Lincoln Park Community Meeting

Last night, I was one of 500 Lincoln Park residents to attend McCaffery Interest's presentation of their new plans for the Children's Memorial Hospital redevelopment.

HOLY HOT TOPIC!

Here's a little background on the subject: 

FACTS

• In 2012, Children's Memorial moved downtown into a gorgeous new facility leaving a 100 year old, 6 acre (tax-free) property, sitting vacant in the heart of Lincoln Park. 
• Over 1.5 million patients were treated annually when the hospital was in full occupancy. 
• 4,000 people came to Children's Memorial Hospital DAILY when it was open. They ate and shopped locally causing all neighborhood small businesses to suffer without the presence of their foot traffic.
• Since the departure of the hospital, both the patron and residential population of Lincoln Park has decreased. Fewer families are renting apartments here in order to be close to the facility and the rise of single family home conversions in this area has reduced the residential headcount. Net-net: Lincoln Park is no longer a renters market and this is a major problem for small business owners.

After McCaferry presented the following designs, nearly one hundred people stood in line to ask questions and state their opinion publicly to our Alderman (Michele Smith) and the developers. 

A representative from each neighborhood association provided a 5 minute statement on behalf of their block (ie: Midnorth, Park West, Sheffield, DePaul, Wrightwood).  Preachers, Small Business Owners, Teachers, Senior Citizens, the Chamber of Commerce, Transportation Alliance Leaders...you name it, they spoke. 
For three hours. 

So here's where my personal opinion stands after taking into consideration everything that everyone had to say:

I am in favor of the development plans with the exception of any building over 65 feet. DePaul was able to build their entire campus without a single building over 7 stories, and this development should be no different. By building above-and-beyond the existing footprint of the current Children's Memorial Hospital structure, the city is granting permission to McCaffery Interests to break zoning laws which could in turn set a precedent for all future construction in the area.

I fully understand that traffic will be a nightmare in our neighborhood, but I wholeheartedly agree and acknowledge that the business owners need the patrons and the parishes need new parishioners to survive. 

It is VERY much a Chicago thing to live in a major city and own a car. And for many households, to own more than one. When I had the pleasure to live in Manhattan, I got along perfectly without a car. In fact, it would never have EVER crossed my mind to feel entitled to own one while living there. But there is a sense of entitlement and ease of life that comes along with being a Chicagoan. I adore my car (everyone that knows me, knows that) but we have access to three El trains and five major bus lines that service this area -- not mention Divvy bikes and your own two feet. So I know that the traffic's gonna suck. And I know that I will have no where to park my baby hippo when I get home late at night. But seriously people, get some perspective! Wouldn't you rather see small businesses thrive and bring both commerce and a renewed vitality to Lincoln Park than worry about this 1st world issue?!? And if you need your car so badly, it might be time for you to reconsider city living.

   

With 2,500 jobs being created to build the development and 250 new permanent jobs in place to operate the endeavor, I am in favor -- especially knowing that diversity hiring goals have already been approved.  Not to mention that Lincoln Park lacks workforce housing and it was a joy to see that this has been incorporated into the design of the development. 

They say that "politics is the art of compromise." 

Well, so is being a good neighbor. 

The plan is not perfect, but it is reasonable. 

McCaffery Investments should agree to the height and density regulations (nothing over 65 feet) to compromise with the community and move forward to build this profitable, multi-million dollar tax contributing project.
   
And now I will step off my soap box ;)