The final public meeting for the North Branch Industrial Corridor Modernization plan is Tuesday night. The city’s Department of Planning and Development is hosting the meeting at UI Labs, 1415 N Cherry Avenue, from 6 PM to 9 PM. RSVP required.
The city will likely maintain the Clybourn Corridor Planned Manufacturing District’s existing industrial status.
Alder Michele Smith of the 43rd Ward has been asking that the city includes a significantly-sized open space section on the former sites of Finkl Steel, Gutmann Tannery and the A. Lakin & Sons tire recycling plant.
As I have previously written, this moment represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create much needed public recreational space for residents. Unfortunately, to date, there is no commitment yet to include meaningful park space in a redefined PMD. We must not waste this opportunity.
Smith cites the number of children in Lincoln Park as having increased 65 percent in the last 15 years.
There will be a minimum amount of open space on the land, as Sterling Bay plans to support the extension of the Bloomingdale Trail to the river, and because the city has a law requiring that 30 feet of land is open along the Chicago River edge.
However, DPD’s planning process was set up to prioritize economic development and re-use of industrial spaces:
- Development of ideas to improve industrial corridors that have the potential for new or continued manufacturing growth.
- Reform some industrial corridors to unlock new economic growth where industry is no longer the main use.
- Development of new funding tools to support improvements in industrial corridors and to increase neighborhood competitiveness.
It was reported and celebrated last Friday that Sterling Bay closed on a $100 million deal for 22 acres. Sterling Bay executivie Andy Gloor told Crain’s that “the firm plans a ‘moderately dense’ mix of commercial, retail and residential space, while also looking to extend the 606 elevated trail onto the riverfront site.”
I predict the city will promote a plan that requires an amount of open space to be set aside that would accommodate river trails, the 606 extension, and build green infrastructure along Armitage and other new streets that are paved in the development.