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/494 Coastal Zone Information Center SOUTHEAST DEVELOPMENT AREA JUN 14 1977 C 0 A S T W @ Z ONN, E. @A Department of Development and Planning City of Chicago, Richard J. Daley, Mayor Southeast Development Area City of Chicago, Richard J. Daley, Mayor Lewis W. Hill, Commissioner of Development and Planning July 1968 Contents page 2 Purpose of the Development Area Reports page 3 Introduction page 5 Planning Framework-Objectives page 6 Existing Conditions and Recommendations page 6 Population Characteristics page 7 Residence page 8 Recreation page 9 Education \X_ page 11 Social Programs page 12 Public Safety and Health page 12 Business and Industry page 14 Transportation page 16 Scheduled Capital Improvements page 17 Environmental Patterns in the Southeast Area page 18 Summary PURPOSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AREA REPORTS The Development Area reports have been prepared The Review Process to inform Chicago citizens of the meaning of the Four steps will be followed in reviewing and re- Comprehensive Plan's recom mend ations for each vising the Development Area reports: area of the city, to aid in the exchange of informa- -Each Development Area report will be dis- tion about community needs; between citizens and tributed to civic organizations and other private government that is necessary to the development groups, both within the local area and city-wide. of a cooperative planning process, and to facilitate -Representatives of City Government will meet the coordination of plans and programs for com- with groups and individuals in each area to discuss munity improvements. There are 16 Development the report. Findings will be modified, other ideas Areas, covering the entire city, each with a popula- sought, and approaches to resolving issues will tion of 150,000 to 300,000 people and with a be explored. land area of 6 to 20 square miles. -Appropriate revisions in the proposals will then The Development Area reports suggest land use be made, which will result in a planning framework changes, residential and industrial improvements, for the Development Area. After public discussion, transportation improvements and community fa- the planning framework would be adopted by the cilities and social programs needed to achieve the Chicago Plan Commission as a policy guide in goals of the Comprehensive Plan in each area. The reviewing projects and programs for the area. reports are intended to stimulate community dis- .-Using the planning framework as a guide the cussion of issues, problems, and solutions. This Department of Development and Planning will discussion will lead to formulation of a planning work with other agencies to modify and co- frameworkfor each area to be used by government ordinate programs and projects to meet the area's and citizens for scheduling and co-ordinating critical needs and to achieve local objectives. programs and community improvements. Chicago is constantly changing. Therefore, from time to time, each planning framework will be re- The various kinds of projects that the city under- viewed and adjusted or amended to reflect new takes need to be co-ordinated if they are to produce needs or changes in objectives as they are identi- maximum benefits for the communities they serve. fied in the continuing process of planning. Experience has demonstrated that Chicago is too From Plans to Action large to deal with as a whole in co-ordinating and In recent years new transportation facilities, urban scheduling specific projects. Thus, the Develop- renewal, and other public and private developments ment Areas represent a very practical means of have greatly improved the city's appearance and focusing the planning process on localized needs livability, and the opportunities and capabilities of and conditions while remaining within the con- its people. Still greater effort and further improve- text of city-wide Comprehensive Plan policies ment will be necessary if Chicago is to meet its and goals. commitment to the strategic objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. In the coming years sections The recommendations in the Development Area of the city must be rebuilt or rehabilitated to meet reports are ideas and suggestions for consideration. the rising expectations for living standards of all They do not represent final plans for the areas, nor its people. New ways must be found for meeting do they cover all issues. The reports recognize that social concerns, for strengthening capabilities and not all planning problems have clear or immediate for broadening opportunities. Achieving the kind solutions and in some cases, questions are raised of city envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan will in the expectation that the best solution will evolve call for the ideas, widespread support, and in- through community discussion. volvement of all of the people of Chicago. 2 SOUTHEAST DEVELOPMENT AREA The Southeast Development Area is a resi- Shore, Greater Grand Crossing, Avalon dental section of the city generally bounded Park, Calumet Heights and Roseland. Since on the west by the Dan Ryan Expressway, World War 11, many single-family homes on the north by 67th Street, on the east by have been built in these areas as well as in the South Chicago Line of the Illinois Cen- South Chicago, Burnside, and South Deer- tral Railroad and on the south by industrial ing. This recent growth was initiated by the areas and vacant lands south of 95th Street. post-war demand for modern single-family It includes all of the traditional community housing, and later reinforced by greatly in- areas of South Shore, Calumet Heights, creased accessibility provided by the Dan Burnside and Avalon Park, and parts of Ryan Expressway. While Greater Grand South Chicago, South Deering, Roseland, Crossing, South Shore, and Chatham con- Chatham and Greater Grand Crossing. sist largely of apartments, the other com- munities contain between 60 and 80 per The early settlement patterns in the South- cent single-family homes. east Development Area were directly related to the growth of industrial and transporta- As the communities in the southern portion tion facilities. Railroad lines defined com- of the Development Area underwent a con- munities and provided passenger and struction boom during the 1 950's, the freight service into and out of the area. northern communities began to undergo population changes. The concern of both Industrial concentrations to the east and old and new residents with these changes south in the adjacent Far Southeast De- has encouraged widespread community velopment Area, and in Lake County, action. These actions have taken the form Indiana, further to the southeast, have re- of organizations for creating stable, racially mained important sources of employment. integrated neighborhoods, and promoting Their continued development will remain a development and rehabilitation of the older major influence