Empty tracts of land along Pink line? (Chicago, Bensenville: section 8, apartments)

[vandre]

I take the Pink line regularly, and I've always been curious about the huge tracts of land that can be seen from the Pink line between 15th and Hastings (along Paulina Avenue). Does anybody know what happened there? Was it Public Housing? Why it hasn't been redeveloped?

Here is the StreetView from Google:
ashland ave and 14th place, chicago,il - Google Maps

When I looked it up in Google I did notice that there is a section 8 building nearby ('William Jones Apartments')

[vandre]

My bad... I accidentally created this thread in the Illinois Forum instead of the Chicago Forum... Could some moderator please move it?

Thanks!

[aragx6]

^^No problem!

[jdiddy]

See here.

Welcome to the Illinois Medical District - IMD

Eventually it will be redeveloped as part of the Med District expansion.

[Lookout Kid]

I've been curious about that as well. There are several blocks with the typical chicago residential block pattern, sidewalks, and alleys--but no buildings! I thought maybe we were starting to resemble Detroit on the West Side... But I guess Medical district expansion would explain it!

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I've been curious about that as well. There are several blocks with the typical chicago residential block pattern, sidewalks, and alleys--but no buildings! I thought maybe we were starting to resemble Detroit on the West Side... But I guess Medical district expansion would explain it!

I know, it is kind of eerie going by that area. And if you'd like a taste of New Orlean's ninth ward in the Chicagoland area, keep heading west on Irving Park until you get to Bensenville, specifically the part of Bensenville that lost their land to eminent domain and O'Hare expansion.

It's a ghost town of boarded up shops and houses. Some of them look like they weren't really prepared to move, and waited until the last second to move what they could.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I know, it is kind of eerie going by that area. And if you'd like a taste of New Orlean's ninth ward in the Chicagoland area, keep heading west on Irving Park until you get to Bensenville, specifically the part of Bensenville that lost their land to eminent domain and O'Hare expansion.

It's a ghost town of boarded up shops and houses. Some of them look like they weren't really prepared to move, and waited until the last second to move what they could.

That part of Bensenville reminds me of Love Canal, NY.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I've been curious about that as well. There are several blocks with the typical chicago residential block pattern, sidewalks, and alleys--but no buildings! I thought maybe we were starting to resemble Detroit on the West Side... But I guess Medical district expansion would explain it!

Chicago does resemble Detroit in parts of the West and South sides.

Especially areas like Englewood, Back of the Yards, Roseland, Garfield Park, Austin, etc.

The only difference is that in Chicago those neighborhoods have more hope for investment and development than in Detroit, because well . . . its Chicago.

But google streetview any of those aforementioned areas, it looks pretty bleak for now.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I know, it is kind of eerie going by that area. And if you'd like a taste of New Orlean's ninth ward in the Chicagoland area, keep heading west on Irving Park until you get to Bensenville, specifically the part of Bensenville that lost their land to eminent domain and O'Hare expansion.

It's a ghost town of boarded up shops and houses. Some of them look like they weren't really prepared to move, and waited until the last second to move what they could.

And yet the city of Bensenville is still trying to hold up the O'Hare expansion in court, despite losing multiple rounds already. How much taxpayer money have they spent on this quixotic fight?

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Chicago does resemble Detroit in parts of the West and South sides.

Especially areas like Englewood, Back of the Yards, Roseland, Garfield Park, Austin, etc.

The only difference is that in Chicago those neighborhoods have more hope for investment and development than in Detroit, because well . . . its Chicago.

But google streetview any of those aforementioned areas, it looks pretty bleak for now.

Why would I google streetview those areas when I live in Chicago and have seen them dozens of times for myself?

There aren't many parts of Chicago that have the utter abandonment of Detroit. There are actually parts of Detroit that are building free for blocks and are sort of returning to nature! We've got vacant lots in Chicago, but nothing like that!