The Chicago Committee on Zoning has approved plans to upzone a large stretch of Broadway across the Far North Side. Earlier this year, we covered the announcement of the new initiative led by the Department of Planning and Development, aimed at upzoning lots along the thoroughfare between Montrose Avenue to the south and Devon Avenue to the north.
Current uses of Broadway via DPD
The change comes as many of the nation’s major cities grapple with the effects of restrictive zoning regulations, which have led to issues with housing supply, affordability, and stagnant population growth and tax bases. Given its high transit accessibility, the stretch is a prime example of the broader changes seen in places like California under SB 79, which is aimed at increasing housing stock.
CTA L commuter ridership via Streetsblog (left) – Proposed stretch to be upzoned via DPD (right)
Proposed zoning of Broadway via DPD
Here in Chicago, this portion of Broadway has one of the city’s highest percentages of workers who commute via the L, which was recently reconstructed. Currently, there are over 20 different zoning classifications on the street. The initiative would reduce that to five zoning types, with most of the street falling into two categories:
- Most of the lots between Foster Avenue and Montrose Avenue in Uptown would become C1-5. This would allow buildings up to 80 feet in height, with most types of commercial uses permitted on the ground floor, including bars. It would also allow for drive-thrus and plazas.
- Most of the lots between Devon Avenue and Foster Avenue in Edgewater would become B3-5. This zoning has a lower height limit—typically four to five stories—and permits commercial uses on the ground floor, excluding bars and liquor stores. Drive-thrus would also be prohibited.
Zoning diagrams via DPD
In addition to the rezoning, the city will designate much of the road as a pedestrian street, similar to the approach taken in Fulton Market. This designation would prohibit plazas, drive-thrus, and new curb cuts, while requiring new buildings to feature active uses along the street with entry doors facing Broadway. Existing businesses will be exempt from these new requirements.
Pedestrian designation of Broadway via DPD
Multiple aldermen backed the proposal, hoping to address many of the area’s ongoing affordability issues. While most residents expressed support, others raised familiar concerns, including increased traffic and limited parking. According to Block Club, this led to a tense and tumultuous committee meeting.
However, some valid concerns were raised, including the likelihood of new units being luxury-priced, the potential demolition of historic structures, gentrification, displacement of legacy small businesses, and the lack of notification to existing property owners about the proposed changes.
With the committee’s approval in hand, the initiative will now move forward to City Council this week.
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Great initiative!
Our city needs to embrace development and growth.
The sickos would love the Manhattanization of this corridor, the realists know it’s going to take at least a decade to see some impact, and the fearmongers will tell you this region is already done for.
I encourage the pearl cluthers to help repopulate Joliet or Morris. Maybe give Cairo a spin.
It’s asinine to think we have to beg to go beyond three stories on PARKING LOTS that are blocks away from 30+ story towers. Good for the rezoning. Maybe we can inject a by-right to jump as far as 8 stories later on. LA has been working on some good projects, pushing up the 5 over 1’s (of the little they have built).
I wanna beg future developers to embrace some higher quality exteriors with this newfound development freedom. Please! The fence-sitters can easily be won over with Wrigley Tower aesthetics. The NIMBYs will forever be deplorable; forget them. Just an ounce of quality from that tower in Humboldt Park could be enough. The cynic in me wants a neo version of Prairie Ave. Reopen Joliet’s quarryies if we have to.
I couldn’t agree more Drew. Our zoning code needs to go more towards cities like Tokyo (I’ve been learning more about Tokyo recently) which have strong by-right laws as well as many fewer highly specific levels of zoning (Tokyo has only 12). Chicago seems to have 9, but each category has many levels within them. If you total them all up, it’s 67. Tokyo has about 30. And this isn’t just Tokyo, it’s the national zoning code.
Even their most restrictive residential categories permit small-scale commercial or civic uses, and the code emphasizes managing “nuisance levels” over prescribing single uses.