on the area's residential communities. and commercial patterns. The Southeast Development Area has two Commercial concentrations are located at types of recreation facilities-community 91 st and Commercial, 67th and Stony Is- parks and the lakefront facilities at Jackson land, 71st and Jeffrey, 75th and Cottage Park and Rainbow Beach. Future develop- Grove, 75th and Exchange, and 79th and ment of recreation facilities should build Cottage Grove. Several of these areas are upon these elements, extending their po- tenti i experiencing deterioration and reduced vol- al into the neighborhoods they serve. umes of business. The residential pattern in the Southeast De- velopment Area was established shortly after World War I in Chatham, South 3 Lu Lu F- > < 0 F- a: z cc < cc Lo w w z U. 0 u- 0 0 < Lu 14 67TH ' 'SOUTHSHOREi Q. C. ---71ST- I WOODHILL PK m RAINSOWPK. CRO!iiSING; SOUTH PK. SHORE 'Sou < 'T @-'T H. S@@ G HIRSCH H. S. momommom 79TIH ST DIUM 83Rb' n AVALON PK. Ron" 87TH STONY SLAND BOWEN PK. H. S. BESSEMER v PK, v BELT RY. v 95TH ABBOTT 10 PK. 1. C. RR. 10 '-@'HARLAN YARD H. S. I'x C11<1 00 cc ui Lu 0 z m X TRUMBULL 0 PK. SOUTH SHORI C. C_ Planning Framework Characteristics Southeast Development Area Objectives Improvement programs in the Southeast Residence in Good Condition Development Area should be directed to- ward the following long-range objectives. Residence in Need of 1. Increase the supply of standard housing Some Improvement through rehabilitation, code enforcement and the construction of new single-family Residence in Need of Major Repair homes, townhouses, and multi-unit build- ings. Continue to encourage variety of housing type, with higher density develop- Business Concentration ment in the northern part of the Area and lower densities to the south. industry in Good Condition 2. Increase public and private programs for child care, youth services, and mental Industry in Need of Some Improvement health. Emphasizethe improvementof inter- group understanding through a compre- hensive human relations program. Park 3. Improve educational opportunities by promoting racial desegregation through Institution support and implementation of specific program proposals developed by the Board A Adequate Housing With of Education in cooperation with local Some Environmental Problems groups. Provide new academic and voca- Well Maintained tional programs at all age and abil;-,y levels. B Residential Community Keep pace with facility needs through 8 continuous program of building renovation, Serious Housing and additions and replacement. Expand and C Environmental Problems improve higher education and public li- brary facilities. D Scattered Residential Blight 4. Improve the quality, and increase the supply of accessible recreational facilities E overcrowded High School through acquisition of acreage for interior parks, expansion of school play space, and development of community park-malls. F Obsolete Commercial Strips 5. Encourage the consolidation of out- moded and unattractive strip development G inadequate Park Facilities into shopping centers with adequate off- street parking. Encourage rehabilitation of Railroad Structures Create healthy businesses, and reclaim unneces- H Environmental Problems sary business land for housing or recreation use. Obsolete Railroad Line 6. Continue to improve major streets and access to expressways to increase com- J Serio0s Traffic Congestion munity and city-wide circulation as out- lined in the Comprehensive Plan. Encour- age the development of off-street parking V Substantial Vacant Tracts facilities and support private renovation of rail facilities and rights-of-way. 5 Existing Conditions and Population Characteristics Recommendations In 1960, there were 241,000 persons living The diversity of the area's population is in the Southeast Development Area, a de- confirmed by variations in occupational crease of two per cent since 1950. These levels in different community areas. Male pieople comprised seven per cent of the white-collar workers range from a low of city's total population, and a slightly larger 18 per cent in Burnside to a high of 63 per- proportion of the total number of families in cent in South Shore, as compared to the Chicago. The area as a whole was approxii- city-wide figure of 37 per cent. Women mately 30 per cent non-white in 1960. The also constitute a considerable proportion of overall percentage of non-whites has in- the work force. Grand Crossing, Chatham, creased since 1960, although it differs Roseland, and South Shore, the four com- widely from one community to another. The area showed great variations in pat- munitles with the lowest percentage of terns of socio-economic status, age, family population under 18, also have the largest types, residential mobility, and income suf- proportion of working women. Three of ficiency. these communities also have relatively high male unemployment figures. The Population Characteristics table pre- Residence sents data for communities in the Southeast Development Area. Greater Grand Cross- In 1960 the Southeast Development Area ing and Chatham emerged as areas in tran- housed some 241,000 people in 84,000 sition in 1960, indicated by their higher housing units, of which only 5.6 per cent than city average rate of residential mobility. were deficient.* Almost 40 per cent of the The greater proportion of rental rather than units were owner-occupied and more than owner-occupied dwellings corresponds ten per cent had been built since 1950. with the lower proportion of children living at home in Grand Crossing and Chatham. *Deficient units include all census categories except those units that In Burnside, Calumet Heights, Avalon Park, were sound with all plumbing. The city-wide percentage was 22.6. and South Deering, a high degree of home ownership and a high proportion of school- age children are found. Of these communi- ties, South Shore had the lowest percentage of population under 18 years old. More recent public school enrollment figures show that this percentage is increasing 0 rapidly. Schools in the central and west sections of the area also have increasing enrollments, but not so great as in South Shore and South Chicago. Population Characteristics by Community Area 1960 Moog qP % in % Under % Women % Popula- Different % Owner $3,000 % White Over 14 % Foreign tion Under House in Occupied per year Collar % Unem- Years Stock 18 Years 1955 Dwelling Income Males ployed Working -S I W11 Chicago 36.0 31.1 53.4 32.7 13.6 37.0 5.2 42.3 Greater Grand Crossing (part) 10.0 27.8 60.8 37.8 10.3 26.6 7.6 50.8 79.8 54.8 8.2 38.8 5.2 53.5 Chatham 16.7 26.8 Roseland (part) 4.6 29.2 52.0 80.3 12.1 42.3 5.6 42.3 Burnside 58.2 33.3 44.2 63.5 10.7 17.9 3.9 37.5 Calumet Heights 49.3 34.1 51.2 77.2 4.7 47.7 1.7 33.8 & Avalon Park 38.9 31.2 45.5 74.2 6.1 55.5 2.6 40.0 South Deering 48.0 38.8 41.4 42.2 9.1 34.0 5.3 30.7 77 South Chicago 48.9 32.1 42.0 41.0 10.8 31.1 5.0 35.8 South Shore 42.2 21.4 54.6 21.1 9.4 62.6 3.5 43.7 SOURCE: Local Community Fact Book, U. S. Census of Population, 1960. This residential area of the city contains a variety of housing types. ranging from lakefront high rises and walkup apart- ments to single family homes. 