BRONZEVILLE — The city is putting 30 parcels on six city-owned sites up for sale.
The parcels are being offered through the city’s ChiBlockBuilder program, a program to spur the redevelopment of city-owned vacant land in collaboration with community partners. An informational webinar about the sites will be held 10 a.m. April 30, and those interested in the plots have until July 1 to apply. Potential applicants can register for the conference online.
The parcels are at:
- 3815-3817 S. Lake Park Ave.
- 3835-3863 S. Lake Park Ave.
- 900-916 E. Oakwood Blvd.
- 854-866 E. Oakwood Blvd.
- 855-863 E. Oakwood Blvd.
- 3950-3974 S. Lake Park Ave.
The city released a development vision plan this month illustrating uses for the parcels, from townhomes and duplexes to mixed-use developments and hotels. Several of the parcels offer lakefront views, and the city wants development teams with “compelling visions” for the sites. Teams that are selected will have to prepare a comprehensive plan for their chosen sites, with a clear framework that allows for development flexibility, according to the report.
While the parcels are close to the Metra Electric Line, the closest stop is the 47th Street Station and the Indiana Avenue Green Line stop is a mile away. Officials with the city’s Department of Planning and Development hope the added density to the south lakefront will inspire demand for a new stop and allow for the creation of a “vital transportation corridor” of lakefront neighborhoods from the Loop to South Shore.
Agency officials began conversations with Metra about planning efforts along the Electric Line and will work with development teams to create a feasibility study for a future infill station at Oakwood Boulevard and 39th Street.
The city also hopes the development will aid in building a vibrant pedestrian-oriented neighborhood that provides retail, dining and other amenities for existing residents. With the parcels halfway between the South Loop and Hyde Park, the cluster of city-owned land at Oakwood Boulevard and South Lake Park Avenue “should create a new standard for South Lakefront development in the 21st century,” according to the development vision report.
Another draw is the Bronzeville Trail, which is in the early planning phase. The rails-to-trails initiative calls for the redevelopment of two miles of abandoned railroad along the Kenwood embankment running from South State Street to the Lakefront at 41st Street. The Chicago Department of Transportation is also exploring the possibility of additional bike infrastructure between the lakefront and points further west, according to the report.
The city’s redevelopment efforts dovetails with other plans to revitalize the South Side, including the $3.8 billion Bronzeville Lakefront project that broke ground in March 2023 and the designation of the Bronzeville National Heritage Area, which allows for the preservation of cultural assets within the historical neighborhood.
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