We are turning three years old next month

Neighborhood news

• Metra routes are the “sleeping giant” that can reinvigorate development on the South Side and greatly improve access to downtown, while better bus routes are necessary for inter-neighborhood trips (South Side Weekly). If you only read one article this week from this list, it should be this one; Metra is an existing infrastructure that can be used to better serve the South Side but it has been brushed aside by Emanuel’s administration.
• A large section of Rosehill Cemetery on the North Side is for sale, but its deed restricted making $12 million a steep asking price (Curbed)
• Some alders want veto power on approving new business licenses in their wards — say wha? (Crain’s)
• The city’s planning department is hosting a public workshop on Saturday to develop design guidelines for the West Loop (DNAinfo)
• Chicago has sold land for $1 so Theaster Gates and associated organizations can create Kenwood Gardens, a grouping of live/work “pods” in South Shore/Grand Crossing (Curbed)
• A judge won’t issue an injunction against a proposed affordable housing development in Jefferson Park for veterans and people with disabilities; the residents who funded the lawsuit will continue (DNAinfo)
• The Chicago planning department and the Chicago Housing Authority are seeking RFQ responses to revitalize LeClaire Courts, a former public housing site (map) where thousands of people lived in 616 units on 36 acres — responses are due on Monday (DPD)
• This South Shore landlord (one of the region’s largest) filed eviction notices for 1,000 out of its 8,000 units last year (Chicago Reader)
• Choose to live in an historic apartment building, the National Trust for Historic Preservation says — here’re seven reasons why
• Illinois state Rep. Sonya Harper (6th district) introduced the Urban Agriculture Zone bill that would, among other things, prevent property tax increases on property that’s being used to grow or raise food sold to nearby consumers (WTTW)