CHICAGO | General Developments

[TimeAgain]

Originally Posted by Stunnies23

Was anyone at the 35th ward meeting about downzoning Milwaukee Avenue? If so, can you corroborate what this reddit poster said about the meeting in the Pilsen vandalism thread

"FYI, at the Milwaukee Avenue downzoning meeting last night one of the anti downzoning people was saying "we need more new residents" and the Aldermans own aide said "yeah but those new residents all happen to be white". Basically confirming that the alderman's office sees whites moving into a neighborhood as a problem."

DNAinfo is corroborating that. And, of course, the aldermen's office is terrified of that. New residents, particularly non-hispanic, might be prone to not vote for the current hispanic alderman.

[MakeChicagoGreatAgai]

Originally Posted by TimeAgain

DNAinfo is corroborating that. And, of course, the aldermen's office is terrified of that. New residents, particularly non-hispanic, might be prone to not vote for the current hispanic alderman.

When whites move in and make the neighborhood better = gentrification. Liberals hate that.

When whited move out and the neighborhood gets worse = white flight. Liberals hate that too.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Stunnies23

Was anyone at the 35th ward meeting about downzoning Milwaukee Avenue? If so, can you corroborate what this reddit poster said about the meeting in the Pilsen vandalism thread

"FYI, at the Milwaukee Avenue downzoning meeting last night one of the anti downzoning people was saying "we need more new residents" and the Aldermans own aide said "yeah but those new residents all happen to be white". Basically confirming that the alderman's office sees whites moving into a neighborhood as a problem."

https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/com...ate_35th_ward/

Looks like it's confirmed by DNA info. That was quite a meeting. The Alderman stacked it with his people and still got shouted down. At one point the speaker asked "do we want this stretch of Milwaukee Ave to look like wicker Park???" And the crowd shouted "YES!" Before the alderman's goons turned it into a shouting match...

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Don't buy neighborhood commercial property, lest a particular vengeful or idealistic Alderman decide that your building is no longer legal.

If you feel strongly about this, contact the alderman at ward35@cityofchicago.org.

Here is the message I sent:

I am against your proposal to re-zone the entire strip between Kedzie and Central Park. A summary of my reasons are below.

• If the goal is to save existing buildings that contribute to the neighborhood character, there is an existing landmark process to do that. Your approach is heavy handed and lends itself to more corruption across the board as you directly giving an alderman more power. Will the next alderman have the same views as you, is it possible for this increased power be used in a negative way?
• Affordable housing is a very real problem that needs real solutions. Unfortunately, your solution will not help provide affordable housing in the area. You admitted yourself that the area is already gentrifying without any of the potential developments you fear. Meanwhile, the CHA is sitting on hundreds of millions and you are playing around with zoning laws on a bustling commercial corridor.
• Any potential commercial development would be required to provide a certain number of affordable units. Does driving away development help create affordable housing?
• The constant references to the MiCa towers, which are almost twice as tall as current zoning, is disingenuous. No valuable neighborhood buildings were demolished to build the MiCa or "L" developments.

[harryc]

Can't know your projects without the guide
#16 Curbed's guide to the West Loop Boom

Oct 25

[harryc]

Oct 15



Oct 17



Oct 25

[Jibba]

351 W Huron

[Khantilever]

Originally Posted by JK47

Zoning law is enshrined at the Federal level via a series of Supreme Court cases interpreting the 14th Amendment regarding regulatory takings. Zoning regulations may diminish the economic return on the property (which must be certain, not speculative). That is permissible. What isn't permissible is destroying the economic viability of the property or making it impossible to develop (e.g. requiring a 75 foot deep residential lot to have 100 foot setbacks for any structure built).

That won't change. However, that problem is true throughout the country. Chicago is hardly alone in aggressively applying zoning regulations to advance urban land use concepts.

You’re right that zoning in general is recognized as a legitimate form of regulation, but “spot zoning” has been shot down in the courts before. My impression is that it’s usually been referenced in the context of a parcel’s zoning being overly-permissive relative to its neighbors’, and I’m not a legal expert, but I could imagine it being referenced in the opposite case (e.g., inconsistent downzoning). Just one look at the zoning map confirms we got a lot of spot zoning going on, so I worry that we’re just one court case away from some radical changes to how zoning is done in this city.

