Development Update: April 2009

By Dennis McClendon

Riverwalk Plaza

The city's Department of Zoning & Land Use Planning is circulating a draft of a capital improvements plan called the Chicago Central Area Action Plan. Officially, it's an update to the 2003 Central Area Plan, noting changes since then, such as the boom in South Loop residential development.

For the South Loop, the plan suggests that, as the area becomes more fully built-up, it may be necessary to use city redevelopment assistance to aid institutional expansion. It also states that current regulatory policies are not creating sufficient parking for visitors and business customers.

Projects discussed include the already-planned streetscaping of Congress Parkway, a bike lane on Wabash north of Roosevelt, modernization of the Harrison subway station, and new L stations at 18th & Clark for the Orange Line and at either 18th or Cermak on the Green Line.

To serve West Loop office development, a new Clinton Street Subway is proposed, which would curve east across the river and rejoin the Red Line near 18th Street. Roadway improvements include the long-planned Wells-Wentworth connector past the west side of the Roosevelt Collection and recommendations for a new bridge at Taylor Street by 2016, and another at Polk or 16th by 2020.

Near Buckingham Fountain, the plan suggests that for only $500,000, the simple pedestrian crosswalk across Lake Shore Drive that was removed in 2005 could be put back in place-by 2012.

A continuous riverwalk through the central area is another goal (pictured to the right), and the plan proposes a dock-level riverwalk from Van Buren to Harrison, with later extension south of Harrison to 19th, though there are no details of how a walkway would traverse the marina at River City. The plan proposes some sort of "green screen" over the Metra Electric tracks in Grant Park and the Central Station Area.

A section called "Conceptual Principles for Building Height"
indicates that "very tall buildings are appropriate in the Downtown Core . . . and surrounding Grant Park." The accompanying diagram shows the "Downtown Core Density" district north of Congress and east of State, transitioning in the Central Station area to a zone with "restrictions on placement and density." For the rest of the South Loop, the notation is "Transition Zone, Tall and Mid-rise Buildings." It is unclear how this plan correlates with the 2004 Near South Community Plan and its very specific limits on building heights.

In Chicago, plans such as this are mostly important for the way they crystallize the city planning staff's thinking about issues. They don't determine capital spending, and have no authority to guide the city's sometimes-inscrutable decision-making process, which is dominated by private developer proposals and by the mayor and his staff. Unlike most states, Illinois does not require zoning to adhere to an adopted comprehensive plan, and few large downtown projects are limited by Chicago zoning in any case. Many of the costly projects listed in the document will require federal or state funding that may never materialize.

A rush to have Plan Commission adopt the plan has been interrupted by 42nd Ward Ald. Reilly's insistence that there be at least some public discussion. Ald. Fioretti has announced a Central Area Action Plan meeting, in which city staff will present the plan, on Thursday, April 23, 7 p.m., at the Robert Morris College auditorium, 401 S. State St., Room 803. The draft of the plan can be downloaded, in chapters, from the city's website. Search for "Central Area Action Plan."

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After pondering a residential tower until the market disappeared, D2 Realty Services is mulling a two-story retail building at 1000 S. Clark, between Target and Amli900. No tenants have been announced, though the Chicago Sun-Times quoted a D2 principal's suggestion that a toy store or grocer were possibilities. Parking would be on the roof, with some grade-level parking as well. When the market recovers, D2 could eventually develop a residential highrise behind the retail building.

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For years, city officials have discussed an intermodal transfer center at Financial Place and Congress, next to LaSalle Street Station. The idea was to provide a better transfer for Metra Rock Island riders to CTA buses. A recent announcement from Ald. Fioretti says the project will begin construction in August, and it will include sheltered bus waiting-areas along Financial, a small plaza, and new escalators up to Metra trains.

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Chieftain Group has backed out of a purchase agreement and abandoned plans for development at the southwest corner of Harrison and Wells. The Irish developer had planned two 25-story towers there, including apartments, condos, and a hotel. Previous owner D2 Realty Services will put the two-acre parcel back on the market. The remainder of the vacant land north of River City is owned by Russland Capital Group, which is "just sitting on it" for now. Among other ideas, Russland has floated the concept of an indoor athletic facility on part of the site if Chicago is awarded the Olympics.

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The conversion of the Old Colony Building at Van Buren and Dearborn to residential has been rumored for years, but the Sun-Times reports that new owner Joseph Cacciatore & Co. is pondering a conversion to student housing. Student housing is the market being chased by several South Loop developers in the current downturn. Significantly for a historic building such as the Old Colony, students don't demand parking spaces or balconies.