog of abandoned buildings and empty lots before current residents begin feeling any form of price pressure.

Investment like the library and any possibly commercial development that will come as a result of the library is sorely needed down there. A new strip mall or grocery store opening up isnt a cause for concern, its beneficial for the neighborhood. Last I checked, people there were complaining about living in a food desert, as opposed to acting satisfied that they live in an economic black hole...

Uhh, no. A new strip mall is the worst thing that could be built there.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by Halsted & Villagio

^ As have said this many times... as someone who lives in Hyde Park, is developing a property in Bronzeville, I come in contact with Southsiders on a daily basis. The vast majority of Southsiders that I talk to are very much looking forward to the Obama library and hope and pray that their property values go up.

Imo what you are hearing from is the loud minority opinion on this issue... not the silent majority of hard working Southsiders who just go to work every day, pay their mortgages and taxes while choosing to stay out of politics. In a large metropolitan city, there is pretty much ALWAYS a group (large or small) angling for something. Thats not to say that they should be summarily dismissed as I am sure many of their points are valid. But to categorizing this group's opinion as the monolithic opinion of all Southsiders is a mistake.

I wasn't implying all residents of Jackson Park, or of the south side. I probably should have done a better job at clarifying that in my previous post. I am in agreement with you that most people in the area would consider the library as well as rising property values a good thing. The ones speaking out against the ridiculous idea of gentrification in that neighborhood are definitely in the minority.

The fears of this vocal minority may be based in the fact that gentrification in general can and does push out residents of neighborhoods such as Logan Square and Pilsen, but Jackson Park is no where near that situation, nor will it be for decades to come, with or without the library.

[Halsted & Villagio]

Originally Posted by left of center

I wasn't implying all residents of Jackson Park, or of the south side. I probably should have done a better job at clarifying that in my previous post. I am in agreement with you that most people in the area would consider the library as well as rising property values a good thing. The ones speaking out against the ridiculous idea of gentrification in that neighborhood are definitely in the minority.

The fears of this vocal minority may be based in the fact that gentrification in general can and does push out residents of neighborhoods such as Logan Square and Pilsen, but Jackson Park is no where near that situation, nor will it be for decades to come, with or without the library.

Indeed... on this, we agree

[left of center]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Uhh, no. A new strip mall is the worst thing that could be built there.

From an urbanist standpoint, absolutely. But my God, look at those commercial arteries in the area. Outside of the Hyde Park bubble, there is wholesale abandonment literally everywhere. While a dense mixed use development that fronts the street and has residential above it would be the most ideal (as well as my personal preference), when land is that cheap and readily available its going to be inexpensive forms of development will most likely be the early entrants to the area.

[Mr Downtown]

Meet the Community Organizers Fighting Against … Barack Obama
Locals in the former president’s hometown worry that the new Obama Center will leave them out.


***
The contract that community organizers are demanding—the “community benefits agreement”—would require the city to freeze property taxes within a 2-mile radius of the Obama Center and guarantee “a significant guaranteed set-aside of new housing for low-income housing in the area surrounding” the center. It would also require the foundation to establish a trust fund for nearby public schools and small businesses, and mandate that 80 percent of library construction jobs go to South Side residents.
***
Foundation officials say the CBA agreement sought by local organizers simply does not make sense in these circumstances. The center—which will include a 235-foot tower, a Chicago Public Library branch and a campus on 19.3 acres of parkland—is, in itself, “a community benefit: a museum to upgrade a public park,” David Simas, the foundation’s CEO and Obama’s former political director in the White House, said in an interview. “This is not a private project. The model doesn’t fit.” Negotiating with community organizations, foundation officials argue, will just slow down construction of a project that stands to benefit the South Side economically.

Full story in Politico.

[left of center]

Those demands seem quite excessive. Two mile radius property tax freeze? I didn't realize the residents at 71st and MLK Dr in Park Manor were under threat due to the Obama Library.