6 For discussion purposes, three sub-areas munity areas of Greater Grand Crossing, pancy was approximately 40 per cent, have been identified with the Development Chatham, and Roseland. higher than the city-wide average of 33 Area: o The central sub-area is bounded by the per cent. Some of the housing, particularly Chicago Skyway on the east- the Illinoi's in the southern part of this sub-area, was Central embankment on the west, and the built within the last ten years, partially as a DevelopmentArea boundaries on the south. result of the opening of the Dan Ryan Ex- This sub-area includes Yurnside, Avalon pressway, which greatly improved access. EAST Park, Calumet Heights, and part of South The new rap Id transit line in the expressway WEST Deering. median will create opportunities for higher density developments near some transit o The east sub-area, east of the Illinois stations. Central embankment and north and east of CENTRAL the Chicago Skyway, includes South Shore Some sections of this sub-area that are and part of South Chicago. older and closely related to railway and West Sub-Area highway locations are in need of improve- The west sub-area was first developed after ment. This need particularly noticeable the mid-nineteenth century period during north of 79th Street and east of Cottage Grove Avenue. In this part of the sub-area, which new railroad lines increased access one-third of the housing units were con- to the area. Housing in most parts is com- sidered deficient in 1960. Deterioration has posed primarily of sound and well main- continued since 1960 in both residences o The west sub-area, runs north to south tained single-family homes, with some and commercial strips. the entire length of the Development Area apartment buildings adding variety to the between the Illinois Central Railroad em- housing stock. Residential redevelopment has begun in bankment and the Dan Ryan Expressway. In 1960, 85,000 people lived in 27,000 the west sub-area. For example, residents The sub-area includes sections of the com- housing units in this sub-area. Owner occu- of the triangular area between Oak Woods Cemetery, the Illinois Central Railroad, and the Chicago Skyway have recently worked with the Department of Urban Renewal to J_ certify an eight-acre area at 73rd Street and Dobson Avenue for residential and re- 'onal redevelopment. Other residential creat redevelopment would be possible in some of the pockets of deficient housing found in the neighborhoods north of 76th Street. As the land for both recreation and housing becomes scarce in this portion of the city, such tracts as the Oak Woods Cemetery -use. In the lands may be considered for re remainder of the sub-area, the quality of the residences improves from north to south. Neighborhoods north of 79th and west of Cottage Grove and between 79th and 84th would benefit from an expanded code enforcement program. Housing and the residential environment south of 84th is good to excellent. The resi- dential traffic pattern as set by the half -mile street intersections with the Dan Ryan Ex- pressway, the high degree of accessibility ism afforded by the expressway itself, and the new rapid transit to be built in the express- way median strip will all be positive influ- ence on the maintenance of the quality of these residential neighborhoods. 7 Central Sub-Area In 1 960,thecentral sub-area housed47,000 munity. Residential types vary greatly in be paralleled by extensive private invest- people in 15,000 dwelling units, almost all South Shore from new high-rise apartments ment in rehabilitati6n. and new construc- of which were one or two-family homes. along the lakefront to single-family homes tion. Property owners and tenants should This is one of the newest residential sec- and apartments over 50 years old in the commit themselves to policies that con- tions of the city. About one-third of its rest of the community. The South Chicago tribute to community stability and upkeep. housing units have been built since 1950, community is generally composed of older, Programs of code enforcement, rehabilita- and over 80 per cent Of all housing units one or two family homes with some apart- tion and redevelopment could be effectively are owner-occupied. ments along Yates Avenue. applied on a broader scale, particularly Housing in the area frorn the Chicago Sky- In 1960 less than ten per cent of the 42,000 where deterioration has begun. way to 103rd Street between Stony Island h'ousing units in the sub-area were defi- and Yates avenues is almost uniformly well cient. Since 1960 changes in the economic Recreation maintained. The remaining areas are sound level of the population, the generally high Recreation facilities in the Southeast are not and in the east, around 95th Street, the density, and the natural aging of the struc- evenly distributed and the acreage devoted recent construction of small single-family tures have led to some deterioration. to recreational uses is significantly below homes indicates that the private housing Most of the recent deterioration has oc- the Comprehensive Plan minimum target of market may be strong enough to correct curred within or adjacent to sections that two acres per 1000 persons. The table be- most deficiencies. Deterioration is most had begun to decline many years earlier. In low lists existing park acreage and addi- evident in the far southern portion of this the northwest corner of the sub-area main- tional acres needed by residential sub-area. sub-area along Torrence Avenue, opposite tenanceof aging single family homes, court- the heavy industrial plants. Here many type apartments and commercial areas has Acres needed Acres Acres for 2 acres multi - unit frame buildings have commercial been neglected for some time. In the south- Existing per 1000 per 1000 uses on the ground floor. east corner there is substantial deterioration Railroad embankments create environmen- in both residential and commercial areas. Total Development Area 258 1.07 223 West Sub-Area 82 0.96 88 tal problems throughout the Southeast De- The Department of Urban Renewal's 67th- Central Sub-Area 72 1.53 22 velopment Area. This is especially true Stony Island study, area includes an area East Sub-Area 104 0.96 113 along 95th Street, where both residential that has shown deterioration in South and commercial properties are adversely Shore. Low income housing, school im- The Comprehensive Plan emphasizes that affected. In the Burnside community rail- provements, and commercial and residen- the accessibility of parks and thequality of lines limit the access into and out of the tial rehabilitation are being considered. thie recreational facilities these parks con- residential area and effectively isolate the tain are more important