SIX CORNERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ... - The Lakota Group
SIX CORNERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ... - The Lakota Group
SIX CORNERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ... - The Lakota Group
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<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong><br />
<strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN<br />
EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT<br />
PREPARED BY<br />
Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Lakota</strong> <strong>Group</strong><br />
Gewalt Hamilton Associates<br />
Granacki Historic Consultants<br />
Findzall Community Marketing<br />
May 17, 2012
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Table of contents<br />
INTRODUCTION P. 6<br />
EXISTING CONDITIONS P. 10<br />
Building Inventory and Building Conditions<br />
Business Inventory<br />
Vacancies<br />
Development Pattern and Building Form<br />
Business Signage and Merchandising<br />
Streetscape<br />
Zoning<br />
Socioeconomic Overview<br />
Residential Market Overview<br />
Retail Market Assessment<br />
Grrocery Stores and Pharmacies<br />
Retail Demand Analysis<br />
Shopper Intercept Survey<br />
Parking and Circulation<br />
Addenda p. 54<br />
Addendum #1: Business Inventory for Six Corners<br />
Addendum #2: Shopper Intercept Survey Summary Tables<br />
Addendum #3: History and Historic Designation Opportunities<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN<br />
3
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION<br />
introduction<br />
Background to the Assignment<br />
Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong> was retained by the<br />
City of Chicago Department of Housing and<br />
Economic Development to complete an Economic<br />
Development Master Plan for the Six Corners<br />
business district in Portage Park. This plan will<br />
help the City and Six Corners stakeholders to<br />
enhance the vitality of one of Chicago’s oldest and<br />
most important neighborhood shopping districts.<br />
Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong> leads the team and<br />
will complete the market research upon which the<br />
Plan is based. <strong>The</strong> consulting team includes the<br />
following experts in a variety of related fields:<br />
• Land-use planning and urban design<br />
(<strong>The</strong> <strong>Lakota</strong> <strong>Group</strong>)<br />
• Traffic and parking (Gewalt Hamilton<br />
Associates)<br />
• Historic preservation (Granacki Historic<br />
Consultants)<br />
• Marketing (Findzall Community<br />
Marketing - Cathy Maloney)<br />
Six Corners has a long history as a successful<br />
neighborhood shopping and entertainment<br />
district. With an iconic Sears store, the Portage<br />
<strong>The</strong>ater, and the Marketplace at Six Corners,<br />
it has served residents of Portage Park and<br />
neighboring communities on Chicago’s northwest<br />
side. In recent decades, however, Six Corners has<br />
experienced a loss of retailers along its commercial<br />
corridors and is in need of physical improvements<br />
to both buildings and infrastructure.<br />
Methodology<br />
This planning process is being overseen by a<br />
Steering Committee whose members include<br />
area business and property owners, leadership<br />
from the Portage Park and Old Irving Park<br />
Neighborhood Associations, the Six Corners<br />
Association, and representatives from the 45th<br />
and 38th Aldermanic wards and the Department<br />
of Housing and Economic Development. In<br />
addition to key person interviews, shopper<br />
intercept surveys were conducted in early March.<br />
A public workshop was held on April 11, 2012.<br />
This report presents the results of the first phase<br />
of this assignment, an assessment of existing<br />
conditions in Six Corners. Included are the results<br />
of our demographic and market research, an<br />
assessment of building conditions and uses, and<br />
findings from parking studies.<br />
Going forward, the next phases will involve<br />
community visioning on alternative development<br />
concepts and the preparation of the economic<br />
development plan.<br />
SUmmary of Findings<br />
Six Corners, where Milwaukee Avenue, Irving<br />
Park (4000 N) and Cicero (4800 W) intersect, has<br />
a number of important assets that have enabled<br />
it to remain a competitive shopping district for<br />
decades. Among these assets are:<br />
Klee Plaza at Six Corners building<br />
• An easily accessible location in the heart<br />
of Chicago’s Northwest Side. <strong>The</strong> three<br />
heavily traveled arterials carry 70,000<br />
cars through that intersection on a daily<br />
6<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
INTRODUCTION<br />
basis. <strong>The</strong> intersection is 0.8 miles from<br />
the entrance to the Kennedy Expressway<br />
(I-90/94) at Irving Park.<br />
• Recognizable retail and service anchors,<br />
including such national companies as<br />
Sears, Jewel-Osco, Marshalls, Bank of<br />
America and Chase, and a LA Fitness<br />
Health Club (former Bally Health Club).<br />
In addition, local retailers such as Fantasy<br />
Costumes, Family Fruit Market, and City<br />
Newsstand help establish the district’s<br />
unique identity.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Portage <strong>The</strong>ater, an iconic 1920s<br />
movie theater that serves as a major draw<br />
to the neighborhood.<br />
• A diverse housing stock in the adjacent<br />
neighborhoods that includes a range of<br />
single family homes and multifamily<br />
units at various price points.<br />
• Bus routes along Milwaukee Avenue and<br />
Irving Park Road that bring shoppers<br />
to the intersection. <strong>The</strong> Mayfair and<br />
Grayland Stations on the Milwaukee<br />
District North line and the Irving Park<br />
Station on the Union Pacific Northwest<br />
line are close by.<br />
• New streetscape improvements that<br />
enhance the physical environment and<br />
demonstrate investment in the area and<br />
an interest in its revival.<br />
Yet Six Corners has not yet seen the resurgence<br />
that many in the community have been working<br />
toward. <strong>The</strong> following are among the issues that<br />
have been identified by residents, business owners,<br />
and the consulting team:<br />
• Numerous vacant storefronts and<br />
buildings in need of renovation,<br />
particularly in the block of Milwaukee<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater<br />
Avenue north of the intersection and<br />
along Irving Park west of the intersection.<br />
• A difficult pedestrian environment, where<br />
crossing the major streets to visit multiple<br />
destinations feels unsafe.<br />
• An abundance of off-street parking, but<br />
not in locations that encourage multiple<br />
visits per trip.<br />
• A limited mix of stores and restaurants.<br />
While the value-oriented national<br />
anchors are in place, additional local<br />
establishments will bring more shoppers<br />
and diners to Six Corners.<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN<br />
7
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EXISTING CONDITIONS
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
existing conditions<br />
BUILDING INVENTORY AND BUILDING<br />
CONDITIONS<br />
Six Corners can be characterized as a traditional<br />
neighborhood commercial district, largely<br />
developed between the 1920s and 1950s. For<br />
several decades, Six Corners was one of Chicago’s<br />
most vibrant commercial districts outside the<br />
Loop. It was home to a diverse mix of businesses,<br />
including brand name stores and independent<br />
retailers, banks and corporate offices, service<br />
businesses, and restaurants and entertainment<br />
venues such as the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater. A complete<br />
history of Six Corners can be found in the<br />
Addenda.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Study Area for this Economic Development<br />
Master Plan is shown in Figure 1. <strong>The</strong> boundaries<br />
are coterminous with those of the Six Corners<br />
Special Service Area, SSA #28.<br />
Retail Anchors<br />
Today, approximately 130 retail and service<br />
businesses operate in Six Corners, situated<br />
along the commercially zoned frontages of W<br />
Milwaukee Avenue, N Cicero Avenue and W<br />
Irving Park Road. <strong>The</strong>se establishments include<br />
national retailers located in one of several<br />
shopping centers, as well as locally-owned stores<br />
and businesses that operate in small storefronts.<br />
Among the value-oriented retail anchors in Six<br />
Corners are the following:<br />
• Sears. This iconic Sears Store first<br />
opened in 1938. <strong>The</strong> five-story structure<br />
contains a range of departments including<br />
apparel, housewares, electronics,<br />
automotive, dental and optical.<br />
FIGURE 1: STUDY AREA MAP WITH ANCHORS<br />
10<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
• Marketplace at Six Corners. <strong>The</strong> 116,975<br />
square foot shopping center is located<br />
east of the Sears store with access off<br />
Irving Park Road and Cicero Avenue. It<br />
was developed by Tucker Development<br />
in 1997 with assistance from the City<br />
of Chicago. <strong>The</strong> shopping center is<br />
currently owned by Inland Real Estate.<br />
Tenants include Jewel-Osco, Marshalls,<br />
Famous Footwear, and Life Source. A<br />
6,000 square foot Blockbuster space will<br />
be coming on the market.<br />
• Six Corners Plaza. Also owned and<br />
managed by Inland Real Estate<br />
Corporation, this 80,596-square-foot<br />
center is located south of Irving Park<br />
between Milwaukee and Cicero. LA<br />
Fitness is located on the lower level.<br />
Ground floor tenants include Game Stop<br />
on the corner location, Chicago Eye<br />
Institute and L.A. Tan on the Milwaukee<br />
frontage, and CW Price, a discount<br />
clothing retailer that opened this location<br />
in August 2011.<br />
• Independently owned stores. City<br />
Newsstand, located at 4018 N Cicero<br />
Avenue, Fantasy Costumes, 4068 N<br />
Milwaukee Avenue, and Family Fruit<br />
Market at 4118 N Cicero N Cicero<br />
are among a number of locally-owned<br />
businesses in Six Corners.<br />
• Klee Plaza occupies the prominent<br />
location where Milwaukee and Cicero<br />
converge. <strong>The</strong> five-story art deco<br />
building has been redeveloped with<br />
20,000 square feet of ground floor<br />
commercial space and 64 loft-style<br />
residential units on the upper floors.<br />
Marketplace at Six Corners (above); Six Corners Plaza<br />
(below)<br />
City Newsstand (above) and Family Fruit Market (below),<br />
both along Cicero Avenue.<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 11
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage <strong>The</strong>ater is another important anchor<br />
in Six Corners. This iconic movie house opened<br />
in 1920 and has a seating capacity of 1,321.<br />
<strong>The</strong> theater is part of a mixed-use structure that<br />
includes 34 apartments on the second and third<br />
floors and eight storefronts from 4042 to 4060<br />
Milwaukee Avenue. Six of those storefronts are<br />
currently occupied.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage <strong>The</strong>ater is operated as a movie house<br />
that shows classic and independent films and<br />
hosts other cultural events. According to theater<br />
management, the Portage is typically booked at<br />
least three nights per week, or about 150 nights<br />
annually. <strong>The</strong> following are among the groups<br />
leasing the Portage:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Northwest Chicago Film Society.<br />
Every Wednesday night, this group<br />
presents its Classic Film Series.<br />
Admission is $5.00.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Silent Film Society of Chicago. <strong>The</strong><br />
Silent Summer Film Festival is held on six<br />
Friday evenings during the summer. <strong>The</strong><br />
event has attracted approximately 5,000<br />
silent movie buffs from Chicago and the<br />
suburbs.<br />
• Independent movie screenings and<br />
musical performances. <strong>The</strong> Portage has<br />
become a focal point for independent<br />
filmmakers to screen their films.<br />
Specialty events such as the Indie Horror<br />
Film Fest are held at the Portage. Musical<br />
acts also book the theater.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage <strong>The</strong>ater is currently listed for sale by<br />
its owners. Two offers to purchase the Portage<br />
have been submitted, one from the managing<br />
partners of the theater operators and one from the<br />
Chicago Tabernacle Church. An agreement on<br />
the sale of the property has not been reached.<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater<br />
Business Inventory<br />
On February 2012, an inventory was taken of<br />
all ground floor business in Six Corners. Figure<br />
2 A,B and C on succeeding pages shows these<br />
businesses grouped into various categories and<br />
locations. A complete inventory of the businesses<br />
is included in the Addenda to this report. A few<br />
general observations on this inventory follow:<br />
• Retail stores (including food and liquor<br />
stores) comprise 28.5% of all the<br />
businesses in Six Corners. Sears, Jewel-<br />
Osco, Marshalls, <strong>The</strong> Vitamin Shoppe,<br />
and Dollar Tree are examples of the chain<br />
retail anchors. <strong>The</strong> district also features a<br />
handful of smaller, locally owned stores,<br />
such as Rasenick’s and City Newsstand.<br />
• Medical and other service businesses<br />
are an important component of the<br />
inventory. 41 businesses identified<br />
accounted for 39.2% of the total<br />
inventory.<br />
• 12 bars and restaurants were identified in<br />
the inventory. As shown in the list below,<br />
eating and drinking establishments in Six<br />
Corners include limited and quick service<br />
establishments and a few independent<br />
restaurants:<br />
12<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
<br />
Burger King<br />
<br />
Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins<br />
<br />
Family Pasta<br />
<br />
Hong Kong Restaurant<br />
<br />
Jeff`s Red Hots<br />
<br />
Las Tablas<br />
<br />
Lomas Verdes<br />
<br />
MCM Pub & Eatery<br />
<br />
Mr. Submarine<br />
<br />
Playa Escondida<br />
<br />
Subway<br />
<br />
Ysbael’s Grill<br />
<br />
Nite Cap<br />
Six Corners is home to a large number of<br />
personal and professional service firms. <strong>The</strong><br />
inventory identified 65 businesses in the<br />
following categories:<br />
<br />
Professional/Financial services (25);<br />
<br />
Medical and dental offices (26);<br />
<br />
Personal/Household services (12);<br />
and<br />
<br />
Social and educational services (5).<br />
Figure 2(a). Six Corners BUSINESS INVENTORY BY PERCENT OF ESTABLISHMENTS<br />
Six Corners Building Inventory<br />
Category<br />
Percent of<br />
Establishments<br />
Retail 32 24.6%<br />
Health & Medical 26 20.0%<br />
Professional/Financial Services 25 19.2%<br />
Bars & Restaurant 12 9.2%<br />
Personal/Household Services 12 9.2%<br />
Food & Liquor Stores 5 3.8%<br />
Service 5 3.8%<br />
Cultural 5 3.8%<br />
Recreation 4 3.1%<br />
Automotive 3 2.3%<br />
Residential 1 0.8%<br />
TOTAL 130 100.0%<br />
Source: Six Corners Association<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 13
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 2(B): <strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> BUSINESS INVENTORY BY CATEGORY<br />
FIGURE 2(c): <strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> BUSINESS INVENTORY BY LOCATION<br />
14<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Vacancies<br />
Figure 3 identifies the vacant storefronts in the<br />
Six Corners Study Area. Currently there are 17<br />
buildings and storefront vacancies along Irving<br />
Park Road from Milwaukee to Lavergne Avenues.<br />
<strong>The</strong> largest is the former Bank of America property<br />
at 4901 West Irving Park, which is for sale. <strong>The</strong><br />
63,502-square-foot complex occupies nearly<br />
a half-city block between North Lamon and<br />
Lavergne Avenues and includes a total of 280 offstreet<br />
parking spaces in two lots along West Dakin<br />
Street. Interest in the property has been expressed<br />
by Aldi, which would rehab a portion of the<br />
building for a 15,000 square foot grocery store.<br />
<strong>The</strong> upper floor of the two-story structure includes<br />
a 300-seat auditorium-style theater which is being<br />
marketed to several cultural organizations.<br />
Other significant vacancies along Irving Park Road<br />
include the former Hancock Fabrics Store (4848<br />
West Irving Park Road) and Integrity Physical<br />
<strong>The</strong>rapy building (4864 West Irving Park), both<br />
of which are west of the intersection. <strong>The</strong> stretch<br />
of Irving Park Road east of the intersection<br />
has four identifiable vacancies. Two storefront<br />
vacancies are currently located next to Sears. A<br />
portion of the Bank of America building located<br />
on the southeast corner of the intersection, is<br />
vacant, as is a 12,000 square foot building along N<br />
Kilpatrick and W Irving Park Road. Milwaukee<br />
Avenue north of the intersection is the other part<br />
of the Study Area with a number of prominent<br />
vacancies. As shown in Figure 3, there are 16<br />
vacant buildings and storefronts along Milwaukee<br />
Avenue between Belle Plaine Avenue on the north<br />
and Irving Park Road to the south. Only two<br />
vacancies were identified south of the intersection.<br />
One vacancy is a storefront in Six Corners Plaza<br />
and the other a storefront in an apartment<br />
building situated near the northwest corner of N<br />
Milwaukee and N Kilpatrick Avenues.<br />
Cicero Avenue south of the intersection has seven<br />
storefront vacancies. Occupying a prominent site<br />
at the intersection is 4801 West Irving Park Road<br />
(at Cicero). This 3,700 square foot building once<br />
housed a tavern and more recently the Borovik<br />
Drug Store and a branch of Washington Mutual.<br />
Scattered along this stretch of Cicero Avenue<br />
south of the intersection are three other storefront<br />
vacancies. A vacancy can be found in the Six<br />
Corners Plaza as well as in a small strip center<br />
south of the Plaza.<br />
FIGURE 3: STOREFRONT VACANCIES<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 15
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Development Pattern and Building Forms<br />
<strong>The</strong> district retains a largely intact building<br />
fabric along Milwaukee Avenue north of Irving<br />
Park Road and Irving Park Road west of Cicero<br />
Avenue. On these blocks, first- and secondgeneration<br />
commercial buildings were constructed<br />
to the sidewalk and aligned next to each other<br />
with adjoining storefronts. East of Cicero Avenue<br />
along Irving Park Road, the development pattern<br />
changes significantly and is more automobileoriented.<br />
Jewel-Osco and Marshalls, the major<br />
tenants at <strong>The</strong> Marketplace at Six Corners, are set<br />
back from the sidewalk and separated from each<br />
other in different buildings by large parking lots.<br />
As shown in Figure 1on page 10, parking lots and<br />
strip centers along Milwaukee and Cicero Avenues<br />
south of Irving Park also break up Six Corners<br />
pedestrian character and connections to the<br />
surrounding residential neighborhoods.<br />
Building Conditions<br />
Figure 4 on following page classifies the building<br />
conditions of all properties in Six Corners.<br />
<strong>The</strong> majority of buildings in Six Corners are in<br />
relatively good (sound) condition with many<br />
retaining their original facades and storefront<br />
configurations and materials. <strong>The</strong> Peoples Gas<br />
and Coke Light Building at 4839 West Irving<br />
Park Road, the only fully designated Chicago City<br />
Landmark in Six Corners, is in sound condition.<br />
• On the east side of Milwaukee Avenue is<br />
4029 N Milwaukee Avenue, a single story<br />
building immediately north of Klee Plaza.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pomo Dolce restaurant is expected<br />
to rehab and occupy this deteriorated<br />
property.<br />
• 4033-4039 N Milwaukee Avenue is a<br />
vacant two-story commercial structure.<br />
• 4047-49 N Milwaukee Avenue is a<br />
vacant, single story commercial building.<br />
• 4051-4055 is a single-story commercial<br />
building occupied by PC Here.<br />
<strong>The</strong> properties in deteriorated condition have<br />
building material maintenance and repair issues<br />
and some are missing complete storefronts. Most<br />
have been vacant for several years and recently<br />
had metal coverings and other materials removed<br />
from their front facades, exposing the deteriorated<br />
façade materials and missing storefront elements.<br />
Five key properties in the study area are identified<br />
as deteriorated, all of which are located on<br />
Milwaukee Avenue north of the intersection,<br />
between the Klee Building on the south and the<br />
Cuyler Avenue intersection on the north.<br />
• 4022 N Milwaukee Avenue is a twostory<br />
mixed-used building, located on<br />
the same block as the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater.<br />
<strong>The</strong> commercial storefront is currently<br />
occupied by Six Corners Bakery,<br />
primarily a wholesale operation.<br />
Six Corners Bakey (above); vacant commercial buildings<br />
with removed slipcovers along Milwaukee Avenue.<br />
16<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 4 BUILDING CONDITIONS<br />
Business Signage and Merchandising<br />
Business signage varies in design quality,<br />
placement and materials throughout Six Corners,<br />
and in some areas, sign clutter detracts from the<br />
commercial district’s visual appearance. A number<br />
of business signs are large, out-of-scale back-lit<br />
plastic signs, often attached to a building’s upper<br />
façade or suspended from an A-frame at the roof<br />
line. <strong>The</strong> majority of business signage, however,<br />
takes the form of channel letters placed above the<br />
storefront or in the area where storefront transom<br />
windows once existed. In most cases, channel<br />
letter signs are designed with an appropriate scale,<br />
style and color set compatible with a building’s<br />
overall architecture and design. In others, larger<br />
channel letter signs creep beyond the storefront<br />
area to the upper façade level. Traditional-styled<br />
storefront awnings have been installed on some<br />
buildings in the 4800 block of West Irving Park in<br />
recent years.<br />
Channel lettering and backlit signs along Irving Park Road<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 17
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Six Corners has a number of “functional”<br />
storefronts - ones occupied by non-retail<br />
businesses. During the evening hours especially,<br />
such storefronts often lack proper lighting or<br />
attractive displays to engage pedestrians or to<br />
promote the products and services a business may<br />
offer. While ground-floor service businesses and<br />
office users may not need to merchandise their<br />
storefronts to the same level and need as retailers<br />
do, attractive and well-maintained storefronts<br />
