Project update: The Resident Advocacy Council met on November 20th to discuss vacancy. Members of the RAC proposed ideas for short-term activation of land as well as longer-term projects. We discussed the need to sit down with city officials to talk about what is most likely to happen, where funding opportunities are, and how to align with community needs. Staff is compiling the composite set of recommendations and outlining actionable steps for implementation and identifying potential funding sources. CMAP staff also met with CPS officials to outline a process to engage students with this project and future City projects.

Visit the Story Map Existing Conditions page or the online engagement site.

For the Garfield Green Line South station, CMAP is working with community members and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to update the Community Work Plan put together by Elevated Chicago, with the specific goal of continuing the progress of turning the station into a community asset. The project team will also review past plan recommendations to understand where progress has been made, and where barriers remain.

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The project seeks to understand the impact that decades of disinvestment have had and work to change the narrative around a community with strong, positive amenities – including Washington Park, local businesses, XS Tennis, Sweetwater Foundation, and DuSable Museum. 

A more equitable approach to development around transit is needed--one that prioritizes the retention of residents and businesses, and allows for more inclusive growth around transit. Elevated Chicago started its work around seven CTA train stations, establishing eHubs (equitable hubs), within the ½-mile radius circle around each station.

The Elevated eHubs are generally grouped into four geographies: Logan Square Blue Line station, California Pink Line station, Kedzie/Lake Green Line and Kedzie-Homan Blue Line (Kedzie Corridor) stations, and 51^st Street, Garfield, and 63^rd Street Green Line stations. This LTA project will be working specifically with the Garfield Green Line South station.

November 2021

​​​​​​​The Resident Advocacy Council met on November 20th to discuss vacancy. Members of the RAC proposed ideas for short-term activation of land as well as longer-term projects. We discussed the need to sit down with city officials to talk about what is most likely to happen, where funding opportunities are, and how to align with community needs. Staff is compiling the composite set of recommendations and outlining actionable steps for implementation and identifying potential funding sources. CMAP staff also met with CPS officials to outline a process to engage students with this project and future City projects.

October 2021

​​​​​​​The Resident Advocacy Council met on October 16th to discuss community investment and economic development. A 311 service request was submitted in response to noted sidewalk flooding. Staff prepared maps on vacant lots, city-owned land, and additional information for the next meeting.

September 2021

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Resident Advocacy Council met on September 18th to discuss transportation issues. Members of the RAC joined CDOT in a walk along Garfield Boulevard to discuss Vision Zero and their concerns with the neighborhood on September 24th. CMAP held meetings with CDOT and CTA to cover questions raised by the RAC and also brought Openlands' Tree Keepers Director to the area to see some of the issues with tree maintenance and overgrowth that could be addressed by volunteers. Issues with the City's 311 system were also raised.

Residents raised concerns about excessive planning work with limited results, so we shifted from the original approach to work to move past recommended projects or programs forward. Developing an action plan with accountability measures and clear tasks will be the top priority. Engagement with the public will be primarily conducted through the Resident Advocacy Council, youth events, and any additional meetings the RAC would like to host.

Past events to promote the Resident Advocacy Council included:

• Community Days at Overton Elementary School, June 19th 2pm- 5pm
• Community Day at "Sunflower City" (54th & Prairie Ave.), July 17th, 11am - 3 pm
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Resident Advocacy Council

The Resident working group will be meeting on the third Saturday of each month, starting in August. Due to COVID-19 precautions, the meeting location will change. While the weather is decent, meetings will be held outdoors. Participants who have applied and been identified as representative of a variety of perspectives in the area will be compensated for their time. Priority was given to long-term residents, public transit users, and youth. If someone is unable to make a meeting, they are able to send a representative from the area to fill in for them. The group will discuss broader public engagement efforts, and ways to reach more neighbors.

The project had its first kick-off meeting with the working group partners in January 2020. CMAP staff researched area history and previous plans undertaken in the community and published the report as an interactive website. The overall project schedule is two years, with outreach and engagement planned for summer and fall of 2021, and continuing into early 2022.

The project phases include the following:

(1) Project admin / paperwork (complete)
(2) Past plan review (complete)
(3) Existing conditions assessment & interviews (complete)
(4) Invite residents to validate/ invalidate findings (complete)
(5) Community-led eTOD priorities development (current)
(6) Public doc review/ adjustment/ approval
(7) Implementation Assistance

Leslé Honoré, Green Line South Community Table Representative

Ghian Foreman, Green Line South Community Table Representative

Lindsay Bayley, CMAP Senior Planner (lbayley@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8826)

Michael Horsting, RTA Local Planning Manager, (HorstingM@rtachicago.org or 312-913-3159)