Quote:
Originally Posted by the urban politician
^ Huh? So it's either high class urban design or parking lots and strip malls?
Utter BS.
It's arbitrary shit like this that prevents meaningful, market rate investment in the south side. You have effectively destroyed the urban streetscape that is now in such high demand.
I know I'm going to get shit for this, but it's high time that people of a different vocation than clergy be the strongest voice for many communities down there. Clergy have had their 100 year run and all they do is beg some imaginary being to fix everything (so far hasn't worked). There needs to be a practical, real world approach to addressing disinvestment. And having some self-centered asshat demolish a critical piece of infrastructure is FAR from it. Very sad.
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Guess what folks? The church is still there and will not leave anytime soon and given the Museum is planned to be near this church could make an argument that the proximity to the ACOG and University of Chicago Campuses are key reasons of it's placement there. (Of course this is for argument sake not to start a flame war)
With an older Civil Rights advocate like Brazier, respect is more important than anything else because he has a point because if there was some creativity from the on-set to come up with a design/plan with the community given the end point and its importance you can alleviate the pitfalls early on, rather than the lump it or leave it approach that many city bureaucrats try to enforce. I would argue as I've seen in my own backyard in LA, I did this on a regular basis in LA to help pass a $120B funding measure while dealing with similar issues, the core is get the conversation going and have respect for the communities you serve and don't feed community leaders and neighbors a bunch of bullshit.
Having many different backgrounds and voices is what makes a community work and that is missing however now the time has come to move forward from that point.
BTW has there been a lot of new development around the Green Line modernization south of 35th Street, 20 years later? Besides that issue at Woodlawn there are other sites along the way that could have been slated for a series of developments but has not had the investment. Could these perceptions of the design of the structure and the noise they generate play a part?
This is still going to be true IF a Green Line extension is to move forward is to think constructively and creatively to solve the problem. So you have a petition, that's a start but given that is coming, be smart about it hire a few minority architects to come up with design charettes that take place at the Church and you will see hearts and minds change. There are loads of improvements that can be accomplished in that area from at the start a thorough modernization of that ratty ass 63rd Street Metra Station with a transit center and hub.