South Chicago: Retropect In Revitalization, A Century In The Making

Necessary Gentrification

Chicago's Southeast Side; mainly South Chicago, the East Side, Hegewisch, and (South) Deering are touted as sharing a "rich and diverse community and history", particularly referring to their common role during the Industrial Revolution, which I certainly agree with and respect. However from the standpoint of Chicago's great history this region, as part of Calumet, has gotten a raw deal from day one-literally. It has been the dumping ground of the city for over a century, from household to toxic waste, which has degraded it's unique natural resources and rare habitats to near extinction. Furthermore the region is hard pressed saving what is left no thanks to the current administrations constant flip-flopping on environmental issues.

As the steel manufacturing workhorse, arguably of the world, at it's zenith the area today seems discarded, dilapidated, and ignored following the racial tensions that accompanied the dwindling jobs and subsequent loss of businesses and population from the 1960s until today. Now there is much resistance to accept Chicago even has a distinct Southeast Side - with a lakefront no less, much of local media doggedly choosing instead to throw this area in with the rest of Chicago's South Side, the boundaries of which extend beyond this Calumet Region.
The rest of the Chicago Lakefront to the north has had and continues to see great strides in beautification, remediation and revitalization efforts. These locations, too, were once overdeveloped warehouse districts, littered beachfronts, landfill and polluted waterways, now enjoying world-class status as a shining, clean, green city burgeoning with recreation and lakefront attractions. Yet with the buzz of reclamation projects, action agency plans and numerous community efforts throughout the 80's and 90's in the Calumet Region results are as yet feeble slow for the Southeast Side. With the long overdue raising of the last abandoned South Works steel manufacturing building on South Chicago neighborhoods lakefront the area has been fenced off from the public for the past four years. The newly developed parkland is in jeopardy (and further delay of being completed) because of Chicago Park District scandal, and the promise of a new light manufacturing facility and the new jobs it would have offered is dashed.
Meanwhile Millennium Park was planned, built and completed, architectural deficiencies and all. Great attention and unorthodox feats have generated positive results for Northerly Island efforts, which against great opposition are nevertheless pushed forward. And the Greater Loop area continues to shine brighter with continuous re-/new development quickly implemented.

South Chicago is a chevron shaped community bordered by the Chicago Skyway (beautifully lit at night) to the west southwest, the Calumet River to the south and Lake Michigan to the east. The Former USX South Works Site on South Chicago's lakefront has acreage larger than the Loop. It boasts views of the lakefront from Indiana to downtown all the way to Navy Pier. The micro-climate is always cooler in the summer and warmer in winter. The location is too far east to easily access the CTA "L", but with its own newly contructed Metra South Chicago Branch stations (known formerly as private Row) connecting directly to the Metra Electric District/South Shore Main Line (the oldest continuous commuter rail line in the world), Metra's only electric powered streamlines, you can access smoothly and quickly to virtually every lakefront park and attraction to the north quietly and with much more ease than from any other public transit in the city. Hegewisch also has it's own Metra station along the Main Line.
If you're going McCormick Place you need not worry about the weather at all because the station is under it. For example, you can attend the yearly Auto Show in a flash and never pay a dime for parking or walk long distances. You can also get directly to Millennium Park in 15 to 20 minutes without a transfer! You're right under the park! Couple that with the proposed re-routing of Lake Shore Drive though the South Works area and you'll have better driving access than ever before along Chicago's beautiful lakefront. Nevertheless for all this convenience (I dare say amenity) it doesn't seem to transfer real attention to this location.
The CHA has also done a double whammy by sending its displaced residents to this area in droves without any planning. I'm not racist or classist. Such notions are irrelevant when it comes to public safety, which has declined for all South Chicago residents over the past two years.

Though home ownership is on the upswing a stagnation has set in. The beautifully landscaped medians of Avenue O ( to date South Chicago's eastern most Avenue) and the E. 87th St. extention to Lake Michigan have been wonderfully paved dead ends for three years and counting. I'm beginning to wonder if the only answer is for the gentrification process, which without fail has brought new life to other declining neighborhoods, should come here afterall. The Skyway was beautifully landscaped along its southwest side facing Calumet Heights when the Department Of Transportation finished contruction two years ago. Today the trees and shrubbery are dying, and invasive weeds have taken over to the point that the area is a neglected unsightly mess.

Southworks Development LLC has hired the world-renowned design firms of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Sasaki Associates along with Lubert-Adler Real Estate Fund IV, McCaffery Interests, Inc., and Westrum Development Company to create plans for the redevelopment of Chicago’s Southeast Side lakefront with world-class urban development. But they're not a community based outreach with affordable ideals in mind, but globally renowned high-end development groups with such credits as the Sears Tower and Hancock Building, the Washington Mall and London's Canary Warf. Unfortunately nothing else has worked better than this to bring retail, business and vibrancy to floundering communities, albeit at the risk of higher taxes - and displacement. But I, for one, am tired of waiting. A Jewel-Osco, maybe. I imagine a Cold Stone Creamery, Quiznos, or Rita's Italian Ice and a Smokey Bones Barbecue fronted by lakeside parkland. I see Target, Barnes & Nobles and Starbucks catching the sunrise off the Lake. I can also see the neighborhood corner stores along E. 87th Street & S. Commercial Avenue much cleaner and well stocked.

posted by Calumetman @ 9:57 PM