Real Estate & Development News
Children who play in natural settings benefit from physical activity, are less likely to be overweight and enjoy expanded creativity through diverse play. A coalition of McKinley Park neighborhood and municipal groups are coming together to overhaul the underused green space south of the McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library to create a nature play garden.
Members of the public are invited to a community meeting on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016, to hear plans and offer ideas for the garden, located at 3518-28 S. Wolcott Ave., Chicago. The meeting takes place 9:30 a.m. to noon in the basement of Bethany Baptist Church at 3532 S. Hoyne Ave.
Read more: Nature Play Garden Planned for Library Green Space
Developer Dan Mark of Mark Properties presented plans for developing a four-story, 39-unit apartment building at 3595 S. Archer Ave., Chicago, during the McKinley Park community meeting held Wednesday, July 27. At the meeting, Mark and his lawyer, attorney Mark Kupiec, outlined Mark's intentions for developing the currently vacant lot across from the 35th Street Orange Line L station with efficiency rental apartments in line with Chicago's recently enacted transit-oriented development ordinance.
Community meeting participants reacted in a mixed manner to the proposal, with primary concerns raised about parking problems and potential trouble resulting from a high concentration of down-market tenants. 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas, who hosted the meeting, noted the trade-offs of higher density: Although it can cause congestion, it can also bring more disposable income to an area, making it more attractive to the consumer-focused chains and other businesses that McKinley Park currently lacks.
Read more: High Density Transit-Oriented Development Proposed for Archer and Leavitt
As reported by Chicago radio station WBEZ, the geographic center of the City of Chicago is not at 37th and Honore streets, despite its long-held position as such, including a memorial sign. Modern mapping software makes it easy to determine the exact point, which is at 31st Street and Western Avenue.
Will the McKinley Park neighbohood keep the title? WBEZ reports 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas is moving to cement the 37th and Honore location.
Click here to read the full story at WBEZ.org.
The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and news media have spotlighted the Central Manufacturing District, a currently decrepit and underutilized set of city-owned buildings along Pershing Road adjacent to the McKinley Park neighborhood. In news reports and a CNT development proposal, the property receives scrutiny for its future development potential, as well as admiration for its storied history as a backbone of Chicago manufacturing.
"It’s exactly the kind of site that developers are increasingly repurposing into thriving centers of urban life and economic activity," the CNT study stated. "The site retains many of its original advantages: central location, solid construction, nearby rail connections, plus modern essentials like proximity to expressways and robust fiber optic capacity."
Read more: Central Manufacturing District Focus of Development Proposal, Media Attention
Thanks to ongoing efforts from garden organizers and assistance from 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas, the McKinley Park Community Garden is returning to its planned 2016 season of gardening plots and activities. Garden organizers were able to negotiate a lease for the 2016 growing season with the new owners of the property: a series of lots on the north side of Pershing Road between Wolcott and Winchester avenues.
As reported here on McKinleyPark.org, the 2016 season was initially canceled due to the sale of the donated land that the garden uses. Gardeners can now sign up online for plots, or sign up at the upcoming Community Garden Plant Sale on Saturday, May 14, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the garden.
Read more: McKinley Park Community Garden Returns for 2016 Season
