CHICAGO | General Developments

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

DING DING DING! We have a winner! Exactly correct, so correct in fact, that it literally happened exactly like that. Anyone remember when John Burns, a former John Buck Co executive, bought up that entire strip of Milwaukee with the intent to do a massive redevelopment??? Well the prior alderhack, Manny Flores, spent two years dicking him around and delaying the rezoning until, what do you know, the economy tanked and John Burns' development went under.

It's pretty clear that these guys can play Chicago politics with the best of them when they want to, but I think on the whole Flores and Moreno have been some of the least panderhacky-est of the aldermen. Both have supported TOD in other areas, and Moreno introduced the first version of the TOD ordinance to support the Ashland/Division tower. Both have supported bike lanes, streetscaping, Divvy, and transit improvements like station upgrades and Ashland BRT.

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's pretty clear that these guys can play Chicago politics with the best of them when they want to, but I think on the whole Flores and Moreno have been some of the least panderhacky-est of the aldermen. Both have supported TOD in other areas, and Moreno introduced the first version of the TOD ordinance to support the Ashland/Division tower. Both have supported bike lanes, streetscaping, Divvy, and transit improvements like station upgrades and Ashland BRT.

Just to clear the record.
The Tower of Pizza Hut was built because the NIMBYs out there wanted it, talked the developer into it and fought for it. That showed a lot of stones in a neighborhood where nearly every block has zoned parking.

The project the alderman reffered to them was a one story bank with a drive-thru.

Proco Joe's ordinance consisted of the minimum needed to make the tower possible

[UKVGuy]

Interesting. I always wondered why Chicago Bowl didn't happen a couple years ago. There were lots of conflicting stories, from neighborhood opposition (which was ridiculous, considering that the East Village Association approved it unanimously) to environmental issues on the site. Maybe an alderman protecting his turf?

[jbrady3324]

Originally Posted by UKVGuy

Interesting. I always wondered why Chicago Bowl didn't happen a couple years ago. There were lots of conflicting stories, from neighborhood opposition (which was ridiculous, considering that the East Village Association approved it unanimously) to environmental issues on the site. Maybe an alderman protecting his turf?

From the EVA Site

"Chicago Bowl is looking for other sites after soundproofing and environmental remediation for the performance venue and bowling alley proved too costly at 1850 W. Chicago, 1st Ward community outreach director Ronda Locke said. (In an email after the meeting, Locke said Ald. Moreno declared the development "dead.")"

[UKVGuy]

Originally Posted by jbrady3324

From the EVA Site

"Chicago Bowl is looking for other sites after soundproofing and environmental remediation for the performance venue and bowling alley proved too costly at 1850 W. Chicago, 1st Ward community outreach director Ronda Locke said. (In an email after the meeting, Locke said Ald. Moreno declared the development "dead.")"

Yep -- that was one of the many stories going around the neighborhood, although the Moreno quote is interesting. That could have been a game-changer for the neighborhood. Instead, they're looking in the West Loop.

[untitledreality]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Absolutely disgusting. If we are going to advertise ourselves as a global city, the culture of this needs to stop immediately. You probably just gave the most convincing argument as to why the number of alderman in this city should be cut in half to 25.

Im not sure the problem is the amount of Aldermen, but instead a combination of gerrymandering and old school politics. Why the system isn't set up to align with community districts is beyond all reasonable comprehension.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's pretty clear that these guys can play Chicago politics with the best of them when they want to, but I think on the whole Flores and Moreno have been some of the least panderhacky-est of the aldermen. Both have supported TOD in other areas, and Moreno introduced the first version of the TOD ordinance to support the Ashland/Division tower. Both have supported bike lanes, streetscaping, Divvy, and transit improvements like station upgrades and Ashland BRT.

Of course Moreno doesn't pander to the NIMBY's. He doesn't want them to move into his ward, they are his enemy because they are not his constituents. He wants to deal with a hispanic majority that will keep reelecting him because he shovels money to UNO, not to have to deal with a bunch of whiny white people who are going to bitch about the placement of Divvy's. His support of the programs you mention are limited at best and probably his half assed attempt to pander to Rahm (who hates Moreno as well from what I understand).

[the urban politician]

Wow, these last two pages have been very informative. It is amazing just how much politics plays into development in Chicago, and I wonder if it is that bad in other cities. Even more curious is whether other cities on SSP have a foruming population with as much a breadth of knowledge as ours. I think our community has all the bases covered perhaps as well as the best of them.

