Avenues For Growth Corridor Plan

Strengthening commercial corridors through marketing, transportation, housing, and placemaking

Belmont Cragin ยท Chicago, IL

Project Highlights

  • Focus on placemaking, jobs, housing, local business, and mobility
  • Recommendations included big-picture and specific corridor improvements
  • Bilingual outreach materials and meetings in English and Spanish
  • Northwest Side Community Development Corporation launched to implement plan recommendations

The Avenues for Growth Plan originated from a partnership between the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Northwest Side Housing Center (NWSHC), a local non-profit and HUD-certified housing counseling agency.

The plan lays out actions and strategies to build on the Latino small business community along the busy commercial corridors of Fullerton Ave., Diversey Ave., and Grand Ave. The collaboration with architecture firm JGMA led to a strategic approach to support mixed-use and affordable housing development along the corridors.

All community workshops and materials were bilingual, allowing hundreds of businesses and residents to participate in the plan. Avenues for Growth is an implementation effort of the Belmont Cragin Quality-of-Life Plan (QLP) that was also led by NWSHC and facilitated by Teska.

View Plan


  • Three interactive community workshops were fully bilingual (English and Spanish) | Image Credit: NWSHC

    Three interactive community workshops were fully bilingual (English and Spanish) | Image Credit: NWSHC

  • Opportunity sites for future affordable housing were selected and designed with community input | Image Credit: JGMA Architects

    Opportunity sites for future affordable housing were selected and designed with community input | Image Credit: JGMA Architects

  • Corridor Improvements Rendering: Urban Design + Land Use | