Ch-Ch-Changes On Wilson Avenue

"All the work to help transform Wilson Avenue is paying off. The $203M rehab of the Wilson L station was a catalyst and all of our hard work promoting Uptown has encouraged many developers to pay attention to the many advantages this neighborhood has to offer. As one of the co-sponsors for the Transit Oriented Development Ordinance, I made sure there would be more development along this retail corridor, which has spurred a lot of economic activity, including a 10-story proposal for the NE corner of Broadway & Wilson and another 7-story proposal at 1050 W. Wilson, situated directly west of Sonic. The former Stewart School will soon be converted into condominiums in 2017.

As economic development begins to increase, a community can expect more retailers to follow suit. Many people moving into the area are now opting to go without a car because the mass transit options are so good with easy access to Chicago's downtown area. This increase in density that we're already seeing in this area is what has caused retailers to become excited about Wilson Avenue. Uptown United's SSA#34 recently added new planters in Sheridan Park, which has really changed the look of this street.

Back in 2000, area residents were very excited when Starbucks made the decision to move into their location at Magnolia & Wilson, making it the only coffee shop in the area. Today, Starbucks was pushed out by 3 other independent coffee shops that have come in within the last 5 years, with a fourth one, Emerald City Coffee, opening up in a few weeks. Click here to view a recent DNA Info article that highlights what's happening on Wilson.

The changes we are seeing have come directly from our overall vision created from the 46th Ward Master Plan, which many of you helped produce. It has taken time and a lot of work, but it is nice to finally reap the rewards of the past five years."