contribute to the overall appearance of the streetlevel<br />
environment.<br />
banners, information kiosks, and gateway features<br />
along Irving Park Road and Milwaukee and<br />
Cicero Avenues. <strong>The</strong> project has significantly<br />
improved Six Corners’ physical appearance;<br />
the trees and planter beds in particular adding<br />
new color and visual appeal to the streetscape<br />
environment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> streetscape project did not include a<br />
wayfinding signage program or enhancements to<br />
some side streets that serve as part of Six Corners’<br />
transportation, parking, and pedestrian circulation<br />
system. Belle Plaine Avenue, for instance, serves<br />
as an important pathway connecting Milwaukee<br />
Avenue and the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater to the Laporte<br />
Street parking lot. Sidewalk conditions are<br />
poor along this segment and it lacks appropriate<br />
lighting.<br />
New gateway and kiosk elements along Irving Park Road<br />
Traditional storefront with fabric awning (aove); vacant<br />
storefront are opportunities to improve their merchandising<br />
(below)<br />
Streetscape<br />
In 2009 and 2010, the Six Corners Study Area<br />
underwent a major streetscape enhancement<br />
project funded by the City of Chicago<br />
Department of Transportation (CDOT). This<br />
effort included the installation of new trees,<br />
planter beds, street lights, pedestrian crosswalks,<br />
Belle Plaine Avenue- additional streetscape improvements<br />
can help to improve the pedestrian environment.<br />
18<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Zoning<br />
Properties within the Six Corners Study Area are<br />
subject to a number of City of Chicago zoning<br />
district classifications, each of which is discussed<br />
below. <strong>The</strong> locations of these designations are<br />
shown on Figure 5.<br />
• Neighborhood Shopping District (B1)<br />
• Community Shopping District (B3)<br />
• Neighborhood Commercial District (C1)<br />
• Residential Single Unit (RS)<br />
• Residential Two-Flat (RT)<br />
• Planned Development (PD)<br />
B1 Neighborhood Shopping District<br />
<strong>The</strong> B1 Neighborhood Shopping District allows<br />
for a range of small-scale retail and service uses<br />
intended for more traditional, pedestrian-oriented<br />
shopping areas where commercial buildings<br />
and their storefronts are built primarily to the<br />
sidewalk. Upper-story dwelling units above firstfloor<br />
storefront level are also allowed. This zoning<br />
classification is typically applied to commercial<br />
nodes located at the intersection of two major<br />
arterial streets or narrow neighborhood streets<br />
with low traffic volumes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> B1 zones in Six Corners are located along<br />
Milwaukee Avenue between Irving Park Road and<br />
Belle Plaine Avenue, and the south side of Irving<br />
Park Road between Cicero Avenue and former<br />
Bank of America property at 4901 West Irving<br />
Park Road. <strong>The</strong> B1 zones are further subdivided<br />
into sub-districts, which are differentiated on<br />
permitted building heights. Sub-district B1-2,<br />
located primarily along the Irving Park Road<br />
segment, allows a maximum building height of<br />
50 feet while the Milwaukee Avenue section is<br />
classified as sub-district B1-3, which permits a 65<br />
feet building height. Building setbacks are not<br />
allowed within these sub-zones and no parking is<br />
FIGURE 5 EXISTING ZONING<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 19
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
required for uses under 4,000 square feet of gross<br />
building floor area. <strong>The</strong> maximum allowable<br />
developable lot in the B1 zone is 25,000 square<br />
feet. <strong>The</strong> allowable use, parking and height<br />
requirements of the B1 zoning designation are<br />
appropriate to these segments of Six Corners,<br />
allowing the types of uses and building forms<br />
that are conducive to supporting a traditional,<br />
pedestrian-oriented shopping district.<br />
B3 Community Shopping District<br />
<strong>The</strong> B3 Community Shopping District is found<br />
in all other areas of the Six Corners commercial<br />
district not zoned BI, including the north side<br />
of Irving Park Road from Cicero to Lavergne<br />
Avenues, Cicero Avenue north and south of<br />
Irving Park, and the Six Corners Plaza and Bank<br />
of America sites. <strong>The</strong> purpose of B3 zoning is to<br />
permit and accommodate a wider range of retail<br />
and service uses than in the B1 zones. Larger<br />
buildings up to 75,000 square of gross building<br />
area are also permitted. <strong>The</strong> B3 zoning is intended<br />
for larger sites with direct access to major streets<br />
and for uses that are typically destination-oriented<br />
and serving customers traveling primarily by car.<br />
As with the B1 zoning classification, no building<br />
setbacks are allowed and residential units above<br />
the storefront level are permitted. <strong>The</strong>re are also<br />
three B3 zoning sub-districts that specify different<br />
building height and width requirements. <strong>The</strong><br />
B3-1 sub-district, located mostly along Cicero<br />
Avenue between the Walgreens store and Warner<br />
Avenue, permits a maximum of 38 feet in building<br />
height. <strong>The</strong> B3-2 district, found along the north<br />
and south sides of Irving Park Road west of Cicero<br />
Avenue, the commercial buildings on Milwaukee<br />
Avenue north of Belle Plaine, and the Bank of<br />
America and Six Corners Plaza properties, have a<br />
maximum building height of 50 feet. <strong>The</strong> B3-3<br />
sub-district, which includes only a handful of<br />
parcels along Milwaukee Avenue near and adjacent<br />
to the Klee Plaza, allows 65 feet in building<br />
height.<br />
In B3 Districts, parking is not required for uses<br />
under 4,000 square feet of gross building floor<br />
area. General retail uses and drinking and eating<br />
establishments with up to 10,000 square feet<br />
in gross floor area are exempted from parking<br />
requirements. Any floor area over and above this<br />
threshold is required to provide parking at 2.5<br />
parking spaces per additional 1,000 square feet of<br />
gross floor area.<br />
<strong>The</strong> B3 zoning designation fits well within the<br />
Six Corners Study Area with building height and<br />
setback requirements that complement those<br />
found within the B1 District.<br />
C1 Neighborhood Commercial District<br />
Unlike the B1 and B3 zoning districts, where<br />
small scale retail and service businesses are<br />
encouraged, the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial<br />
District permits more intensive, auto-oriented<br />
commercial uses generally found along major<br />
arterial streets. Commercial developments in C1<br />
zones are not subject to any size limits unless it<br />
is has a gross floor area of 75,000 square feet or<br />
more, in which case, it is subject to the City’s<br />
Planned Development review process. No<br />
building setbacks are allowed and the building<br />
height limit is 38 feet. This zoning designation<br />
includes only one parcel in the Six Corners Study<br />
Area, a parcel located at the northwest corner of<br />
Belle Plaine and Milwaukee Avenues.<br />
RS Residential Single-Unit (Detached House) Districts<br />
<strong>The</strong> Residential Single Use District allows for the<br />
development of detached houses on individual lots<br />
and is intended for areas where the land-use<br />
pattern is predominately single family residential<br />
or where such a land use pattern is desired in the<br />
future. <strong>The</strong> only areas designated as RS (RS-3) in<br />
the Study Area are the People’s Gas servicing and<br />
storage facility at the southeast corner of Irving<br />
Park Road and Kilpatrick Street, and the Dakin<br />
Street parking lot that once served the Bank of<br />
America property at 4901 West Irving Park Road.<br />
20<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
RT, Residential Two-Flat, Townhouse and Multi-Unit<br />
Districts<br />
<strong>The</strong> Residential Two-Flat, Townhouse and<br />
Multi-Unit District permits detached houses, two<br />
flats and other low density multi-unit residential<br />
buildings compatible in density and scale to<br />
adjacent single family residential neighborhoods.<br />
<strong>The</strong> RT-4 zoning classification is found along<br />
Belle Plaine and Laporte Avenues, where a<br />
concentration of two- and three-flats and garden<br />
apartment complexes are located.<br />
Pedestrian Streets Designation<br />
Much of the Six Corners Study Area is designated<br />
by the City of Chicago Zoning Ordinance as a<br />
“Pedestrian Street”, which authorizes an additional<br />
set of design standards for new development. <strong>The</strong><br />
purpose of the “Pedestrian Street” designation is to<br />
maintain and enhance the traditional, pedestrianoriented<br />
character of the Six Corners shopping<br />
district by promoting high quality new building<br />
design and pedestrian safety and comfort. Design<br />
standards focus on ensuring that new commercial<br />
storefronts are built to the sidewalk with recessed<br />
entranceways and transparent glass and that offstreet<br />
parking is located in the rear of the building.<br />
Strip centers, gas stations, drive-through facilities<br />
and car washes are prohibited uses in designated<br />
Pedestrian Streets.<br />
This designation does not cover the Marketplace at<br />
Six Corners and other shopping centers located in<br />
the District.<br />
Planned Developments<br />
A planned development (PD) review is conducted<br />
by the City’s Department of Housing and<br />
Economic Development in certain instances to<br />
allow flexibility in the application of underlying<br />
zoning requirements and development standards<br />
and to promote higher quality building design<br />
and development. For example, new commercial<br />
developments in B1 zones with more than 75,000<br />
square feet in gross floor area or containing<br />
more than 30 residential units in a mixed- use<br />
development are subject to the PD review<br />
process. It is also meant to ensure the proposed<br />
development is compatible with the character<br />
of the surrounding commercial district and<br />
neighborhood. <strong>The</strong> Marketplace at Six Corners<br />
Shopping Center, which includes the Sears,<br />
Jewel and Marshall stores, and the Klee Plaza<br />
development are the only two PDs in the Six<br />
Corners Study Area.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pedestrian Streets designation seeks to maintain Six<br />
Corners street wall and pedestrian orientation.<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 21
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 6: COMMUNITY AREAS LOCATION MAP<br />
22<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
SOCIO<strong>ECONOMIC</strong> OVERVIEW<br />
Six Corners is located in the Portage Park<br />
Community Area, one of 77 community areas<br />
designated by the City of Chicago. <strong>The</strong> Irving<br />
Park Community Area lies immediately to the east<br />
of Six Corners, crossing the Kennedy Expressway<br />
and extending east to the Chicago River (see<br />
Figure 6). Within these official community areas<br />
are a number of established neighborhoods. For<br />
example, the Old Irving Park neighborhood is a<br />
portion of the Irving Park Community Area.<br />
Community Areas, comprising a combined<br />
41.9% of residents.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> median age of residents in both<br />
Community Areas has increased since the<br />
