Want to hear developers talk about why they've chosen to build "parking-lite" residential projects near 'L' stops? We're leading a bike ride around the city to visit sites where firms are taking advantage of Chicago's 2013 transit-oriented development ordinance. Here's the skinny:
Streetsblog Chicago's TOD Bike Tour
Saturday, April 11
1-4 p.m.
Leaving from Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington
$20 admission charge (cash or credit card) benefits SBC
While developers are usually required to provide a 1:1 ratio of parking spaces to units, whether or not residents will actually use all those spots, the TOD law reduces that requirement by half for sites within two blocks of rapid transit stations. So, instead of building housing that encourages people to bring more cars into a neighborhood, the companies that are taking advantage of the ordinance are promoting transit use and other sustainable ways to get around.
The TOD law also allows for more more square footage to be built on a given footprint near train stops – if they meet certain requirements – which means that developers can build more units. Along with the reduced parking mandate, higher density encourages more affordable housing costs, and allows more residents to save time and money by living close to transit.
The tour will depart from Daley Plaza at 1:15 p.m. sharp and visit these sites (map). Some we'll stop at and others we'll pass by:
- 500 N Milwaukee Ave - In demolition phase
- 830 N Milwaukee Ave - In approval phase (stop)
- 1001 W Chicago - In approval phase
- 1611 W Division St - Completed (stop)
- 1237 N Milwaukee Ave – In demolition phase
- 2211 N Milwaukee Ave - In approval phase (stop)
- 2293 N Milwaukee Ave - In community engagement phase
- 2338 N California Ave - Approved
- 3400 N Lincoln Ave - In approval phase
- 1819 W Montrose Ave - In approval phase (stop)
At each stop, representatives from the development or architecture firm will give a short presentation about the project. The last site is next to the Montrose Brown Line station, where you can catch a ride back to the Loop with your bike, or else join us for more conversation about development and transportation over pints at the nearby Fountainhead Tavern, 1970 West Montrose Ave.
