HELLMUTH, OBATA + KASSABAUM, INC.
30 West Monroe Street, Suite 1500
Chicago, IL 60603
Voice: 312-782-1000 / Fax: 312-782-6727

Meeting Notes

Project: Children's Memorial Hospital (CMH) Site Redevelopment

Date Prepared: 12-1-08

Client: City of Chicago - Department of Planning and Development

File: CMH Site Redevelopment Community Meeting

Participants:

Ward 43: Alderman Vi Daley, Barb Guttmann, Chuck Eastwood

City of Chicago, DPD: Danita Childers, Don Hohenadel, Oneida Pate

HOK: Todd Meyer, Jackie Kotz, Zach Borders

Flowers Communications Group: Felischa Marye, Thelma Walker

Metro Transportation Group: Peter Lemmon

Granacki Historic Consultants: Vicki Granacki

Economic Research Associates: Melissa Mayer

Interested Community Residents

Prepared By: Jackie Kotz, Project Manager
Purpose: CMH Site Redevelopment Community Meeting
Meeting Date/Time: 11-13-08 / 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: St. Vincent DePaul Center, 2145 Third Floor

The following meeting notes were prepared by HOK Architects. The notes reflect the author's understanding of discussions and provide a record of the agreements reached at the meeting. Should any of those present have different recollections or find errors or admissions in the notes, advise the author in writing within five calendar days of receipt of the meeting notes.

Comments

1. Purpose of Meeting

This meeting was held to brief the interested citizens in the community of Lincoln Park on the scope of the Children's Memorial Hospital Site Redevelopment project, and to listen and record their comments as well as their questions with responses from the project team.

Meeting Notes

2. Introduction to Meeting

A meeting agenda and copy of the CMH Lincoln Park Campus Map showing the Neighborhood Organization boundaries and the properties that CMH is selling and retaining was passed out as the attendees signed in at the reception desk. The meeting started with the following introductions of the team and project.

Welcome by Todd Meyer

HOK was retained by the City of Chicago's Department of Planning + Development (DPD) and Alderman Vi Daley's office to facilitate a discussion in the neighborhood about the issues and concerns relative to the redevelopment of the CMH site.

• Presented Agenda
• Overview of project
• Introduction of team members
• Started floor discussion
• The discussion will be open and transparent about our process during this study

Thank you and welcome by Alderman Vi Daley

         Children's Memorial Hospital is moving. They can't expand in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, so they're moving to Streeterville in connection with programs at Northwestern Hospital. This proved to be the best option for them from a business perspective.

      CMH is the largest site in Lincoln Park, so their moving impacts business, schools, traffic, etc. In order to get input from community, the 43rd Ward office asked DPD to contract a private urban planning firm to complete a reuse study - HOK was selected.

      HOK will help us prepare a document that helps us with the redevelopment process - a summary of what kinds of things will be supported by the community  We anticipate discussing many issues, including, traffic congestion, parking, land use, etc.

Continued overview of process by Todd Meyer

Discussed the process and scope of work

    We will not dictate how to use land, rather we want to understand what is feasible from a market perspective, consider the potential land uses including but not limited to institutional, residential commercial and retail, as well as the ultimate height, setbacks, density, etc.

   Historical structure analysis - Lincoln Park and the immediate area are rich with historical structures. We want to maintain as many of these as possible and would like to see the new structure be appropriately designed in the context of the historical significance of the other buildings in the neighborhood.

    Will look at access and circulation (parking, traffic issues…what demands will the new site put on the neighborhood?)

    Will host a series of meetings, then will conduct a final presentation to the community with our recommendations. This is the first of several meetings before giving a final recommendation.

    We come to you without any preconceived notions. We're here mainly to listen…we will take what we hear and document it so that the voice of the community is heard.

The team :  More detailed introductions of the team

Reviewed planning process

Reviewed site issues

Open space…it's the social heart of the neighborhood. We have an opportunity to connect this site to other open spaces near by as well as to the lakefront.