2000 Census. <strong>The</strong> median in Portage Park<br />
is now 36.5 years and Irving Park is 34.1<br />
years. <strong>The</strong>se figures are slightly older than the<br />
median age for the City of Chicago, which is<br />
33.1 years.<br />
Population Trends<br />
More than 117,000 people reside in the Portage<br />
Park and Irving Park Community Areas. <strong>The</strong><br />
populations in both Community Areas have<br />
declined slightly during the past decade.<br />
According to the 2010 Census, Portage Park’s<br />
population now stands at 64,124, down from<br />
65,340 in 2000; Irving Park has a 2010 total of<br />
53,359 residents, which is also down from 2000<br />
total of 58,643.<br />
Figure 7 (see following page) presents 2010<br />
Census data and estimates of selected demographic<br />
characteristics for the Portage Park and Irving<br />
Park community areas. A few of the key points<br />
are highlighted below:<br />
• Portage Park and Irving Park are<br />
predominantly family-oriented, with<br />
67.9% and 59.8% of all households,<br />
respectively, identified as families.<br />
Approximately one-third of all<br />
households in the combined area have<br />
children under the age of 18 living at<br />
home.<br />
• Of the total combined population of<br />
117,483, more than two-thirds identified<br />
their race as White alone. People of<br />
Polish and other eastern European<br />
ancestries are well represented in this<br />
population. Hispanics represent the<br />
largest minority group in these two<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 23
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 7: SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS<br />
Figure 7. Selected Demographic Characteristics<br />
2010 Demographic Profile<br />
Irving Park and Portage Park Community Areas<br />
Irving Park Portage Park Combined<br />
Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent<br />
Population 53,359 64,124 117,483<br />
Households 20,376 22,804 43,180<br />
Households with 1 Person 6,069 29.8% 5,739 25.2% 11,808 27.3%<br />
Households with 2+ People 14,307 70.2% 17,065 74.8% 31,372 72.7%<br />
Family Households 12,190 59.8% 15,476 67.9% 27,666 64.1%<br />
Nonfamily Households 8,186 40.2% 7,328 32.1% 15,514 35.9%<br />
All Households with Children 6,605 32.4% 7,911 34.7% 14,516 33.6%<br />
Median Household Size 2.60 2.80<br />
Race and Ethnicity<br />
White Alone 33,752 63.3% 46,708 72.8% 80,460 68.5%<br />
Black Alone 2,165 4.1% 1,092 1.7% 3,257 2.8%<br />
Asian 3,858 7.2% 3,073 4.8% 6,931 5.9%<br />
Other Races 13,584 25.5% 13,251 20.7% 26,835 22.8%<br />
Hispanic Origin (Any Race) 24,332 45.6% 24,861 38.8% 49,193 41.9%<br />
Median Age 34.1 36.5<br />
Median Household Income $45,962 $49,925<br />
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Median Household Income estimates are from ESRI Business Analyst<br />
Income Characteristics<br />
ESRI estimates the median annual household<br />
income of the combined Portage Park and Irving<br />
Park Community Areas at $47,950. This figure<br />
is higher than the estimated median household<br />
income for the City of Chicago, which is $41,507.<br />
Six Corners Economic Development Master Plan – Existing Conditions Page 24<br />
Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong><br />
Households within these community areas include<br />
a wide variety of income levels. As shown in<br />
Figure 8 on following page, a relatively high<br />
proportion of households are at the lower end of<br />
the spectrum, with 24% of households reporting<br />
annual incomes below $25,000. <strong>The</strong> majority<br />
of households (61%) falls in the middle income<br />
strata from $25,000 to $99,999. At the high end,<br />
16% of households in these two Community<br />
Areas have annual incomes above $100,000.<br />
24<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 8: HOUSEHOLDS BY INCOME<br />
Portage Park & Irving Park 2011 Households by Income<br />
Income Category Households Percent<br />
HH Income Base 43,251 100%<br />
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 9: MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME MAP<br />
26<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 10. Housing Occupancy and Tenure<br />
2010 Housing Units by Occupancy Status and Tenure<br />
Portage Park Irving Park Combined<br />
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent<br />
Total Housing Units 24,783 100.0% 22,420 100.0% 47,203 100.0%<br />
Occupied 22,804 92.0% 20,376 90.9% 43,180 91.5%<br />
Owner 12,614 55.3% 9,351 45.9% 21,965 50.9%<br />
Renter 10,190 44.7% 11,025 54.1% 21,215 49.1%<br />
Vacant 1,979 8.0% 2,044 9.1% 4,023 8.5%<br />
Source: US Census Bureau<br />
RESIDENTIAL MARKET OVERVIEW<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage Park and Irving Park Housing Stock<br />
According to the 2010 Census, these two<br />
community areas have a total of 47,203 housing<br />
units, 91.5% of which were occupied. Both<br />
have high percentages of both renter and<br />
owner households, although Portage Park has a<br />
majority owners and Irving Park has more renter<br />
households.<br />
<strong>The</strong> housing stock in these two community<br />
areas is relatively low density. According to the<br />
estimates presented in Figure 11, 43.8% of the<br />
dwelling units in the Portage Park community<br />
are single-family units, and another 39.9% are<br />
in buildings with two-to four units. Some of the<br />
larger multifamily buildings in this Community<br />
Area are located near Six Corners. <strong>The</strong> Irving Park<br />
Community Area also has a sizable inventory of<br />
single family homes and two-flats, but a higher<br />
concentration of buildings with five or more units.<br />
Figure 11. Characteristics of the Housing Stock<br />
Estimates of Housing Units by Units in Structure<br />
Portage Park<br />
Irving Park<br />
Units % Units %<br />
1-unit, detached 10,855 41.7% 6,135 26.4%<br />
1-unit, attached 541 2.1% 733 3.2%<br />
2 units 6,324 24.3% 5,199 22.4%<br />
3 or 4 units 4,069 15.6% 4,304 18.5%<br />
5 to 9 units 1,937 7.4% 2,939 12.7%<br />
10 to 19 units 1,109 4.3% 1,801 7.8%<br />
20 or more units 1,213 4.7% 2,099 9.0%<br />
Source: US Census American Housing Survey<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 27
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 12. Age of Housing Stock (hOUSING uNITS bY yEAR sTREETUCTURE bUILT) cOMBINED<br />
COMMUNITY aREAS<br />
Data from Multiple Listing Service<br />
Home prices in Portage Park and Irving Park<br />
peaked in 2007 and then began to fall as the<br />
country entered into the recession. Figure 13<br />
shows the median prices for homes sold through<br />
the Multiple Listing Service in seven Northwest<br />
Side Community Areas. In 2007, the median<br />
price in Portage Park was $330,750. By 2011 it<br />
had fallen by almost 50% to $170,000. <strong>The</strong> prices<br />
of single family homes in Irving Park are generally<br />
higher, with a median price of $435,500 in 2007,<br />
falling to $263,500 by 2011.<br />
<strong>The</strong> number of single family homes sold in<br />
Portage Park and Irving Park has rebounded, even<br />
if the prices have not yet shown any improvement<br />
(see Figure 14 on page 30). In 2011, Realtors<br />
sold 298 homes in Portage Park and 174 in Irving<br />
Park, both numbers exceeding the total in 2007.<br />
Park with a median price of only $53,500. <strong>The</strong><br />
prices of condominium units are generally higher<br />
in Irving Park, with a median price of $225,500 in<br />
2007, falling to $115,750 in 2011.<br />
Drawing conclusions from these sales figures<br />
is complicated by many factors related to the<br />
current housing crisis, including the large number<br />
of foreclosures and short sales. As the housing<br />
market recovers, market data will be more<br />
indicative of both existing conditions and future<br />
trends.<br />
<strong>The</strong> median sales price for attached units in these<br />
two Community Areas has also declined sharply<br />
over the last five years. In 2007, the median price<br />
of a condominium unit sold in Portage Park was<br />
$184,000. In 2011, 62 units were sold in Portage<br />
28<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 13. Median Home Prices of Detached Homes<br />
Single Family Detached Median Prices<br />
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011<br />
Albany Park $387,500 $338,000 $268,750 $256,250 $225,000<br />
Avondale $345,000 $235,000 $225,000 $178,750 $204,000<br />
Forest Glen $479,000 $446,200 $389,000 $380,000 $350,000<br />
Irving Park $435,500 $369,500 $292,500 $258,000 $263,500<br />
Jefferson Park $348,750 $290,000 $250,000 $230,000 $223,000<br />
North Park $410,000 $321,500 $308,000 $300,500 $274,500<br />
Portage Park $330,750 $270,000 $216,575 $198,000 $170,000<br />
Source: Midwest Real Estate Data<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 29
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 14. Number of Single Family Detached Homes Sold<br />
Sales of Single Family Detached Homes<br />
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011<br />
Albany Park 88 90 88 90 87<br />
Avondale 55 41 63 66 84<br />
Forest Glen 169 142 133 139 146<br />
Irving Park 154 118 139 174 174<br />
Jefferson Park 136 101 131 111 127<br />
North Park 49 36 49 55 48<br />
Portage Park 236 218 264 279 298<br />
Source: Midwest Real Estate Data<br />
30<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Housing Stock in Six Corners<br />
Residential units in Six Corners are scattered<br />
throughout the district, primarily in multifamily<br />
buildings and traditional commercial buildings<br />
with upper-story apartments. Six Corners also<br />
has one single-room occupancy (SRO) residential<br />
building. <strong>The</strong> 75-room Irving Hotel, located at<br />
4849 W Irving Park Road, serves both men and<br />
women.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage <strong>The</strong>ater contains 34 apartments on<br />
the upper floors in the main building fronting<br />
Milwaukee Avenue and in an attached apartment<br />
wing facing Belle Plaine Avenue. Surrounding the<br />
Six Corners Study Area is low density residential<br />
development. <strong>The</strong> majority of the residential<br />
buildings in and outside the Study Area are in<br />
good condition.<br />
New Residential Developments<br />
Klee Plaza is located in the heart of the Six<br />
Corners intersection between Milwaukee and<br />
Cicero north of Irving Park. <strong>The</strong> historic Klee<br />
Building is a five-story art deco building that<br />
formerly housed a men’s clothier on the street<br />
level and provided professional office space on the<br />
upper floors. <strong>The</strong> redeveloped Klee Plaza contains<br />
64 one- and two-bedroom loft-style units with 75<br />
underground parking spaces and 20,000 square<br />
feet of ground-floor commercial space with 23<br />
surface parking spaces.<br />
This key redevelopment project took a number<br />
of years to complete and came on the market in<br />
2005. According to SEJ Development, the project<br />
was close to selling out prior to the recession.<br />
Subsequently, a number of purchasers backed<br />
out or were unable to close. Most of the units<br />
are currently occupied with some in rent-to-own<br />
programs. Ground floor commercial tenants<br />
along Milwaukee and Cicero include the Vitamin<br />
Shoppe, Chiro One, Accelerated Rehab, Pearle<br />
Vision Center, and Cricket.<br />
Mayfair Crossing is a new development of<br />
high-end single family homes located north of<br />
the Marketplace at Six Corners at N Kilpatrick<br />
and Berteau. Developed by CA Development,<br />
Mayfair Crossing will have 26 single-family homes<br />
when completed with a mix of three- and fourbedrooms.<br />
