Ridgeland Connect by maggieschafer3

RIDGELAND: CONNECT

UPP 557 | BERWYN

RIDGELAND: CONNECT

UPP 557 | BERWYN

Berwyn’s built environment is an occupation of Indigenous lands administered primarily by the Potawatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe Nations of the Council of the Three Fires.

These nations regularly traversed Berwyn through a network of trails that gave meaning and purpose to journeys and experiences. It is our intention with Ridgeland: Connect to honor the region’s first inhabitants and continue the legacvy of these connective networks by proposing informed, appropriate, and equitable interventions.

RIDGELAND: CONNECT

UPP 557 | BERWYN

RIDGELAND: CONNECT

UPP 557 | BERWYN

RIDGELAND: CONNECT

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Contents Executive Summary.............................................................................................. 9

Case Studies: Bronzeville, Chicago..................................................................... 61

BERWYN PROFILE

Case Studies: Washington St., Waukegan........................................................... 63

Land Acknowledgment........................................................................................ 10

Alternatives: Plaza Verde...................................................................................... 65

Introduction.......................................................................................................... 11

Alternatives: Cultural Corridor.............................................................................. 67

History.................................................................................................................. 11

Alternatives: Tiny Urbanism................................................................................. 68

Comprehensive Plan Analysis.............................................................................. 14

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Demographic Summary....................................................................................... 16

Overview............................................................................................................... 71

Economic Assessment......................................................................................... 20

The Street............................................................................................................. 74

Land Use & Zoning............................................................................................... 25

The Plaza.............................................................................................................. 78

Housing................................................................................................................ 27

The Cultural Gateway........................................................................................... 84

Transportation...................................................................................................... 30

The Alleys & Parking Lots..................................................................................... 87

Natural Environmental Assessment..................................................................... 32

PRINCIPLES, GOALS & STRATEGIES

Climate Change.................................................................................................... 35

Introduction.......................................................................................................... 94

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS

Principle: Environmental Sustainability & Resilience............................................ 96

Introduction.......................................................................................................... 36

Principle: Equity.................................................................................................... 99

TRANSECT CORRIDORS

Principle: Civic Unity.......................................................................................... 102

Introduction.......................................................................................................... 38

References:....................................................................................................... 105

16th Street Corridor.............................................................................................. 40 Cermak Road Corridor......................................................................................... 42 The Depot District................................................................................................ 46 Ridgeland Avenue Corridor.................................................................................. 48 EXPLORING RIDGELAND AVENUE Introduction.......................................................................................................... 50 Community Engagement Strategy....................................................................... 51 Ridgeland Economic Analysis.............................................................................. 54 Case Studies: Paseo Boricua............................................................................... 58 Case Studies: South Colton, CA.......................................................................... 60

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Figures

Maps

BERWYN PROFILE

1-1: Population Projection for Berwyn, 1990-2050.............................................. 16

1-1: Administrative Map..................................................................................12-13

1-2: Berwyn Racial and Ethnic Composition....................................................... 16

1-2: Percent of Population Hispanic or Latinx by Census Tract.......................... 17

1-3: Educational Attainment of Berwyn Residents, 2019.................................... 19

1-3: Berwyn by Median Household Income in USD by Census Tract, 2019....... 21

1-4: Berwyn Median Household Income, 2019.................................................... 20

1-4: Berwyn Current Land Use Classifications.................................................... 26

1-5: Largest Employment Sectors of Berwyn Residents..................................... 23

1-5: Berwyn Current Zoning Designations........................................................... 27

1-6: Berwyn In-Flow, Out-Flow, and Circularity of Jobs...................................... 22

1-6: Current Distribution of Housing Type............................................................ 29

1-7: Largest Employment Sectors in Berwyn....................................................... 24

1-7: Berwyn Transportation Network................................................................... 31

1-8: Common Modes of Transportation for Berwyn Residents........................... 30

1-8: Park Access by Acre Per 1,000 Residents in Berwyn.................................. 32

1-9: Air Quality Index for Berwyn, in Days........................................................... 33

1-9: Percentage Impervious Land Coverage in Berwyn by Watershed, 2018..... 34

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS

TRANSECT CORRIDORS

2-1: SWOT Analysis............................................................................................. 37

2-1: 16th Street Street Transect........................................................................... 40

TRANSECT CORRIDORS

2-2: Cermak Road Transect................................................................................. 42

3-1: 16th Street Street Section............................................................................. 41

2-3: The Depot District Transect.......................................................................... 46

3-2: Cermak Road Street Section........................................................................ 43

2-4: Ridgeland Avenue Transect.......................................................................... 48

3-3: The Depot District Street Section................................................................. 47 3-4: Ridgeland Avenue Street Section................................................................. 49 EXPLORING RIDGELAND AVENUE 4-1: Ridgeland Community Engagement Strategy Framework........................... 52 4-2: Model Participatory Planning Timeline......................................................... 53 4-3: Largest Vacant Spaces Available on Ridgeland Avenue.............................. 54 RIDGELAND: CONNECT 5-1: Team Berwyn Spatial Research Process...................................................... 74 5-2: Ridgeland Avenue Existing and Proposed Conditions Street Section......... 75 5-4: Types of Accessory Dwelling Units Common in Chicagoland Area.............. 89 PRINCIPLES, GOALS & STRATEGIES 6-1: Model of Ridgeland: Connect Principles & Goals......................................... 95

Tables EXPLORING RIDGELAND AVENUE 1-1: Business Types in Selected Ridgeland Avenue Corridor.............................. 55 1-2: Ridgeland Corridor Resident Expenditures by Category, 2021.................... 57 PRINCIPLES, GOALS & STRATEGIES............................................................ 96

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Meet the Team

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Executive Summary The City of Berwyn is an innerring Chicago suburb and an excellent example of the trending paradigm of socio-economic changes being experienced in suburbs across the US. Since 1990 Berwyn’s population has increased by 26% and with significant changes in racial composition. As the population is forecasted for continued growth into 2050, Berwyn will continue to experience a variety of opportunities and challenges on numerous fronts. Proactive and equitable spatial planning will largely dictate the future of Berwyn’s vitality. This report lays the framework for spatial interventions that will enhance one of Berwyn’s commercial corridors and can act as a roadmap to guide future interventions.

Ridgeland: Connect was completed under the guidance of Dr. April Jackson for the Fall 2021 UPP 557 Spatial Planning II: Methods course at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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Through an in-depth analysis of existing conditions and current plans, our team created a foundational knowledge of Berwyn which was utilized to inform future plans centered around the alteration of one commercial corridor. An exploration of the spatial conditions of four key transects areas potential for redevelopment was completed before selecting our final corridor. We explored: 16th Street, Cermak Avenue, the Depot District, and Ridgeland Avenue. With its C-1 zoning, North-South orientation, wide sidewalks and access to public

transit, we felt Ridgeland ave. would offer the great possibility for an influx of development. Our team developed and evaluated a series of alternatives, recommending changes to the Ridgeland ave. based on our understanding of current conditions, community assets, and strategic priorities. From defining the geography to exploring specific interventions, our choices were established by our guiding principles: Equity, Civic Unity, and Sustainability & Resilience and considerations of Covid-19. These principles address concerns of engaging minoritized communities, strategies to mitigate climate change effects and advance spatial interventions that promote the democratization of plurality through culture. A final concept- Ridgeland: Connect utilizes knowledge obtained from applicable case studies, comprehensive data on existing conditions, qualitative analysis of the residents’ behavioral consumption, and innovative ideas that can be sustained beyond the COVID-19 recovery to improve upon the spatial experiences of Ridgeland ave., and Berwyn as a whole.

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Introduction

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Located nine miles west of Chicago’s Loop, Berwyn, Illinois, is a commuter suburb famous for its blocks of historic, Chicagostyle bungalows1. Bordered by Oak Park to the north, Cicero to the east, Forestview to the south, and Riverside and North Riverside to the wast, Berwyn is home to 57,2462 residents. It is closely connected to the City of Chicago through a variety of transportation options and boasts a high density and pedestrian friendly environment that is more reminiscent of an urban neighborhood than conventional suburbs.

History

The land now known as the City of Berwyn was once home to frequently traversed Native American trails, including two significant routes that led to the Chicago portage.3 One of these trails – the Ottawa Trail – was developed into “Plank Road” in the 1840’s. Now called Ogden Avenue, Plank Road was made out of wooden planks to prevent vehicles’ wheels from getting stuck in the marshy ground.4 In 1856, Thomas Baldwin bought 347 acres in the southern section of Berwyn. Hoping to create a wealthy, aristocratic community, he invested heavily on the land, selling a parcel to the railway company and encouraging the construction of a local station in order to provide better access

Berwyn Profile Land Acknowledgement We recognize the unique and enduring relationship between Indigenous People and their traditional territories. We acknowledge that we are on the historic homeland of the Ojibwa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, and Miami peoples. Let this acknowledgement serve as a reminder of the ongoing need to recognize, honor, reconcile, and partner with the people whose land and water we benefit from today.