I also want to decrease the minimum requirements for commercial spaces. A tiny business that can thrive in a small space and keep a crowd significantly reduces the costs of operation. We see what food trucks can power through. That’s all some restaurants need. A flower shop can be run out of a tent. Food halls demonstrate that they only require a fronting kitchen. Why don’t they do as well in the long term? Too much competition in a close space; apply that same logic scattered across the city. Make your city a “food hall.”
I completely second this. An amazing stat that I heard the other day on a podcast talking about Tokyo vs NYC. Tokyo has *10 times* the number of restaurants than NYC does. And this is credited from the city and national zoning code and financial structures really valuing small scale retail over super large conglomerates. This is what makes for an even greater city! A new cafe can be opened for around $1500 in Tokyo.
You make some good points. I wouldn’t count on most developers embracing high quality exteriors without being incentivized to do so. I too would love to see Joliet limestone, with its distinct yellowish tint, used for new builds. Nitpicking here, I’m not sure about Morris, but Joliet’s population is the largest it has ever been. It’s the third or fourth largest city in Illinois.
Joliet has also never been bigger (area-wise). I want to see downtown reborn and the east side cleaned up. The new plaza is going to be impactful, and the street repairs are noticeable, but the area is still a ghost town with parking garages more common than buildings. The Rialto had an excellent show last Friday for The Evil Dead.
I’m bullish on the Heritage Corridor with Lockport and Lemont embracing change. Maybe Joliet can hop on the train. I think they solved their water shortage. At least have a plan to.
Overall, a great initiative, long time overdue. However, I strongly disagree with allowing drive-thrus and plazas anywhere on the stretch.
A little further in the article it says they plan to designate Broadway as a pedestrian street which would prohibit those types of developments
Whooohooo – big congrats to the Alders and community who invested their time and passion into this forward thinking initiative! Much needed, and we’re ready to keep growing our neighborhood and city!
After just driving past the beautiful new Berwyn Red Line station recently, I was shocked and appalled to see it sitting right behind MASSIVE strip mall and grocery store surface parking lots. Broadway deserves better, and I’m grateful the YIMBYs seem to have prevailed here.
Indeed, which is exactly why this upzoning was needed. It’s time to undo the car-oriented mistakes of the 60s, 70, 80s and 90s. Strip malls are neighborhood-killers.
I am pleasantly surprised. I live within a block of the new Lawrence Red Line station (remember what that station looked like?!), surrounded by art deco high rise gems –and strip malls with surface parking lots (I don’t even want to know what what was razed to create these eye sores). Let this area of Broadway rise. When NIMBY’s came to Uptown with their need for street parking, what did they expect– developers building ranch style suburban tract housing? I’ll take density and the businesses it attracts. I’ll also take a Red Line, 36 or a 81 bus any day than worry about finding parking
Glad to see the NIMBYs defeated here. I wish the aldermen would also engage with large retailers on new development projects. For example, Jewel could be the anchor tenant of a new mixed-use development on its site next to the Berwyn Red Line. (Jewel / Albertson’s actually owns the property actually, unlike most retailers.)
This rezoning was closely watched across Chicago. Wonderful debate on urban planning and the great zeal demonstrated by the residents and businesses. Certainly, we hope to model this type of rezoning along the scheduled Redline Extension Project and community planning underway in Greater Englewood relative to corridors. The city’s recent rezoning in Englewood along 69th was historical. Although the community engagement fail short of traditional civic models, the rezoning set the stage for a bigger tent in how best to proceed. Again really appreciated the exchange of ideas and information on this project. A true model!
That’s awesome and uplifting to hear, thanks for your comment!
I am a YIMBY, but I am concerned about the numerous vintage buildings that are charming, but not designated for protection. Feels like those buildings will be the first ones to be sold for redevelopment. I also wonder about the fate of neighborhood places like Moody’s Pub (huge lot), Patio Beef (anchoring a strip mall) or Lickety Split (small storefront in a three story vingate building)