Figure 15 shows current listing prices<br />
of the remaining available lots and/or model<br />
homes.<br />
Figure 15. Mayfair Crossing MLS Listings<br />
Address Listing Price Bedrooms / Baths Sq. Ft.<br />
4231 North Kilpatrick $385,000 3 Bed / 3 Bath 2,500<br />
4147 North Kilpatrick $390,000 3 Bed / 3 Bath 2,500<br />
4217 North Kilpatrick $435,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 3,080<br />
4207 North Kilpatrick $450,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 3,100<br />
4155 North Kilpatrick $499,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 3,080<br />
4201 North Kilpatrick $499,000 4 Bed / 4 Bath 2,736<br />
Source: Realtor.com as of April 17, 2012<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 31
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Proposed Kilpatrick Renaissance<br />
Contributing to the diversity of the area’s housing<br />
stock will be a four-story, 98-unit senior housing<br />
development. <strong>The</strong> Kilpatrick Renaissance will be<br />
built on a 1.14-acre parcel at 4117 N Kilpatrick<br />
between the Mayfair Crossing development and<br />
the Jewel-Osco. <strong>The</strong> development was recently<br />
awarded Low-Income Housing Tax Credits by<br />
the City of Chicago and will include 39 units for<br />
senior households with annual incomes less than<br />
60% of area median income, or about $32,000.<br />
Open Space<br />
No public open space exists within the Six<br />
Corners Study Area. Dickenson Park, located at<br />
Belle Plaine and North Dickenson Avenues, is the<br />
nearest City-owned park to Six Corners. <strong>The</strong> Park<br />
recently underwent a rehabilitation spearheaded<br />
by the Portage Park Neighborhood Association.<br />
RETAIL MARKET ASSESSMENT<br />
Six Corners serves primarily as a center for<br />
neighborhood goods and services. As such,<br />
most of its patrons come from nearby residential<br />
neighborhoods. Commercial establishments such<br />
as Family Fruit Market and Jewel-Osco draw from<br />
a relatively tight trade area extending a mile from<br />
Six Corners. Other retailers, such as Sears and<br />
City Newsstand, draw shoppers from throughout<br />
the Northwest side.<br />
For the purpose of this market assessment, we<br />
have defined a Primary Trade Area for the Six<br />
Corners shopping district. A Primary Trade Area<br />
is usually defined as the area which provides 60%<br />
– 80% of the sales revenue spent in a shopping<br />
center or shopping district. Factors considered in<br />
defining the trade area include the street grid, the<br />
diagonal streets like Milwaukee and Elston, the<br />
competitive shopping centers and districts, and<br />
input from the Shopper Intercept Survey.<br />
<strong>The</strong> boundaries of the Primary Trade Area, as seen<br />
in Figure 16, are following streets:<br />
• Lawrence on the north<br />
• Diversey on the south<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Kennedy on the east<br />
• Central on the west<br />
Competitive Retail Environment<br />
In addition to indicating the Primary Trade Area,<br />
Figure 16 on following page shows the location<br />
of a number of neighboring shopping centers and<br />
commercial districts that compete to some extent<br />
with retailers in Six Corners. Most of these retail<br />
destinations are within a three-mile radius of Six<br />
Corners, illustrated on the map by the black circle.<br />
Descriptions of some of these shopping centers<br />
and retail destinations follow.<br />
Harlem Avenue Corridor<br />
Harlem Avenue (State Highway 43) is a heavily<br />
trafficked commercial corridor in the northwest<br />
suburbs of Norridge and Harwood Heights<br />
approximately three miles west of Six Corners.<br />
<strong>The</strong> corridor is lined with neighborhood strip<br />
centers and larger shopping centers, including the<br />
following:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> largest is Harlem Irving Plaza<br />
(HIP), which is located at North Harlem<br />
Avenue and West Forest Preserve Drive in<br />
Chicago. <strong>The</strong> center was built in 1956 as<br />
an open-air shopping center and enclosed<br />
between 1975 and 1979. A food court<br />
was added in 1996 and a renovation<br />
occurred in 2004. <strong>The</strong> 700,000 square<br />
foot center is currently anchored by<br />
Carson Pirie Scott, Kohl’s, Best Buy, and<br />
Target, and has a total of 114 retailers. A<br />
4.3 acre expansion is being planned that<br />
will feature new retail, restaurants, and<br />
entertainment.<br />
• Norridge Commons, located on the<br />
northeast corner of North Harlem<br />
Avenue and West Forest Preserve Drive, is<br />
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EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
FIGURE 16: PRIMARY TRADE AREA AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT<br />
a 331,000 square foot shopping center. It<br />
is anchored Kmart, Bed Bath & Beyond,<br />
Michael’s, Old Navy, Petco, hhgregg, and<br />
Ulta among other retailers.<br />
• Harwood Commons is a 142,000 square<br />
foot shopping center located at North<br />
Harlem Avenue and Leland Avenue in<br />
Harwood Heights. Major tenants include<br />
Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, and<br />
Aldi.<br />
Lincoln Village<br />
Lincoln Village, located on N Lincoln Avenue<br />
between Petersen and Devon Avenue, is a 163,000<br />
square-foot shopping center anchored by Office<br />
Depot, Party City, Panera Bread, and Famous<br />
Footwear.<br />
Addison Mall<br />
Addison Mall, a 274,000 square-foot shopping<br />
center, is located on the southeast corner of<br />
Addison and N Sacramento. Target, Dollar<br />
Tree, Payless, and Carter’s are the major anchors<br />
in this center.<br />
Elston Plaza<br />
Elston Plaza is a 91,000 square-foot shopping<br />
center located at Addison and N Elston Avenue.<br />
Major anchors include Jewel-Osco, O’Reilly<br />
Auto Parts, and ATI Physical <strong>The</strong>rapy.<br />
Neighborhood Shopping Districts<br />
Of the many North Side neighborhoods,<br />
Lincoln Square, Logan Square, and Jefferson<br />
Park, have been identified as shopping and<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 33
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
entertainment destinations for residents of Portage<br />
Park and Irving Park.<br />
• Lincoln Square. Lincoln Square is<br />
located approximately 3 miles northeast<br />
of Six Corners. Located near the<br />
Western stop on the CTA Brown Line,<br />
Lincoln Square boasts a vibrant retail and<br />
entertainment district. Kempf Plaza, a<br />
public square located on 4700 block of<br />
N Lincoln, is surrounded by a diverse<br />
mix of restaurants and businesses and<br />
functions as a popular destination in the<br />
neighborhood. Cultural institutions,<br />
such as the Davis <strong>The</strong>ater, Lincoln<br />
Square <strong>The</strong>ater, Dank Haus and Old<br />
Town School of Folk Music, are wellestablished<br />
fixtures in Lincoln Square<br />
and attract patrons from the surrounding<br />
neighborhoods in the City and near-in<br />
suburbs.<br />
• Logan Square. Located less than three<br />
miles southeast of Six Corners on<br />
Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Square attracts<br />
Portage Park and Irving Park residents.<br />
<strong>The</strong> eclectic neighborhood has an array<br />
of restaurants and businesses that radiate<br />
off the public square, which is located<br />
at the intersection of Logan Boulevard<br />
and Milwaukee and Kedzie Avenues.<br />
Entertainment venues, such as the Logan<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre and Congress <strong>The</strong>ater, are<br />
prominent attractions, drawing theater<br />
and concert goers from the neighboring<br />
community areas and outside the City.<br />
• Jefferson Park. Jefferson Park’s<br />
commercial core is located approximately<br />
1.5 miles northwest of Six Corners near<br />
the intersection of N Milwaukee and<br />
W Lawrence Avenues. <strong>The</strong> area has a<br />
diverse mix of restaurants and businesses<br />
located mostly along Milwaukee Avenue.<br />
Cultural institutions, such as the<br />
Copernicus Cultural and Civic Center<br />
and <strong>The</strong> Gift <strong>The</strong>ater, attract patrons<br />
from nearby neighborhoods. Veteran’s<br />
Square, which has 100,000 square feet<br />
of office space and 30,000 square feet of<br />
adjacent retail space, is located one block<br />
north of the Milwaukee and Lawrence<br />
Avenues intersection.<br />
Grocery Stores and Pharmacies<br />
Grocery stores and pharmacies are key elements<br />
of neighborhood retail districts, often anchoring<br />
local shopping centers. <strong>The</strong> Northwest side of<br />
Chicago is well-served by grocery stores and<br />
pharmacies. Figure 18 shows the location of the<br />
major chains within a three-mile radius of Six<br />
Corners. Jewel-Osco and Walgreen’s are located<br />
within the Primary Trade Area, while Aldi and<br />
CVS are located along the borders. Higher-end<br />
grocers, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and<br />
a new Mariano’s have locations further north and<br />
east of the Six Corners Primary Trade Area. <strong>The</strong><br />
following table shows the number of grocery stores<br />
by brand.<br />
Figure 17. Grocery Stores Within a Three-<br />
Mile Radius of Six Corners<br />
Summary of Grocery Stores Locations<br />
Total<br />
Name<br />
Locations<br />
Jewel-Osco 9<br />
ALDI 8<br />
Target 3<br />
Dominick’s 2<br />
Food 4 Less 1<br />
Mariano’s Fresh Market 1<br />
Save-A-Lot 1<br />
Trader Joe’s 1<br />
Whole Foods 1<br />
Total 27<br />
Source: Company websites<br />
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Figure 18: Grocery & Pharmacy Location Map<br />
Retail Demand Analysis<br />
One method of estimating the potential for<br />
additional retail development in Six Corners is to<br />
determine the expenditure potential of households<br />
within the Primary Trade Area and compare it<br />
to estimates of actual sales that take place within<br />
this area. If certain categories are “leaking” sales<br />
to other shopping districts, it may represent an<br />
opportunity for additional stores in the Trade<br />
Area.<br />
Figure 19 shows household expenditure and<br />
sales estimates from ESRI, a national vendor<br />
of business data. <strong>The</strong> Primary Trade Area has<br />
33,563 households which spend an estimated<br />
$777.9-million annually on retail expenditures<br />
including restaurants (labeled on the table as<br />
Demand). Business establishments located within<br />
the Primary Trade Area report an estimated<br />
$636.5-million in sales (labeled on the table as<br />
Supply). More than $141 million of the total<br />
potential demand is not captured in the Trade<br />
Area (labeled on the table in green as the Retail<br />
Gap), indicating retail leakage and potential<br />
opportunity.<br />
Figure 19 breaks out the demand and supply<br />
estimates for selected retail categories that<br />
would be appropriate additions to Six Corners.<br />
<strong>The</strong> categories that provide the most likely<br />
opportunities are discussed below.<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 35
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Restaurants. Additional full-service restaurants<br />
and limited-service restaurants represent a major<br />
opportunity for Six Corners. Within the Primary<br />
Trade Area, more than $31 million is being spent<br />
on restaurants and bars outside the area. To put<br />
that in context, a McDonald’s might generate<br />
annual sales of $3 million. A small independent<br />
restaurant might do less than $1 million.<br />
A combination of casual, limited-service<br />
establishments oriented to families and teens, as<br />