Pre-Colonial History Native Americans establish trails through present-day Berwyn.

1856 Thomas Baldwin buys 347 acres of land for an artistocratic suburb.

1880 Real estate developers subdivide land & Berwyn name is adopted.

1908 Berwyn is incorporated as a city after voting to separate from Cicero Township.

1920s Population boom catalyzes stricter zoning codes & ordinances, creating architectural appeal.

1992 Incidents of racism against new BIPOC residents highlight need for change.

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CITY OF BERWYN, ILLINOIS

ROOSEVELT AVE. ROOSEVELT AVE.

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KENILWORTH AVE. (6900) OAK PARK AVE. (6800)

(6900) KENILWORTH AVE. (6800) OAK PARK AVE.

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â One-way Traffic Locations C Cul-de-sac STREET LEGEND

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STREET LEGEND

1 Berwyn Metra Station & 2 Harlem Ave. Metra Station & 3 LaVergne Metra Station & SERVICES 4 MacNeal Hospital & 1 &5 Berwyn Metra Station & Post Office 2 Harlem Ave. Metra Station & 3 LaVergne Metra Station & 4 MacNeal Hospital & 5 Post Office &

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Freedom Park Baseball Alley Hessler Park Berwyn Gardens Hett Park Berwyn Recreation Department Janura Park Freedom Park Jefferson Park Field Hessler Park Karasek Park Hett Park Karban Dog Park Janura Park

11 Main Office "1 BSD 100 Office " 12 Liberty Cultural Center Morton West High School "2 Emerson School " 13 Mraz Park Parent Teacher Learning Center "3 Freedom Middle School " SCHOOLS 4 14 Proksa Park Havlicek School Pershing School " " 11 Kriz Skate Park Main Office "1 BSD 100 Office " 15 Pyrce Park Piper School "5 Heritage Middle School 12" Liberty Cultural Center "2 Emerson School " Morton West High School 6 16 Serenity Park Hiawatha Elmentary Prairie Oak School " " 13 Mraz Park Parent Teacher Learning Center "3 Freedom Middle School " 7 17 Smirz Park Irving School St. Leonard School " " 4 1 4 Proksa Park Pershing School " Havlicek- School MAYOR ROBERT""J. LOVERO 18 Sunshine Park St. Odilo School "8 Jefferson Elementary 15 Pyrce Park Piper School "5 Heritage Middle School " CITY 6CLERK MARGARET M. PAUL 19 Unity Park The Children's School "9 Komensky-School " 16 Serenity Park Prairie Oak School " Hiawatha Elmentary " 10 Lincoln Middle School " 7 7 1 Smirz Park Irving School St. Leonard School " " 18 Sunshine Park St. Odilo School "8 Jefferson Elementary " 19 Unity Park The Children's School "9 Komensky School " h ST.

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St. Michael & All Angels Church Oak Park Avenue Baptist Church St. Odilo St. Leonard's Church Trinity Community Church St. Mary of Celle Ukrainian Baptist Church St. Michael & All Angels Church United Lutheran Church St. Odilo Unity Lutheran Church Trinity Community Church Victory Outreach Chicago Ukrainian Baptist Church

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#1 Berwyn Public Library #2 Berwyn Pump House No 2 #3 FireBUILDINGS Station 1 CITY #4 Fire Station 2 #1 Berwyn Public Library #5 Fire Station 3, City Hall #2 Berwyn Pump House No 2 6 # Grove Parking Garage #3 Fire Station 1 #7 Police Department 4 # Fire Station 2 #8 Public Health District #5 Fire Station 3, City Hall #9 Public Works 6 # Grove Parking Garage #7 Police Department #8 Public Health District #9 Public Works

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CITY BUILDINGS Oak Park Avenue Baptist Church

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11 $ 12 Church of Christ $ Concordia Lutheran Church $ CHURCHES 13 14 Czechoslovakian Seventh-day Adventist Church $ 11 Christian Life Center $ 15 Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church $ 12 Church of Christ $ 16 Emmanuel Bible Church $ 13 Concordia Lutheran Church $ 17 First Baptist Church $ 14 Czechoslovakian Seventh-day Adventist Church $ 18 Grace Bible Church $ 15 Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church $ 19 New Life Community Church $ 16 Emmanuel Bible Church $ 20 North Berwyn Congregational Church $ 7 1 First Baptist Church $ 18 Grace Bible Church $ 19 New Life Community Church $

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At the turn of the 20th century, Berwyn and ordinances, leading to its distinctive, integrationist violence towards African avoided annexation into Chicago by voting bungalow-lined residential streets.6. American families moving into its white to separate from Cicero Township and Berwyn’s population growth fluctuated neighborhoods: in 1992 when a Jamaican become an independent village. By 1908 throughout the rest of the 20th century, family moved in, a neighbor set fire to their 7 it was incorporated into a city. At this time, while the turn of the century brought an house. In 1993, the police investigating 1st Ward 5th Ward PUBLIC LAND USE MAP Berwyn’s population boomed with an influx increase in younger, liberal, and LatinX case 2nd Wardthis 6th Ward were found to be displaying Nazi MAYOR ROBERT J. LOVERO 3rd Ward 7th Ward of Czechoslovakian, German, Polish, and populations. memorabilia in their headquarters.8 As 4th Ward 8th Ward CITY CLERK - MARGARET M. PAUL 1st Ward a result, 5th Ward Italian families; the population doubledPUBLIC LAND USE MAP the aforementioned population 2nd Ward 6th Ward from 1910 to 1920. During the 1920s, MAYOR - ROBERT J. LOVERO Unfortunately, one cannot examine shift7thhas posed both conflicts and learning 3rd Ward Ward 4th Ward 8th Ward when its population continued to boom, Berwyn’s history without noting its multiple opportunities. CITY CLERK - MARGARET M. PAUL Berwyn took on stringent zoning codes incidents of racism. It was the site of anti-

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Map 1-1: Administrative Map

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for townspeople.5 In 1880, this land was bought by a real estate syndicate, which subsequently subdivided and sold off sections. Developers of one subdivision fought for a railway station, which they named “Berwyn” after a scenic Philadelphia suburb they hoped to emulate. The name stuck as surrounding areas continued to develop.

PERSHING RD.

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parks and storm water management, it fails to recognize the conflicts that arise between growth management and environmental externalities.

Comprehensive Plan Analysis The City of Berwyn’s current comprehensive plan was adopted in August of 2012. The 2012 Plan was initiated and adopted to replace Berwyn’s 1993 comprehensive plan and economic development strategy which no longer addressed the city’s new challenges and trends of shifting demographics. The 2012 Plan includes seven key elements: Land use, Economic Development, Housing, Natural Resources, Transportation, Community Facilities, Image and Identity, along with implementation strategies for each area. Although the 2012 Plan maps out a complete range of city priorities, the majority of the document is chiefly focused on economic development and livability. While these are reasonable areas of concentration, the Plan leaves major gaps around environmental and economic sustainability, and equity. The focus on economic development and livability is evident within the Plan’s vision statement, which defines Berwyn

as a commuter city that aims to attract residents working in Chicago’s Loop. The Plan claims these residents — most of whom are newer to Berwyn — will enjoy relatively affordable housing prices as compared to Chicago, as well as great transportation to Chicago and a dense living environment. What is distinctly lacking in the 2012 Plan however, is the issue of gentrification, and specific policy points and strategies surrounding affordability are limited and vague. As noted in the introduction of the plan, Berwyn has indeed seen major demographic change since the previous 1993 Plan, yet despite this significant shift, the 2012 Plan does not discuss race, ethnicity, or income diversity of current residents. Given the socioeconomic differences between different groups, this shows a major gap in the equity side of sustainability. The Plan also lacks an honest acknowledgment of Berwyn’s capacity for environmental sustainability and resiliency. Although the Plan touches on Berwyn’s limited open green space and

The City of Berwyn has recently released a draft for their future comprehensive plan update, known as the 2020 Community Strategic Plan. The draft document provides an extensive report of the methodology used in citizen involvement in the development process, including data outcomes and analysis of resident feedback that will be used to identify priorities and assets for the final Plan. The draft document provides many key improvements from the 2012 plan, such as highlighting the importance of Berwyn’s shifting demographics and successfully executing the acknowledgment of racial tensions within the community. Based on this draft, it should be anticipated

Primary Focus & Key Gaps

that the final updated comprehensive plan will be largely improved upon. In addition to the Strategic Plan, the team reviewed the city’s Stormwater Management Plan from 2018. Supported by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Berwyn’s adoption of the plan improves upon the 2012 plan’s shortcomings regarding climate mitigation. The decision moves towards development requirements that work to reduce urban flooding, reduce stormwater runoff, and increase the capacity of the stormwater-sewage detention system. Included in the efforts are major utility upgrades to the Depot District and reconstruction projects for ten alleys. Ridgeland: Connect seeks to continue the momentum from these strategies that start addressing the original plan’s omissions.

