Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about transit-oriented development

Lindsay Bayley with her husband Drew and daughter Willow on a shopping run. Photo courtesy of Lindsay Bayley

Wicker Park Planner and Mom to Alderman Hopkins: No More Bike Crackdowns

By John Greenfield | Feb 3, 2017 | 36 Comments

In response to the Hopkins-ordered bike sting and other ward transportation and planning issues, local urban planner and mother Lindsay Bayley sent an open letter to the alderman this week.

The massive parking podium will really flaunt the nearly twelve dozen garage spots.

(Parking) Podium Finish: Does This High-Rise Deserve TOD Status?

By John Greenfield | Jan 6, 2017 | 15 Comments

Although it has less than a 1:2 ratio of parking spaces to housing units there are a couple aspects of this project that make me question whether it’s truly in the spirit of a transit-oriented development.

Council Approves Milwaukee Ave. Bike Counter, Slated for Spring Installation

By John Greenfield | Nov 2, 2016 | No Comments

At yesterday’s City Council meeting, aldermen passed an ordinance, supported by First Ward alderman Joe Moreno, to allow the developer LG Partners to install a bike counter in front of its new building at the northeast corner of Division, Ashland, and Milwaukee. Here’s the announcement from the mayor’s office: An ordinance that passed today will […]

Housing Activists Vow to Fight Evictions of Logan Square Tenants for New TOD

By Lynda Lopez and John Greenfield | Sep 9, 2016 | 14 Comments

Yesterday morning dozens of community residents and members of the Autonomous Tenants Union, Somos Logan Square, and Grassroots Illinois Action joined tenants of the 2340 N. California building in Logan Square as they announced their plans to fight their impending eviction. Current landlord Francisco Macias plans to sell the two-story, mixed-use structure, located a few […]

Milwaukee Bike Lane Reopened at Grand, But It Could Be Closed Again Soon

By John Greenfield | Sep 1, 2016 | 12 Comments

Streetsblog reader Dries Kimpe tipped us off yesterday about yet another case of construction creating hazardous conditions for cyclists on Milwaukee Avenue. While plastic Jersey walls had previously been used to close the sidewalk on the west side of Milwaukee north of Grand to facilitate work on a transit-oriented development called Kenect, yesterday the barriers […]

Transit Advocate: TOD Could Revitalize Area Around the 95th Red Line Stop

By John Greenfield | Aug 2, 2016 | 8 Comments

Last week at a town hall meeting hosted by the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, West Chesterfield resident and transit advocate Michael LaFargue discussed efforts to improve transportation access and encourage investment on the Far South Side. LaFargue, a board member with the Red Line Extension Coalition, and Active Transportation Alliance community liaison Cynthia Hudson […]

New County Policy Supports Active Transportation, Lacks Specific Goals

By Steven Vance | Jul 19, 2016 | No Comments

Cook County’s new “Long Range Transportation Plan,” released last week, is the first such document published since 1940 and is a policy platform that will guide decisions about transportation spending for the next 24 years. To the credit of county officials, the plan voices strong support for improving walking, biking, and transit, which represents a […]

More Thoughts on the TOD Debate as the Boom Moves Into Its Next Phase

By John Greenfield | May 25, 2016 | 13 Comments

One thing’s for sure: As the current transit-oriented development boom unfolds along Milwaukee Avenue it’s bringing major changes to the affected neighborhoods. Many people agree that adding dense, low-parking development near Blue Line stations is a good strategy for reducing car dependency. But there’s been debate about whether the new wave of high-end TOD buildings […]

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KC Conspiracy Theorists: Walkable Development Will “Devastate” Auto Giants

By Angie Schmitt | May 24, 2016 | No Comments

Now that Kansas City has its streetcar up and running, the city is taking the logical step of updating its zoning code to allow for walkable development along the transit route. And according to some local Agenda 21 believers, anyone who works for the automotive industry should be very afraid. Up for a vote this Thursday at […]

MCZ’s Car-Centric West Loop Project Thumbs Its Nose at the TOD Ordinance

By John Greenfield | May 16, 2016 | 20 Comments

Talk about a missed opportunity. It’s good news that a parking lot located at the southeast corner of Lake and Aberdeen in the burgeoning Fulton Market District will soon be replaced by a mix of residences, office space and retail. But it’s a crying shame that the developer MCZ Development is also building a glut […]

CNT: There’s Only One Parked Car for Every Three Units at Local Buildings

By John Greenfield | Mar 28, 2016 | 2 Comments

A new report from the Center for Neighborhood Technology quantifies something that we already suspected to be true: Apartment buildings in the Chicago area tend to have way too much off-street car parking. The report, titled Stalled Out: How Empty Parking Spaces Diminish Neighborhood Affordability, points out that, since parking spots are surprisingly expensive to […]

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