This meeting is the last of five focus group discussions about the Neighborhood Plan, which is intended to be a vision for the future of the West Loop, one that promotes preservation, progress, and prosperity. This meeting addresses the “Halsted-Kennedy Corridor”, the area bounded by Green on the west, DesPlaines on the east, I-290 on the south, and Grand on the north (see image below).
Group Discussion
Attendees reviewed a series of discussion topics, identifying the current state and desired condition for each topic.
Streetscaping/Infrastructure
Current State
- There is no minimum sidewalk width
- There is bottlenecking and street congestion due to delivery trucks double-parking
- Expressway bridges are deteriorating
Desired Condition
- Minimum of 8 ft wide sidewalks
- Designated areas for truck deliveries
- Pink Line stop at the United Center
- “Cap the Kennedy”
- Repair the expressway bridges
Parking & Transportation
Current State
- Transit-oriented development
- Traffic congestion
- Lack of parking
Desired Condition
- Increase parking requirements to call for ratios up to 1:1 (one parking space per residential unit)
- Develop a comprehensive traffic plan involving residents, businesses, and developers
- Start a local valet service/circulator
Public Safety
Current State
- Inadequate street lighting, which can compromise safety
- Loitering resulting from 24-hour establishments
- Lack of community
Desired Condition
- Fix broken light fixtures and add more lighting
- Disperse loiterers
- Start neighborhood watches, “be a good neighbor” program, install inspirational banners, and other initiatives to promote neighborhood togetherness
Development Guidelines
Current State
- There is a lack of consistency in design standards in the West Loop.
- Building height should be based on that of nearby buildings, with maximum heights ranging from 50 ft to seven stories
- Provide a mix of unit sizes (large to small)
- Materials should be harmonious with exsiting architecture
Next Steps
Input from the Neighborhood Plan focus group meetings will be summarized and aggregated. Follow-up focus group meetings may be held to review the initial findings. The draft Neighborhood Plan will then be distributed for review and adoption by NOWL and possibly by the local alderman and the City.
Attendees
Thanks to all of the attendees for their ongoing participation:
| Mark Battaglia | Brian Ferber | Pat O’Neil |
| Wendy Battaglia | Patrick Fitzgerald | Marty Regan |
| Frank Caputo | Jill Flanagan | Bradley Sadowski |
| Michael Costino | Dave Golfand | Sally Sharkey |
| Elena Cucione | Pam Hennessey | Nick Sickler |
| Barraca Diamond | Marc Koconkiewicz | Leigh Wang |
| John Diamond | Susan Leith | Sue Weber |
| Lena Elias-Bluett | Matt Letourneau | Rebecca Zuber |
| Linda Ewing |