Thursday / October 20, 2016 / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Rethinking Roosevelt Square: Urban Planning and Change Over Time
AIA Chicago, 35 East Wacker Drive, #250
When do you need to rethink a master plan? Twenty years after the plans for Roosevelt Square were laid out, demolition of the Chicago Housing Authority's ABLA Homes, and construction of 500+ units of housing before a devastating recession brought construction to a halt, it was time to reconsider the stalled development at Roosevelt Square.
For a fresh perspective, CHA engaged a new team led by SCB to rethink the Roosevelt Square master plan with an emphasis on improving quality of life. Working in concert with the developer and community, the SCB team created an inclusive process to navigate the complex social, physical and economic parameters to create a balanced plan that addressed critical goals for the CHA, developer Related Midwest, and a diverse community with a broad spectrum of incomes. How were these goals translated into a community-supported value proposition and new vision for Roosevelt Square on Chicago’s Near West Side?
Renderings show what the massive redevelopment of Roosevelt Square could look like when completed. [DNAInfo/Solomon Cordwell Buenz]
SCB summed up the project: "The plan calls for the integration of 84 acres of vacant land with legacy CHA developments, neighboring mixed-income neighborhoods, existing parks, schools, multiple retail corridors, as well as the adjacent Illinois Medical District and University of Illinois at Chicago campus. This planning study also focuses on improving the overall quality of life within the Roosevelt Square neighborhood by providing amenities that foster a sense of community, increase the market demand for housing, and are financially feasible."
Speakers: Christine Carlyle, AICP, AIA, principal, and Teresa Fourcher, AIA, LEED AP, senior planner at Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
