This week we discussed the beauty of the 606 trail, which extends 2.7 miles east-west through Logan Square. The active trail was converted from the Bloomingdale train line beginning in 2014. The trail serves as a hub for outdoor activity and green space for not only Logan Square, but also Wicker Park, Humbolt Park, and Bucktown. While there is a long list of positive attributes that the 606 provides, it is important to discuss the gentrification the trail has caused. Since the birth of the 606 trail, developers have had their eyes on lots adjacent to the trail. The purpose of the 606 is to provide green space to lacking neighborhoods. The project has been successful in promoting social interaction, a sense of community, and lower crime rates. However, developers infiltrating and building expensive housing projects along the trail has the potential to displace existing residents. The transition is unfortunate, but there are many people working to prevent this gentrification in order to continue the successes of the trail.
In May 2017 a new law was under review that would charge land owners and developers between $300,000-$650,000 for building new housing projects along the western portion of the 606 without including affordable housing. Under this legislation, the money would be handled by neighborhood organizations like The Logan Square Neighborhood Association and The Latin United Community Housing Association to continue pushing for more affordable housing projects as well as maintaining existing housing. Alderman Roberto Maldonado stated, "This is an ordinance to help our longstanding community residents, rather than to help the new developers that want to come here and displace us and kick us out of here". The law would penalize developers who do not designate 50% of their projects units to the affordable market. The goal of the legislation is to slow down the popular market around the 606 trail. The legislation would be the first of its kind in Chicago. As we spoke about in class, unlike NYC, Chicago does not have a controlled housing market. This legislation would be the first constraint put on the Chicago housing market to maintain existing neighborhoods.
The city has already explored plans of extending the 606 trail east of the Kennedy expressway into Lincoln Park. I fear the extension may further the western gentrification by extending into high-income neighborhoods.
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The mayor has also submitted an ordinance for 1.7 miles of railway in Englewood to be converted to a green trail similar to the 606. the neighborhood and especially the areas surrounding the railway are currently infested with crime. The hope is that the project would decrease crime by connecting parks and urban farms. The plan is in its earliest stages, but the future development will be fascinating to follow. While there is no question that this intervention would be a positive addition to the neighborhood, the design must be thought out critically from all angles. Englewood is a very different neighborhood than Humboldt Park and Logan Square, but the project should look ahead 20-30 years to ensure its purpose long-term. There is a fine line between a positive urban intervention and the gentrification of the surrounding neighborhood. It's an issue that designers have to consider as future projects in Chicago look to emulate the 606 trail.
DNA Info
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170523/logan-square/606-affordable-housing-ordinance-gentrification-ald-maldonado-ald-moreno/
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140915/englewood/bloomingdale-trail-for-englewood-city-moves-get-train-tracks-for-park#slideshow-carousel
https://chicago.curbed.com/2016/12/30/14124726/chicago-606-trail-extension-city-plans-lincoln-park-transportation
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