East 39th Street Commercial Corridor Plan by Chris Devins

SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the corridor, opportunities and threats are external forces.
Strengths
• High Average Daily Traffic
Counts: ADT at 90/94 of 232,800
cars per day. 119,700 at Lake
Shore Drive.
• Rising Median Income: Douglas,
(2010 population 27,022) on
the north side of 39th, has a median
income of $31,526, up from
2000’s $26,710. Grand Boulevard
(population 26,651), to the
south, has a median income of
$25,249, up from $19,723 in
2000. All figures are in 2009
dollars and adjusted for inflation.
11% of Grand Boulevard’s residents
make $50,000 or more per
year. 15% of Douglas’ residents
make the same.
• Educational Attainment:
15% of Douglas residents have
a Master’s Degree or higher,
17% a Bachelor’s degree. Residents
have a Master’s Degree or
higher, a Bachelor’s degree.
• Available Project Funding:
East 39th Street is located within
Tax Increment Financing District
and Enterprise Zone 2.
• Competent Leadership: Dynamic
aldermen in 3rd and 4th
wards.
• An Anchor for the East End
of East 39th Street: A new large
Dollar General store on the site
of the old Sunrise Grocery at East
39th and Langley.
• A Rise In Population Density:
3000 units of new housing to
be built at Oakwood Shores
and Phase 1 of The Metropolis
development, including 102 condominiums
and anchored by a
Roundy’s grocery store, which is
slated to be completed by 2013.
• Big Box Store Potential: Large
parcels on the west end suitable
for Big Box retailers.
Weaknesses:
• Few Selling Points: Lack of
identifiable culture within which
to drop the retail (adjacency).
• Difficult to Find: Locked in on
one side by 90/94 and the other
by LSD and lots of residential and
parks.
• Low Proximity to Employment
Centers: Far from IIT job center.
• No Signage at Interstate 90/94
and Lake Shore Drive: Dull, un
informative highway exits don’t
announce East 39th Street’s
presence as a shopping destination.
• 19 Vacant Lots: Decreases
walkability and corridor attractiveness.
Could also be a
strength, as it offers opportunities
for in-fill development that
strengthens the neighborhood.
• Vacant Buildings: 14 vacant
structures. This could also be
a strength, as it allows for infill
development.
• Negative Land Use: Two liquor
stores within 1000 feet of each
other.
• Dilapidated Buildings: Buildings
in need of façade improvements.
• Poor Safety Perception: Polled
residents cite safety as a primary
concern.
• Shallow Lots: Not suitable for
many of today’s retailers.
• Lack of Retail: When lower
population density occurred,
many retailers closed or relocated.
• Moderate Traffic Counts: Only
27