In January, A City That Works writer and Streetsblog Chicago contributor Richard S. Day discussed the benefits of a potential land use plan for Broadway in Uptown and Edgewater.
Harnessing the potential of the Red and Purple Modernization project, he wrote, the upzoning proposal would allow for more density and walkability on the 2.6 mile segment of Broadway between Devon and Montrose avenues.
The discussion of the idea was led by local alderpersons Angela Clay (46th), Matt Martin (47th), and Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th), along with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.
This included a couple of public hearings on the proposal held in late 2024.
“There are a bunch of reasons to be excited about this project,” Richard wrote in January.
“By adding pedestrian street designations to parts of Broadway that don’t yet have them, the city would enhance walkability and prohibit new curb cuts for car-centric land uses like strip malls, drive-throughs, and car washes.
But the biggest change would be the upzoning, which could result in more affordable housing options, increased transit ridership, more customers for local businesses, and more tax revenue for the City.”
A lot has transpired with the proposal since then, and it appears increasingly likely that this forward-thinking vision is set to become a reality.
Block Club Chicago’s Madison Savedra provided an update on Tuesday, reporting that all three local alders are introducing legislation for the zoning changes in their respective wards at Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
Next month, the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will likely vote on these proposals.
If the upzoning initiative clears that hurdle, the full Council will make the final decision.
Savedra wrote that if the ordinances pass, the zoning on most of Broadway between Winona Street and Montrose in Uptown would be designated C1-5, permitting developments of up to 80 feet, typically five to seven stories high.
The upzoning proposal originally called for much of the rest of the corridor to receive the B3-5 zoning designation, which also allows for 80-foot-high buildings.
Streetsblog Chicago cofounder Steven Vance, who also manages the development data site Chicago Cityscape, previously calculated that about 18,000 new housing units would have been permitted on Broadway under the original plans for the zoning remix.
Block Club reported that the majority of Broadway from Devon to Foster would still become B3-5.
However, Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth noted that due to input from local residents and large lot sizes, the plan was modified to B3-3 zoning on the west side of Broadway between Balmoral and Foster (indicated in red on the above map).
As it stands, these parcels are largely occupied by parking lots.
B3-3 allows for ten feet less height than B3-5, capping at only 70 feet, which would lead to fewer housing units.
According to Savedra, many Edgewater locals expressed their support for the proposal at a February Chicago Plan Commission meeting, asserting that it would make it more affordable to live near transit.
46th Ward Director of Development and Infrastructure Jesse Orr informed her that over 75 percent of feedback received via calls, emails, and surveys favored the zoning change.
Chicago’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance mandates that every development that constructs or adds 10 or more units on a property must include affordable units.
Twenty percent of the new homes must be rented or sold at rates designated as affordable, ensuring that the units are accessible to middle-class Chicagoans, not just the relatively affluent.
However, not everyone is pleased about the prospect of Uptown and Edgewater becoming denser and more affordable.
Opponents have been vocal about their concerns regarding the issue.
Patricia Sharkey, President of ENN-NEON Block Club, which represents two enclaves in northern Edgewater, is one such opponent.
Sharkey published an op-ed titled “Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth faces crucial decision on Broadway upzoning” last month in the News-Star neighborhood newspaper, known for its anti-development stance.
Inside Publications, which publishes News-Star, has a long history of opposing affordable transit-oriented development, Neighborhood Greenway bike-pedestrian routes, and protected bike lanes.
Ronald Roenigk, publisher of Inside Publications and known for his contrarian views, has referred to himself as the “King of Nimbyland” in an email exchange with the author.
In his correspondence, he humorously claimed his friends refer to him by this nickname, which he proudly included on his business card.
“Haha!” I responded.
“Although I would argue that the average Edgewater denizen isn’t a NIMBY.
You folks are just a vocal minority, unfortunately with newsprint access.”
Yet, it is essential not to jump to conclusions about Sharkey’s perspective on affordable housing development on Broadway solely because of the context of her op-ed.
In her own words about the proposal, she expressed, “[Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth] faces fierce opposition from thousands of Edgewater residents whose neighborhoods include and border Broadway and who are calling for more study.”
However, this statement raises questions, as the entire Edgewater community area consists of approximately 56,000 residents.
Does Sharkey possess evidence that such a significant percentage of them firmly oppose the plan?
As for her claim regarding the need for more study of the proposal, there have already been around half a dozen meetings, a survey, and prior engagement from the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce and Uptown United.
This “not enough input” argument is a common tactic used by those against development.
People who are opposed find it more convenient to challenge the process than the actual outcomes of proposed changes.
Additionally, Sharkey asserted, “On the other side is the [Mayor Brandon] Johnson administration and affordable housing advocates from outside the community pushing a citywide agenda that could reshape Edgewater’s character forever.
The ball is now in the alderwoman’s court to decide whether she will listen to the voices of her constituents or continue to push forward with an outside agenda that may cause long-term harm to the Edgewater community.”
With a marked emphasis on defending neighborhood integrity, she lamented, “Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth’s unwavering support for the proposal, despite the overwhelming opposition from her constituents, raises concerns about her priorities.”
However, a report from Block Club Chicago contradicts her claims of “overwhelming opposition” based on their findings.
Following the publication of Sharkey’s op-ed, 48th Ward Chief of Staff Nicole Granacki reached out to Streetsblog to address the assertion of overwhelming opposition from Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth’s constituents.
Granacki shared, “We have published all of the feedback from the community about Broadway, and it’s clear that the community is in support.
We put all this on our blog.
Anyone can read the comments and see that most of the 1,600 neighbors that provided comments are in support, and out of the 447 pages of written comment submitted to the Plan Commission, there were 299 pages of support and 148 pages of concern.”
You can read Block Club Chicago’s article “Plan To Allow Taller Buildings, Boost Development On Broadway In Uptown, Edgewater Moves Forward” and Patricia Sharkey’s op-ed “Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth faces crucial decision on Broadway upzoning” for more context on this ongoing debate.
image source from：https://chi.streetsblog.org/2025/04/16/how-are-the-proposed-ordinances-for-upzoning-broadway-to-allow-more-transit-friendly-affordable-housing-playing-in-nimbyland