well as full-service restaurants and bars would add<br />
to the vibrancy of the Six Corners. Additional<br />
restaurants would also complement existing<br />
retail, service, and entertainment establishments,<br />
including the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater. Locally-owned<br />
restaurants would be appropriate tenants to rehab<br />
and occupy the existing vacant storefronts. Chain<br />
restaurants would be more likely to choose spaces<br />
in the existing shopping centers which offer offstreet<br />
parking.<br />
Some restauranteurs have already identified the<br />
opportunity in Six Corners, announcing their<br />
interest in opening new establishments. Figure<br />
20 identifies locations with new or proposed<br />
restaurants as well as locations that have strong<br />
potential.<br />
Figure 19: Primary Trade Area Leakage Analysis<br />
Primary Trade Area Leakage Analysis<br />
2010 Population 99,677<br />
2010 Households 33,563<br />
2010 Median Disposable Income $42,773<br />
2010 Per Capita Income $21,480<br />
Demand Supply Retail Gap<br />
(Retail<br />
Potential)<br />
(Demand -<br />
Supply)<br />
(Retail Sales)<br />
Industry Summary<br />
Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink $777,890,775 $636,573,722 $141,317,052<br />
Total Retail Trade $655,813,646 $545,562,675 $110,250,972<br />
Total Food & Drink $122,077,128 $91,011,048 $31,066,081<br />
Select Industry <strong>Group</strong><br />
Food Services & Drinking Places $122,077,128 $91,011,048 $31,066,081<br />
Full-Service Restaurants $56,087,010 $36,494,067 $19,592,944<br />
Limited-Service Eating Places $44,079,284 $29,899,347 $14,179,937<br />
Electronics & Appliance Stores $18,790,891 $10,478,103 $8,312,788<br />
Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores $20,832,367 $29,999,850 ($9,167,483)<br />
Furniture Stores $13,345,883 $8,775,279 $4,570,604<br />
Home Furnishings Stores $7,486,484 $21,224,571 ($13,738,086)<br />
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EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 19: Primary Trade Area Leakage Analysis Continued<br />
Bldg Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores $25,085,950 $13,902,208 $11,183,742<br />
Bldg Material & Supplies Dealers $23,824,995 $13,650,932 $10,174,063<br />
Lawn & Garden Equip & Supply Stores $1,260,955 $251,275 $1,009,679<br />
Food & Beverage Stores $143,423,168 $159,220,155 ($15,796,987)<br />
Grocery Stores $130,360,060 $124,307,989 $6,052,071<br />
Specialty Food Stores $5,157,172 $19,777,106 ($14,619,935)<br />
Beer, Wine & Liquor Stores $7,905,937 $15,135,060 ($7,229,123)<br />
Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores $35,866,745 $19,745,856 $16,120,890<br />
Clothing Stores $27,600,085 $12,915,977 $14,684,108<br />
Shoe Stores $4,178,663 $2,795,310 $1,383,353<br />
Jewelry, Luggage & Leather Goods Stores $4,087,997 $4,034,568 $53,428<br />
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores $8,389,375 $2,636,314 $5,753,062<br />
Sporting Goods/Hobby/Musical Instr Stores $4,790,969 $1,122,653 $3,668,317<br />
Book, Periodical & Music Stores $3,598,406 $1,513,661 $2,084,745<br />
Miscellaneous Store Retailers $11,509,730 $5,966,915 $5,542,815<br />
Florists $821,165 $184,303 $636,862<br />
Office Supplies, Stationery & Gift Stores $2,532,468 $2,581,431 ($48,963)<br />
Used Merchandise Stores $705,699 $219,547 $486,152<br />
Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers $7,450,399 $2,981,634 $4,468,765<br />
Source: ESRI Business Analyst<br />
Figure 20. Proposed / Potential Restaurant Development Locations<br />
Potential Restaurant Locations in Six Corners<br />
Name Address Status<br />
Family Pasta 4929 W Irving Park Open<br />
Six Corners Bistro 3930 N Cicero Under construction<br />
Pomo Dulce 4029 N Milwaukee Proposed<br />
New restaurant 4901 W Irving Park Building for sale<br />
Borowik building 4801 W Irving Park Space for lease<br />
Coffee Shop Lobby of Sears Discussed at one point<br />
Quick casual Marketplace at 6 Corners Potential retenanting of Blockbuster<br />
Source: Six Corners Association and Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong><br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 37
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Grocery Stores<br />
Six Corners already has two successful grocery<br />
stores, the Jewel-Osco and the locally-owned<br />
Family Fruit Market. While the leakage analysis<br />
does not indicate that the Food and Beverage<br />
category is particularly under-stored, Aldi has<br />
indicated a strong interest in Six Corners and is<br />
currently analyzing the potential to locate a store<br />
in the 4901 W Irving Park building. A location in<br />
Six Corners would complete their coverage of this<br />
portion of the Northwest Side.<br />
Aldi is a grocery chain whose products are<br />
primarily their exclusive brands, allowing them<br />
to offer items at low prices. With their limited<br />
product assortment, they have a typical store<br />
footprint of about 17,000 square feet and could<br />
be expected to have annual sales of approximately<br />
$7-million.<br />
Small Independent Stores<br />
Bakeries and specialty food stores selling Polish,<br />
Mexican, Middle Eastern, or other ethnic<br />
specialties might find a business niche in Six<br />
Corners. Local retailers selling a variety of types of<br />
merchandise, such as apparel and accessories and<br />
home décor, would also be appropriate tenants<br />
for the smaller vacant spaces on the north side<br />
of Irving Park and along N Milwaukee. Rents<br />
in these existing storefronts would be lower<br />
than those in newer buildings, providing more<br />
opportunities for local merchants and start-up<br />
businesses.<br />
Larger-Format National Chains<br />
National or regional retailers in categories such<br />
as electronics, sporting goods, lawn and garden<br />
supply, furniture, and apparel have specific<br />
requirements for the size and configuration of<br />
their space. <strong>The</strong>y might be looking for between<br />
15,000 and 35,000 square feet, visibility from<br />
high-traffic arterials and ample off-street parking.<br />
National retailers would likely pay in excess of<br />
$20 per square foot on a triple net basis (excluding<br />
utilities) to get modern retail space with the proper<br />
configuration.<br />
Over time, Six Corners could support additional<br />
larger-format stores, if appropriate stores or sites<br />
were available. <strong>The</strong>se larger stores may be more<br />
suitable for sites located east of Cicero, where the<br />
development pattern is more automobile-oriented.<br />
Cultural Offerings and Retail Supportive Service Uses<br />
Six Corners is being actively marketed as a<br />
destination for more cultural and entertainment<br />
venues. From children’s theater to adult music<br />
venues, these types of uses attract more people into<br />
the district, supporting area retailers.<br />
Other types of services uses would also help to<br />
fill the vacant storefronts. Service uses that are<br />
particularly supportive of retail uses include:<br />
• Fitness, yoga, and pilates studios<br />
• Youth oriented classes (Tae kwon do,<br />
music lessons, academic tutoring)<br />
• Health and beauty/personal services<br />
• Medical and dental offices<br />
SHOPPER INTERCEPT SURVEY<br />
To gain a better understanding of the Six Corners<br />
market area and its patrons, Goodman Williams<br />
<strong>Group</strong> conducted a survey of shoppers at various<br />
locations in Six Corners on multiple weekends<br />
in March 2012. A total of 150 surveys were<br />
collected. In addition to surveying key shopping<br />
locations, Goodman Williams <strong>Group</strong> also<br />
conducted a survey at the Northwest Chicago<br />
Film Society screening of <strong>The</strong> Twentieth Century<br />
on February 29, 2012 at the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater. A<br />
total of 79 surveys were returned. A breakdown<br />
of the seven destinations surveyed is summarized<br />
in Figure 21. <strong>The</strong> complete Portage and Shopper<br />
Intercept survey results are included in the<br />
Addenda to this report.<br />
38<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 21. Summary Table of Shopper Intercept Surveys<br />
Summary Table of Shopper Intercept Surveys<br />
Location Date Time<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater 2/29/2012 Evening 79<br />
Jewel-Osco (by front door) 3/3/2012 11:00 A M 26<br />
Sears (by front and back doors) 3/3/2012 11:00 A M 30<br />
Family Fruit Market 3/3/2012 11:00 A M 34<br />
LA Fitness / Bally (entrance on Milwaukee) 3/10/2012 11:00 A M 10<br />
4800 block W Irving Park 3/10/2012 11:00 A M 31<br />
3900 block N Cicero 3/10/2012 11:00 A M 19<br />
Subtotal Shopper Surveys 150<br />
Total (including Portage <strong>The</strong>ater) 229<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater Survey Findings<br />
<strong>The</strong> Portage is typically booked at least three<br />
nights per week to a variety of groups that<br />
attract diverse audiences. Since February 2011,<br />
the Northwest Chicago Film Society has run a<br />
classic film series at the Portage on Wednesday<br />
nights with an admission price of $5.00. Total<br />
attendance in 2011 was 4,395. To gain a better<br />
understanding of this audience, a survey was<br />
conducted on February 29, 2012. Pertinent<br />
findings from the 79 completed surveys include<br />
the following:<br />
Where Patrons Live / Means of Transportation<br />
Moviegoers came to the Portage from more than<br />
40 zip codes extending from Evanston on the<br />
north to the Beverly neighborhood on the south.<br />
Figure 22 identifies the zip codes in relation to the<br />
Portage and Six Corners. Approximately 75% of<br />
the respondents came by car.<br />
Frequency of Visits. Patrons regularly attend<br />
events at the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater. 63.3% of the survey<br />
respondents come to the Portage at least once a<br />
month. Only 5 respondents said it was their first<br />
visit.<br />
Shopping in Six Corners. In addition to attending<br />
the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater, 58.2% of theater attendees<br />
shop at other stores in Six Corners. Sears, City<br />
Newsstand, Jewel-Osco, and Fantasy Costumes<br />
were the most frequently cited responses. A<br />
smaller percentage (30.4%) of Portage patrons<br />
eat at quick- and full-service restaurants in Six<br />
Corners, such as Lomas Verdes and Las Tablas.<br />
Desired Establishments. Almost half (or 46.7%) of<br />
all responses to “What would you like to see more<br />
of in Six Corners”, was “Restaurants,” suggesting<br />
untapped demand from movie patrons. <strong>The</strong> next<br />
most frequent responses were “Retail” with 22.9%<br />
and “Evening entertainment” with 20.0%.<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 39
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 22. ZIP CODES OF PORTAGE THEATER SURVEY RESPONDENTS<br />
40<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Retail Shopper Intercept Survey Findings<br />
Shopper intercept surveys were conducted on<br />
two consecutive Saturdays in March 2012.<br />
Surveyors stood outside anchor retailers in<br />
three-hour segments as patrons entered and left<br />
establishments. <strong>The</strong> first round of surveys was<br />
collected outside Sears, Jewel-Osco, and Family<br />
Fruit Market. <strong>The</strong> second day of surveying focused<br />
on LA Fitness, Chase Bank and Family Dollar on<br />
W Irving Park, and the 3900 block of N Cicero<br />
Avenue. A total of 150 surveys were collected<br />
between all six locations.<br />
Where Patrons Live. Sears attracts its patrons from<br />
throughout the Northwest side. Of all respondents<br />
at the Sears location, 25.0% of patrons reported<br />
