Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) and Hyde Park community organizations host 53rd St. Vision Workshop
Despite frigid temperatures and an early morning start time, close to 200 Hyde Park and South Side residents packed the gymnasium of Canter Middle School on December 8, 2007 for a half-day workshop to discuss future development of 53rd Street, Hyde Park's primary commercial business corridor and an important shopping hub for the mid-south side of Chicago.
Using technology provided by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), attendees were able to vote on development priorities and see their preferences reflected in real-time.
Results from the day's polling revealed several themes for the future of 53rd Street including an almost universal desire for:
- a greater range of options for shopping, dining and entertainment
- more restaurants and entertainment venues, including cultural venues, movies and nightlife
- development with retail on the ground floor with residential or office above
- a pedestrian friendly, visually clean and attractive environment.
- parking above, behind or beneath developments
The information culled from the workshop will be shared with City of Chicago planners and reflected in future requests for proposals (RFPs) to developers.