Zoning - the site is a Planned Development (PD158) that includes a 20 year development agreement with specific land uses and densities. The underlining zoning of the site and the context of zoning around the site will also be important to consider.

One question for DPD is whether the new development can modify the existing PD or whether the redevelopment will require a new PD as a part of a new master plan for the site. The developer will ultimately need to negotiate with the city to re-plan the site and determine at that time from DPD whether a new PD is needed.

 Reviewed the retain/sell map

 3. Floor discussion led by Todd Meyer

Upon completion of the team introductions and project overview and issues, Todd opened up the floor to comments and questions from the audience. Audience members were asked to identify themselves with their name and address.  Attached are notes from Flowers Communications Group regarding the specific audience comments and questions.

 4. Key Takeaways

Several areas of interest / concern came up from community members repeatedly, or were a key focus during this first meeting:

• True community inclusion throughout the process
• Several residents recommended a special community steering committee, with independent and members of community organizations, to represent the larger community
• Expressed concern about the community losing control and involvement in the process once the project is in the hands of the developer and Children's Memorial Hospital (CMH)
• Maximizing public safety during the demolition process/Making sure there are no hazardous materials exposed to the community during demolition, since children as well as adults, frequent the areas surrounding the hospital
• Affordable / Workforce housing/The community seems to see affordable housing as manageable and a good addition to the community, whereas they felt that commercial space must be looked at closely when considering traffic, noise and congestion
• Hotel space/Felt that a Lincoln Park hotel (boutique) could be useful because of a University being in the neighborhood, and because if the community's close proximity to downtown
• A space that meets the true needs of the community/ Incorporating space that fills the void once the hospital is gone — properties that still serve as the "social heart" to the community such as a clinic, senior services, a library, etc. This could also be an outdoor plaza or green space in addition to or in lieu of a building or indoor space.

This project report is a summary of the writer's understanding of matters discussed and conclusions reached, and is part of the project record. Please advise the writer of discrepancies as soon as possible.

Children's Memorial Hospital
Community Meeting #1 Notes
11/13/08
Community Comments and Questions with Project Team Responses
Community Input/Questions HOK/other team members' responses

Dan Goldman - lives on Burling

o Doesn't want Burling to become like Halsted (i.e., too much traffic) o Also concerned about safety of demolition, wants to make sure that tearing down the hospital doesn't involve community exposure to toxic materials o Says that bringing in new homes can be a concern during such a depressed economy; may affect home values o Consider getting federal dollars to build a school

(Inaudible name) - has been an architect for 40 years

o Commended Ald. Daley for selecting HOK o When you have a developer, how will our community input be dealt with? o How many weeks before any activity?

• We will look at a range of options — feasibility being #1 (financially or functionally)
• At the end of the day, our job is to give the developer a roadmap (i.e., here's what's off the table)
• This process is a way to be proactive about what we do want to see
• The document we produce will illuminate all things that should be considered by the developer
• This is a document that the alderman's office, the city, the hospital can give to potential developers
• Zoning control limits use of the property to a hospital right now; developers will need to go through a process to change the zoning
• Todd -16 week process
• Don - Two to three year proces

Sheila (inaudible last name) - from the Jane Adams Senior Caucus and Lakeview Action Coalition

2006 we petitioned to add to the ballot a question about affordable housing; Have been asking about housing for varying income levels for some time; 66% of people said they support affordable housing;  Affordable housing is a great opportunity; should give that the weight it deserves?

• We will consider affordable housing and will look at that to be a part of the study

Maxine Gere

o Concerned about non-functioning buildings in the neighborhood  Bankrupt hospital (Lincoln Park property)…a building in foreclosure  Three luxurious townhomes haven't been finished yet  How will this site affect the entire community?  o Also want to make sure there is continued transparency…can you inform be sure to keep the community informed about everything, such as hazardous materials? Be transparent.