considerations than community. In order to maintain or improve the quality acreage alone. of the residential environment, private ef- East Sub-Area forts and initiative must be stimulated. It is Throughout the Development Area addi- The east sub-area includes all of South hoped that public actions in renewal, re- tional recreational space will be difficult to Shore and most of the South Chicago com- habilitation and housing construction will acquire. Certain opportunities for increasing T! U, A@ - 117 0 A ft %V, N, 6 7 SL_ Opportunities exist here for designing a pedestrian way and recreation facilities. Trumbull Park provides recreational facilities for the surrounding area. East Sub-Area recreational space with minimum com- Rainbow Beach and Jackson Park are both munity disruption can be identified: park located on the periphery of the eastern sec- development as part of other major Im- tion, providing lakeshore recreational facill- provements, such as the 67th-Stony Island ties for the Southeast Development Area. Study Area and 73rd-Dobson redevelop- Current proposals to redesign the southern ment project, and park-mall developments edge of Jackson Park would benefit South as described in the Comprehensive Plan. Shore residents by providing community oriented space with better access. West Sub-Area Except for those neighborhoods served by Rosenblum Park, Woodhulll Playground, Grand Crossing Park and Meyerling Play- an'd Hodes Park are the only other parks ground Park, the neighborhoods north of within the South Shore community. The 81th Street in this section are deficient in little-used Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line recreational facilities and outdoor space. should eventually be acquired and trans- formed into a pedestrian mall stretching To help alleviate these deficiencies, the diagonally through the community. This Chicago Park District has recently acquired would serve particularly to link South Shore a site at 85th Street and Champlain Avenue. High School and Rosenblum Park more The site is adjacentto the new Pirle Elemen- closely to the community. tary School and the Chatham business cen- ter. The appropriate design of this park and The number of young people in this com- its extension by development of a com- munity is growing. Special concern is there- munity-wide park-mall system will be an fore required, and significant expansion, important 'improvement for nearby neigh- improvement, and new development will borhoods. be necessary to meet both current and fu- A park shortage is especially acute in the ture recreational needs in this community. part of the west sub-area north of 79th South of 79th Street, in the South Chicago Street classified in the Comprehensive Plan area, the only readily accessible ma'or park Li as an "area with special social program facility is Bessemer Park. To alleviate this needs." The Park District plans to increase deficiency, an expansion of Eckersall Park and the development of neighborhood park space and improve facilities in existing parks, and to develop three playlots in this parks in the areas west, east and south of community. it would be highly desirable. South of 87th Street, the communities are The proposals advanced in the Chicago The Board of Education recommends replacement of ob- well served by Tuley and Abbott parks. The Laketront Study for continuous recreational solete facilities. Park District plans to add to the outdoor lands and facilities along the lakefront facilities in Tuley Park. should be carried out to link Rainbow Of the eight elementary schools in South Beach with Jackson Park. Special effort Shore, five are overcrowded, and all need Central Sub-Area and considerations will be given to this ob- playground space. Additional recreation This sub-area is closest to meeting Com- jective since the lands affected are country space for Parkside School is a goal the prehensive Plan minimum standards for cILfb and residences, both privately owned. recreational lands. Small parks are being 67th-Stony Island study area of the Depart- planned for 81st Street and University ment of Urban Renewal. The Urban Re- Avenue and 93rd Street and Greenwood Education newal project at 73rd and Dobson will Avenue. Playlots are to be located at 84th In 1967, 46,000 students attended public provide additional recreation space for the Street and Constance Avenue and 92nd elementary and high schools in the South- Revere School. Street and Harper Avenue. The continued east Development Area. An additional Enrollment increases are found in other addition of such small parks is recom- 12,500 students were attending parochial parts of the Development Area where al- mended as the most appropriate approach elementary schools. most two-thirds of the schools are in need for this sub-area. Almost all public schools in the Develop- of rehabilitation, modernization, or expan- improvements in the variety of recreational ment Area have experienced increased en- sion, and three should be replaced. A de- opportunities, and expanded use of existing rollment in recent years. This has been most cline in the use of parochial schools and a facilities through such devices as the addi- evident in the South Shore community, trend toward younger and larger families tion of lighting will be important in making where enrollments in some schools have in the Development Area suggest that the the recreation system meet needs in the increased by as much as 40 or 50 per cent need for additional public school class- area. since 1963. rooms will continue to grow. 9 a 1 -3 Nor R -MM Irr"7411-7 t k 's" "W" Harlan High School in Abbott Park exemplifies a cooperative approach to recreational and educational facilities planning. Three of the four general high schools are in need of modernization and rehabilitation. All four have had increased enrollments in racent years. The increase has been greatest 1P in South Shore, where an addition to South Shore High School is being built at 76th Street and Constance Avenue. Bowen High School, built in 1910, had a 30 per cent enr61lment increase between 1963 and 7, 4) 1966, and is currently operating at double its capacity. Harlan High School, built I n 1958, Is also at nearly double its capacity. Z:"Z Hirsch High School, built in 1926, is at 157 per cent of capacity. Both Harlan and South Shore are combined with community parks and provide examples of school-park uses, though the park is not large enough in the case of South Shore. In addition to the present construction at x"A Ag" South Shore High School, the Board of Education capital improvements program includes an addition to Bowen High School and an academic addition to Simeon Voca- 'V"' tional High School. Additional space at Chicago Vocational High School will be- come available when the junior college now located there moves to its new location. An issue of great concern for the Southeast -for the city as a Development Area and whole is that of racial integration in the schools. Several communities in this De- Educational and recreational programs must respond to needs of youth. Over one-third of the population is under age of 18. 