Crude rendering of what a Belmont Plaza might look like.

Giddings Plaza in Lincoln Square was created through a similar street reconfiguration. Photo: Erik Swedlund

In celebration of the Burnham Centennial, I'm sharing an idea to enhance the public realm in my neighborhood. I've lived in Lakeview for six years, and while I love it, I've always felt that it's missing a quality public gathering space. The various sub-neighborhoods kind of have their own little centers, but you can't really inhabit those places. Most of the sidewalks are too narrow and there aren't places to sit. I grew up near Annapolis, Md., which has a harbor with a plaza where people would hang out to talk, eat ice cream, drink coffee, etc. And Lakeview alone is almost three times the size of Annapolis, so we should be able to support a place like that. Anyone who has lived in a European city also knows what a pleasure a nice centrally located plaza can be. But even some other neighborhoods in Chicago have such places. I'm thinking of Giddings Plaza in Lincoln Square, which is a great, active public place.

These kinds of shared spaces are an important symbol of the civic life of a neighborhood. They represent a common investment by the community to provide a democratic place for all people to use and enjoy. I believe attention to the civic realm is really what distinguishes great urban places from bland suburbs.

So I've been dreaming for some time about getting a plaza on Belmont near the CTA station. I was inspired by Lincoln Square and thought of a similar plan, which would not only create a wonderful civic place, but would also be very doable. The plan involves creating a cozy pedestrian plaza at Wilton and Belmont by returning two-way traffic to Wilton and making it a cul-de-sac.

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Why a pedestrian plaza and why here?

An Outdoor Living Room for Central Lakeview
-- A public gathering space for residents and visitors
-- A place for shoppers to rest and customers to enjoy takeout food and drinks in the public realm
-- A vibrant open space where residents can go to read, relax, hang out with friends, and people-watch
-- A place for farmers markets and public performances
-- Would improve the public realm adjacent to the CTA's vacant lots, increasing the chance that developers would invest to add high-quality buildings to the neighborhood, and maximizing the CTA's return on the lots

At the Heart of the Neighborhood
-- In the middle of the Belmont strip, which is one of a handful of "Pedestrian Streets" designated by the city zoning code
-- Heavy foot traffic from commuters and shoppers means plenty of people who are already there would enjoy the space
-- Adjacent commercial uses will keep the space vibrant and active
-- By the Belmont CTA stop, but not adjacent to it, so there will be a barrier between the station and the plaza reducing the noise and creating a sense of enclosure

Positive Pedestrian Impact, Minimal Automobile Traffic Impact
-- Closing Wilton at this intersection would improve the pedestrian experience and create a continuous sidewalk on the Belmont strip by removing a point where pedestrians and automobiles cross paths
-- Within the half-mile pedshed (10-minute walk) of the Belmont station, 49% of commuters take transit and 7% walk or ride a bike to work, and 27% of households are carfree (2000 Census). This means that every day, the Belmont sidewalks flood with half of our working residents on their way to work, as well as many more people coming to our neighborhood to work and play.
-- Wilton Ave. is only one block long, and it's one-way toward Belmont, so traffic impact would be minimal

Similar Projects in Chicago
Jefferson Playlot in East Pilsen
Giddings Plaza in Lincoln Square
Piazza DiMaggio in Little Italy