Mark Armendariz - principal of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

o Thanks to the alderman o Concern is…we have 662 students. If we get mixed idential/commercial, buildings we need to be informed so that we can accommodate the impact on our school o Also, the destruction of the current facility needs to be done with care because of all the students who are near the site; safety is a concern • We can also use this opportunity as a learning lesson to our children o Teaching them how to plan in general, while teaching them the importance of  community

 Will be happy to share our process

Sharon Durling, 15-year homeowner

o Home is adjacent to the property. Critical that the demolition is overseen with great care. �� Consider using Gabriel Environmental Services… �� Demolition can lead to problems (asbestos, syringes, toxicity and safety issues, not just dust and dirt; will a separate person oversee this?

CMH wants to be a good corporate citizen. They want to live up to their development agreement with the community, being as responsible as possible. They need to be successful here to make their Streeterville project a success

CMH has strict guidelines about demolition

 Peter Zelcheko, lived 300 ft. from hospital ground for 37 years

o Not concerned about the for-profit piece of this, concerned about density and traffic circulation patterns  A cumulative impact of several developments can affect these things to More concerned about social aspects about the development  This is an opportunity for us to get iron-clad agreements with the developers that purchase this land �� Affordable housing �� What about a library, since the site is close to the El (no library is really close to the El) �� Not enough supermarket competition, so consider that �� What about a Lincoln Park community shelter? Maybe the community can consider giving them an opportunity to relocate.  Want to make sure that the process of the study is inclusive and really takes the community input into consideration. Too many of these processes begin with "kumbaya," and end with mad people, lawsuits.  The political nature can reach epic proportions.  o I'm independent, but want to be a stakeholder �� Hoping the alderman develops an advisory committee to include businesses, independents, charitable organizations ….maybe 20 people who have serious say when the zoning gets done, etc.

Layton Olson, live east of Clark since 1980, member of Mid-North Assn. Planning
Committee (although not speaking for them)

o Question about the telecommunication infrastructure at CMH that might bring value to new tenants. Fiber is a world standard with infrastructure planning…how is the infrastructure factored into this process o How are we affected if we get the Olympics? o If we win the Olympics…need flexibility

Re: the infrastructure…the detailed study will highlight the big issues surrounding the site (what's above ground and what's underground); We want to have a good picture of what's there…the redevelopment person needs to do thorough analysis of what's there

o Metro Transportation has been working on Olympics bid

Marty Oberman

o Excellent idea to plan now o Comment and questions — must be realistic about the price of the property. Too often the price has driven the development. We shouldn't get carried away. The plan should drive the price, versus the other way around (start with the plan first, versus figuring out how much you want for the property, then developing a plan to adhere to that number/price). o What mechanism will be in place to assure that the final document will have the support of a true community consensus, and this is a huge development…everyone isn't at this meeting.  o Can you put info. on a Web site, such that it's a two-way conversation? So we can see other people's comments? o Can open Lincoln auditorium for meetings

We're starting meetings now because we want community input. We'll also be posting comments for other community members to see. This is about entire community…we're
opening up to everyone. If they can't attend meetings, we'll still look at their input.

Albertine Burget - live on Fullerton; lived in neighborhood for last 40 years

o One idea that I haven't heard is a quality boutique-like hotel with the residential density.  Could be successful with the University nearby and the potential Olympics 

Ira Belcove…live on Belden, directly across the alley from the garage

o Want to address residential developments (affect tax base, prop value, schools)…we can deal with issues a residential development would bring, but concerned about major commercial development (the Halsted, Lincoln intersection — noise, congestion is a problem). A cinema, a big box store, creates a lot of problems if we develop a major
commercial property

Michelle Smith

o Thanks for the long range planning…wanted to discuss the scope of work o CMH is the largest structure…new development should consider including Lincoln Park Hospital…it's a block away now, so I want to put that on the table (may have a similar redevelopment schedule) o Re: little Lincoln — It's a joy that kids are back in our neighborhood going to school…can we expand little Lincoln? o Also, it's unclear how the community actually gets involved. What we saw with the presentation about the Lincoln Park Village concept, we have a lot of experts in our own community. I think there should be a broad-based community committee… would have a lot of volunteers.

