The North

Lawndale
Redevelopment
Plan
A Comprehensive Proposal to Revitalize One of Chicagos
Forgotten Neighborhoods

Created by: Clayton Mutert

Phillip Price

Bridget Seibyl
& Joshua Stein

PPS 350
Fall 2015

Table of Contents
I.

Executive Summary ............................................................................................... 3

II.

History of North Lawndale ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

III.

Corridor Development Strategy ............................................................................ 4

Why Ogden & Central Park?
Roosevelt & Central Park Corridor
Next Steps

IV.

Housing ...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

State of Housing in North Lawndale
Central Park Ogden Connector
Affordable Housing Redevelopment Project within
North Lawndale
Introduction of Mixed-Use Housing
Conclusion

V.

Business ...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

State of Business in North Lawndale
Economic and Business Development Objectives
Conclusions

VI.

Education .............................................................................................................. 5
State of Education in North Lawndale
The North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance
Bringing High Schools to North Lawndales West Side
Conclusion

VII. Community ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

The North Lawndale Community
What is Community Economic Development?
The Role of Race & Other Demographic Characteristics
Community-Based Economic Action Plan
VIII. Recommended Timeline for Action..................................................................... 12
Phase 1: Year 1
Phase 2: Years 2-5
Phase 3: Years 6-10
Phase 4: Years 10-20 and on
IX.

Works Cited .......................................................................................................... 13

THE NORTH LAWNDALE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

*** Note: The following document is an edited version of a group project. I

have condensed the 43 page document down to focus on the areas that I was
directly responsible for, as I believe it gives the best example of my individual
work.

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Executive Summary
North Lawndale is a neighborhood with a storied history, and has been a long neglected part of the citys
west side. However, upon closer inspection it can be seen that North Lawndale holds the capacity to be a
strong epicenter for cultural and economic prosperity. It is in close proximity to the South Loop, Midway
Airport, and the UIC Medical District. North Lawndale also has multiple El stops within the
neighborhood, a main commuter road running through it in Ogden Avenue, and is directly next to
Douglas Park. With all of these geographic assets, North Lawndale should be considered an untapped
area of economic potential. However, due to unfortunate historical events and a changing economic
landscape, the area has experienced a steep decline over the years. Currently, there are a large number of
poor families and individuals in North Lawndale, with many residents unemployed or out of the work
force, and the area has seen a continual decrease in population.

Despite these current circumstances, North Lawndale still holds a massive amount of potential, and with
careful planning and appropriate funding, the neighborhood can utilize its assets and become a healthy,
stable area where its residents experience a high quality standard of living and business can flourish. In
order to facilitate this revitalization effort, four main development factors have been carefully chosen that
give North Lawndale the best opportunity for a second chance at economic prosperity. These
development factors are: Housing, Business, Education and Community.

These development factors are interconnected and crucial for the resurgence of North Lawndale. This
report will go into detail regarding the objectives and plan of action for each of these factors, as well as
explain why these actions are necessary and beneficial to the neighborhood as a whole. Additionally, this
report will provide a brief history of North Lawndale, explain the strategy for corridor development in the
neighborhood, and give a recommended timeline of action for this project.

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North Lawndale is undeniably a large work-in-progress, and its redevelopment will be a long and
ambitious project to undertake. But if the problems currently inhibiting growth in North Lawndale are
adequately addressed, it will prove to be an economic hub for the city of Chicago for years to come.

Corridor Development Strategy

When dealing with the redevelopment of a large neighborhood like North Lawndale, the entire
neighborhood cannot be renovated at once. Therefore, it is necessary to identify specific target areas, or
corridors, that will provide the greatest amount of benefits to the neighborhood as a whole. The
development of these corridors lays the foundation for sustained growth in an area, with said growth
expected to spread to surrounding parts of the neighborhood. As the selected corridor experiences
revitalization through increased tax revenue, coupled with more business and residential interest,
additional investment in the rest of the neighborhood becomes possible. Work on improved physical
aesthetics should also continue on to residual properties outside the specified corridor.

It has been determined that this type of development is the most effective and efficient strategy to tackle
all of the issues pertaining to the identified development factors of housing, business, education, and
community. In North Lawndale, the main corridor of focus will be that of Ogden & Central Park.

Why Ogden & Central Park?

