New plan envisions next 20 years of development in downtown Chicago
The Chicago Department of Planning and Development has issued a plan envisioning what the next 20 years of development could look like in downtown Chicago.
The Central Area Plan 2045 seeks to transform and invest in the downtown area. The plan focuses on the Loop, as well as the near north side up to Division Street, West Town and the Near West Side, and the South Loop and Near South Side down to the Stevenson Expressway.
The plan calls for making Chicago's central area a more vibrant space, with emphasis on art and cultural events. It could mean more housing, retail, and hotel rooms.
The plan aims to expand River North to the north of the Loop, and Fulton Marke and the West Loop to the west.
There are a total of 250 policy proposals in the plan.
Among other things, the plan calls for the establishment of an Office of Nighttime Engagement to coordinate events and deal with operational issues outside of normal business hours, the creation affordable live-work spaces for artists in the downtown area, the strengthening of collaborations between the public and private sectors to bring workers to downtown offices more regularly, and the creation of a talent pipeline for high-growth business sectors such as quantum technology, life sciences, and clean energy.
Climate and the environment are also a major focus, with calls for expanded building decarbonization and the maximization of publicly accessible open space. An increase in the "accessibility, frequency, and reliability" for public transportation is also a priority.
Specifically, the plan proposes adding a new Chicago Transit Authority Pink Line station at Madison and Paulina streets near the United Center, a new CTA Brown Line station at Division Street in the old Cabrini-Green area, and a new Fulton Market Metra station.
The plan also calls for an expansion of the Riverwalk north past Goose Island and south past Cermak Road.
The plan also notes that the city's central area could accommodate more than 100 million square feet of new construction — between vacant lots, parking lots, and underutilized low-rise buildings, projects that have been approved but have not been built, and adaptive reuse of obsolete buildings.
The framework does not say how much all the proposals in the plan would cost.
The plan is open for public comment for the next month.