Focus

Gap

Economic Development

Livability Future of affordability • Shifting Demographics • Gentrification

Housing Environmental Sustainability • Growth Management • Resilience

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Demographic Summary To familiarize our team with the meaningful changes occurring within the City of Berwyn, the demographic summary below aids in identifying the distinct characteristics of the city’s population. Population Berwyn’s population has been steadily increasing over the past 30 years. According to the 2020 U.S. Census report, Berwyn has a total population of 57,250, a 26% increase since 1990. Based on past growth patterns, Figure 1-1 shows a forecast of Berwyn’s population growth into 2050 (68, 346).

Figure 1-1: Population Projection for Berwyn, 1990 - 2050 Population Change Projected Population

Racial Makeup In addition to Berwyn’s growth in population, the city has also seen a major transformation in residential diversity. Figure 1-2 depicts the significant change in the racial make-up of Berwyn since 1990.9 Today Berwyn’s residential population is overwhelmingly Hispanic/ Latinx at 64.2%,followed by White (Non-Hispanic) at 23.4%, 8.5% Black/ African American, and 2.5% Asian.10

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Ethnicity Map Map 1-2 (below) shows the percentage of the total population of Berwyn that identifies as Hispanic or Latinx, represented through all ten census tracts. It can be seen that the highest percentages of the population live in the eastern tracts of Berwyn, as well as the far south side of the City. It is notable that in the tracts with the lowest percentage, the rate is still over 50%, which represents a fairly diverse community compared with the more homogenous tract with over 70% of the population identifying as Hispanic or Latinx. Map 1-2: Percent of Population Hispanic or Latinx by Census Tract

Legend: Percent Hispanic or Latinx 51.2% - 51.6% 51.7% - 57.8% 57.9% - 58.6% 58.7% - 66.7% 66.8% - 74.1% 74.2% - 78%

Figure 1-2: Berwyn Racial and Ethnic Composition

Black or African American Asian Hispanic or Latinx White

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Age The median age of Berwyn’s residents is 35.1 years, an overall increase of 7% since 1990.11 While the median age of Berwynian’s has incrementally increased, the population remains slightly younger compared to Chicago metro region and Cook County residents. The share of Berwyn’s residents 50 years and above is just over a quarter of the population (27.6%), however these residents are an important part of the community and should be highly considered in the planning process.12 Households As shown in the graph below, 32.7% of Berwyn’s households house 4 or more persons, which is considerably higher in comparison to Cook County and Chicago metropolitan statistical region.13 Berwyn’s average household size, 2.9 persons, has seen an increase of 6.2% from 2000.14

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Education The educational attainment of the city of Berwyn’s adult population (25 and over) can be seen in Figure 1-3 below. The population of residents having received a bachelor’s degree or above (22.6%) is below the Cook County and Chicago metro averages (38.8% and 39.6%), as well as the average level of educational achievement for the state of Illinois of 35.8%.15 Figure 1-3: Educational Attainment of Berwyn Residents, 2019

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Economic Assessment To understand the state of Berwyn’s economic conditions, the data given in this section provides an overview by identifying local economic trends related to employment and household incomes.

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Map 1-3: Berwyn by Median Household Income in USD by Census Tract, 2019

Legend: Income and Poverty As seen in Figure 1-4, Berwyn’s median household income was $62,758 in 2019, just slightly lower than the Cook County median of $69,429. This is much lower than neighboring Oak Park ($94,646) and Riverside ($111,657), but higher than Cicero ($51,814).16 In 2019, 12.8% of Berwyn’s population was below the poverty line, which is similar to the rest of Cook County, where 13% of the population fell below the poverty line.17

Oak Park $94,646 Berwyn $62,758 Cook County $69,429

Cicero $51,814

Median Household Income $47,025 $52,819 $55,156 $58,475

Riverside $111,657

$60,395 $64,464 $70,917 $73,750 $74,676

Figure 1-4: Berwyn Median Household Income, 2019

$76,735

Household Income by Area Map 1-3 (right) illustrates median household income in Berwyn by census tract. The census tract with the highest median household income is located in the far northwest of the community near the border with Oak Park and Forest Park. Generally, the areas with the highest median household income also have a large presence of single family homes.

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Employment The largest number of Berwyn residents are employed in educational services, and health care and social assistance (19.4%); followed by arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services. The majority of residents leave the City for their work, with many (35.8%) employed in the City of Chicago.18 Berwyn has an unemployment rate of 9.3%, which is slightly higher than the Cook County unemployment rate

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of 8.8%. Figure 1-5 proportions these sectors on the following page. As illustrated in the Figure 1-6 below, the largest share of Berwyn residents (35.8%) are employed in the City of Chicago. Berwyn has more residents leaving the City for work than residents coming in, which is in line with their status as a bedroom community. 19 These community names below are proportioned according to their share of employment.

Figure 1-6: Berwyn In-Flow, Out-Flow, and Circularity of Jobs

Figure 1-5: Largest Employment Sectors of Berwyn Residents

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Land Use & Zoning This section provides a brief analysis of current land use and zoning in Berwyn and can be used as a tool to better understand how the land in the community is currently being utilized, and how to better plan for the future.

Figure 1-7: Largest Employement Sectors in Berwyn Within Berwyn, however, the circularity of jobs is contextualized alongside the city’s largest employment sectors, shown in Figure 1-7 (above). The majority of jobs in Berwyn are in healthcare and social assistance, which is unsurprising given the presence of the MacNeal hospital, a 347-bed hospital located in the center of the city. This industry’s location quotient is a staggering 4.3 when compared to the rest of Cook County. In a distant second and third are accommodation and food services, and retail, which both have location quotients of slightly under 1.20 It is worth noting Berwyn’s 2012 Comprehensive Plan called for promotion of the healthcare sector, however, through community engagement it was discovered that the acquisition of MacNeal Hospital by Loyola, a tax-exempt non-profit, has

led the City to focus more on growing its accommodations and food services and retail trade sectors. In 2017 Berwyn had 102 retail trade establishments that employed 1273 people and grossed $258,498,000 in revenues and 111 accommodation and food services establishments that employed 1977 people and grossed $113,943. This shows a rather strong presence of both of the sectors; in fact, the presence of both of these sectors is very similar to neighboring Oak Park, which is often lauded for its many successful food and retail focused establishments. Many of these jobs are located along Cermak Avenue in Cermak Plaza, a strip mall hosting big box stores. Smaller, local businesses are scattered across the City, however, they make up a smaller portion of businesses overall.

Land Use The land use map of Berwyn (Map 1-4) reveals that the majority of the land in the City is designated to single family homes. There are multiple commercial corridors in the City that feature extensive retail uses, such as Roosevelt Road, Cermak Avenue, and Harlem Avenue. Also notable is the relatively large campus of Morton West High School, which abuts a shopping center along Cermak and Harlem. This map reveals that there are relatively few parks and open spaces within the City, as it is completely built out. Resident’s access to parks is discussed in more detail later in this report. Multifamily residential uses are frequently clustered together, especially in North Berwyn, with smaller clusters being found in South Berwyn. Zoning It can be seen in Map 1-5 that residential zoning classifications comprise the majority of the City of Berwyn. The most restrictive zoning classes of R-1 and R-2 are also the most common, with multi-family zoning areas R-3 being relatively more common than R-4. The R-2 zoning district designates the historical Berwyn Bungalow zones, which are a source of pride in the community. There is also an area of relatively dense commercial zoning designations in the downtown depot district. Finally, it can be seen that there are two areas of railroad tracks that cut through the City, with both freight and passenger service.