[Tom In Chicago]

I changed the CHICAGO | Politics & Current Events thread to read CHICAGO | Politics, Current Events and Everything Else and moved all associated off-topic discussion >>>HERE<<<. . . carry on. . .

. . .

[marothisu]

7 story, 88 unit with ground floor retail building issued a new construction permit for 2025 N Milwaukee Ave (Milwaukee and Carpenter) in Logan Square yesterday. These is the LGBTQ friendly affordable housing building aka "John Pennycuff Memorial Apartments at Robert Castillo Plaza". This is just a block or two south of Congress Theater.

Pretty bland architecture BUT it will take place of a surface lot (https://www.google.com/maps/place/20...1!4d-87.689259) which is good - and has retail space.

Source: Curbed

[the urban politician]

^ I would kill so see real stone used here, like in the old days. By alas...

Otherwise I love it. I want to see way more of these in the neighborhoods

[moorhosj]

Originally Posted by marothisu

7 story, 88 unit with ground floor retail building issued a new construction permit for 2025 N Milwaukee Ave (Milwaukee and Carpenter) in Logan Square yesterday.

I believe this one is at Milwaukee and Campbell.

[tjp]

^Nice. This stretch of Milwaukee is filling up nicely. Clayco has that development at Armitage / Milwaukee pretty much across the street.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by marothisu

7 story, 88 unit with ground floor retail building issued a new construction permit for 2025 N Milwaukee Ave (Milwaukee and Carpenter) in Logan Square yesterday. These is the LGBTQ friendly affordable housing building aka "John Pennycuff Memorial Apartments at Robert Castillo Plaza". This is just a block or two south of Congress Theater.

Pretty bland architecture BUT it will take place of a surface lot (https://www.google.com/maps/place/20...1!4d-87.689259) which is good - and has retail space.

Source: Curbed

Looks nice too me. Especially considering it's an affordable housing project.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ I would kill so see real stone used here, like in the old days. By alas...

Otherwise I love it. I want to see way more of these in the neighborhoods

x1000....I LOVE the massing of this building, but no doubt the materials will be shit.

[Near North Resident]

Isn't that marketing discriminatory?

The building itself seems ok though, I don't like the darker massing, I'm sure they will cheap out on the material and (everything has already been said above me... lol)

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Near North Resident

Isn't that marketing discriminatory?

The building itself seems ok though, I don't like the darker massing, I'm sure they will cheap out on the material and it will look bad like those 4+1's from the 70's

No, it's just a preference. These types of buildings are allowed under Fair Housing and similar laws.

[west-town-brad]

I live on Campbell & Milwaukee. I am pro-affordable housing (or at least, not anti-) though my concern was plopping this down next to the 220 unit affordable housing project that already exists across the street on Campbell. The Alderman selectively has "nothing to do with this project" or "made this project happen" depending on who is asking. Hilarious Chicago politicians.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by marothisu

7 story, 88 unit with ground floor retail building issued a new construction permit for 2025 N Milwaukee Ave (Milwaukee and Carpenter) in Logan Square yesterday. These is the LGBTQ friendly affordable housing building aka "John Pennycuff Memorial Apartments at Robert Castillo Plaza". This is just a block or two south of Congress Theater.

Pretty bland architecture BUT it will take place of a surface lot
...

Bland perhaps, but it's exactly the sort of Euro-style architecture that yields wonderful urban density. I'd love to see every triangle corner in the city have these.

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

I live on Campbell & Milwaukee. I am pro-affordable housing (or at least, not anti-) though my concern was plopping this down next to the 220 unit affordable housing project that already exists across the street on Campbell. The Alderman selectively has "nothing to do with this project" or "made this project happen" depending on who is asking. Hilarious Chicago politicians.

Isn't this for retired people? I'm not sure retired people who may need affordable housing really have the same multiplier effect that a second building of working-aged people who need affordable housing theoretically might.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by emathias

Bland perhaps, but it's exactly the sort of Euro-style architecture that yields wonderful urban density. I'd love to see every triangle corner in the city have these.

Totally agree. Actually I don't think the retail spaces suck too badly based on the rendering.