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Children's Memorial Redevelopment Meeting Delayed Until December

By Paul Biasco | November 19, 2013 1:54pm
 A rendering of the last proposal by McCaffery Interested for the Children's Memorial Hospital redevelopment presented at a community meeting in July 2012.
A rendering of the last proposal by McCaffery Interested for the Children's Memorial Hospital redevelopment presented at a community meeting in July 2012.
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43rd Ward

LINCOLN PARK — A community meeting to discuss revised plans for the redevelopment of the former Children's Memorial Hospital site has been delayed two weeks.

It has been nearly 1 ½ years since McCaffery Interests last presented scaled-back plans for the highly debated site.

The redevelopment of the prime real estate had been held up by Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) until the overcrowding situation at nearby Lincoln Elementary was solved, and now that the mayor announced an annex for Lincoln, the Children's Memorial Development is moving forward.

Following the unexpected announcement of the Lincoln annex on Nov. 11, Smith said she called McCaffery right away and set up a meeting for Nov. 21.

That was not enough time for the developer who has asked for additional time to complete revised plans, according to Smith's office.

The new meeting will be held Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the DePaul Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave.

McCaffery, who did not respond to a request for comment, presented plans for three residential towers with heights of 145 feet, 250 feet and 290 during the last community meeting on July 26, 2012.

The proposal included a number of open spaces and parks within the massive site at the intersection of Fullerton, Halsted and Lincoln.

Those plans were met with backlash from some neighborhood residents who argued the development was too dense and too high.

Area businesses around the former hospital, especially those on Lincoln Avenue, have argued that their businesses have been struggling while waiting for the redevelopment.

According to analysis by the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, which is a strong supporter of the redevelopment plans, more than 1.5 million people visited the hospital each year.

The hospital also included a staff of 4,300 employees, who moved to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Streeterville in June 2012.