McKinley Park is a thriving working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s southwest side, nestled between Pilsen, Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, and Brighton Park. Located in the geographic center of Chicago, McKinley Park is less than five miles from Chicago’s Loop. Throughout its long history, McKinley Park has served as an important job center with significant portions of its land designated for industrial activity. Today, McKinley Park’s location continues to play an important role in attracting businesses, residents, and visitors. McKinley Park provides convenient access to public transit, major highways, and major routes, including Interstate I-55, Archer Avenue, Western Ave, Ashland Ave, and the CTA Orange line at 35th/Archer and Ashland stations. For more demographic information, view the McKinley Park Community Data Snapshot.

Through the CMAP Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, the McKinley Park Development Council (MPDC) has completed an effort to develop a comprehensive Neighborhood Plan for McKinley Park. CMAP, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT),  provided staff assistance to complete this planning process. The neighborhood plan provides policy direction in the areas of land use, economic development, housing, mobility, sustainability, and building capacity and partnerships. It recommends policies to help residents and stakeholders address identified opportunities.

The Planning process consists of five phases to be completed over 18 months with guidance from a project steering committee made up of stakeholders in the community. The first and second phases included initial meetings and extensive public outreach to ensure that a broad spectrum of the community is engaged in the project. The second phase also included a thorough analysis of the existing conditions within the community using information gathered from the outreach process and analysis of past plans, studies, and various data sources. The third phase focused on establishing a shared vision for the community, creating strategies to implement that vision, and developing the plan document. The final phase involves the implementation of plan strategies.

The public had several opportunities to participate in the planning process. MPDC, in partnership with CMAP, DPD, and CNT,  embarked on a series of outreach meetings with residents and community stakeholders to solicit and incorporate local input to the planning process. We encourage you to visit this web page regularly for updates and opportunities to participate in the development of your neighborhood plan.

Public kick-off meeting (July 18, 2018)
A public kick-off meeting for the McKinley Park Neighborhood Plan was held on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the National Latino Education Institute. In addition to learning about the comprehensive planning process, more than 100 community residents and stakeholders shared their priorities for the future of McKinley Park. Meeting attendees discussed the strengths and challenges throughout the neighborhood, particularly related to parks and open space, commercial areas, central manufacturing district, and transportation. Click on the following links for the public kick-off meeting presentation in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

PAST ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Public Visioning Workshop
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. 
National Latino Education Institute 
2011 W. Pershing Road
Chicago, IL 60609 [Map]

Please help us get the word out by sharing this invitation flyer (also available in Spanish and Chinese) with your friends and neighbors, and post it in public locations in your community. 

Click here for the Public Visioning Presentation (also available in Spanish and Chinese). 

Neighborhood Throngs to Development Plan Launch; Council Members Elect Expanded Board, McKinley Park News, July 19, 2018.

John Belcik, Member, McKinley Park Development Council (mckinleyparkdevelopmentcouncil@gmail.com)

Erika Sellke, Urban Planner, Department of Planning and Development (erika.sellke@cityofchicago.org or 312-774-9146)

Enrique Castillo, CMAP Project Manager (ecastillo@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8689)