For more detailed information about the proposed Maryville plan and the TIF funding that's been proposed for it, there were two articles in Lake Effect News last summer worth checking out. Editor Lorraine Swanson is following the story, so keep an eye on LEN for more in the near future.- Another TIF For Uptown? "Is Uptown in line for a new TIF district? That’s one of the ideas being tossed around to fulfill a developer’s request for TIF money to redevelop the former Columbus-Maryville Academy campus at 810 W. Montrose Ave."
- Marty Paris, President of Sedgwick Properties, speaks "On the Record" about TIF funding, traffic studies, parking, and market-rate rentals.
Seriously, how do we stop this now from being the next WY mess?
ReplyDeleteThe developer says he needs TIF money to make this viable.
Because their isn't a need or a market for any more darn condos in Chicago right now.
That is not a blighted piece of property so it should not receive any TIF money.
An honest question:
ReplyDeleteHow much affordable (read: subsidized) senior housing is needed in Chicago?
Seems that every single new project, within Uptown and beyond, has a senior housing element.
Granted, as residents in affordable (read: subsidized) housing age, they will (with a good diet, exercise and a little luck) become senior citizens.
Does the need actually exist, or is this simply a way to blunt opposition to these projects?
I wonder how the percentage of affordable senior housing in this ward compares with other parts of the city? I ask because I wish a similar question had been asked when all these nursing homes for the mentally ill came here. I'm interested in maintaing some type of a balance with all the different types of housing within the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteJust Wondering-
ReplyDelete"I'm interested in maintaing some type of a balance with all the different types of housing within the neighborhood."
This completely goes against Helen Shiller's campaign tactics. It's no secret why our ward has the most in the city. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't out-build (with our TIF money) the developers that have placed new residents here who actually care what sort of "Urban Planning" she does.
One year and counting voters (sure wish the UU had a counter that told us how long until we are finally rid of the beast) Happy retirement Helen!
How much affordable (read: subsidized) senior housing is needed in Chicago?
ReplyDeleteSeems that every single new project, within Uptown and beyond, has a senior housing element.
Apparently, a lot.
The city requires an affordable housing component to the vast majority of new 10+ unit developments in the city (it's required if a TIF is involved OR re-zoning OR if land is purchased from the city OR if the project is within a planned development zoning classification). The city requires that 20% of units in these developments be "affordable".
A correction to my earlier comment - only 10% of units need to be "affordable" in a given development under all the circumstances listed EXCEPT a TIF. In a TIF-funded project (or a project where the city has made any other kind of financial assistance), that amount increases to 20%.
ReplyDeleteI really have no knowledge of the housing code, but I am wondering if developers use the SENIOR affordable housing in order to keep out the OTHER affordable housing. In other words, perhaps the 10% rule means any kind of affordable housing, and the developers choose SENIOR because it is more palatable to some. I may be way off base here, but I wonder if this is the case?
ReplyDeleteOne thought if there was a market now or in the near future for more lakefront market rate condos I think American Invesco would be building on their plot of land adjacent to the New York Condo highrise on Lakeshore Drive.
ReplyDeleteAnd if I recall correctly that plot of land was already approved for a building but pulled due to the market. I could be wrong on that part.
That being said anytime a developer asked for TIF money especially in Uptown you can bet the end product delivered will be much different than what they promise.
And Helen will say that is what the community wanted or use the market for the reason for no income requirement housing.
I'd like to know how the heck an alderman could use a taxpayer office and taxpayer paid staff to run a privately owned parking lot for a non-profit corporation for the past 5-7 years. I'd like to know how Alderman Helen Shiller can operate this parking lot without any license or compliance with laws that require posting of parking fees when no private parking lot operator can do so. I'd like to know where the money that is collected for the monthly parking fees ends up and whether the Good Sisters are declaring the income as business income - not non-profit income - as required on their Form 990 tax returns.
ReplyDeletetruthbearer- there is no fee for a parking permit for that lot. Helen arranged with the owners for the community to use the lot for overnight parking even before they abandoned the facility. The permit requirement, I believe, was originally because there are so few spaces and so many people needing parking. The permits are free, but they are distributed and managed by the alderman's office as part of the agreement with the owners to use the lot. They expire every 3 months. Although I don't agree with many of Helen's decisions, her work on this project has helped many, many people ('evil condo owners' included,) and I think it's of great benefit to the area. Undoubtedly one of her best achievements!
ReplyDelete