Edgewater Residents for Broadway Roadmap for Moving Forward

Edgewater Residents for Broadway (“ERB”) is a group of Edgewater residents who support affordable housing and strengthening business vitality along the Broadway corridor in Edgewater. We believe, however, that the City’s December 16th proposal to “blanket” upzone Broadway in Edgewater to B3-5, the highest density allowed in a business district under the Zoning Code, without having undertaken a comprehensive planning process is a mistake that jeopardizes the character of Broadway and quality of life in Edgewater (*). ERB urges the following three-pronged community-led planning process for Broadway.

A. Put a hold on the City's one-size fits all blanket upzoning proposal for Broadway and undertake a comprehensive planning process.

Before introducing any ordinance to “proactively” upzone Broadway in Edgewater:

• The 48th Ward Alderwoman and DPD should hold a series of meetings with Edgewater residents, Block Clubs, and other Edgewater neighborhood organizations, institutions, and small businesses. (“Edgewater Broadway Stakeholders”) to review and discuss individual segments of Broadway and develop an overall Comprehensive Plan that addresses these different segments and the directly affected Stakeholders’ vision and concerns.

• The Plan should explore opportunities to create and preserve market rate and “affordable” housing and to strengthen commercial activities.

• The Plan should consider and address development opportunities in light of differences in various segments of Broadway and factors such as compatibility with adjacent residential neighborhoods, potential impacts on existing businesses, streets, the environment, and the character of Edgewater.

B. Discourage teardowns of heritage buildings on Broadway in Edgewater

Due to increased property values resulting from any “proactive” upzoning, 45 heritage buildings on Broadway which have been identified by the Edgewater Historical Society should either be exempted from any “proactive upzoning proposal” or placed in a Broadway National Historic District before any upzoning ordinance(s) are introduced to City Council.

Preservation of these heritage buildings will not only preserve the character of Broadway, it will also preserve numerous locally-owned small businesses and many units of Edgewater’s most affordable rental housing.

C. Immediately develop a Master Plan for Broadway between Bryn Mawr and Hollywood, including both sides of Broadway, the Bryn Mawr/Broadway/Ridge intersection, and the Bryn Mawr commercial street.

The Master Plan should provide a framework for redevelopment of the three parcels used as construction staging areas by the CTA and the land underneath the new El tracks. The process to develop the Plan should include meaningful opportunities for discussion with and address input from Edgewater Broadway Stakeholders. There should be no upzoning of any contributing structures to the Bryn Mawr National Historic District. Ideally, the City should establish a City Landmark District to protect this area. Exemption or other protection for these contributing structures must be in place before any “proactive” upzoning ordinance that could jeopardize these buildings is introduced to City Council.

(*) Our focus is on the portion of Broadway in Edgewater between Foster and Devon. There are two reasons for this. First, Broadway south of Foster is in Uptown. Most of the stretch of Broadway in Uptown already has higher and more intense zoning. Second, ERB is an Edgewater residents’ initiative. We respect the right of residents of Uptown to make their own decisions as to their community.