North Avenue Streetscape Beautification Plan
Spring 2002
Located just three miles northwest of
downtown Chicago, the Humboldt
Park community, with its historic park
designed by Jens Jensen, is home to
a vibrant multi-cultural community.
The expansive park intersects with
North Avenue between Kedzie and
Western Avenues and provides valuable
green space for residents.
The Humboldt Park Economic
Development Corporation (HPEDC)
met with community organizations,
area business owners, and residents
to devise a plan for revitalization
efforts for the area. The community
recognized that the economic energy
of the North Avenue corridor was an
asset, but feared that traffic, sound,
and physical problems, like abandonment,
threatened the area. HPEDC
sought the services of the City
Design Center to develop a strategic
plan addressing these concerns. The
project included the following objectives:
to understand the current
demographic and economic profile
of the community; to enhance neighborhood
sidewalks and streets with
green spaces and attractive streetscape
elements; to calm traffic and
enhance pedestrian safety; to revitalize
existing commercial development;
and to offer a clear identity for the
neighborhood to support its future
growth. Using participatory community
workshops, the City Design Center
worked with residents to develop
design strategies that would revitalize
the area.
The City Design Center prepared a
framework site plan that provided
both long and short term phased
ideas for implementation within the
community. The plan provided for
ongoing development with the participation
of local residents, city officials,
and business owners. The proposed
site plan also supported a businessmarketing
plan for attracting financial
institutions and prospective investors
to the neighborhood. |
Map of Chicago with project location
Proposed site plan
Existing street conditions
Proposed "Green Median" with sidewalk trees
|
City Design Center Affiliated Faculty
Tasneem Chowdhury, Associate Director, City
Design Center
Roberta Feldman, Professor, School of
Architecture, and Director, City Design Center
Kerl LaJeune, Adjunct Associate Professor,
School of Architecture
Collaborating Organizations
Humboldt Park Economic Development
Corporation (HPEDC)
West Town Leadership United (WTLU)
Funding
Humboldt Park Economic Development
Corporation (HPEDC)
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