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Map 1-4: Berwyn Current Land Use Classifications

Map 1-5: Berwyn Current Zoning Designations

Legend:

Land Use Type

Zoning Type

Agriculture Civic Facilities Commercial Recreation

Education Hospitals

C-1 Neighborhood Mixed-Use District C-2 Traditional Mixed-Use District C-3 Depot Mixed-Use District

Industrial

C-4 Corridor Commercial District

Mixed-Use

I Industrial District

Multifamily

P Public Areas District

Office

R-1 Single-Family Residence District

Other

R-2 Bungalow District

Parks & Recreation Retail Commercial Single Family Transportation & Utilities

R-3 Two-Family Residence District R-4 Multi-Family Residence District Rail

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is slightly higher than the average for Cook County.27

Housing Berwyn’s existing housing is a source of pride for the community. The diversity in architectural housing typology— including Victorians and bungalows— contributes to the city’s affordability. This section explores tenancy rates, as well as household sizes, costs, and type. Stock This historic housing stock is a critical component of Berwyn’s landscape; with nearly 60% of all housing predating 193921, tension between upgraded amenities and historic preservation exists. Single-family housing comprises 46% of the city’s housing type. Nonetheless, the multifamily inventory, aggregating buildings with 2-4 units and 5 or more units, has a majority share of 51%.22 Condominiums account for the remaining 3% of housing.23 Two- and three-bedroom housing units are most common at 63.4% of the share.24 Occupancy Despite a drop in available housing between 2010 and 2019, Berwyn’s occupancy has risen in that time to 91.6%, or 17,869 units.25 The majority of units are owner-occupied, but the city has become more renter-oriented in the past decade with 42% of units housing renters.26 These conditions may have allowed for a stabilization in household size. Additionally, Berwyn households average 2.9 people, which

Value The value of owner-occupied housing has risen dramatically since 2000. In 2000, owner-occupied units were worth an average $132,900.28 Today, Berwyn’s homeowners can expect a median value of $211,700.29 This brings about concerns regarding gentrification. Map 1-6: Current Distribution of Housing Type

Legend: Housing Type Multifamily Single-Family Attached Single-Family Detached

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Housing Type Distribution The map below shows the distribution of housing types throughout Berwyn by parcel. The majority of land in Berwyn is dedicated to lots with single-family homes. In addition, there are clusters of multi-family housing around the city, with the largest concentration in the north central area. Single-family attached homes are present but are the least common housing type in the City of Berwyn.

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Transportation Berwyn’s convenient location offers its residents a multi-modal connection on rail and road to the Chicago area. Public transit opportunities are accessible to the community in the form of consistent CTA and PACE bus routes (see Map 1-7), as well as Metra rail lines. These connections put 100% of Berwyn commuters in the “High” transportation availability index, a rating that surpasses the city of Chicago.30

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Map 1-7: Berwyn Transportation Network

Built in the grid form, Berwyn has a well-connected network of sidewalks that provide an opportunity for pedestrian friendly environments within residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. However, safe pedestrian experiences are limited in some areas due to street widths and traffic speed and lack of bike lanes, which may discourage walking and bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation.31 Mode According to CMAP 97.9% of the Berwyn residents commute to work, with the majority relying on individual automobiles as their primary mode of transportation. As shown below, 69.8% of residents report driving alone along with 12.1% who carpool, while only 11.8% use public transit, and 3% walk or bike.32 In 2017 Berwyn residents average annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per household was 16,345, 15% above the Cook County average.

Figure 1-8: Common Modes of Transportation for Berwyn Residents

Legend:

CTA Bus 91

CTA Blue Line

CTA Bus 21

CTA Green Line

Pace Bus 305

CTA Pink Line

Pace Bus 302

Metra Rail

Pace Bus 315

Freight Rail

Pace Bus 307

Interstates

Pace Bus 311

Berwyn Boundary

Pace Bus 304

Unincorporated

Pace Bus 322 Greenways

Metra Stations

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Map 1-8: Park Access by Acre Per 1,000 Residents in Berwyn

Tree Inventory Berwyn’s tree population is an important natural resource that provides essential environmental, aesthetic, and economic benefits to the community. Tree planting and care promotes a steady population of healthy trees which bring benefits to the current and future residents of Berwyn. According to Berwyn’s Department of Urban Forestry 2013 report, the city has a total of 12,981 public trees, which provide an annual environmental contribution calculated at approximately $2,315,175, with an appraised value of $20.6 million dollars.33 However, due to the large number of Ash trees (12.3%) which are highly susceptible to disease - Berwyn’s current inventory of mature trees to date may have diminished significantly.

Legend: <1 acre per 1,000 people 1 - 4 acres per 1,000 people 4 - 10 acres per 1,000 people

Natural Environmental Assessment This section provides information on Berwyn’s open space, green infrastructure, and air quality. Understanding the existing conditions of Berwyn’s natural environment and connection to environmental resources will help to identify opportunities or issues that may impact the city’s sustainability and overall resilience in the face of climate change. Parks & Open Space Berwyn has very few parks and open green spaces, as demonstrated by Map 1-8. The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) has a standard of 10 acres of open space for every 1,000 residents, and according to CMAP, the vast majority of Berwynians have less than one acre of park space per 1,000 people, with a small section of the southeast having between four and ten acres of parks and open green spaces per 1,000 residents.36 While this is the highest acreage of parks per 1,000 people in Berwyn, many neighboring municipalities, such as

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Figure 1-9: Air Quality Index for Berwyn, in Days.

Oak Park and North Riverside, have much higher figures. Parks and green spaces contribute greatly to the overall quality of life and provide important environmental benefits. It is critical that Berwyn create programs and policies that support the efficient use of acreage to conserve the already limited number of green spaces, as well as promote the transformation of brown and greyfield properties.

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Air Quality Index As seen below, the average annual air quality in Berwyn is 56-moderate, on the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale from 0-500 (AQI over 300 is considered hazardous).34 The most common air pollutants in the area are particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and Ozone(O3), both of which are created from the burning of fossil fuels, however, O3 is perpetuated by what is known as urban heat island effect. 35Berwyn is susceptible to PM2.5 and O3 due to major traffic arteries lacking tree canopy, impermeable surface, and its geographic positioning.

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Impervious Surfaces The map below shows the percentage of ground surfaces that are impervious in Berwyn by watershed. The majority of Berwyn’s land cover is over 60% impervious surfaces, with the south west corner of the city falling into the 25-60% impervious category.37 These high levels of impervious surfaces have a severe and direct impact on flooding issues in the city. Reducing these rates by introducing permeable pavements and green infrastructure can help reduce the flooding issues experienced in the city by reducing the number of impervious areas. Climate Change Recent models by the IPCC and NOAA suggest the Chicago region, including Berwyn, will see an increase in extreme temperatures and greater variation in annual precipitation, with wetter wet years and drier dry years. By 2100, climate scientists project annual precipitation increases of between four to fourteen inches under a business-asusual scenario, and three to nine inches if C02 level are drastically reduced.38

Map 1-9: Percentage Impervious Land Coverage in Berwyn by Watershed, 2018 Legend: 25 - 60% Impervious Surfaces > 60% Impervious Surfaces

Flooding Berwyn is flat, densely developed, with little permeable surface. Additionally, Berwyn lacks greenspace and tree canopy. These factors limit Berwyn’s resiliency in the face of climate change. Urban flooding is a significant concern for Berwyn residents. Impervious surfaces created by rooftops, parking lots, and streets increase the risk of urban flooding by preventing water from being absorbed into the soil and generating stormwater runoff. 39 Precipitation and storm intensity due to climate change will place increased strain on the Berwyn’s combined sewer system, and continue to put vulnerable residents, businesses, and infrastructure at risk of flooding. Many Berwyn neighborhoods have high concentrations of households that are more economically vulnerable

to environmental hazards. Areas with high concentrations of low-income households, and minority or limited English proficiency populations are often at a greater risk of experiencing serious social, economic, and environmental impacts from these events.40 Urban Heat Island Effect Due to the prevalence of impervious surfaces in the City of Berwyn and surrounding communities, the area experiences a significant urban heat island effect. This phenomenon occurs when impervious surfaces—including streets, parking lots, rooftops, and other paved surfaces—heat up during the day, and remain warm long throughout the night.41 In northeastern Illinois, areas with greater than 50% impervious surface have been found to be five to six degrees warmer than the regional average.42 In Berwyn, the effect is felt in the form of elevated temperatures on streets and sidewalks. In the coming years Berwyn is expected to see increases in both average annual temperatures and the number of very hot days.43 Not only can these extreme temperatures have health impacts on sensitive populations but may also affect local businesses relying on pedestrian traffic, particularly in areas with high amounts of imperviousness and little tree canopy.

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• • • • • •

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats Introduction The densest community in Illinois, Berwyn’s landscape quickly produces a multitude of conditions for further analysis. An overview of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats yeilds awareness of the issues that planners can help mitigate, facilitate, and correct. These points also emerge as identifiers of Berwyn corridors that are ripe for spatial interventions.

