DPD kicks off visioning for Belmont Triangle

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development has kicked off the visioning for the Belmont Triangle in Avondale. Made up of approximately four acres of land, the triangular block is bound by W. Belmont Ave, N. Milwaukee Ave, and N. Pulaski Rd. More than half of the site is currently vacant due to recent business closures and building demolitions. The vacant parcels are addressed at 3240-84 N. Milwaukee, 3207-47 N. Pulaski, and 3934-62 W. Belmont.

In collaboration with Alderman Ariel Reboyras of the 30th Ward, DPD identified the site for community visioning due to its diminished role providing retail- and service-oriented amenities for the neighborhood. The process is part of a strategy to maximize neighborhood opportunity sites throughout Chicago.

At the kickoff visioning meeting, DPD announced that the project is leading into a Request For Proposal (RFP), to ultimately solicit development from local developers. The department will engage with the community to draft an RFP vision and ultimately release the RFP in late June this summer. Responses will be due in early Fall with the final selection expected by the end of the year.

Currently, the entire block is zoned B3-1, which would allow for a variety of business uses and dwelling units on the upper levels. The properties are currently privately-owned, with no city ownership. The property owners are working in cooperation with DPD to redevelop the site.

The meeting included a chance for attendees to begin to contribute input into the future of the site. The visioning process will allow for DPD to develop a concept for the RFP to guide respondents and indicate a potential use for the site. When asked about their vision for the site, common responses included calls for green space, affordable housing, a library, and a community center. 

Ending with a Q&A portion, many questions were addressed. The site is within a TIF district and the project could utilize TIF funding or any other city funding available if deemed necessary. With the community’s interest in green space, representatives from DPD said that they envision green space to be part of the plan, but it’s too early to say in what capacity. 

DPD will engage with its sister agencies as well to consider a library on the site as well as potential Chicago Park District space. They will also collaborate with CDOT to manage public realm improvements and traffic concerns. An environmental review will also be conducted, but it is not known whether any remediation will be necessary.

The new project will likely be a Planned Development and may need a zoning change, requiring a string of approvals from the Chicago Plan Commission, Committee on Zoning, and City Council. A timeline for the approval process once the winning selection has been made will be dependent on the scope of the project.