a home zip code of 60641 and another 17.9%<br />
lived in 60647. In contrast, Family Fruit Market<br />
and Jewel-Osco have a tighter trade area, with<br />
most shoppers coming from the 60641 zip code,<br />
reinforcing their positions as neighborhood<br />
grocery stores in Six Corners.<br />
Where do Patrons Shop in Six Corners. Twothirds<br />
of the respondents shopped at one of three<br />
anchors in Six Corners: Jewel-Osco, Family Fruit<br />
Market, and Sears. Chase bank (4854 W Irving<br />
Park) was the next most frequently cited response<br />
followed by LA Fitness (3970 N Milwaukee Ave).<br />
Survey results indicate that Six Corners’ anchor<br />
fulfill basic shopping needs for local patrons.<br />
70.0% of the survey respondents come to Six<br />
Corners weekly or more than once a week.<br />
Mode of Transportation. <strong>The</strong> majority (60.7%) of<br />
patrons reported that they travel to Six Corners<br />
by car and typically park in the anchors’ parking<br />
lots. For those respondents that drove and<br />
planned to visit more than one destination, 48.1%<br />
answered “yes” to moving their car, reinforcing the<br />
automobile orientation of Six Corners.<br />
Diversity of Population. <strong>The</strong> shopper intercept<br />
survey reflects a diverse population that shops in<br />
Six Corners:<br />
• Six Corners patrons are a mix of young<br />
and older adults. 42.9% of patrons<br />
classified themselves in the 45-64 age<br />
category, while 34.3% were in the 25-44<br />
age bracket.<br />
• Households with a range of household<br />
income levels shop in Six Corners. 26.1%<br />
of respondents identified themselves in<br />
the $50,000-$74,999 household income<br />
level while 25.2% were in the $25,000-<br />
$49,999 level.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> majority of respondents (70.7%) did<br />
not have children under the age of 18<br />
living at home. Getting survey responses<br />
from families with children present<br />
proved more difficult than from adults<br />
without children, so this response may<br />
not be representative of the Six Corner<br />
shopper base.<br />
• Nearly one-third (31.4%) identified<br />
themselves as Hispanic, reflecting the<br />
growing Hispanic population in the<br />
Portage Park and Irving Park community<br />
areas.<br />
Desired Establishments. When it comes to what<br />
people want more of in Six Corners, “Restaurants”<br />
was the top response, receiving 49% of all survey<br />
responses. <strong>The</strong> next most frequent responses were<br />
“Retail” (25%) and “Evening entertainment”<br />
(16%).<br />
Old Irving Park Association Resident Survey<br />
In August and September 2011, the Old Irving<br />
Park Association’s Business Development<br />
Committee conducted a survey of residents living<br />
in its own neighborhood and other Northwest<br />
Side neighborhoods to help identify where<br />
residents currently shop and what additions they<br />
want in Old Irving Park. Over 500 surveys were<br />
completed online or mailed into OIPA. A few key<br />
points are highlighted below:<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 41
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
• <strong>The</strong> retail district is important to the<br />
local housing market. Approximately<br />
two-thirds of respondents felt that the<br />
state of the neighborhood commercial<br />
district will moderately or strongly<br />
influence their decision to stay in Old<br />
Irving Park. Results indicate that the<br />
majority of residents intend to stay in<br />
the neighborhood for at least five years<br />
while another third of respondents are<br />
undecided.<br />
• 94% of all responses indicated the poor<br />
selection of goods and services in Old<br />
Irving Park as a major disadvantage to the<br />
neighborhood.<br />
• Survey respondents traveled to the nearby<br />
suburbs of Skokie and Niles for shopping,<br />
dining and entertainment. 40%<br />
identified Lincoln Square as a frequent<br />
shopping destination. Another 34%<br />
traveled to the North Avenue/Clybourn<br />
corridor to shop and dine.<br />
• Respondents are seeking “an improved,<br />
higher quality selection and experience<br />
that match the demographics of the<br />
neighborhood.”<br />
Figure 23. Selected OIPA Survey Results<br />
42<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 23. Selected OIPA Survey Results<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 43
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
PARKING AND CIRCULATION<br />
As part of the Six Corners Master Plan process,<br />
Gewalt Hamilton Associates has examined the<br />
existing parking, traffic, and pedestrian conditions<br />
within the Six Corners commercial district (“Study<br />
Area”). <strong>The</strong> transportation analysis addresses the<br />
current capacities, concerns and opportunities as<br />
they relate to:<br />
• Parking Facilities<br />
• Traffic Circulation<br />
• Pedestrian Circulation<br />
• Bicycle Circulation/Facilities.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se factors are key to creating a plan that<br />
maximizes the potential of Six Corners.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Study Area is located at the confluence of<br />
three major arterials, Irving Park Road (IL 19),<br />
Milwaukee Avenue, and Cicero Avenue (IL 50),<br />
forming the six-legged “Six Corners” intersection<br />
which accommodates over 70,000 vehicles per day<br />
passing through the intersection. <strong>The</strong>se high levels<br />
of traffic are both an asset and a liability to the<br />
Study Area.<br />
Six Corners is well served by public transportation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Metra Milwaukee District Line stations are<br />
located at Mayfair (3 blocks north of the Six<br />
Corners intersection) and Grayland (2 blocks to<br />
the south), within easy walking distance. CTA<br />
provides bus service on Cicero to the north and<br />
south via routes 54 and 54 A, as well as route 80<br />
along Irving Park Road and 56 along Milwaukee.<br />
Parking<br />
Parking in the Study Area is provided on-street<br />
and within public and private off-street parking<br />
facilities. Overall, the Study Area supplies over<br />
1,900 parking spaces of which only about 40%<br />
are occupied at peak demand. Parking counts<br />
were taken on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from<br />
10:00 AM to 9:00 PM with the purpose of<br />
documenting existing parking supply and demand<br />
within the Study Area and better understanding<br />
parking dynamics during peak times on a typical<br />
weekend. <strong>The</strong>se data will allow for the City and<br />
the Six Corners Association to better plan for<br />
new development, redistribution, and improved<br />
parking operations in the Study Area.<br />
Figure 24 on following page identifies the<br />
locations of all parking lots and on-street parking<br />
inventoried and studied. All major parking lots<br />
within the Study Area as well as all on-street<br />
parking spaces were surveyed for supply and<br />
occupancy. This included a total of 1,582 parking<br />
lot spaces and 341 on-street spaces. On-street<br />
spaces were estimated based on linear distances.<br />
Figure 25 on following page illustrates the spaces<br />
occupied in the various parking lots included in<br />
the study as well as their peak occupancy times.<br />
Key observations follow:<br />
• Lot 1A (Sears) peaked at 4:00 PM with<br />
109/193 spaces occupied (56%).<br />
• Lot 1C (Jewel) peaked at 1:00 PM with<br />
168/265 spaces occupied (63%).<br />
• Lot 1D (Marshalls) peaked at 1:00 PM<br />
with 97/174 spaces occupied (55%).<br />
• <strong>The</strong> remaining lots had very low parking<br />
counts during the rest of the day. <strong>The</strong><br />
Bank of America lot (Lot 2) peaked at<br />
24% occupancy at 11:00 AM and the<br />
Laporte Lot (Lot 7) peaked at 28%<br />
occupancy at 9:00 PM.<br />
• No tow trucks were observed towing<br />
patrons from any lots in the Study Area.<br />
Figure 26 on page 46 illustrates the occupied<br />
spaces on each of the various block faces within<br />
the Study Area. Pertinent observations include:<br />
44<br />
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Figure 24. PARKING LOT LOCATIONS<br />
Figure 25: <strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> PARKING SURVEY RESULTS; MARCH 3, 2012<br />
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EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 26: ON-STREET PARKING SURVEY RESULTS; MARCH 3, 2012<br />
• On-street parking activity peaked at 1:00<br />
PM with 58% of the on-street spaces<br />
occupied.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> most active on-street parking area<br />
was along Milwaukee Avenue in the<br />
vicinity of the Portage <strong>The</strong>ater.<br />
• Parking occupancies increased in the<br />
evening near the Portage <strong>The</strong>atre and<br />
along Irving Park Road, west of Cicero<br />
Avenue.<br />
Figure 27 illustrates the occupancy of Dakin Street<br />
and Byron Street, which are permit-only parking<br />
streets. Pertinent observations include:<br />
• Byron Street & Dakin Street had the<br />
highest occupancies of any observed<br />
on-street parking areas, suggesting they<br />
are heavily utilized by area residents.<br />
• Only a few cars on each block during<br />
each hour were observed to park illegally<br />
without the required parking permit.<br />
Figure 28 on page 48 documents the on-street<br />
parking signage for each block face surveyed<br />
during the study.<br />
Traffic Circulation and Operations<br />
Traffic data were collected and the Study Area’s<br />
street network was inventoried and reviewed<br />
in order to determine issues and potential<br />
opportunities related to automobile travel. <strong>The</strong><br />
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EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 27: PERMIT PARKING SURVEY RESULTS; DAKIN AND BYRON STREETS; MARCH 3, 2012<br />
Six Corners intersection accommodates over<br />
70,000 vehicles per day, with vehicular counts for<br />
each arterial as follows.<br />
• Cicero Avenue (IL 50) is a Principal<br />
Arterial that provides two travel lanes in<br />
each direction with a center turn lane<br />
and parking on both sides of the street<br />
in most areas. Cicero Avenue carries<br />
over 29,000 vehicles per day through the<br />
Study Area.<br />
• Irving Park Road (IL 19) is another<br />
Principal Arterial that provides two travel<br />
lanes in each direction and parking on<br />
both sides in most locations. Irving Park<br />
Road carries about 28,000 vehicles per<br />
day, similar in volume to Cicero Avenue.<br />
• Milwaukee Avenue is an Urban Collector<br />
and provides one travel lane in each<br />
direction and parking on both sides. It<br />
carries 10,800-14,800 vehicles per day.<br />
• Other streets in the Study Area are<br />
residential or minor collectors, many of<br />
them one-way with parking.<br />
Figure 29 on page 51 identifies key traffic issues<br />
and information in the Study Area, which are<br />
described below.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> recent CDOT Streetscape project<br />
included several traffic and intersection<br />
improvements such as:<br />
<br />
New right-turn lane on southbound<br />
Cicero<br />
<br />
A reconfigured Milwaukee/<br />
Kilpatrick/Byron intersection with a<br />
new traffic signal<br />
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EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 28: Parkiing Restrirctions: Six Corners study area<br />
48<br />
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Figure 28: Parkiing Restrirctions: Six Corners study area continued<br />
<br />
New traffic signal at the Milwaukee/<br />