• • • • • • • •

Local job growth Decline in several sectors Low educational attainment Residential to Commercial ratio Auto-dependence Flooding vulnerabilities Unattractive streets & commercial areas Limited economic development capacity

• • • •

Geographic location Access to Downtown Chicago Density Affordable real estate Attractive neighborhoods Cultural Diversity

North/South community tension Climate change effects Availability of developable land Reliance on outside communities for employment • Gentrification and inequitable residential growth management

Spillover growth from Chicago Walkability - 15 minute city Vertical growth Cultural diversity

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Transect Corridors Introduction To better understand the spatial conditions of the Berwyn, we created transects of four commercial corridors. For various reasons, we felt each of these corridors, which are located throughout the City, presented an interesting opportunity for redevelopment. By exploring these corridors on a detail level through aerial and street view photos, a street section, as well as 3D massing models. The four transects are presented on the following four spreads.

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16th Street A multiple-use neighborhood corridor.

Cermak Road A critical shopping destination.

The Depot District The city’s downtown.

Ridgeland Avenue A north-south connector.

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16th Street Corridor What is it? 16th Street is an east-west street in northern Berwyn with a range of uses and zoning designations along its entirety.

Legend:

Existing Conditions

Multifamily

Education

Single-Family

Office

Hospitals

Other

Industrial

Civic Facilities

Parks & Recreation

Mixed Use

Commerical Rec.

Transect Type

Zoning

Most of this selected corridor is zoned C-1, which is the Neighborhood MixedUse District. This use district allows for a variety of uses including residential with both single family and multi-family, as well as commercial, office, and mixed-use applications. There is a minimum lot size of 3,000 square feet with a minimum lot width of 25 feet, along with a 10-foot setback requirement for single family and two family uses and a 15-foot maximum setback for multi-family and non-residential uses. Additionally, there is a maximum height of 45 feet, or three stories in this use district, which greatly restricts the potential size of buildings in such a dense municipality.

Retail - Commercial

Within the chosen corridor of 16th St there are also several parcels that are zoned P for Public Areas District. This use is established to accommodate public serving uses, such as governmental, educational, cultural, recreational, and community facilities throughout the City. Within this corridor, public uses include a public park and a fire station. Along the eastern section of 16th street the majority of the parcels are zoned for single family residential uses.

Much of 16th street falls under the T4 category of General Urban Zone, with higher densities of single-family homes, and multifamily residential within the area, along with pockets of commercial uses along 16th street in the C-1 district.

Public Transportation

16th St is not served by public transportation such as Pace Busses. The ROW width is 60 feet, with the vast majority of that width being dedicated to driving lanes and parking lanes, with nine-foot sidewalks on the south side of the street and ten feet of sidewalk and parkway on the north side of the street.

Why are we interested in rethinking it: The corridor of 16th St. was selected because it represents a good variety of uses that are present in Berwyn. Additionally, 16th St. is one of the few streets that includes areas zoned for the C-1 district. This corridor is also one that holds opportunities for the north Berwyn community in regard to economic opportunities as well as access to essential goods without having to travel long distances. There are differences in the permitted zoning uses and the existing land use, with much of the street allowing commercial activities, and most of the property along the street being utilized for residential purposes. Furthermore, the blocks to the north and south of 16th street are almost exclusively residential.

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Cermak Road Corridor What is it? Cermak Road is the primary east-west artery for Berwyn that holds sociopolitical influence from being the dividing line between north and south areas of the city.

Legend:

Existing Conditions Zoning

Spanning the entire city width, all but one parcel on Cermak are zoned as C-2 Traditional Mixed-Use District. The one remaining parcel is designated P Public Areas District and is where a post office is located. The C-2 zoning allows for standard mixed-use developments that host retail and commercial services on the ground level and primarily multi-family housing on upper floors. As with other Berwyn corridors, the minimum lot area for C-2 is 3,000 square feet, with minimum lot widths of 25 feet and 10-foot front and corner side setbacks. Height is limited to 65 feet and five stories and street frontage must cover 75%, at minimum. There are currently no buildings that surpass or meet this limit.

Most exemplary mixed-use buildings along Cermak are two- and three-story multifamily structures.

Transect Type

Cermak Road is a contained example of an evolving transect. Parcels along the road are seemingly transitioning from typical T4 General Urban Zone to T5 Urban Center Zone urban form classifications. Both identify mixed-uses, but T5 areas identify places of slightly higher density of uses, including retail, apartments, wider sidewalks, and buildings with small setbacks—common for Cermak Road. Other parts of Cermak, however, including its cross-streets and alleyway sections, are more T4, identified by primarily residential uses with single-family houses, rowhouses, and smaller apartment buildings. Cermak

Retail - Commercial

Multifamily

Education

Single-Family

Office

Hospitals

Other

Industrial

Civic Facilities

Parks & Recreation

Mixed Use

Commerical Rec.

Plaza represents the corridor’s only SD Special District zone on the transect. This area is characterized by nonconforming setbacks, parking areas, and large parcels that accommodate high traffic volumes with special purpose. Framing these areas are Berwyn’s residential districts, mostly T3 Sub-Urban Zones that are low-density and walkable. Transportation Both CTA and Pace bus routes service the corridor throughout. The 21 CTA bus transports riders from Mercy Hospital in Chicago’s South Loop to North Riverside Mall. The 322 Pace bus provides regular service from the 54th/Cermak CTA Pink Line stop in Cicero to Yorktown Center in Lombard.

Landmarks/Physical Characteristics By far, the largest parcel along Cermak is on its far west end, containing Cermak Plaza, a large big-box strip mall with several parking spaces that form a continual retail complex with the neighboring North Riverside Plaza and North Riverside Park Mall across Lombard Street. Cermak Plaza occupies the equivalent of four frontage blocks. Parcel sizes range along the street, with some blocks with ten frontage parcels and others where parcels have grown to occupy up to 80% of the available street frontage. Cermak Road has an inconsistent design standard for its right of way. Its west end intersection with Harlem Avenue is vehicle-dominant to accommodate six-

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Cermak Road Corridor lane traffic into Cermak Plaza; it is sparsely landscaped fnd lacks pedestrian-oriented interventions like sidewalk bump-outs, as on other streets. Drivers park in parallel spots. On the other end of Cermak Road, however, the intersection with Lombard Avenue features only four lanes of traffic and small businesses abutting the sidewalk. The median and sidewalks are landscaped and offer designed bumpouts, public benches, and even bicycle racks. The disruption in street design happens at Wesley Avenue, with each version of the right of way comprising about 50% of the Berwyn width. The Wesley-Cermak intersection is modeled in the transect visualization.

Why are we interested in rethinking it...

Cermak Road represents an interesting binary of Berwyn development. The corridor was selected because of its importance

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Satellite View of Four Transects as a commercial avenue and a major connector to Chicago and other suburbs. Community outreach also factored into the decision, with stakeholders describing the street’s transformation via Cermak Plaza’s development as an economic development success story. Once the location of a dedicated TIF district, Berwyn’s confidence in Cermak’s west end prompted the expiration of it and the evolution into a new TIF district with Harlem Avenue. Now, per the Berwyn Development Corporation, the community’s interest is in funneling tax revenues into improvements on Cermak’s east end—the irony being, however, that alternative views of “improved” show an uncertain standard for Cermak Road.

16th Street Corridor

Cermak Road Corridor

The Depot District

Ridgeland Avenue Corridor

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The Depot District What is it? Located along three Metra line stops, the Depot District presents a compact downtown filled with office, commercial, retail, and residential spaces. The District is home to Berwyn’s biggest employer, MacNeal Hospital, as well as multiple local businesses, all located in a walkable quarter.

Legend:

Existing Conditions

Transect Type

The central Depot District is T-5: Urban Center transect type, as it provides a mix

Multifamily

Education

Single-Family

Office

Hospitals

Other

Industrial

Civic Facilities

Parks & Recreation

Mixed Use

Commerical Rec.

within Berwyn’s grid system, there is not a large amount of automobile traffic as no major thoroughfares run through it. Further, traffic of all kinds is often interrupted by trains at railroad crossings.

Zoning

The Depot District has its own zoning: C-3 (commercial depot district). This zoning aims to foster development that is higher-intensity, mixed-used, and pedestrian-oriented. It allows for a range of uses including retail, service, office, and institutional. Design requirements for C-3 set a minimum lot width of 25 feet, and do not permit setbacks larger than 5 feet. The commercial depot district is surrounded by r1 (single family), r3 (two-family residence), and r4 (multi-family residential) zoning.

Retail - Commercial

of high-density uses. This sits adjacent to the MacNeal Hospital. Tapering away from these areas is land use that would qualify as T-4: General Urban transect type.

Transportation

As its name suggests, the Depot District is centered around a train station; the area is served by the BNSF Metra line, which takes commuters from Chicago to Aurora. While the Depot District is connected by roads

Landmarks & Physical Characteristics

The Depot District features historic buildings dating back to the early days of the railway. The MacNeal Hospital and multiple other medical facilities are situated on the District’s west side. Stanley Ave, the street surrounding the Metra, consists of sidewalks, parking spaces, and twoland roads that border either side of the train tracks. Sidewalks and train mediums feature little landscaping, and roads and streets are wider than their uses necesitate.

Why we are interested in rethinking it… While the Depot District’s pedestrianfriendly form and connectedness to transit create potential for a vibrant downtown, its excess of parking spaces, empty or underutilized storefronts, and expanses of pavement make it seem desolate. Our community engagement revealed that, while investments had been made into the District, there was a lack of cohesive planning around the vision for the area. Thus we see the potential benefit that a focused vision may bring.

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Ridgeland Avenue Corridor What is it? The Ridgeland Avenue corridor that stretches from 26th – 29th street is one of Berwyn’s few neighborhood mixed-use districts (C-1), and the only C-1 corridor that runs north and south. Because of the uses permitted in the C-1 district, this corridor holds a local feel with small businesses.

Legend:

The C-1 district allows commercial, mixeduse, and office uses, as well as a variety of residential uses. The zoning requirements do not impose a minimum setback for commercial/retail builds and only require a setback of 10 feet for single-family and two-family uses, with a maximum of 15ft, and a maximum height for any structure of 45 feet or three stories. Design requirements for non-residential and multifamily developments call for 50% minimum street frontage, minimum transparency of 35% of street-facing facades between 2 feet and 8 feet above grade, and principal

Multifamily

Education

Single-Family

Office

Hospitals

Other

Industrial

Civic Facilities

Parks & Recreation

Mixed Use

Commerical Rec.

Landmarks & Physical Characteristics

Existing Conditions Zoning

Retail - Commercial

entrances to provide front or corner side façade. Additionally, the C-1 districts do not require minimum onsite parking. The stretch of Ridgeland ave

Transec Type

While Ridgeland Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to 26th would be considered T-3 of the transect zones, the 26th-29th st. corridor moves into the T-4 and T-5 zones.

Transportation Ridgeland is served by the 315 PACE bus.

The public right of way on this section of Ridgeland total 66’. This width offers twoway traffic and adequate space for parking on both sides of the street while maintaining a pedestrian-friendly streetscape. The 15ft sidewalks widths provide ample space for businesses and restaurants contribute to a lively pedestrian environment with outdoor patios or sidewalk pop-ups, as well as green scaping enhancements.

Why we are interested in rethinking it… With its current zoning status, this corridor offers great possibility for an influx of development and is poised to

become a vibrant destination. Being a north and south street served by the 315 PACE bus route, Ridgeland ave. feeds directly into the hopeful Depot District, providing an opportunity for corridor connection that can foster a junction of economic and community development.

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uiz R ia

Anthony B e

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et tM

Community Engagement Strategy

Exploring Ridgeland Avenue Introduction Our team decided on Ridgeland Avenue through a deductive analysis of Berwyn that began with an assessment of the city’s existing conditions. Through our community engagment and our own determinations, we researched three additional corridors, but selected Ridgeland for its north-south orientation, its mixed-uses including Latinx-owned businesses, and a sense of it as an emergent connector. From here, we narrowed down our research to qualitatively study the Avenue.

Suburbs across the United States are growing increasingly diverse, bringing major demographic and socio-economics changes; the city of Berwyn is an exemplary model of this trending paradigm. To ensure a good quality of life for all Berwyn residents, the city planning process must prioritize the publics’ participation through all phases of plan development. A strong engagement and participatory strategy will provide a space to reach across cultural differences while encouraging inclusive opportunities to build on the values and assets of all Berwyn residents.44

Preliminary Community Engagement

Our team developed an initial engagement strategy to inform next steps in our project goals. Our first step was to identify community groups and stakeholders that have significant insights into Berwyn’s values and assets from which to inform our team’s project goals and development concepts. After thoroughly brainstorming and reviewing lists of potential consultants we chose to meet with four community stakeholders: Alicia Ruiz, Berwyn’s 6th ward alderperson, resident, and fellow MUPP. Brett Michaelson, the Director of Economic Development and Planning Services for the Berwyn Development Corporation (BDC), Anthony Belcaster,

st e r

ic ha elso n Do

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Al ic

m i ni c B

a community banker and member of the BDC Board, and Dominic Belcaster, CUPPA’s own Graduate Advisor but who grew up and spent many formative years in Berwyn. We chose these four individuals as we felt they were representatives of the greater community. Michaelson works with the business community and the city and is directly keyed into economic development and planning strategies. In addition to being a Latinx resident and an urban planner, as an elected official Ruiz provided critical insight on what is important to her constituents. Finally, Anthony was chosen for his knowledge as a life-long Berwyn resident and involvement in community development. To build on our engagement process we developed a list of key questions to lead with during these meeting sessions. While communicating our intended purpose, we aimed to foster collaborative discussions and acquire crucial feedback that was taken into consideration to build on our team’s objectives and implementation plans. Additionally, our team made four site visits where we conducted a walking and windshield survey, and attended two community round tables hosted by the BDC.

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Figure 4-1: Ridgeland Community Engagement Strategy Framework

SpanishLanguage Resources

Public Meetings

Community Surveys

Future Community Engagement

The following outline details future strategies to enhance public engagement as to thoroughly execute a communityled redevelopment plan. These strategies would ideally be implemented over a

Placemaking Events

•

Select meetings will be conducted in Spanish for Hispanophone communities, including adapted materials and presentations. • Translated materials will be available at each meeting. • If possible, meetings can be held at Latinx community spaces, such as religious centers, schools, or restaurants.

•

Community Surveys • A community survey will build upon the past survey distributed during the 2020 planning process. Attempt to rectify the identified shortcomings of the previous survey to get a better distribution of respondents from the community, more accurately representing the population. • Surveys will be distributed via direct mail, online, and through community engagement events. Participation at Community Events • At events such as festivals, our team will interact with community members to: • get more responses to the survey. • provide community members with information about the planning process and how they can get involved.

12-month period. •

Community Meetings • Meetings will be held at multiple times, dates, and locations to allow for as many participants to attend as possible; an online session for those who are unable to attend in person will also be held. • Meetings will include the following activities: • Participant sharing of what they like about the community, what they think is going well etc, as well as areas that they think need improvement • Charrettes in which participants use models to represent what the corridor would look with in various iterations and potential outcomes. • Brainstorming of ideas for how to improve the corridor by leveraging those assets based on identified community strengths and assets. • Creation of elected advisory committee

•

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Figure 4-2 shows a potential structure for which these strategies will be guided will fall as a timeline.

Figure 4-2: Model Participatory Planning Timeline

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Ridgeland Economic Analysis The following section provides an economic analysis of the residents, businesses, and land of the Ridgeland Avenue Corridor, spanning from 26th Street to the railroad underpass and extending one block to the east and west of the Avenue. Areas of focus include vacancy rates and building availability, establishments by industry, and resident profiles, expenditures, and income. Vacancies & Building Availability There are currently 65,522 square feet of vacant space on Ridgeland Ave., which comprises about 15% of the total vacant square footage in Berwyn. Ridgeland Ave. has the secondhighest quantity of vacant spaces next to the Cermak corridor, which holds 25% of Berwyn’s vacancies. As such, Ridgeland is classified as having low health when compared to the rest of the municipality.

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Figure 4-3: Largest Vacant Spaces Available on Ridgeland Avenue

2723 Ridgeland Ave.

There are 460,613 square feet of commercial space available on Ridgeland Avenue. The three largest vacant commercial properties are: 3000 Ridgeland Ave 60,000 — SF Former Physician’s Records 2721 Ridgeland Ave — 2922 SF 2723 Ridgeland Ave — 1600 SF

3000 Ridgeland Ave.

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Table 1-1: Business Types in Selected Ridgeland Avenue Corridor Business Establishments The selected area surrounding the Ridgeland Avenue Corridor is home to 18 businesses, with 89 employees employed within the area. The below table outlines the existing business establishments in the area. Of the existing establishments, the largest number (22.2%) are within the “Other Services” sector, followed by Food Services & Accommodation (16.7%) and Construction (16.7%).45 The latter two sectors employ the largest number of employees in the area. This differs from the rest of Berwyn, where health care & social assistance make up the largest number of jobs; the large presence of food service & accommodation makes sense given the neighborhood commercial nature of the corridor. Considering the relatively large presence of retail trade establishments in Berwyn, it is somewhat surprising that a commercial corridor such as Ridgeland Avenue only has one retail trade establishment.