10 ner of the Development Area, the entire se i 01p ct on south of 95th Street'and the west -e and south edges of South Shore. Th branch library to be built at 79th Street and South Parkway will service the North- west corner. The construction of new 11 brarles to replace rented facilities, and v@ additional libraries where service is not ade- quate is proposed in the Comprehensive Plan and will bedetailed in a city-wide long- range library facilities study now underway. Social Programs The Cook County Department of PublicAid, -I the Illinois Department of Labor, Division 4' of Unemployment Compensation, and the U. S@. Social Security Administration have offices operating the Development Area. 4 'AM In addition, the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity maintains Urban Pro- gress Center units in South Shore and South Chicago. As the proportion of young people grows, planning concern must in- The substantial number of working mothers has created a definite need for an increase in child care programs. creasingly be directed toward the needs of youth. At present, the Southeast is well velopment Area are in a state of population that perpetuate isolation in other important eindowed with private and public institu- change, where the schools form the pivotal areas of American life."' tions with youth-serving components. Four point in maintaining or improving the char- YMCA's, two Jewish Community Centers, acter of the community. In 1965, the Board Schools in the Southeast Development two neighborhood houses, and numerous Area currently support several special pro- churches provide recreational and social of Education 'began a demonstration pro- grams, such as the demonstration project programs. These resources are concentrated gram to assist South Shore residents in for gifted children at Bryn Mawr elementary toward the northern part of the Develop- preventing resegregation by retaining both school, and advanced placement classes at ment Area. Ten Chicago parks have indoor white and Negro families. South Shore High School. A wide variety facilities, ranging from clubrooms to full The racial mixture within the Southeast De- of programs is needed to maintain a high gymnasiums. Year-round organized pro- velopment Area provides an excellent op- quality of education. grams are provided in all of these. portunity for implementing the recent Board The Fenger and Southeast branches of the The 1962 to 1965 juvenile delinquency of Education proposals for integration. Stu- city junior college system currently share rates increased from 1958-61 in three com- dents from schools that are becoming re- facilities with high schools. The Chicago munities in the Development Area: South segregated could transfer to schools in City College Board will consolidate these Shore, Calumet Heights, and Burnside. The predominantly white neighborhoods to pre- into one unit on a new campus at 103rd juvenile delinquency rates decreased in the serve and encourage integration. South Street and Stony Island Avenue. Chicago remainder of the area. Only Grand Crossing, Shore, in particular, should benefit from State College, presently located in Engle- South Shore, and Chatham showed delin- this program. In addition, the concept of wood, has purchased land in the Illinois quency rates above the city average of 8.52 the "magnet school", providing special programs designed to serve a large geo- Central rail yards at 95th Street and South in this period.' graphic area might be considered here. Parkway for a new campus. The adult leadership of communities in the 11 Libraries Southeast Development Area has, 'in many One objective in attempting to combat Public library facilities in the Southeast De- cases, experienced some difficulty in re- racial and social isolation in schools is to velopment Area consist of two branches in sponding to the needs of the growing youth increase the achievement levels of dis- library-owned buildings and three rented population. The Commission on Youth Wel- advantaged students, of whom a dispro- branches. A traveling branch stop @erves fare and the Youth Action streets program portionate number are members of minority the southeastern corner of the Development both provide services addressed to this groups. Perhaps an even more 'important Area. Much of the Development Area is not problem. The South Shore Commission has objective is the expansion of democratic within the recommended ione mile service initiated a youth guidance program for attitudes contributing to the growth and radius of a library. In particular, library juvenile first offenders. maturity of all students. As has been stated services are needed for the southwest cor- 2The rate equals the number of male individuals brought before the in a national' study, "racial isolation in the Family Court of Cook County on delinquency petitions during the years IU S. Commission on Civil Rights, Raciallsolation In the Public Schools, 1958-61 and 1962-65 per 100 male population 12-16 years of age in schools also fosters attitudes and behavior V O'l. I. P. I 10. 1960. Source: Institute for Juvenile Research. The large number of working mothers in visory services to groups and organizations, tual modernization of home heating plants some communities has given rise to a defl- and will also provide short term counseling will significantly reduce pollution in resi- nite need for an increase in child care on individual and family problems such as clential areas. facilities. The 1960 Census shows that alcoholism, and on community problems Although the Development Area as a whole Chatham, South Shore, South Chicago, Such as teen -age vandalism and inter-group ranks among the lower crime areas of the Grand Crossing, and Roseland all had a relations. city, Police District Three, including both substantial number of families with children The Southeast Development Area is en- the northern part of the Development Area under six, with both parents working. The riched by the presence of several strong and and the Woodlawn community, has one of Welfare Council of Metropolitan Chicago has prepared estimates of the number of active community organizations which have the higher crime rates. Auto theft in particu- children under 13 whose mothers work, programs directed toward contemporary lar appears to be a problem. A great propor- and the number of children in need of day community concerns. The South Shore tion of these cars are "borrowed" by teen- care services. Nearly 50CIO children were Commission provides a notable example of agers for a short time, then abandoned, and estimated to be in need of day care in the leadership and planning role that com- returned by the police. While it is expected Southeast Development Area communities, munity groups can take, providing a link that the large youth