COMMUNITY VISION
What is YOUR vision for California Avenue?
What is this planning process about?
The goal of this planning process is to create a neighborhood vision for an equitable, resilient, healthy, and vibrant corridor along California Avenue while improving walkability, safety and pedestrian experience at large.
This planning process will look different due to COVID-19 social distancing considerations as we are reaching out to residents, business owners and community organizations in different ways to stay connected and active in the different stages of the process (October 2020 – April 2021).
Listening + Learning
What are the assets and challenges along California Avenue? What other planning efforts and initiatives exist or are planned in this area? What are the current experiences of residents, business owners, workers residents and visitors around this corridor?
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Visioning + Principles
What are the values and priorities that should shape the future of this Corridor? How might California Avenue become a city-wide reference for healthy, equitable, inclusive, resilient and vibrant community development?
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Strategies + Projects
What are opportunities for open space, landscape and green infrastructure projects? How to support existing businesses and help to create more local businesses? How might we create a corridor environment that promotes health and safety?
What is the study area?
Anchored by the Pink Line California Station, this planning effort focuses on the half-mile stretch (about a 10-minute walk) between 19th Street and 24th Street of California Avenue – from Douglass Park to the North and Marshall Boulevard to the South.
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Who is organizing this process?
This is a community-led planning process supported by Latinos Progresando and the Marshall Square Resoure Network. Members of the Health Committee, including Esperanza Health Centers, Sinai Health System, The Nature Conservancy, and the Center for Neighborhood Technology, will be working with the consultant team of Borderless Studio y Collabo Planning and Design.
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Do you know about these and other
planning initiatives and studies related to California Avenue?
This planning effort is not starting from scratch – there are multiple past and ongoing related studies, initiatives and plans that are being reviewed. Another goal of this planning effort is to connect the dots while reviewing work that has been done in the past years, currently active efforts or projects in the pipeline to inform the strategies and shape a collective vision.
Are you working on or know about a planning or project initiative that should be included in this list? Send us a message!
What we are hearing
"My main concern is the barriers the city of Chicago has to small businesses, especially emerging businesses like ours."
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José Delaluz Cardenas
Business owner and resident
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“There’s potential for Saucedo to act as an even stronger hub for health, fitness and wellness.”
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Virginia Hiltz,
Principal, Saucedo Academy
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"There is a need to strike the right balance when bringing amenities to the neighborhood, and to ensure that long-standing small businesses are supported."
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Miguel Blancarte Jr,
Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) and Resident
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“The Cook County Jail and Courts have a “looming negative presence” in the neighborhood. This needs to be balanced with a major educational / community hub in this part of California Avenue."
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Tamara Witzl,
Principal, Telpochcali Elementary
How do I get involved?
Join the mailing list to receive updates
We would like to have as many voices contributing with insights and ideas to create a collective vision for the California Avenue Corridor. Join our mailing list to receive monthly updates on activities, or share your comments and ideas.
Remote engagement and public health considerations
Due to COVID public health considerations, we will not be hosting in-person community meetings – instead we are developing a few online tools to gather and document input, in addition to direct outreach to community members.
Do you have any questions?
Send us a message
We are setting about a few ways for communication, and we'll try to our best to respond shortly.
Email us at: