Commercial Corridor Revitalization Planning

The Vision for Howard Street and Morse Avenue 

As a result of a community process that began in 2004, DevCorp North has completed a Commercial Corridor Revitalization plan for Morse Avenue and Howard Street.

The plan can be downloaded through the links below:

• Executive Summary
• Full Commercial Corridor Revitalization Plan
• Matrix of Recommendations
• Appendix
• 2007 Implementation Plan
• Progress and Outcomes (coming soon)

Some of the recommended strategies have already begun (see Business Improvement Program, Shoppers Rebate, Business Attraction Sessions and Banners).  DevCorp North, the Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Area and the Howard Special Service Area will use this plan as the foundation of our work and focus in the years to come.  Residents and business owners will be able to track the progress of implementation on our website and see how this plan is shaping our community.

The goal of the plan is to create more vibrant, attractive and successful commercial areas that benefit the entire Rogers Park community.  Our hope is that this plan will...  "...attract quality, accessible, vibrant, welcoming, working shopping opportunities for everyone regardless of income, race, etc. where you can get what you need and want for home, business, spirit, stomach, creativity, brain and the joy of life," as local resident Michael Harrington and his working group enthusiastically proclaimed at our second community meeting.

For more information about the process, see below.

The project was mainly funded by a grant from the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission.  DevCorp North is one of six community organizations awarded the three-year Full Circle grant through the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (now CMAP). The Full Circle grant is funded through a U.S. Dept. of Commerce Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) grant and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. This grant supports the Rogers Park Full Circle planning process, which encourages asset-based community mapping and uses modern web-based mapping technologies. In addition, this project is partly funded by the Howard and Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Areas.

THe University of Illinois's City Design Center also was an important partner in the development this plan.

117 Shopper Surveys and 41 Business Surveys were conducted in the initial development of this plan.  A summary and a full analysis (40MB) are both available for download.

Click here for a summary of the second community meeting.

Click here for a summary of the third community meeting.