population will con- in 1967. Clearly, the provision of child care between residents, private organizations, tinue to make auto theft a problem, this can and public agencies, and unifying diverse be controlled by community efforts to re- is one of the most urgent community needs. resources behind commonl community duce car theft opportunities. There are four general hospitals in the goals. Southeast Area: South Shore, South Chi- To help community organizations meet Two of the police districts covering the cago, St. George's, and Jackson Park. issues in a manner encouraging cooperation Southeast Development Area are scheduled LaRablda Children's Sanitarium provides among all citizens of the Development to receive new stations within the next five city-wide services for children with rheu- Area, it is suggested that public and private years on sites not yet determined. Two new matic heart disease. In addition, there are agencies concerned with human relations fire stations will also be built, one at 7974 two Board of Health Infant Welfare stations, a Visiting Nurse Association station, and a assign special priority assistance here. There South Chicago Avenue, and the other in is a need for these agencies to work closely the vicinity of 67th Street and South Park mobile unit of the Planned Parenthood with the community to foster inter-group Avenue. Association serving the Development Area. understanding. As cooperative relations General public medical care, however, is among all groups become more critical to Business and Industry lacking. achievement of community goals, it is es- Business The Welfare Council has gathered health Sential that public and private resources indices for each census tract in Chicago, be allocated appropriately to this purpose. The business improvement plan of the Com- analyzed on the basis of socio-economic prehensive Plan encourages a systematic rankings. In general, tracts with low socio- Public Safety and Health distribution of business centers which economic ranks parallel a high incidence In recent years public agencies in Chicago would insure the availability of the quantity of infant mortality, prematurity, and illegit- have been called upon to play more impor- and quality of business services needed in imacy. For the most part, the health rank- tant and positive roles in a growing range each community and neighborhood. ings of this area are similar to city-wide of safety and health fields. The programs .of Throughout most of the city, business is averages. The Southeast D6velopment Area environmental health and safety agen .c.ies located in strips lining major streets. Many is not considered a first priority area for hav 'e been expanded to include positive of the older shopping areas are losing busi- health services by the Chicago Board of so'cial and educational services, as well as ness to modern planned centers that pro- Health. crime, fire, and disease prevention. These vide adequate parking and convenient ar- a( hasize the idea that public rangements of stores. Such centers should gencies emp Statistics for community areas indicate that safety and health are not the responsibility gradually take the place of business strips South Shore, Chatham, and Grand Crossing of government alone and have therefore in most parts of the city. have a higher than average rate of new initiated programs to encourage citizen Two of the eight planned communitV busi- cases of tuberculosis. The Board of Health support and involvement. tuberculosis clinic now located on 75th ness centers now operating in Chicago are Street will be moved to Englewood, but The Southeast Development Area is less located in the Southeast Development Area. will continue to provide services to resi- bothered by air pollution than are some These are the Chatham Park center at 87th dents of the Southeast Development Area. other sections of the city. The northern area Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and the closer to the center of the city and the area Jeffery Center at 95th Street and Jeffery At present there is no public mental health surrounding the steel mills to the southeast Avenue. The Comprehensive Plan suggests facility within this area. The Chicago Board have the highest concentration of pollu- that five additional community centers and of Health plans to establish such a center to tants. The Department of Air Pollution Con- several neighborhood centers be developed serve the area south of 79th Street. This trol maintains air monitoring stations on the in the Southeast DevelopmentArea through community mental health center will con- northern edge and the south central por- the consolidation of existing business strips. centrate on providing educational and ad- tions of this area. It is hoped that the even- The general pattern of these centers de- 12 scribed in the Comprehensive Plan should residential and related uses including a Development Area, there is only a limited be studied and carefully modified to es- neighborhood shopping center. Renewal amount of land used for industry In the tablish local plans for modernization of action will assist in the consolidation of Southeast Development Area. All of the business concentrations. Several of the pro- business uses and the provision of off-street industry here is located along railroad lines. posals included in the South Shore Com- parking. In the majority of business im- With few exceptions, plants are in good munityPlan, developed by the South Shore provements, private initiative can and condition and needed maintenance and Commission in April of 1967, are examples should be the predominant force. modernization should be accomplished of local efforts to apply the Comprehensive The Comprehensive Plan also proposes the through private means. Plan at the local level. Plans determined development of special service districts through the development area procedure where business center principles can be Proposals for the improvement of industry can permit existing businesses to make the applied to groups of specialized businesses in the Development Area should focus on cha inige to this more modern and more com- such as automobile dealers. Such districts the retention and expansion of existing petitive form in an orderly manner. would be new centers located near the sound industries and on reducing conflicts In addition to poor operating conditions intersections of expressways. Two of the with nearby residential uses. Rail and ex- along many of the major streets, business suggested opportunity areas for special pressway access is excellent, but local street uses now occupy excessive amounts of service districts are near the intersection of patterns are made irregular by rail embank- land. After street improvements and busi- the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Chicago ments. Additional blockages and conges- ness center development, much of this land Skyway and the Ryan and Calumet ex- tion are caused by on-street parking and should be used for new housing or recre- pressways. loading. The removal of occasional obsolete ational purposes. buildings will add to the ex Isting supply of Industry vacant industrial land permitting the addi- The Department of Urban Renewal's 67th- While there are major concentrations of in- tion of needed off-street parking and load- Stony Island study area is concerned with dustry in the neighboring Far Southeast ing facilities, and plant expansions. FMR ft Mo J@ MRFMM`@, Lill, ONE WAY 00 NOT IV, ENT" '.p 11 NMI, A vi @k, Some of the,newer shopping centers have vacant stores, and present an unattractive appearance. 