Resident Characteristics The selected geography is home to 189 households comprising 537 people as of 2021.46 The median household income in the area is $62,710 in 2021, which is very similar to the median household income of Berwyn as a whole ($62,758). It is worth noting, however, that the area is abounded by census tracts with both higher median household incomes ($74,676) and lower median household incomes ( $47,025). As such, providing activities that accommodate residents of all income levels is especially important in this corridor. Tapestry Segmentation by Esri 47 Demographics is a method of classifying residents by socioeconomic agency and demographic composition, and applying qualitative characteristics of expenditure behavior to generalized groups. It is a detailed description of neighborhoods in the United States that taxonomizes the population into 68 distinct segments. These are further considered along LifeMode Groups and Urbanization Groups, that consider different spatial and identity characteristics.

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Along the Ridgeland Avenue corridor, two Tapestry Segmentations are represented: Diverse Convergence (13A) and Urban Villages (7B). Within the designated area of .04 square miles, these two profiles account for 99.5% of the Ridgeland Alternatives Area. This geography represents 1.02% of all Berwyn households, as well as 2.38% of Berwyn’s Diverse Convergence households and 1.11% of Berwyn’s Urban Villages households. Diverse Convergence Characteristics Diverse Convergence households indicate dense urban areas with plural experiences. The majority proportion of these households tend to be Hispanic or non-Hispanic White. On average, a household’s size is just over 3 persons with a median household income of $46,500. Diverse Convergence families are young–a median age of 32.8. The segment’s family structures are varied; many are multigenerational households

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or married couples and single parents. 40% of the Diverse Convergence population are immigrants, and 20% of households have at least one family member who does not speak English. As such, Spanish-language news, media, and entertainment is very popular. There is a 67% rate of employment participation for these households that fuels a hard-working consumption lifestyle. They take jobs in service industries or building maintenance, but some may have traditional white collar jobs. While the “median household income is lower, home values are higher, reflecting the metropolitan areas in which they live,” (Esri). Even so, Diverse Convergence households have limited resources for investing, to save, and other financial options. Both multifamily structures and single-family housing are where these households live, with an average rent of $1,191. Family outings, like visits to the beach, theme park trips, and outdoor recreation are common.

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Urban Villages Characteristics Urban Villages households are culturally similar to their Diverse Convergence neighbors, but have slight differences in purchasing power and consumer behavior. Urban Villages households are typically multilingual and multigenerational, the overwhelming majority of whom are Hispanic. On average, a household’s size is 3.78 persons with a median household income of $62,300 and a median age of 34. Urban Villages households generally include married couples with children also sharing living spaces with grandparents. Single family housing is the typical structure for Urban Villages. Recent immigrants and residents who navigate language barriers are also a part of this segment. Many Urban Villages family members are employed in office and administrative support, production, transportation and material moving, sales and related industries, or construction and extraction. As such, the median net worth for these households, aggregating total assets, is higher than the national average, at $122,700.

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These households are status-conscious consumers that are aware of trends, brand preferences (but not loyalty), and a willingness to try new products and services, including technology innovations.Relatedly, their media preferences may vary, as well as fashion and clothing decisions. Saving money is a lower priority than spending. Family outings remain equally important; water and theme parks, movie nights, gardening, and team sports are common. Resident Expenditures The below table shows select resident expenditures for the year of 2021.48 With the exception of home mortgages (not included on this table), food accounts for the largest expenditure for area residents. Of the $1,573,095 spent on food, $662,369 is spent on food away from home. Given that the corridor is only home to three food service & accommodation establishments, this could indicate an appetite for more restaurants in the area. Another major expenditure for residents falls under entertainment and recreation. This category includes fees and admissions to movies, theaters, museums, sporting events, and the like; as well as pets, hobbies, and more. As such, businesses that provide entertainment to residents should be further explored.

Table 1-2: Ridgeland Corridor Resident Expenditures by Category, 2021.

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Chicago’s West Side neighborhood has been the site of gentrification since the end of the 20th century. What is remarkable is that Paseo Boricua has, to some extent, managed to evade the gentrification rampant in surrounding areas. Some argue that the symbolic ownership of space has been influential in this. Paseo Boricua is an instance of how placemaking can challenge traditional ideas of private ownership by claiming a collective space.

Case Studies Paseo Boricua Paseo Boricua in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood is a Puerto Rican cultural corridor. Located on Chicago’s West Side, Humboldt Park was home to 23% of Chicago’s Puerto Rican population in 2010.52 Paseo Boricua is a mile-long corridor marked by monumental Puerto Rican flags that hover 56 feet above Division Street and serve as gateways. These flags -which happen to be the world’s largest, non-cloth flags -- were commissioned by local Puerto Rican leaders in 1995 in order to mark the only officially recognized Puerto Rican community in the United States. Crafted from strong steel, they commemorate the Puerto Ricans who worked in Chicago’s steel mills in the 20th century.

Today, Paseo Boricua represents the most densely commercialized Puerto Rican neighborhood in the United States; its storefronts are packed with Puerto Rican restaurants, cultural centers, non-profits, and retail spaces.49 In addition to the giant flags that sit at either end of the corridor, the space is marked by brightly colored murals, Spanish signage, and symbols such as the coqui, a species of frog native to and celebrated on the island of Puerto Rico.

While the flags marking Paseo Boricua are a quarter century old, the corridor’s story is far from over. The community has continually worked to celebrate and fight for its culture, while also promoting bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and the local economy.50 Parades and festivals centered around Puerto Rican pride are regularly held. In 2021, a bill was passed to distinguish the surrounding area as “Puerto Rico Town”, as a state-designated cultural district.51 This will further identify the area as a Puerto Rican cultural hub while fighting against gentrification.

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South Colton, California The South Colton Livable Corridor Plan53 aims to tackle long-standing necessities of the predominantly working class and Latinx community of South Colton, CA. The Plan identifies assets and improvements, suggests new uses for vacant and underutilized land, and recommends updates to land use policies and development guidelines. The Plan is mindful of the distinctive connection the community has with the built landscape and public realm. Additionally, the Plan guarantees that development approaches are supported by thorough market analysis rather than top-down urban design.

The Plan proposes “Latino Urbanism” recommendations, taking interventions that combine Latinx behavior patterns with the American suburban form and turn them into design guidelines. The recommendations focused on revising existing land use and zoning policies to bolster mixed-use developments and allow for a broader array of residential housing typologies, community connection through complete streets, and finally a neighborhood plaza or mercado as a civic anchor.

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This Plan is sensitive to the intimate relationship the South Colton community has with its physical landscape and built form, recognizing that the community’s residents have co-opted the landscape and layered their own unique approach to urbanism. The Plan advocates for approaches that offer cultural, economic, and spatial solutions to residents’ needs as they customize and personalize their homes and community.The Plan errs on the side of being less rigid, and less deterministic in setting design standards. While this approach is unusual, it is essential to preserving and maintaining the community’s already distinctive character. Many elements from the South Colton Livable Corridor Plan can be mirrored onto Berwyn’s Ridgeland Ave. corridor. As a predominately Latinx community, an acknowledgment of this culture should be reflected within Berwyn’s built landscape. Small adjustments in the zoning code and spatial solutions can assist in this process.

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Streetscapes can encourage residents to occupy their neighborhoods and increase visibility in the public realm. A pathway that connects to a larger communal meeting point, such as a plaza or mercado, as in South Colton’s plan, would provide an opportunity for Berwyn to have a much needed gathering space that defines the culture of the community and is not restricted to monetary exchange. Bronzeville, Chicago As a community where revitalization is intrinsically about identity, Bronzeville represents a case study for Berwyn’s ability to celebrate multiculturalism through concrete initiatives. Bronzeville, of course, is the legacy of the Black Metropolis—the continual soul of a community that adapted from segregation to a congregation of Black wealth, innovation, and prosperity, only to be targeted by urban renewal. Through this, the Plan for Developing Vibrant Retail54 from 2012 offers an opportunity for how the revitalization of corridors through economic development and small business support can stabilize a region.

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Though less focused on the detailed spatiality of the public way, Developing Vibrant Retail describes successful strategies and community development partnerships that can transform corridors by addressing the land use along streets. Authored by a partnership between the local, ad-hoc Bronzeville Alliance and the Metropolitan Planning Council, the Plan identifies three corridors best suited for retail interventions—43rd, 47th, and 51st streets. Each is selected by its existing assets, such as a CTA stop, cultural institutions (Harold Washington Cultural Center), vacant properties, and spaces within the community development system’s capacity. In short, the Plan sought to create a Cross-Ward Economic Development Arm of existing local organizations that helped define its goals: it focused on building small-business support infrastructure that highlighted local character instead of big-box retail, effectively determining the kind of retail it wanted from a land use scale; it set strategies and best practices that community actors could use to support the Plan.

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Washington St., Waukegan The commercial corridor plan for the Washington Street corridor in Waukegan, Illinois provides a useful case study for the planning process in Berwyn. The Washington Street corridor, as well as Waukegan as a whole, has numerous similarities to the City of Berwyn including the racial and ethnic makeup, and relatively similar population sizes.

