Plan Commission

During public comments some spoke out against Item D2, a proposal for a car wash at 201-357 W 83rd St & 8301-8455 S Stewart Ave. “We are saturated with car washes. I hope that our cries of West Chatham throughout this area will be heard that car washes are not something we need.”

Onto Item D1, a proposal to develop healthcare facilities at a property in the Brighton Park neighborhood b/t 47th St and 47th Place. It’ll include 4 subareas: an existing health clinic, a medical building, nearly 100 parking spaces, and future uses TBD in the fourth subarea.

Current site photos: https://t.co/kltzRBt1aO

Project Timeline and Summary:
#community #healthcare #health #publicservices #healthservices #chicago https://t.co/GMRnHD5d7Q

Site plans, changes, subarea map and their primary uses, and open space/landscaping. BP2 is intended to complement, not mimic BP1 in its elevations and building articulations. The landscaping will also create a cohesion which should harmonize the layout flow b/t BP1 and BP2. https://t.co/AUt6zbZMjE

Building Elevations and Pedestrian/Vehicular Circulation Plans.
#health #healthcare #healthcare #design #architecture #urbandesign #chicago https://t.co/bI4r0DABCS

Exterior and interior lobby renders, and explanation of economic/community benefits. Building materials were chosen to create a warm, inviting environment with yellow accent punches.
#health #healthcare #healthcare #design #architecture #urbandesign #chicago https://t.co/xjUhNGH7FE

After a vote Item D1 passes. Congratulations to Esperanza Health Centers! #chicago #health #design #architecture #community #landscaping #healthcare #publicservices #healthservices #urbandesign

Item D2: The controversial car wash at 201-357 West 83rd and 8301 - 8455 South Stewart Ave. Advocates for the car wash https://t.co/uOVfMNaA2a

West/South Elevations and economic/community benefits. Would create 8 permanent jobs, 100 construction jobs, invest $5 million, and activate a vacant lot. https://t.co/ZV0tnVuN4p

Alderman Howard Brookins Jr: “I believe there is a vocal minority with respect to not wanting the car wash. We listened to them 4 years ago, and 4 years later there’s still no businesses there.” He went on to say that African American communities are very much in need of..

.. more businesses where people can go and get multiple errands done at the same time, and this car wash would help increase traffic to the area. With no other questions from commissioners, Item D2 passed.

Next up are the Chairman’s Report and Informational Presentations.

First, updates on the city’s WMBE (Women/Minority Businesses) goals. #chicago #business #womenownedbusiness #minorityownedbusiness https://t.co/iF4VJ1f4Qe

Commissioner Reyes inquired about what happens to projects that don’t get approved, and noted that the majority of the projects appear to be in downtown and the north side, but not so much in the south and west sides. #development #chicago #planning #urbanplanning https://t.co/jkP2ejl3TI

DPDs Radzevich answered that applicants have up to 6 yrs to get building permits, and that a lot of time can pass b/t when they get the permit and the COO due to changes along the way or getting paperwork together. Some also decide not to proceed, and withdraw their application.

Reyes then asked what the city does with this info, referring to how the city is not meeting its 50% goal by even half. Ald. Sigcho-Lopez echoed this, frustrated that so many opportunities for revenue are being missed when the city has to pull developers’ teeth for WMBE hires. https://t.co/Jjo2WTnXDS

After some more circular conversation about how the city needs to establish policies and regulations that force developers to comply with city goals, the commission then moved onto updates on the Western Avenue Corridor Study.

The Western Avenue Corridor Study evaluates land uses, development patterns, and circulation in the area. The Western Ave corridor includes parts of North Center, Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, West Ridge, and West Rogers Park.
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/sites/westernavenue/western_ave_072021.pdf

Breakdown of the western corridor and long-term vision. #chicago #westernavenue #development #density #urbandesign https://t.co/qpZ2mCR79T

Current public concerns include increasing lack of affordability in the area, poor transit options, loss of housing stock, and low commercial development among other things. #chicago #development #urbandesign #westernave #planning https://t.co/Y3AAKy1hh3

Visual of intended site goals, and proposed next steps. #urbandesign #chicago #publicrealm #publicway #publicinfrastructure #infrastructure #urbandevelopment #development https://t.co/nZDafWUVPV

Commissioners asked what lessons DPD learned and challenges had in tackling such a large project, and they responded that community engagement was paramount, and that while it was difficult getting multiple alderpeople all on the same page due to the scope of this project..

..the end result will be a much more robust and thorough execution where the community is fully engaged and alderpeople aware of their roles and responsibilities in harmonizing it all together. That concluded this presentation. #chicago #urbandevelopment #development #planning

Lastly, updates on We Will Chicago. They are currently in the citywide public engagement phase. #chicago #wewill #wewillchicago #outreach #equity https://t.co/Y9ZcoFi9Mz

Outreach initiatives - teams have been attending various events across the city this summer, hosting focus groups and virtual events, running surveys, and sponsoring pop-up installations and artist projects. #wewill #wewillchicago #chicago #outreach #publicengagement https://t.co/yxsBnFRmNJ

We Will’s campaign should launch on CTA cards/bus shelters in September, and these pop-up installations are concepts at this time, not finalized. Artist projects could look like walking tours, exhibitions, or video/digital content #chicago #wewill #wewillchicago #chicagoartists https://t.co/oQIYpbakWm

Here’s the draft for public input:
https://wewillchicago.com/draft

Here’s We Will’s calendar:
https://wewillchicago.com/calendar
#wewill #wewillchicago #chicago

And here’s more information on their timeline:
https://wewillchicago.com/where-we-are-now
#wewill #wewillchicago #chicago

That concludes this month’s Plan Commission meeting, ended at 12:45pm CST. Thanks for tuning in, and you can find the agenda and more information about this meeting or other Plan Commission meetings at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/chicago_plan_commission.html
@CHIdocumenters #chicago #planning #development