Project update: Staff met with a group of residents and stakeholders on August 21st, for a meeting focused on housing issues. In addition to housing, residents expressed thoughts on other issues, the group's name, people who were missing, and ideas for future meetings. A compilation of past plan recommendations was created for the meetings, as will be posted on the website in September. Visit the Story Map Existing Conditions page or the online engagement site.

For the Garfield Green Line South station, CMAP is working with community groups 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.

​​​​​​​

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.

August 2021

​​​​​​​Staff created a detailed record of recommendations from past plans, with identification of progress and potential for future partnerships. The information was provided to attendees at the Resident Working Group meeting (formerly Resident Action Council). The Resident group met on August 21st, for a meeting focused on housing issues. In addition to housing, residents expressed thoughts on other issues, the group's name, people who were missing, and ideas for future meetings. Requests for information on vacant lots, overgrown weeds/trees is being compiled for the next meeting, in addition to transportation information.

July 2021

​​​​​​​The Community Day held on July 17th was moved from 54th Street to a neighboring block party hosted by Paving the Way Project at the Greater Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church for increased exposure. Staff continues research on programs related to past recommendations and is reviewing applications for Resident Action Council members. With approximately 35 applicants for 15 spaces, the priority will be on getting representation from long-time residents, diversity in age of members, those in close proximity to station, and public transit users.

June 2021

​​​​​​​Staff continues to research past plan recommendations, and held a meeting with the Chicago Department of Housing to better understand the programs available. The first in-person engagement event was held on June 19th at Overton Elementary where team members spoke with attendees about the project and solicited members for the Resident Advisory Council. Planning is underway for a Community Day on July 17th that will take place by "Sunflower City" (54th & Prairie) and the mural that will be painted adjacent.

The public will have several opportunities to participate in the planning process. The Green Line South Elevated Community Table, RTA, and CMAP will embark on a series of meetings and activities with residents and community stakeholders to solicit and incorporate local input to the planning process. Please reach out to the project manager if you have activities or events that you think we should attend, or people we should connect with. We encourage you to visit this web page regularly for updates and opportunities to participate in the development of the plan.

Public events

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

Resident Working Group

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 (current)
(5) Community-led eTOD priorities development
(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)