South Loop Center for the Arts Vision

Our vision was developed through an extensive data collection and planning process. First we conducted a comprehensive study of Chicago community development plans, historical archives, and public records. Then we held a series of community stakeholder engagement events to hear directly from the South Loop community about their needs and preferences for the space. I. Project Goals This plan is designed to preserve the historical significance of the buildings while incorporating modern, sustainable practices. These efforts will ensure that the center serves as a vital community hub for art education and cultural connectivity, aligning with our values of environmental and social responsibility. This includes sustainable construction practices, minimizing waste, and promoting community engagement. Our goal is to create a space that not only serves the community’s needs but also aligns with best practices in environmental stewardship and social equity. We have consulted LEED Certification standards to identify sustainable solutions and best practices for this plan. We will employ strategies for waste management, using sustainable and non-toxic materials, and maximizing energy efficiency for the construction, and our plan is designed with best practices sound, lighting, and space designs in mind. II. Community and Regional Planning Guides Community development plans published by the city and county have identified the preservation of the South Loop’s historical character as an urban planning and design priority. As a result, the city planning department recommends a development method applying adaptive reuse strategies that upgrade pedestrian views of commercial and industrial buildings. City Planning Department recommendations call for the promotion of masonry construction with large ground-floor windows, appealing entryways, and traditional building elements with articulated facades that conform to features of the existing landscape. Pursuant to this vision, they recommend that regulation of new development should control the height of buildings neighboring the elevated train lines below 300ft. The 1319-1349 building fits the historical industrial and rail yard character of the South Loop, and it has been remodeled according to adaptive reuse models to preserve this character. The 1300 block of South State is in the Red Line Extension (RLE) Redevelopment Project Area. This RLE plan will add 5.6 miles of track on the South side beyond the current 95th street terminal, connecting Black/African American communities to the broader CTA network and destinations in the City of Chicago. This indicates that value of this location’s proximity to the Red, Green, and Orange transit lines at an important intersection between the South side of Chicago and the commercial centers of the city. Today, CTA’s Red Line serves as the transit backbone of the City of Chicago. It provides 24-hour north-south service and is CTA’s most heavily used rail line, supporting more than 67 million entries in 2019. City planning guidelines also emphasize environmentally friendly site planning and application of sustainable solutions such as green roofs, energy efficient building envelopes, and storm water management. The Dearborn Park II District, where the 1300 S. State block is located, is zoned for hotel, restaurant, retail, entertainment, residential, and educational use purposes. The building itself has DX-7 mixed use zoning. III. Stakeholder Engagement and Community Needs Our team has hosted 3 community stakeholder engagement open house events with building tours to gather ideas and feedback for the development of this plan. We have given more than a dozen private tours, and we have attended ward and neighborhood association meetings to introduce our project and invite feedback. Findings: •Residents travel to other neighborhoods to access art education since the closures of the Sherwood School and the Old Town School of Folk Music campuses. •Dance and theater companies displaced during COVID require new and affordable spaces to relaunch •Local schools have inadequate performance spaces for student events such as recitals and graduation ceremonies. •The South side of Chicago has inadequate indoor performance spaces for public performances and programs •Artists have inadequate practice and performance spaces, and those that are available are unaffordable for many residents •With the closing of the Kerasotes Icon theater, there is a gap in the South Loop’s cultural infrastructure that was vital to promoting the community’s cultural diversity •The South Loop has a deficit of community cohesion and organization south of Printer’s Row