Reilly updates Streeterville on neighborhood development

By Elizabeth Czapski, Staff Writer

At a community meeting Alderman Brendan Reilly offered updates on various projects he’s worked on over the past year in the Streeterville area.

The meeting was hosted by the The Streeterville Association of Active Residents (SOAR).

Heather Gleason, director of planning and development for the Chicago Park District, Navy Pier’s chief operating officer Brian Murphy, Malihe Samadi, coordinating engineer for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Commander Daniel O’Shea of the Chicago Police Department also attended the meeting as panelists.

The alderman then reviewed issues he has worked on including raising fines for double-parking, adjusting policies around use of sirens on emergency vehicles, liquor-related problems, traffic improvements such as a new red light camera at Michigan and Ontario and development of the Spire site at 400 Lake Shore Dr. The alderman rejected the proposal for the site, citing resident concerns. He said he hopes the developer, Related Midwest, will make changes to the proposal.

Tribune Tower has fewer objections than the Spire site, but there are still “critical” issues that need to be addressed, he said.

Reilly stressed the importance of supporting downtown Chicago due to the area’s financial contribution to the city as a whole.

“This ward pays the bills. This ward is nearly two-thirds of the city’s economy. So if it becomes unaffordable to be here and unsafe to be here—and tourists stop wanting to be here—everyone in the city is going to suffer, not just downtown,” he said, adding that the downtown area has seen “unprecedented growth” in recent years.

Public safety issues were discussed with Commander O’Shea, and Reilly added that lighting and security camera improvements have been made in the community or are in the works. O’Shea said that investigative stop reports, traffic stops, municipal tickets, vehicle impounds, guns confiscated and arrests with guns are all up, proving that the police continue to engage with suspicious people.

O’Shea said if people see something suspicious, they should call 911, even if they may think what they see isn’t worthy of a call. it is no big deal.

Next, a resident asked about plans to develop parks. Reilly and Gleason from the park district said Ogden Plaza Park development has run into some legal issues regarding replacing the membrane between the ground and the parking garage underneath the park.

Reilly said Olive Park is a Department of Water Management asset and there are homeland security concerns surrounding the park because of its proximity to a water treatment plant.

One Bennett Park, he said, is “nearing completion.” Residents asked about spaces for dogs, and Reilly said there will be two dog runs in Bennett Park. Additionally,  DuSable Park could be a candidate for a dog run and dog park.

The alderman also discussed the traffic management plan for Streeterville, the introduction of new pedestrian countdown crosswalk signals and other pedestrian safety improvements.

Alderman Reilly and Samadi, the engineer from CDOT, said the first two phases of the Navy Pier Flyover bridge will be finished this year and a temporary ramp will be installed to connect the phases to the existing lower level Lake Shore Drive path. The full Flyover is expected to be done by the end of 2019, Reilly said.