[schwerve]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Of course Moreno doesn't pander to the NIMBY's. He doesn't want them to move into his ward, they are his enemy because they are not his constituents. He wants to deal with a hispanic majority that will keep reelecting him because he shovels money to UNO, not to have to deal with a bunch of whiny white people who are going to bitch about the placement of Divvy's. His support of the programs you mention are limited at best and probably his half assed attempt to pander to Rahm (who hates Moreno as well from what I understand).

Moreno got elected with 73% of the vote in a majority white ward. He performed worse in majority hispanic precincts than majority white precincts.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by schwerve

Moreno got elected with 73% of the vote in a majority white ward. He performed worse in majority hispanic precincts than majority white precincts.

It was majority white in 2010 when Moreno first ran (only months after being installed as alderman), but the new ward map is barely a plurality white (45% W, 43% Hispanic) and that's what is informing his decision making now just as it informed Flores' decision making back in the 2000's when the ward was 60-70% hispanic.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

It was majority white in 2010 when Moreno first ran (only months after being installed as alderman), but the new ward map is barely a plurality white (45% W, 43% Hispanic) and that's what is informing his decision making now just as it informed Flores' decision making back in the 2000's when the ward was 60-70% hispanic.

^ Right, but at the pace that this area is gentrifying, it's only a matter of time. I can imagine you can only gerrymander so much, especially with all the ridicule the last ward remap received.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Right, but at the pace that this area is gentrifying, it's only a matter of time. I can imagine you can only gerrymander so much, especially with all the ridicule the last ward remap received.

His ward has been "gentrification proofed" to a degree by being shifted to include portions of Hermosa/Belmont Cragin which won't be gentrifying any time soon since they are a bajillion miles from anything.

[schwerve]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

His ward has been "gentrification proofed" to a degree by being shifted to include portions of Hermosa/Belmont Cragin which won't be gentrifying any time soon since they are a bajillion miles from anything.

I doubt there will be any development along the bloomingdale trail corridor.

[J_M_Tungsten]

Not that I don't appreciate the content being laid out here, but isn't this off topic for Chicago General Development? Seems like this would be a great opportunity for someone to start a new thread on Chicago alderman and ward issues.

[BWChicago]

I think it's explicitly on-topic, the relationship of politics to development in Chicago.

[J_M_Tungsten]

Sounds like a great title for a new thread; Chicago- Politics to Development. Maybe a moderator can help clean this up a bit. I could be mistaken, but I assumed General Development is just that.

[LouisVanDerWright]

^^^ I think politics has a place in this thread, but we are probably getting too in depth now. Let's just leave this discussion here since they tend to get mutilated when moved into a new thread and change the topic now.

Originally Posted by schwerve

I doubt there will be any development along the bloomingdale trail corridor.

Fair point.

[joeg1985]

Why would there not be any development along the Bloomingdale Trail cooridor? I'm really curious. It seems to me that this would be a huge amenity for these neighborhoods and that it would attract a lot of development. Especially seeing as how the entire trail has really good transit access.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by joeg1985

Why would there not be any development along the Bloomingdale Trail cooridor? I'm really curious. It seems to me that this would be a huge amenity for these neighborhoods and that it would attract a lot of development. Especially seeing as how the entire trail has really good transit access.

There's actually been a number of New Construction building permits in the Humboldt Park, and Logan Square..in the last handful of months.

* 2008 N Whipple - 24 units (July)
* 1701 N Kedzie - 9 units (April)
* 1640 N Rockwell - 4 units (March)
* 1929 N California - 6 units (December 2012)
* 2408 W Cortland - 6 units (March)
* 1623 N Washtenaw - 3 units (August)

Not all of these are directly on the trail, but are within a few blocks north or south of it. Over 50 new dwelling units listed above.

Plus a bunch more SFHs near it (Around 35-40 since November of 2012 issued for SFHs within a few blocks of the trail).

[the urban politician]

^ wow Marothisu you are the Spyguy of building permit data. I have also read elsewhere that real estate investors are going all in on the Bloomington Trail.

In other news the Wild Hare club won its lawsuit against the city allowing it to have live bands. When Ald Smith and the Lincoln Park Nimbys lose I always get a chuckle out of it.