Western Avenue Corridor Study and Rezoning
Chicago
Cook County
The Western Avenue Corridor Study and proactive rezoning serve as a model in community engagement and streamlining development processes to attract investment.
Background
Alderwoman Silverstein initially asked the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to evaluate zoning and development opportunities along Western Avenue, a corridor with numerous redevelopment sites. DPD then invited alderpersons representing parts of the corridor to collaborate, and, after four alderpersons agreed, the Western Avenue Corridor Study was launched in January 2021, focusing on a five-mile stretch from Addison Street to Howard Street. The alderpersons saw a chance to shift the usual development process — typically reactive, parcel-by-parcel, and driven by aldermanic discretion — toward a proactive plan based on community input and a shared vision for growth.
Western Avenue was already undergoing transition, and the study allowed alderpersons and residents to address multiple challenges together. The corridor hosted many auto-oriented businesses, vehicle repair shops, and drive-through restaurants. At the same time, bus and train ridership was rising steadily. Housing needs increased as affordable two- and three-flats near the corridor were converted into single-family homes, shrinking affordable options in the area. Housing supply lagged behind demand due to historic downzoning, contributing to rising prices. The corridor was seen as a vital opportunity to help address Chicago’s affordable housing shortage, then estimated at about 120,000 homes. There was also a need to revitalize vacant storefronts and support neighborhood-serving businesses by adding more residents. Additionally, the corridor offered a chance to boost the city’s tax base through new development.
How It Works
Adopted in November 2022, the corridor study included policy recommendations addressing land use, development, infrastructure, and public realm improvements along Western Avenue. Central to the land use framework was the designation of five Neighborhood Centers spaced along the corridor. These centers would serve as hubs of concentrated mixed-use development, featuring the highest densities and focusing foot traffic and commercial activity around bus and train stops. Surrounding each Neighborhood Center, Housing Infill segments were designated to support increased housing development and neighborhood-serving commercial businesses such as coffee shops, salons, and laundromats. Between these nodes, Commercial Transition zones would maintain their role as auto sales and service corridors, while also allowing for added housing and some neighborhood-serving commercial uses.
The corridor study also identified opportunity sites for future development, prioritized pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements based on previous accidents and community input and outlined a series of short-term (within two years) and near-term (within five years) actions for alderpersons, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD).
A major outcome of the study was the proactive rezoning of this corridor segment, completed in 2024, fulfilling one of its primary recommendations. The rezoning established a more uniform zoning framework aligned with the corridor’s vision, offering clear guidance on the types of buildings and developments the community favored. This marked the City of Chicago’s first major corridor-wide rezoning effort.
The study also led to the resurfacing of a large portion of Western Avenue, which included pedestrian refuge islands, bus bulbs, and other pedestrian infrastructure improvements. Additionally, enhancements were made to the plaza at the Western Avenue Brown Line station and to the Ainsley and Lincoln public arts plaza. While no specific new developments have been constructed yet, about half a dozen sites along the corridor have attracted developer interest, signaling growing momentum for future projects.
Goal
To establish a more predictable and transparent development process for a portion of Western Avenue and encourage greater investment along the corridor.
Target
A five-mile stretch of Western Avenue, spanning from Addison Street to Howard Street.
Success
Completion of the first large-scale planning and proactive rezoning of a corridor in the City of Chicago’s history.
Lessons Learned
It is important to reach as many people in as many ways as possible at the front end of a major planning effort. When local leaders articulate their thought process behind decisions, it helps residents have confidence in their decision making.
Public Involvement
The steering committee guiding the process included the four participating alderpersons, representatives from three neighborhood organizations, four chambers of commerce, city sister agencies, and city-wide organizations with housing and transportation expertise. Community outreach was extensive, featuring 11 focus group sessions, three youth council meetings, four public virtual events, a youth-led pop-up event, a library exhibit, over 1,500 online survey responses, more than 40 business interviews, 400+ bus and bus station ads, 30,000 postcards mailed, and over 2,500 flyers posted. While not every resident agreed on all details, this broad community involvement helped foster trust and overall buy-in for the plan.
Contact Information
City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, www.chicago.gov
This case study was last updated in February, 2026.
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