McKinley Park Neighborhood Plan

The CMD’s central location, large vacant spaces, and proximity to a robust transportation network are all assets that can help modernize the historic complex into a 21st-century manufacturing hub. Modernizing the CMD offers an opportunity to attract environmentally sustainable businesses to the neighborhood, and target light industrial uses that will be compatible with nearby residential areas. Modernization efforts should focus on preserving the historic building stock and unique character of the CMD, creating a supportive business environment for existing and potential entrepreneurs, and prioritizing the environmental and public health of the neighborhood. The following strategies aim to modernize the CMD into the regional economic asset that it is historically known for by attracting new sustainable development and adaptive reuse projects that maintain local jobs and promote the well-being and health of all residents. 

In 2018, the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development, in partnership with C40, marketed three city-owned properties in the Central Manufacturing District for redevelopment. While this process ultimately was unsuccessful, DPD is committed to continuing to work with diverse stakeholders, including C40 and the McKinley Park community, to create a vision for these buildings in a way that creatively incorporates green and carbon-neutral strategies, identifies appropriate adaptive reuse options that can serve the community, thoughtfully addresses existing and potential land use conflicts, and respects the historical character of the CMD.