Ald. Daley is having a meeting in the next month with Lincoln Park hospital owner. Housing is on the table. HOK is just the gatekeeper…we don't have all the answers. This kind of dialogue is what we want…Charrette-style meeting 

Elizabeth Marcus, lives behind parking garage

o It's unusual to have a big parcel of land like this…want to make sure of the real needs in the community…if schools are crowded, we don't have enough libraries, and this is our opportunity to address true needs. o How big is the parcel? o Has CMH stated who's interested in the property? o After this process is done…how much control do you have over the actual sale CMH has hasn't marketed the site yet; there have been no active negotiations

CMH will be open with developers to influence the result • We don't know the exact acres of the parcel, roughly 20 acres 

Sandy Gartler, Orchard Street

o There's a strong movement to reuse buildings (On Orchard, 700 W. Fullerton, 2422 N Orchard) �� Consider saving and reusing community center, senior housing 

Our intention is to look at all historic buildings on the site. Those two buildings mentioned are good ones, a continuation of a residential street. We've heard about Nellie Black I'm a member of Preservation Chicago, so she doesn't want more demolition… save those buildings Building for reusing for residential use

(name unknown)

o How can you align with world standards?

In terms of aligning with world standards - 2016 Bid Committee is doing everything they can to get the Olympics here…others are doing a 2040 plan, looking at Chicago and beyond in the region. They're looking at traffic and density independent of the city, and the city is doing a lot as well

John Feiger - Orchard Street, lives adjacent to hospital

o How can this project work? My concern is that the city announced mass layoffs… there is a clear interest in maximizing tax revenue for the city, but CMH needs to maximize the proceeds from the property. How do you balance the city's interests and the hospital's interest (competing interests). Don't want the need to raise money trump the community's needs o Also, if there is only zoning for a hospital, does CMH have to dictate what kinds of property we want to be bid on? o Also, is Children's contributing to the cost of this reuse study? Or, are they doing their own project to serve their own interests?

The city zoning ordinance is to protect the character of a neighborhood…zoning ordinance protects this, spot zoning is discouraged (takes away from character). DPD won't make a positive recommendation in this case If we change the zoning…must go through a process to engage the community and get approval from the city  

John Feiger (poses another question)

o Do you expect CMH will petition the zoning board to change the zoning before marketing the property?

No…they will sell the property and the buyer will go through the process with the city to change the zoning

Coleen Moran, Orchard Street

o The new building should be energy efficient and have green technologies. Our  neighborhood could be a leader in this area for the city  

John Feiger (poses another question)

o Re: the plan development/public process — it sounds good, but in Chicago, it's different…very concerned and want to make sure that the community has control of this process before it gets too big. How do the independent people become stakeholders? Who's on the committee now? It's usually the "usual suspects." Can we be kept in the loop? You might say no to me to be on the committee.  

This is the first step in our process…these meetings. Can't say how many people would be on a community steering committee, but this is an open process. We don't yet have a steering committee…can't happen overnight

Dennis Leary - Belden Avenue

o Could the heliport be retained?  o Does the 20 year PD agreement expire?  o Is there anything that can be developed without going through the PD process?  developer/financing in place 

Helipad is for the hospital…hardly think the new developer will need it Nothing can happen there without going through the PD process with the city The PD process is a legislative process, the PD designation is a specific zoning designation…work with the city on density, height The PD will expire in 7 years if nothing happens with the site

 (name unknown) architect makes a comment

o Member of the Mid-North Assn. o People should get involved with your community assn….then we can have a combined organization to meet with Vi

 (unknown name)

o Re: financing — can you demolish  the buildings without having financing in place?

 The city process is Block 37…it makes sure they can afford to develop before the site is demolished

 Brad Hart, live off of Wrightwood Ave., Director of Wrightwood Neighbor's Assn.

o What about a clinic since we're losing hospitals

 It could be a part of the plan