Residents’ Feedback Requested On 95th Street Corridor Draft Plan
Residents’ Feedback Requested On 95th Street Corridor Draft Plan
By Tia Carol Jones
As plans for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension get underway, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the 95th Street Community Advisory Group are seeking the public’s input on its 95th Street Corridor Plan.
During an open house which took place in mid-November at Trinity United Church of Christ, the public was invited to hear more about the draft plan and how it would create a Renaissance for the 95th Street Corridor by bringing equitable transit-oriented development to the community.
The Endeleo Institute and The Far South Community Development Corporation are the lead community partners on the plan. Jasmine Gunn, City Planner for the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, said the two community organizations helped with community engagement of the plan.
“They really brought the community on the ground experience to the table and brought forth a coalition of resident leaders who gave input throughout the planning process,” Gunn said.
Gunn estimates there were about more than 160 people that attended the open house event. She said there was a positive reception to the plan, which includes opportunities for community wealth building and business development, as well as a guide for new housing.
The 95th Street Corridor goes through four wards: 8th, 9th, 6th and 21st. The draft plan outlines planned transit improvements such as the Metra 95th Street Modernization, the Red Line Extension and the Pace Pulse 95th Street Line. The plan also recommends new housing and construction on vacant land, as well as mixed-use buildings and commercial buildings along the 95th Street Corridor.
Gunn said that people felt their voices had been heard and reflected in the vision of the plan. She said a lot of people were ready to take action steps to move the strategies in the plan forward. Gunn said the plan also includes a health and racial equity assessment where residents’ input about their hopes and fears around new investment, as well as their hopes and desires, were considered. She said the expertise of the residents was vital to complete that assessment because it illustrated their challenges and needs on a local level.
Quinn Kasal, Strategic Planner for the Chicago Transit Authority, said for the plan, feedback was gathered during the last 16 months identified strategies that addressed the needs of the community through an implementation guide.
“One thing we’ve heard loud and clear is that the folks around the corridor and in general are tired of plans that don’t address their specific needs,” he said.
For instance, Kasal said while everyone in the community supports the idea of new business, there was emphasis on if the business answers the needs of the people who live in the community and if the wealth will provide a direct benefit to the community.
The draft plan is available for review on Chicago.gov/95th. People can look at the plan through the end of the year. Feedback from the plan will be turned into a final plan, which will go to the Planning Commission for adoption in the new year. Gunn said the stakeholders will work with the Alderman to rezone the corridor so the zoning will better align with the community’s vision.
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