The corridor of Ogden & Central Park has been determined to be the area of the highest potential in North
Lawndale. The reasoning behind this decision stems from its prime geographical location in the
neighborhood. Ogden is a main commuter street running northeast towards the Loop. A CTA pink line
station at Central Park Avenue, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Douglas Park, and the police station at Ogden and
Christiana Avenue are all conveniently located within or close to this corridor. There is also a multitude
of schools within reasonable distance. This means that there are wide variety of street users, including
individuals commuting to work, students, bus passengers, bicyclists, hospital patients, and pedestrians all
utilizing this road on a daily basis. This high amount of traffic makes the Ogden & Central Park corridor
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an ideal location for commercial and residential real estate and an optimal place to begin redevelopment
in North Lawndale.

Roosevelt & Central Park Corridor

While Ogden & Central Park will be the main corridor of focus for this project, additional development
corridors need to be identified. The area of Roosevelt & Central Park will be the secondary development
corridor, once sufficient redevelopment is underway. Roosevelt Road is quite dilapidated and will require
a large amount of work and attention to revitalize. For this reason, additional revenue from
redevelopment will be needed to fund the improvements there. This is why it has been designated as a
secondary location, because action taken in this area must wait for when the funds are available. Once the
Ogden & Central Park and Roosevelt & Central Park corridors are established and stable, the state of
North Lawndale is expected to be on a positive path towards redevelopment. The resurgence of these two
areas will allow the rest of the neighborhood to be in a position to continue revitalization and flourish.

Next Steps
Now that the development corridors have been identified, it is time to explore the direct action being
proposed that addresses the development factors previously noted. This will provide clarity to the ways
in which redevelopment will effect and change the neighborhood of North Lawndale.

Education
State of Education in North Lawndale
According to the 2013 American Community Survey, 37.5% of the total population in North Lawndale is
19 years old or younger. This is the highest percentage of any age group in the survey, meaning that the
largest portion of the population in North Lawndale is made up by children and teenagers. When thinking
of the potential for human capital in North Lawndale, this demographic must be taken into consideration.
If the youth in the neighborhood can be provided with a quality education and the tools to effectively
THE NORTH LAWNDALE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

contribute to society through their formative years, it will aid greatly in the revitalization and future
prosperity for all of North Lawndale and its residents.

Unfortunately, the state of education in North Lawndale, particularly high school education, has been
unsatisfactory to date. According to the Steans Family Foundation, 4 of the 6 high schools in the
neighborhood provided the percentage of students who met or exceeded the Illinois standards on the
PSAE in 2014. The highest percentage achieved by any school in North Lawndale was 13%, and two
schools were not even able to reach a rate over 7%. Although judging a schools performance based on
standardized test scores is a highly criticized method, the numbers reported by the high schools in North
Lawndale are alarmingly low, and are worth noting when taking into consideration the quality of
education in the neighborhood, and the likelihood of students continuing their education after high school.

Another issue is that there is only one public high school in North Lawndale, and it is located in the
northeast corner of the neighborhood. In fact, aside from Community Services West, an alternative high
school with an enrollment less than 200 students, all the high schools in North Lawndale are located on
the east side of the neighborhood. This brings about questions of equity of accessibility for residents
living on the west side, especially if they are not able to afford or meet the requirements to attend one of
the 3 charter schools in the area. Due to these circumstances, a major concern that arises is that certain
students, particularly those from families of the lowest incomes, will be left behind in terms of education.

Based on the information noted above, the two main areas of concern regarding education in North
Lawndale are that of school performance and equitable distribution of educational services to all residents
of the neighborhood. In order for a successful redevelopment of North Lawndale to occur, the addressing
of educational issues is pivotal. It is widely agreed upon that the quality of the education one receives is
vital in terms of their future economic and social achievement. Therefore in order to ensure a prosperous
future for the residents of North Lawndale, it is crucial that the youth in the neighborhood receive a high
quality education. Additionally, one of the key factors this project is focusing on in terms of economic
redevelopment is that of attracting new, middle income families to the area. If the state of schooling is in
THE NORTH LAWNDALE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

bad condition, it will deter this demographic from choosing North Lawndale as a place to raise their
family. If the revitalization of North Lawndale is truly to be had, action must be taken to remedy the
educational issues currently facing this neighborhood. This report has identified two main strategies that
will address the issues noted above. These strategies are:

Creation of the community group: The North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers
Partnership

Relocating NLCP Collins and adding a public school to the neighborhoods west side

The North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance

One of the most important aspects of student success is through a concerted effort by both parents and
teachers to reinforce a dedication to education upon the youth. It is imperative that students understand
the connection between taking ones education seriously, and the standard of living one will experience
later in life. In order to ensure that these ideals are being fortified both in the classroom and at home,
there needs to be consistent and productive dialogue between parents and teachers. For these reasons, it is
being proposed that The North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance be founded.

