People living on Chicago's North side could one day see big changes to a well-traveled north-south street, under a plan that could get a vote in a City Council committee today.
If you drive or take the #36 bus up Broadway from Montrose to Devon, you'll see everything from big-box stores to century-old storefronts to strip malls.
Edgewater alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth sees potential: "For more affordability, for more economic vibrance, for more … people."
Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward) and two fellow alders want to clear the way for new multi-story housing and retail construction along more than two miles of Broadway, to address the city's housing shortage and make the corridor more appealing.
"That is what came out of our community engagement … the seven community meetings, the 1,600 survey responses," the alderwoman said. "If we have more people, we have more patrons in our small businesses, we have more entrepreneurs."
The discussion of community engagement brought a quick response from Pat Sharkey, the head of the group Edgewater Residents for Responsible Development.
"What is she talking about?" Sharkey said. "Because we didn't get notice of any of those meetings."
Sharkey and others in the neighborhood called the rezoning proposal a downtown-driven, cookie-cutter plan with one thing in mind: "The mayor is looking for somewhere to build more affordable housing."