City Officials Discuss Devon Streetscape Project with Public

Chicago IL: Alderman Debra Silverstein of the 50th Ward hosted an open meeting on Dec. 13 at Devon Bank to discuss the multi-million-dollar Devon Avenue Streetscape Project. The aim was to inform and solicit critical input on this projected facelift to the Ward’s cultural and commercial center, making it more attractive, better for businesses, and safer for neighbors and shoppers. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Devon Avenue Streetscape Task Force, and other city officials participated. This is the first time the City’s work on the project was shared with the public. The meeting was a call for local businesses and residents to become more involved in their own future.

Following a brief introduction, Silverstein handed the floor to Project Director Janet Attarian from CDOT, who walked the audience through the team’s thought processes. She began by noting how Devon Avenue “has managed to retain its identity and strong social fabric rather than giving way to the pressures of gentrification,” i.e., having its poorer ethnic residents squeezed out by increased rent and property taxes due to the influx of more affluent people attracted by the local amenities.

Her PowerPoint presentation showed how that entire stretch of Devon Avenue would look when completed. Two model plans were kept displayed on the wall during the meeting showing the final look between Sacramento and California avenues, and between Kedzie and Leavitt.

The plan will be implemented from 2013 through 2021 across five stretches of Devon Avenue in the following phases: 2013-2014 Sacramento to California, 2015 California to Rockwell, 2017 Rockwell to Western, 2019 Western to Leavitt, and 2021 Kedzie to Sacramento, as funding is made available. Underground utilities are already being renovated across Devon to ensure no unexpected obstacles.

In addition to infrastructure upgrades, goals for “complete streets” cover economic development, environmental friendliness, and sustainability. The streetscape tools include bicycle routes, new and wider sidewalks, ADA ramps, improving drainage, curb and gutter reconstruction, street resurfacing; ornamental street lights and pedestrian street poles, landscape improvements, trees with tree grates, planters, hanging baskets, stamped and textured crosswalks, permeable pavements, streetscape furniture such as benches and trash receptacles.

Within a common overall approach, each intersection will receive a unique look tailored to its local business needs. Major intersections, above all Western and Devon, will receive special attention. The idea is to encourage strolling, loitering, gathering, which will also encourage passers-by to stop at shops. The wider sidewalks will provide additional space for social interaction, creating community cohesion, and a unique identity. Private-public partnership (PPP) will be leveraged to connect businesses to the sidewalk, using such tools as open-air cafes, seating pods, green spaces and bike nodes. Narrowing of streets will not have adverse effect on through traffic.

Bump-outs at intersections will add to pedestrian space and safety by shortening the crossing distance and exposure to traffic, and sharpening the radius of the turning distance into residential areas. To provide thematic unity, repetition, and continuity, medallions will be engraved onto key intersections. Community identifiers will be introduced at major intersections, along with gateways based on traditional screen designs and motifs, and light-pole identifiers.

Requests and concerns raised by those present included public washrooms and bathrooms, especially for those coming from afar, for which there is no provision in the plan, and speed bumps along certain streets like Washtenaw. Businesses should inform the City of any vaults, chutes, etc., under their stretch of the sidewalk so as not to hinder the setting up of store facades. The City would be also happy to remove remnants of old, mostly illegal, signs to make Devon Avenue look cleaner. One business owner expressed concern that the trees might block the view of billboards from the street. Residents will also need to desist from throwing rubbish into the planters.

One point of contention was scarcity of public parking that some business owners consider a priority. Showing plans for possible street-side diagonal parking, Attarian stated that the disproportionate costs would not justify the few extra spaces to be gained. No existing parking will be removed. Traffic will flow smoothly but not as fast as before. The idea, moreover, is to encourage more people to visit Devon via public transportation. When a local non-Desi resident complained about the effects of more people visiting Devon, especially the noise during late hours, Silverstein interjected to say she has banned liquor stores, and bars, and may oblige outdoor cafes to close earlier.

To the suggestion of allowing creative public art, Attarian responded that making everything unique increases costs, unless there is community partnership to bear the additional costs. She noted that the rotating artist program along Lincoln Street is funded entirely by the community.

Projected at $2.1M, costs will no doubt go up over time, but will have no impact on existing taxes. For the funding will come from tax increment financing (TIF), i.e., borrowing against the expected gains in property taxes and other income from the increased value of the surrounding real estate.

Perhaps the question that remains is how to ensure that the constraints of such TIF-based funding will not result in the sort of gentrification that is the very antithesis of this Streetscape Project. All in all, Attarian seemed ready for practically all the questions and concerns, and addressed them in detail. There will be another community meeting in late March, after drawings are 60% complete.