The North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance (NLCPTA) is a community group intended
to provide an avenue for parents and teachers throughout the neighborhood to interact, become familiar
with one another, and discuss issues facing the schools and their students. The NLCPTA will consist of
at least one teacher representative from every elementary, middle and high school, and all schools should
be represented regardless of charter or public status. Additionally, any parents who wish to be involved
will be strongly encouraged to join the partnership.

The rationale behind the intended success of this group is that parents and teachers alike have a shared
stake in the performance of schools in the neighborhood. With improved performance, parents
understand that their child will receive a better education, thus better preparing them to succeed later in
life. Likewise, teachers will benefit from increased job security and the satisfaction of seeing their

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students thrive. It is hoped that by having this myriad of committed people with similar interests in one
place, they will see the importance of improving the state of education, not only in their individual
schools, but in the neighborhood as a whole, and that this culture will spread throughout the community.

One of the main benefits of the North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance is that both
parties can hold each other accountable to the goal of ensuring that students are maximizing their
education. The group will allow teachers to communicate what is expected of the parents, and parents
can raise to the teachers any concerns they may have about the way things are being conducted in the
classroom.

The NLCPTA will also be tasked with brainstorming additional ways to enhance school performance
throughout the neighborhood, be it through fund-raising events, creating neighborhood-wide after school
programs, or any other strategies they may identify. Having voices from different parts of North
Lawndale provides for the most efficient way to become knowledgeable of the issues and find ways to fix
them.

Students have a much better chance to succeed and take their education seriously through a conjoined
effort by their parents and teachers. The creation of the North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers
Alliance is intended to be the foundation for a lasting community organization dedicated to this effort that
will endure for years to come, and will only grow stronger as the neighborhood improves.

Bringing High Schools to North Lawndales West Side

As previously noted, one of the main areas of concern regarding education in North Lawndale is the
equity of accessibility to education, particularly high schools, for all resident of the neighborhood. It
should first be noted that this section will only concentrate on high schools due to the fact that the 22
elementary schools are dispersed evenly throughout the neighborhood. In contrast, there are currently 5
high schools located in North Lawndale (not including Community Services West, which will be touched
on in the next section), all of which are located on the east side of the neighborhood.
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As of 2013, only 71.8% of North Lawndale residents age 25 and older had at least a high school diploma;
this is almost 10% lower than the average for the City of Chicago. (2013 American Community Survey)
These statistics indicate that a significant percentage of those residing in North Lawndale drop out before
finishing high school, and the lack of high schools on the west side is likely a strong contributing factor to
this problem. For instance, students living on the west side have a much longer commute to school than
those living on the east side. In a low income neighborhood like North Lawndale, where students may
not have a strong support system, this longer commute may provide incentive for students to place less
priority on school, not attend class, or drop out altogether.

Additionally, when planning for the future of North Lawndale, the unequal dispersion of schools may
detract from the appeal of the neighborhood for families who are considering whether or not to reside
there. If true economic redevelopment is to be had in North Lawndale, growth needs to be facilitated
throughout all parts of the neighborhood. And if schools continue to be concentrated on the east side,
equal development cannot occur.

The plan being proposed to correct this issue is two-fold. First, North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP)
Collins Campus will be relocated to a more western location. Secondly, a new public school will be
constructed on the west side of the neighborhood.

Relocation of NLCP Collins

NLCP Collins is geographically located on Roosevelt and Sacramento, and is the center-most school in
the cluster of high schools on the east side of North Lawndale. It is being proposed that this charter
school be relocated to the empty lot on 3844 W 16th St. that spans from Avers to Springfield. The lot is of
sufficient size to fit a high school, although eminent domain may need to be utilized in order to clear
space off the lot. There is also an empty lot directly next to this location (on 16th from Harding to
Springfield) which can be used if need be. In addition, an elementary charter school, KIPP Ascend, is
located right across the street, so the area has already been identified as an appropriate location for a
school. The relocation of a school is sure to be a controversial issue, and the following explanation of
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why this decision was made and its expected benefits should quell most of the concerns of the
community.