Belle Plaine intersection<br />
<br />
Traffic signal modernization<br />
at Cicero/Irving Park/Milwaukee and<br />
Milwaukee/Berteau intersections<br />
<br />
New median planter on Cicero that<br />
improves traffic operations by<br />
restricting turning movements in and<br />
out of the shopping center driveway.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> many approaches of the Cicero/<br />
Irving Park/Milwaukee intersection<br />
cause traffic operations to be slow and<br />
congested resulting in long queues,<br />
especially during the evening peak hour.<br />
• Turning movement restrictions at the<br />
Irving Park/Cicero/Milwaukee traffic<br />
signal help improve traffic operations and<br />
safety at the intersection. Left turns are<br />
prohibited for traffic on Irving Park Road<br />
and Milwaukee Avenue.<br />
• On-street parking along Irving Park Road<br />
and Cicero Avenue is difficult during<br />
peak hour due to the high volumes of<br />
traffic traveling along the streets.<br />
Pedestrian Circulation<br />
<strong>The</strong> Six Corners intersection is considered a<br />
pedestrian-oriented shopping district and the<br />
legs of the intersection are designated “Pedestrian<br />
Streets”. Special regulations along “Pedestrian<br />
Streets” are intended to preserve and enhance<br />
the character of streets. <strong>The</strong> regulations are<br />
intended to promote transit, economic vitality and<br />
pedestrian safety and comfort (See Figure 29 on<br />
page 51).<br />
While pedestrian crosswalks and countdown<br />
signals are installed at the key intersections, large<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 49
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
traffic volumes and longer distances between<br />
signalized crossing areas are challenging. In some<br />
cases, for example Milwaukee Avenue south of<br />
Irving Park, the sidewalk is next to the street with<br />
no separation, making pedestrians feel unsafe.<br />
<strong>The</strong> long pedestrian crossing distances at the Six<br />
Corner intersection due to the alignment of the<br />
intersecting streets makes the intersection wider<br />
than some other six-legged intersection in the<br />
City.<br />
lane width for bikes to share with automobiles. As<br />
part of the streetscape project, several new bike<br />
racks were installed in the Study Area. Unlike<br />
Milwaukee Avenue, both Irving Park Road and<br />
Cicero Avenue are not bike friendly streets having<br />
high traffic volumes and limited space for cyclists.<br />
Pedestrian circulation throughout the Study Area<br />
was observed and noted, and key observations<br />
follow:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> recent streetscape improvements<br />
improve pedestrian crosswalk visibility<br />
at the intersections along Milwaukee,<br />
especially at the Irving Park/Cicero/<br />
Milwaukee intersection. Pedestrian<br />
countdown signals have been installed on<br />
all legs of the intersection.<br />
Median planter on Cicero where pedestrians regularly cross<br />
east-west unprotected<br />
• <strong>The</strong> sidewalk replacement and new<br />
sidewalk planters along Milwaukee<br />
improve pedestrian safety and experience<br />
by buffering the walking zone from the<br />
automobile traffic. Other enhancements<br />
that strengthen the pedestrian<br />
environment include pedestrian lighting,<br />
gateway features, and information kiosks.<br />
• A significant number of pedestrians<br />
crossing Cicero Avenue north of Irving<br />
Park Road utilize the new raised median<br />
planter on Cicero as a refuge area.<br />
Pedestrians are crossing Cicero as they<br />
come out of the north Sears entry and are<br />
heading west and south.<br />
Bicycle Mobility/Facilities<br />
Milwaukee Avenue is one of the most highly<br />
bicycled streets in the City. While Milwaukee<br />
Avenue does not provide designated on-street<br />
bike facilities, it is a designated bike route with<br />
medium traffic speeds and volumes and adequate<br />
New stamped crosswalks on Milwaukee Avenue<br />
50<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS<br />
Figure 29: transportation issues map<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 51
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ADDENDA
ADDENDA<br />
addenda<br />
Addenda #1: business inventory for six corners<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
Addenda #2: shopper intercept survey summary tables<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
Addenda #2: shopper intercept survey summary tables Continued<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
<strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> <strong>ECONOMIC</strong> <strong>DEVELOPMENT</strong> MASTER PLAN 59
ADDENDA<br />
ADDenda #2: shopper intercept survey summary tables Continued<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
Addenda #3: history OF <strong>SIX</strong> <strong>CORNERS</strong> and historic designation opportuntities<br />
History of Six Corners<br />
Just a few scattered businesses were located in<br />
the Portage Park neighborhood before Jefferson<br />
Township was annexed to Chicago in 1889.<br />
<strong>The</strong> extension soon after of the Irving Park and<br />
Milwaukee Avenue street railway lines began to<br />
attract some additional commercial development.<br />
Today, however, only one structure remains<br />
from this early period, a former drug store at the<br />
southwest corner of Irving and Cicero (4805 W<br />
Irving Park) with a round corner tower that just<br />
hints at its original Queen Anne heritage.<br />
A few smaller, multi-story commercial blocks went<br />
up in the first two decades of the 20th century,<br />
having storefronts at grade and apartments above,<br />
with simplified historic detailing, often classical.<br />
<strong>The</strong> largest extant building from this period is the<br />
Bank of America building, on the southeast corner<br />
of Irving Park and Milwaukee, which sadly lost its<br />
impressive classical limestone façade in the 1990s<br />
when it was stripped and modernized.<br />
<strong>The</strong> bulk of commercial development existing today<br />
along Irving Park and Milwaukee dates from the<br />
1920s through the 1940s. By 1924, solid rows of<br />
storefront buildings lined both sides of Milwaukee<br />
Avenue north of the intersection, development<br />
that was probably spurred on by the opening of the<br />
Portage <strong>The</strong>ater in 1920. Other storefront buildings<br />
were clustered near the intersection on the other<br />
major streets, and scattered beyond that. <strong>The</strong> Klee<br />
Building, on the triangular corner formed between<br />
Milwaukee and Cicero north of Irving Park, replaced<br />
some of these smaller buildings in 1928, as did the<br />
Lamon Court Apartments and Hotel. Most of the<br />
district remained concentrated in the northwest<br />
quadrant of the intersection and on both sides of<br />
Irving Park. <strong>The</strong>re was far less development east of<br />
Cicero in the large block that would be bought up<br />
by Sears Roebuck for its 1938 department store.<br />
<strong>The</strong> opening of Sears transformed the shopping<br />
district so that by 1951 almost all available lots<br />
on both sides of Irving Park Road from Lavergne<br />
east to Cicero, on Milwaukee Avenue from Irving<br />
Park north to Belle Plaine, and on Cicero Avenue<br />
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ADDENDA<br />
a half block north and south were filled in with<br />
commercial structures. On West Irving Park<br />
in particular, one-story storefronts went up in<br />
the moderne style of the late 1940s; many of<br />
these stand vacant today. Parcels east of the<br />
bank remained largely undeveloped while the<br />
manufacturing concerns on the south leg of<br />
Milwaukee blocked commercial expansion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> wide geographic spread of the Six Corners<br />
shopping district from its heyday into the 1970s is<br />
still evident, although parcels on the fringes have<br />
been consolidated into strip malls or more recently<br />
redeveloped for residential townhouses. <strong>The</strong>re are<br />
gaps here and there along all but the two most<br />
solid historic sections, North Milwaukee Avenue<br />
and West Irving Park Road.<br />
Individual Landmarks<br />
Peoples Gas Company Irving Park Store, 4839 W<br />
Irving Park Road, was designated a local Chicago<br />
landmark on February 18, 1987. Designed by<br />
George Grant Elmslie and Hermann V. Von<br />
Holst, this 1926 two-story limestone commercial<br />
block features embellished stone carvings in the<br />
Sullivanesque ornamental style. <strong>The</strong> building<br />
was rated red in the Chicago Historic Resources<br />
Survey and was also included in the Illinois<br />
Historic Structures Survey.<br />
Portage Park <strong>The</strong>atre Building, 4042-60 N<br />
Milwaukee Avenue is pending local landmark<br />
designation by the Chicago City Council. It was<br />
granted preliminary local landmark status on April<br />
5, 2012 by the Chicago Landmarks Commission.<br />
This three-story combined theater, storefronts,<br />
and apartment building was designed by Lindley<br />
P. Rowe in association with Fridstein & Co.<br />
and opened in 1920. <strong>The</strong> red-brick façade with<br />
cream-colored terra cotta features an unusual<br />
combination of classical and Art Moderne stylistic<br />
influences. <strong>The</strong> building was rated orange in the<br />
Chicago Historic Resources Survey.<br />
W Irving Park Road was noted in the AIA Guide<br />
to Chicago and probably absent from the CHRS<br />
because it only included buildings that appeared<br />
older than 1940. <strong>The</strong> 1938 design by Nimmon,<br />
Carr & Wright was starkly modern, with plain<br />
concrete facades setting off large display windows<br />
intended for the presentation of merchandise.<br />
Unfortunately this signature feature has been<br />
altered from its original design.<br />
Proposed Historic District<br />
<strong>The</strong> Six Corners Association began pursuing<br />
the possibility of listing as a National Register<br />
Historic District in 2008 when a preliminary<br />
eligibility report was prepared by a consultant and<br />
submitted to the Illinois Historic Preservation<br />
Agency for consideration. IHPA staff concluded<br />
the proposed district was not eligible due to too<br />
many (26%) non-contributing structures within<br />
the proposed boundary and the exclusion of two<br />
of the six corners. A second consultant conducted<br />
further research to establish the importance of the<br />
buildings and remodelings dating from the midcentury,<br />
and revised the application accordingly.<br />
In 2011 the IHPA issued another negative staff<br />
opinion noting integrity issues as a weakness of<br />
the proposed district. <strong>The</strong> Six Corners Association<br />
continues to press its case with the IHPA with no<br />
success to this date.<br />
It may be time to reconsider whether National<br />
Register listing is an appropriate development tool<br />
for the business area. With a landmark district<br />
whose significance relies heavily on mid-century<br />
modern commercial structures -- many of them<br />
one story -- any redevelopment strategy that<br />
involves demolition of one-story structures and<br />
new construction at higher densities would not be<br />
able to use the federal historic tax credits for such<br />
projects.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are no other structures still standing at<br />
Six Corners that were rated orange or red in the<br />
Chicago Historic Resources Survey. However<br />
the Sears, Roebuck & Company store at 4730<br />
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