13 Transportation Although these improvements serve city- secondary thoroughfares that is the basis of \/vide system needs, there are decisions the major street plan is impaired in the The Comprehensive Plan includes five ma- about each that should be made through Southeast Development Area by the pres- jor elements that must be included in the the development area procedure. The spe- ence of diagonal streets and railways. Two planning framework for transportation im- cific design of each improvement can be of the rail lines are at grade, creating traffic provement in the Southeast Development varied to best meet the conditions and blockages and safety problems. Separation Area: needs in each development area. Additional of rail and vehicular traffic and the de- l. The development of Stony Island Ave- programs, such as urban renewal or park emphasis of diagonal streets will be neces- nue as a parkway linking south Lake Shore and school expansion, can be coordinated sary to achieving the goals of the major Drive with the Chicago Skyway and the with* transportation programs to insure street plan. Dan Ryan Expressway. maximum benefit with minimum cost or disruption. Urban renewal, for example, will The location of ramps to be added to the 2. The removal of tolls from the Skyway Lie coordinated with the improvement of Skyway will be determined by further study and the addition of interchanges with major Stony Island Parkway at its northern end. of the major street plan. Early recommen- streets. dations would be for interchanges at 71st The improvement of major streets may take Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, and at 3. The construction of the Crosstown Ex- the form of widening or of one-way street 87th Street and Yates Avenue. pressway and its connection with the Dan pairs. The Comprehensive Plan identifies Ryan Expressway and the Skyway. Cottage Grove Avenue, Torrence Avenue, Transit 4. The development of the major street and South Shore Drive, running north- The northeastern part of the Development plan throughout the city. south, and 71 st, 79th, 87th, 95th and 1 03rd Area is served by the Illinois Central South streets, running east-west, to be upgraded Chicago commuter line. Chicago Transit 5. The provision of rapid transit service in to major street standards. The development Authority rapid transit service is soon to be the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway. of the orderly grid pattern of primary and developed in the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway. The southern terminal of this line is presently planned for 95th Street where park-and-ride facilities are planned. The recent decision to locate Chicago State College in the Illinois Central's Burnside Yards suggests the extension of service into the Calomet Expressway to serve this major development. M 7, The Crosstown Expressway is planned as the last major element in the expressway system Tor UMicago. Its eastern leg is to be connected with the Dan Ryan Expressway and with the Skyway to insure maximum service. The location of the Crosstown Ex- pressway, and therefore the location of connections with the Ryan and the Skyway, is now being studied. Several of the alterna- tives, as they relate to the Southeast Devel - These grade level railroad tracks create pedestrian and vehicular problems. opment Area, are illustrated on the right. 14 Tl@ g' 7111 10S STO AS* 7 M . ........ Hazardous traffic conditions are created where diagonal streets intersect major thoroughfares. CROUTOWN SSWAY _1@4 Expps 11ST .... EXPRESSW7A CROSSTOWN CROSSTOWN MO o @x' P NIX 7T ';ROISIOWN @IXIRESIWAI C CROSSTOWN ALTERNATIVE A ALTERNATIVE B ALTERNATIVE C 15 Major Capital Improvements in i - - - i Al The Southeast DevelopmentArea H The map illustrates major projects included in the 1967-1971 Joint Capital Improve- 167TH, additional projects scheduled since com- ments Program, as well as a number of pletion of the report. The Capital Improve- 71ST,_ ments Program covers a five year period 0 and is revised annually and submitted to the Chicago Plan Commission for approval. The Plan Commission, under the inter- 75TH agency p 0 reviews each project prior to construction 0 to insurethat projects are in conformitywith lanning referral procedure, also -79TH the Comprehensive Plan of Chicago. Projects identified on the map are at three different stages of development: projects A 1@0 recently completed, projects underway, and projects proposed within the next five 0 years. Some area-wide projects, such as I the recently completed comprehensive alley TI: 0 87TH lighting program, are not mapped. There are several major studies currently underway in the Southeast Development C' .10 Area: street improvements on 76th Street IV b.N from Colfax to Jeffery Avenues, and on Stony Island Avenue from 69th to 77th, 95TH and 79th to 95th streets; and the 73rd- Dobson Department of Urban Renewal 0 conservation project. In addition, several 0 I Ide I -w public agencies have initiated city development plans which will result in additional recommendations for improved public facilities and services in this area. cc & X 0 W M z 0 < > 5 cc W z cc, 2 < 0 C 0 0 [7-7-1 Rapid Transit Extension Water Feeder Main Sewer Improvement School Addition Street Improvement Community Improvement Intersection Improvement Park Improvement F6 Street Lighting Fire Station (New) Bridge and Viaduct Improvement Public Housing 16 Environmental Patterns in the Southeast Area This square mile section of the Southeast Development Area is basically a sound resi- dential area. Environmental problems exist, however, in the form of excessive and obso- lete commercial strips along congested ma- jor streets, a little used rail line running diagonally through the area, and inadequate space for recreation and public facilities. The alternative diagrams show two ways in which the policies of the Comprehensive Plan could be applied in this section to improve the living environment and protect sound existing housing. In both cases the planning principles applied to the area are essentially the same but different forms are created. Along with the widening and improvement of major streets, scattered commercial ac- tivities should be relocated into compact and convenient business centers at major intersections. As a by-product of this relo- cation and