The main rationale behind the decision to relocate NLCP Collins was that this option was the most
feasible way to establish a school on the western portion of North Lawndale, while displacing the fewest
amount of students. Since its a charter school, students will still have the option to remain at NLCP
Collins after its relocation if they wish, considering the move is less than two miles from the current
location. Also, in its current location, NLCP Collins is less than a mile away from 3 other high schools in
North Lawndale. This means that families and students who decide the new location is too far away have
many reasonable options in terms of choosing a new school in the same general vicinity. Of these 3
surrounding schools, students have the option of continuing to attend a charter school (Noble), an AUSL
Turnaround (Collins Academy), or a traditional public school (Manley). With this myriad of options,
there should be relatively few negative side effects associated with the relocation of NLCP Collins in
terms of student displacement and the availability of schools on the east side of the neighborhood.

The lot on 16th & Avers was chosen in large part because it fulfills two goals associated with this
redevelopment project. The most obvious reason is that it is in a more western location, increasing the
equity of school dispersion in North Lawndale. The second reason is that it is within a close distance to
the corridor of Central Park & Ogden, which has been designated as this projects initial target area for
redevelopment. With the relocation of NLCP Collins and the current location of NLCP Christiana, there
will be 2 charter schools located within a 1 mile radius of Central Park & Ogden. This makes it very
marketable for this corridors target demographic of middle income families. With the plan to relocate
NLCP Collins in place, the odds of new residents moving in are significantly raised, and the issue of
inequitable accessibility to schooling for west side residents can begin to be remedied.

New Public High School for the West Side

The relocation of NLCP Collins is a very good starting point for allowing students equal access to schools
throughout North Lawndale. However over the course of this redevelopment plan, the population of the
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10

neighborhood is expected to grow quite significantly as time goes on. Therefore, a plan needs to be in
place to account for this increase in population, particularly on the west side where there already is a lack
of schools. For this reason, at the point in time when conditions in North Lawndale are showing a
satisfactory amount of improvement and sufficient tax revenue is being generated, an additional public
high school should be put in place on the neighborhoods west side.

A vacant lot located from 1301-1399 Kedvale Ave (from Kedvale & 13th to Kedvale & 14th) has been
determined as a suitable location for this public school. By the time this school is put into use, the
revitalization of North Lawndale should be well underway, giving this location time to develop into a part
of the neighborhood that is apt to accommodate a high school. Considering that this lot is located
essentially in the middle, albeit a bit west, of the two main targeted development corridors of Ogden &
Central Park and Roosevelt & Central Park, it is safe to say that this area will have improved significantly
by the time this portion of the plan in put to action.

In addition to the need of a new high school on the west side due to projected population growth and
increased accessibility to education throughout the neighborhood, there are many other benefits
associated with its construction as well. It will prevent overcrowding in classes in existing schools for
one. Also, it will provide additional jobs in the neighborhood. The fact that its a public school levels out
the ratio of public and charter schools in North Lawndale. This simply ensures that families are presented
with all available options in terms of the type of education they desire for their children. If all goes as
planned, this additional public high school will be the finishing touch on a newly equitable and improved
educational system in North Lawndale.

Conclusion
Education is the cornerstone to an enhanced future for the residents of North Lawndale. If the youth of
the neighborhood are given the opportunity to receive a quality education to which they are committed,
the sky is the limit for the growth that can occur there. In order to ensure this future, the issues of poor
school performance and an unequal access to schools must be solved. With the successful creation and
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11

sustained presence of the North Lawndale Committed Parents & Teachers Alliance, as well as the
implementation of the plan to locate additional schools on the neighborhoods west side, continued
growth and stability in North Lawndale will be all the more probable.

Recommended Timeline for Action

With the large amount of information and proposed strategies provided in this report, it is important to
identify a timeline for how they will be put into action. Each development factor comes along with its
own strategies for revitalization, and they all rely upon the other for the success of this plan, regardless of
what development factor a single strategy falls under. In other words, no aspect of this plan is more
important than another, and in order for the plan to be a success, all strategies described in this report
must be followed. To most effectively organize everything covered and to provide clarity as to when
each strategy in the process needs to begin, this timeline will be divided into 4 phases. These phases are
described below.

Phase 1: Year 1
This phase will concentrate solely on the Ogden & Central Park development corridor. This first year
will be mostly preparatory work for further development once the sites are ready. Action taken in this
time should include:

Begin renovation on empty lots for housing units

Community clean-up initiatives begin in corridor
Begin outreach to local and commercial businesses about locating in Ogden & Central Park
corridor
Community groups and initiatives like the NLCPTA, the Neighborhood Helping Hands initiative
and the Community Leaders Council should be in their organizational and planning stages
Community garden and farmers market will go through an initial trial year.

