Hi Tom - the demolition of the homes on Emerson actually was an anti-gentrification move. I live nearby and have been keeping tabs. A private developer attempted to purchase the property a few years ago and turn it into a nice market rate apartment complex, but local residents fought it and the city council did not approve the purchase. …
Hi Tom - the demolition of the homes on Emerson actually was an anti-gentrification move. I live nearby and have been keeping tabs. A private developer attempted to purchase the property a few years ago and turn it into a nice market rate apartment complex, but local residents fought it and the city council did not approve the purchase. So, who purchased the lot to please the masses? The City of Evanston for 1.6M after it was listed for 1.2M and never sold (but 1.6M was the appraised amount assuming the zoning density sticks -- at a lower zoning density which the surrounding community wants, it was just north of a mil).
The City of Evanston hasn't totally decided what they're going to do with the site, but councilmembers have expressed a desire to turn the site into low income/subsidized/affordable housing. The fire department was using the long vacant buildings for training purposes over the last few months before demolition. The buildings there certainly have been an eyesore for years, so I don't think anybody is sad to see them go, but I was very sad to see huge mature trees get taken out earlier on the property (ironic given how the City of Evanston is trying to impose restrictions on residents taking down trees on private property).
If you look at the census data, that area hasn't seen a huge influx of affluent purchasers but there are definitely small pockets of it and you see some rehabbed homes just north of Emerson on Wesley and the like. But people have been saying for YEARS that the SEE gentrification and the figures don't (yet) support that. With Double Clutch, Soul & Smoke, and a few pockets of development/rehabbed homes, we may see it down the road, but people have been saying that for 20 years. Ironically, maybe a new school will make the area more desirable and lead to buyers with more means. We shall see....But the small property lots and aged (but not historic) housing stock is a high hurdle on many of the blocks. It's not an area developers routinely look at properties to "flip."
Don’t know that I would agree that’s true in the whole ward. Drive around close to Beck Park and you will see lots of new and flipped homes. I see it daily. Look how much the new construction homes at Dodge and Emerson sold for a couple years ago. And the ones on Church and Grey in the last 6 years. It is happening. I moved to the 7th ward in 2010 and spent most of my kids’ youth at Fleetwood and Foster Field. It was walkable for us. I’ve seen the changes, and it’s getting better all the time.
Hi Tom - the demolition of the homes on Emerson actually was an anti-gentrification move. I live nearby and have been keeping tabs. A private developer attempted to purchase the property a few years ago and turn it into a nice market rate apartment complex, but local residents fought it and the city council did not approve the purchase. So, who purchased the lot to please the masses? The City of Evanston for 1.6M after it was listed for 1.2M and never sold (but 1.6M was the appraised amount assuming the zoning density sticks -- at a lower zoning density which the surrounding community wants, it was just north of a mil).
The City of Evanston hasn't totally decided what they're going to do with the site, but councilmembers have expressed a desire to turn the site into low income/subsidized/affordable housing. The fire department was using the long vacant buildings for training purposes over the last few months before demolition. The buildings there certainly have been an eyesore for years, so I don't think anybody is sad to see them go, but I was very sad to see huge mature trees get taken out earlier on the property (ironic given how the City of Evanston is trying to impose restrictions on residents taking down trees on private property).
If you look at the census data, that area hasn't seen a huge influx of affluent purchasers but there are definitely small pockets of it and you see some rehabbed homes just north of Emerson on Wesley and the like. But people have been saying for YEARS that the SEE gentrification and the figures don't (yet) support that. With Double Clutch, Soul & Smoke, and a few pockets of development/rehabbed homes, we may see it down the road, but people have been saying that for 20 years. Ironically, maybe a new school will make the area more desirable and lead to buyers with more means. We shall see....But the small property lots and aged (but not historic) housing stock is a high hurdle on many of the blocks. It's not an area developers routinely look at properties to "flip."
Thank you for this correction; I haven’t been following that story as closely as I should have been. Much appreciated comment 🙏
Don’t know that I would agree that’s true in the whole ward. Drive around close to Beck Park and you will see lots of new and flipped homes. I see it daily. Look how much the new construction homes at Dodge and Emerson sold for a couple years ago. And the ones on Church and Grey in the last 6 years. It is happening. I moved to the 7th ward in 2010 and spent most of my kids’ youth at Fleetwood and Foster Field. It was walkable for us. I’ve seen the changes, and it’s getting better all the time.