street widening, land could also be made available for new residential con- struction. Minor changes in local street pat- terns should also be made to improve the flowof trafficon major streets and to protect local streets from the intrusion of through traffic. Improved and expanded schools and local parks could be linked more closely to homes, shops, churches and other local facilities by a system of pedestrian walk- ways along existing street rights-of-way and the vacated railroad right-of-way. This system could accommodate a series of small scale activities as well as providing important links to lakefront facilities within easy walking distance to the east. SUMMARY The illustration opposite this summary is designed F. Special attention should be paid to the devel- to present an overview of the major concepts opment of continuous park lands along the lake- identified through the Development Area Process front. This will require special attention to design- at this stage. Through this device it is possible to ing the means to link Rainbow Beach with Planning Framework see how each of these ideas contributed to the Jackson Park in this Development Area. Southeast Development Area design of a total fabric for the Development Area: A. The neighborhoods surrounding the inter- G. A program for orderly development of business section of the Illinois Central and Penn-Central centers should be organized to insure local eco- Residential mainline railroads and the southeast portion of the nomic strength and initiative and to maintain the South Chicago community are in need of active level of service required by the residents of the programs of residential rehabilitation, including Southeast Development Area. Land along major Business the clearance of blighted sections, the construction streets not needed for business uses should be made available for other uses such as recreation of new housing, the enforcement of building or housing. Institutional codes, and the addition of community facilities. The concentration of commercial activities and the improvement of the system of major streets H. The Southeast Development Area has a high and expressways would allow for a new system degree of accessibility to the rest of the city and Pa rk of landscaped walkways to link homes to parks, to the metropolitan area via the Dan Ryan Express- shops, schools and other focal points within the -way, the Chicago Skyway and Lake Shore Drive. community. 'The completion of Stony Island Parkway and the Industrial addition of ramps to the Skyway will further im- B. In the neighborhoods south of 106th Street prove that accessibility. Residential Rehabilitation and northwest of 79th Street and Cottage Grove A and Redevelopment Avenue there has been some deterigration in both 1. Cottage Grove Avenue, Torrence Avenue, South housing and commercial facilities. These residen- Shore Drive, 71st Street, 79th Street, 87th Street, Residential Code Enforcement tial areaswould benefitfrom programsof code en- 95th Street, and 1 03rd Street should be given pri- B and Rehabilitation forcement and improved community maintenance. ority for upgrading to major street standards as A few opportunities for redevelopment exist. recommended by the Comprehensive Plan. C Community Maintenance C. The residential communities of South Shore, J. Rapid transit service will be provided in the in Older Areas South Chicago and Chatham contain a mixture of median strip of the Dan Ryan Expressway. This old and new apartments and single-family homes. service should be extended into the Calumet D Preserve Quality in Newer Areas In order to maintain and improve these areas, an Expressway to service the new campus of Chicago active maintenance program should be under- State College. taken. As is typical of the Southeast Development E Community Park Improvements Area, an outstanding opportunity for park-mall development exists. K. Chicago State College will build a four-year senior college in the Illinois Central Railroad's D. The communities south of the Chicago Sky- Burnside Yards. This institution will generate F Lakefront Park Expansion way and east of the Illinois Central mainline rail- much new activity in the southwest corner of road generally contain well-maintained newer the Development Area and should be a positive single-family homes. These areas could most stimulus to the growth and improvement of the G Business Center Development benefit from organized community maintenance surrounding communities. programs. The continued construction of new housing should be encouraged wherever appro- The continuing modernization of the physical H Expressway and Parkway Improvements priate sites can be identified. plant that supports community services is illus- E. Area-wide needs for additional parks and re- trated in the Capital Improvements section of this Major Street Improvements report. In every area of community service- creation facilities should be met through the de- recreation, education, public safety, environmen- velopment of neighborhood parks in conjunction tal health, and social services -program improve- J New Rapid Transit Service with school improvement programs. The park-mall ments that are tailored to meet the needs of people concepts of the Comprehensive Plan should be must also continue. In the Southeast Develop- applied throughout the Development Area as a ment Area, such improvements should emphasize means of insuring maximurn usefulness of park stronger supportive services for presently dis- K New Senior College Campus improvements. advantaged groups. 18 CION, lei, 9- hl@ r-CI A COMMUTER RAIL 1W, 10 .51 pie \It 0%je C'Vk Coll FIG, VL lk ON gp,v%o Vk Department of Development The preparation of this report and Planning was the responsibility of: City of Chicago Martin R. Murphy Lewis W. Hill Commissioner Among the department staff who made significant contributions Robert W. Christensen to the content of this report: Deputy Commissioner Dennis A. Harder Thomas Kapsalis Jerral T. Harper Bonnie W. Marantz Assistant Commissioner Sheri F. Naditch Alexandra Shapiro Martin R. Murphy Assistant Commissioner Others who contributed to the report: Robert L. Blumenthal Barry J. Cannizzo John G. Doolen Lois J. Koch Those who aided in the production of the report: James C. McInerney Samuel Mazzone Laurence T. Young, Jr. Photographs: Art Dahl Assisted by a grant administered by the Renewal Assistance Office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Section 405 of the Housing Act of 1959. This report has been prepared as a discussion document. Many city departments and agencies, private organizations, and community groups have already made contributions to this report, and their assistance is gratefully acknowledged. The Department of Development and Planning looks forward to continuing and expanding these relationships in the future, as Development Area proposals are reviewed.. 20 NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY 3 6668 14111769 9