The Chicago Plan Commission adopted a plan Thursday to promote more commercial activity along Auburn Gresham’s 79th Street, after several notable projects have brought more economic development to the long-neglected corridor.
Called the 79th Street Corridor Plan, the framework aims to add more density along the street between Ashland and Vincennes avenues, and South Halsted Street from 77th to 83rd streets. The study has been in the works since 2022 and earned approving nods from community groups, including the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corp.
“We have a final plan that we all can be proud of,” Norma Sanders, Greater Auburn Gresham Development’s director of special initiatives, said during the meeting. “This plan will give us an updated framework and direction to build out the corridor for walkability, for cultural enhancements, and more importantly, working with CDOT on some safety enhancements that we have really been waiting for along 79th Street.”
A focus of the plan is to create new “neighborhood centers” in the corridor that consist of mixed-use development, according to the city’s Department of Planning and Development. Those centers would aim to attract drivers and pedestrians, including more large-scale developments like pharmacies and grocery stores.
Eleven community goals are outlined in the plan, including pushes to create new equitable transit-oriented development, replace vacant lots and improve pedestrian safety.
Specific land use goals — and the whole plan — are the “first step” in figuring out what zoning changes could happen along the corridor, according to the Planning Department. In addition to creating more transit-oriented development, the plan proposes adaptive reuse opportunities and a mix of townhomes and multifamily development along 79th Street.
The plan would build on the recent economic investment in Auburn Gresham. In 2022, the Healthy Lifestyle Hub brought new life to a formerly vacant furniture store at 839 W. 79th. The Auburn Gresham Apartments opened on 79th Street this month, transforming two vacant lots into 58 affordable housing units. And in September, the Auburn Metra station will open for commuters along the Rock Island line.
The 79th Street Corridor Plan points to other vacant lots where development could be spurred, including 7801-7847 S. Halsted St. and 632 W. 79th St. The latter is a vacant site one block from the upcoming Metra station.
Planning Commissioner Ciere Boatright said she’s confident the plan can attract even more investment to 79th Street. Boatright has said she grew up on 79th Street and was keenly aware of how the area was ripe for investment yet historically overlooked.
“We’ve seen piecemeal planning as projects have come along,” Boatright said in Thursday’s meeting. “This is just a really good example of what we want to see more of … thoughtful planning in some of these very disinvested areas that deserve this thoughtful effort and deserve the investment as a breath of fresh air.”
An earlier version of this story misstated the 79th Street Corridor Plan needed City Council approval.