Phase 2: Years 2-5

It is during this phase when significant development is expected to happen in the Ogden & Central Park
corridor. This will be the most intense period of redevelopment in North Lawndale. During this
timeframe, the area will see:

Construction of Central Park-Ogden Connector and specified housing units

Attract new middle-income residents with new housing units
Dollar Lot Program and TIF district should be implemented

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12

Specified business and employment services should be available

Transformation of extra lanes on Ogden into parking spaces
The relocation of NLCP Collins
Continued neighborhood clean-up
NLCPTA, Neighborhood Helping Hands initiative, the Community Leaders Council, the
community garden, and farmers market should all be up and running and engaged with the
community.

Phase 3: Years 6-10

By this point, redevelopment should be well underway, and the Ogden & Central corridor should be
experiencing significant growth and changes. Revitalization should now be spreading to other parts of the
neighborhood, particularly the Roosevelt & Central Park corridor.

Neighborhood clean-up should be at a point where the entire neighborhood is seeing a difference
Central Park-Ogden Connector should be completed
Business investment and commercial growth should spread outside the initial development
corridor
Continued construction and filling of housing units should occur
Most vacant lots should be filled
Begin construction of public high school on the west side

Phase 4: Years 10-20 and on

This phase in the timeline is mostly concentrated on maintaining healthy growth and stability in North
Lawndale. Growth should now have spread enough that the entire neighborhood is experiencing an
improved quality of life. Most redevelopment initiatives will have already been carried out at this time,
so the main goal is to ensure that conditions continue in their upward trajectory.

Most housing units completely renovated and should be filled.

Ogden & Central Park should be a bustling economic and residential hub
New and relocated schools should be up and running
Quality of education should continue to improve
Developed community groups should be well-known within the community.
Community garden and farmers market should be a staple of North Lawndales culture.

Works Cited

Community Economic Development. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Sept. 2015. Web.

1 Nov. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_economic_development>.

CPS School Locator. Chicago Public Schools. Chicago Public Schools, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
<http://cps.edu/ScriptLibrary/Map-SchoolLocator2015/index.html>.

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Edible Garden. Digital image. Edible Garden. Lincoln Park Zoo, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.lpzoo.org/events/calendar/edible-garden>.

Farmers Market. Digital image. Edible Garden. Lincoln Park Zoo, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.lpzoo.org/events/calendar/edible-garden>.

Mission. North Lawndale Greening Committee. North Lawndale Greening Committee, 07.
Mar. 2014. Web. 1 Nov. 2015. <http://nlgreeningcommittee.org/about/mission/>.

United States of America. Chicago Park District. Community Gardens in the Parks. Chicago Park
District, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015. <http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/facilities/communitygardens/#7vs2yic1cs>.

"Steans Family Foundation | North Lawndale High Schools." Steans Family Foundation | North
Lawndale High Schools. Web. Oct. 2015.
<http://www.steansfamilyfoundation.org/lawndale_highschools.shtml>

"North Lawndale Elementary Schools." North Lawndale Elementary Schools. Web. Oct. 2015.
<https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?ll=41.866685%2C-87.709179&hl=en&ei=mTa2S-OAsuFjAf8hKH8Ag&gl=uk&hq=MASON%20ELEMENTARY&source=embed&spn=0.038351%2C0
.059137&view=map&ved=0CEAQpQY&oe=utf-8&client=firefoxa&msa=0&z=14&ie=UTF8&fb=1&hnear=chicago&authuser=1&mid=zx6OqKJSELLM.k6mqEYuBo8w>

Steans Family Foundation. Steans Annual Report 2009-2010. Web. Oct. 2015.
<http://www.steansfamilyfoundation.org/pdf/Steans_AR-2010.pdf>.

2013 American Community Survey. Provided in class.

Affordable Housing Plan. 2009-2013. Web. Nov. 2015.

<http://www.cityofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/dcd/general/housing/HED20104thqtrhousingrepor
t.pdf>

"Affordable Housing Plan Quarterly Reports." City of Chicago ::. Web. Nov. 2015.

<http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/quarterly_housingreports.html>

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AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE Web. Nov. 2015.

<http://www.steansfamilyfoundation.org/knowledgebase/docs/ducharme.pdf>

"Rebuilding Urban Neighborhoods." Google Books. Web. Nov. 2015.

<https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=nx91AwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Urba

n+Redevelopment+Project+in+Chicago+%28North+Lawndale%29&ots=3P2JrfRKwt&sig=W6x
tHmdzAKz4FQyNRahFoQOKYxI#v=onepage&q=Urban%20Redevelopment%20Project%20in>

%20Chicago%20%28North%20Lawndale%29&f=false

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