Politics
Key City Panel OKs Plan Designed to Build More Housing in Edgewater
The proposal would allow taller, more dense buildings to be built along Broadway in Edgewater. (WTTW News)
A key Chicago City Council committee advanced a package of proposals on Tuesday designed to build more housing along Broadway in Edgewater and Uptown in an effort to make it more affordable to live along the CTA’s Red Line.
The 15-2 vote by the City Council’s Zoning and Building Standards Committee means a fierce battle over the future of some of the most in-demand North Side neighborhoods. A final vote by the full City Council is set for Thursday.
Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward) said the proposals will revitalize Broadway, which has not seen any new housing built on its west side for two decades, by making the commercial district more affordable and accessible.
“Let’s try something different,” Manaa-Hoppenworth said.
The measures also include parts of Ald. Angela Clay’s 46th Ward and Ald. Matt Martin’s 47th Ward; both supported the changes. The measures will allow taller, more dense buildings to be built along Broadway from Montrose to Devon avenues without special permission from city officials.
Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th Ward), the committee’s vice chair, struggled to keep order during the meeting, which was frequently disrupted by opponents of the plan, who heckled supporters. Lawson had several ejected from the chambers during the debate, which lasted nearly two hours.
Opponents told the committee they were concerned that the proposal would have the exact opposite effect and spur a rush by wealthy developers to build massive residential buildings that would alter the character of the lakeside neighborhood and force small businesses to close.
Clay said she understood that change can be sometimes “uncomfortable.”
“Having more neighbors in our communities makes us safer because there are more eyes on the street” while enriching the area’s culture and adding diversity, Clay said.
Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward) said the best way to create thriving commercial districts is to add residential diversity, so that people can walk to work as well as restaurants and other attractions.
Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) said he was hopeful that the changes would boost ridership on the Red and Purple CTA train lines, which have been reconstructed and modernized during a yearslong project that is nearly complete.
Similar changes, approved a year ago by the City Council, for Western Avenue between Lawrence Avenue and Addison Street haven proven successful, Martin said.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