Among the strategies described, beyond the relationship-building and enhancements to the community development system to support corridors on the meso scale, many focused on how placemaking, public art, and temporal spaces can support economic development. This occurs in tandem with the rehabilitation of Bronzeville’s historic buildings from the Black Metropolis era.

Bronzeville youth are engaged in designing and painting large-scale murals and granted access to the corridors’ maker spaces for their own expressive development and fulfillment. These initiatives help recruit retail to the corridors, help organize economic development efforts spatially, help channel Bronzeville’s cultural identity, and help engage community members with local businesses.

Organizations like Quad Communities Development Corporation support the transition of vacant spaces by assisting small businesses into the permit process, small financing opportunities, and connecting to cultural and placemaking assets. Other organizations, like Urban Juncture and Little Black Pearl, reimagine these vacant properties as cultural institutions like performance venues, art spaces, and creation studios for creative industries.

Berwyn’s own efforts in balancing Latinx and other diverse identities with an older image, while rehabilitating spaces along its economic corridors to reflect its changing culture, are positioned to learn from Bronzeville’s intersection of identity, art, and retail. One divergence, however, is that while Bronzeville represents a generalized Black identity, Berwyn’s hyper diversity must be navigated carefully. Still, spaces that allow for multiplicity in use and cultural expression that welcome all are universal assets.

This Plan was created by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning in partnership with the City of Waukegan in 2014. The goals of the Plan were to help develop the corridor into an economically dynamic and successful area.55 In the search for a corridor to be selected, a number of criteria were used in which to make an informed choice, which include: business activity, traffic volume, commercial building stock, transit access, number of residents and workers in the vicinity, proximity to open space, crime rates, and accessibility to fresh food.

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Washington St. was chosen because it provides one of the main access routes to downtown Waukegan, which is similar to the Ridgeland Avenue corridor in Berwyn, providing northsouth access to the edge of the downtown Depot District. The Washington Street Corridor Plan has five main guiding principles: (1) Washington St. should feel welcoming to all visitors and residents; (2) Washington St. should be a lively, active place that provides a mix of retail, restaurants, services, and amenities; (3) Washington St should be easy and comfortable to walk, bike, and drive along; (4) youth living and going to school in the corridor are an asset and should have meaningful opportunities for after school activities and career development; and (5) businesses in the corridor should work together and with the City to strengthen the corridor.

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Plaza Verde A plan that creates a multi-purpose community anchor.

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Cultural Corridor A plan that creates a cultural expression connector.

Tiny Urbanism A plan that utilizes insurgent planning to diversify spaces.

Alternatives Having identified Ridgeland Avenue as the corridor in which we will explore interventions, we created three potential alternatives for the space: Plaza Verde, the Cultural Corridor, and Tiny Urbanism.

Plaza Verde Strategies included in the Plan are to broaden customer bases and accessibility to/ for businesses through the breaking down of language and cultural barriers including the addition of bilingual signage and assisting businesses with presentation. There are also goals to support pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders through the addition of more crosswalks with shorter crossing distances, updating nonsignalized crosswalks, the widening of sidewalks, the strengthening of bicycle facilities through the addition of bike lanes and bike parking, as well as the enhancement of bus services and stops.

Building on the corridor’s identity is another goal of the Washington Street Corridor Plan that is applicable in Berwyn. This strategy includes helping businesses grow through the provision of training and education, marketing the corridor, developing the corridor into a key suburban expansion destination for Chicago’s Latinx businesses, as well as hosting community events and festivals. Strategies for enhancing the image of the corridor include increasing the number of street trees, landscaping, and street lighting; updating building facades and signs; and enhancing open spaces and recreational amenities.

The Plaza Verde proposal was developed to address challenges and priorities voiced by Berwyn residents. The goal of Plaza Verde is to provide the dual purpose of a civic anchor and a stormwater management site. The concept will be driven by four guiding principles: civic unity, cultural identity, community plurality, and environmental sustainability and resiliency. The concept of the Plaza emerged from Berwyn’s most recent strategic plan priority as well as insights from two case studies: Paseo Boricua in Chicago’s Humboldt Park, and South Colton, CA Livable Corridor Plan.

Both spaces promoted elements from Latino Urbanism by taking interventions that combine Latinx behavior patterns with the American suburban form. This alternative will increase community representation by reflecting Latinx Heritage, allow for a multiplicity of public involvement and flexibility of space, and provide an opportunity to address the community divide by creating a space where north and south Berwyn can come together. Further, green infrastructure will provide natural flooding mitigation and beautification.

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Plaza Verde

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Cultural Corridor The Ridgeland Avenue Cultural Corridor seeks to create a greater sense of place and identity, as well as to provide spaces for cultural institutions, and incubator spaces. The concept will be driven by four guiding principles: enhanced cultural identity, connectivity, equity, and the push to encourage displays of local art and cultural heritage. The Cultural Corridor alternative was developed in reference to case studies on Latino Urbanism, such as the Washington Street Corridor Plan in Waukegan, Illinois, as well as Paseo Boricua in Chicago, IL.

To deliver this alternative, a 3.5 acre site located on the south end of the Ridgeland Ave. corridor will be developed. The land parcel of 3000 Ridgeland Ave. currently holds a 60,000 sq ft vacant building surrounded by mature Honey Locust trees and low-cut, ornamental shrubs. The lot is adjacent to Freedman Middle School to the south, meets with Janura Park recreation field to the east, and sits opposite of an industrial freight house. The location is perfectly positioned for easy connection to both north and

south Berwyn; it sits directly off one of the City’s only bus lines, and just one block north of one of Berwyn’s Metra stations. The Plaza would feature a pedestrian pathway that will diagonally meander through the space with feeder paths extending toward Janura Park, Freedman Middle School, and into a central focal point or meeting space. These spaces would allow for an array of spatial interactions with flexible interpretations, allowing for a plurality of uses by the community. The Plaza would also include a multitude of green infrastructure such as native plantings and permeable pavements to meet the green infrastructure goals and to mitigate the known stormwater issues experienced throughout Berwyn.

It aims to address previously identified goals by residents of Berwyn to have community spaces that are more representative of the population with the Latinx Community in mind, and allowing for cross community connections for everyone in Berwyn. Elements from the Washington Street Corridor Plan in Waukegan that served as examples for the Berwyn corridor include the goals to increase accessibility through multilingual signage, as well as introducing a more cohesive character throughout. This alternative provides the potential for the community to come together in a variety of spaces that allow for increased accessibility cooperative uses, as well as the promotion of symbolic ownership of the spaces by the Latinx community. and permeable pavements to meet the green infrastructure goals and to mitigate the known stormwater issues experienced throughout Berwyn.

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The Ridgeland Ave Cultural Corridor stretches one half mile from the northern terminus at 26th street to the southernmost point at the railroad tracks and where the Depot District begins at Stanley Avenue. It will feature gateway arches, inspired by the Paseo Boricua case study, at both ends of the corridor to differentiate the corridor and identify it as a special space within the community.

Tiny Urbanism The Tiny Urbanism concept focuses on actions in small, underutilized spaces to create gathering spots that are intimate, adaptable, hyperlocal, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable. Inspired by examples of Latino Urbanism, as well as examples from Chicago’s Green Alley Program, Tiny Urbanism addresses the spaces that bridge the public and private realms through place-affirming actions, new zoning, public-private partnerships, and green infrastructure. It focuses on four elements of Ridgeland Avenue and its surrounding areas: the street, the alleyways, the parking lots, and a vacant building. In addition to the half mile stretch running down Ridgeland Avenue from 26th street to the Depot District, the geography of Tiny Urbanism expands to the parking lots, alleyways, and buildings surrounding the avenue. There will be multiple implementation measures to address each element of the spaces. The alleyways and parking lots have been selected for their proximity to existing businesses and sites, as well as their potential to be reimagined as “people places”with increased uses and density.

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The Cultural Corridor would also feature artwork from local artists along its entirety, ranging from murals to sculptures. Incubator spaces are also proposed as part of the cultural corridor to provide local artists and entrepreneurs spaces for them to develop their ideas and work.

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Ridgeland Connect

Articles inside

Climate Change

1-9: Percentage Impervious Land Coverage in Berwyn by Watershed, 2018

1-9: Air Quality Index for Berwyn, in Days

1-3: Educational Attainment of Berwyn Residents, 2019

1-6: Berwyn In-Flow, Out-Flow, and Circularity of Jobs

1-2: Percent of Population Hispanic or Latinx by Census Tract

Land Acknowledgment

1-1: Administrative Map

1-6: Current Distribution of Housing Type

1-7: Berwyn Transportation Network

1-4: Berwyn Current Land Use Classifications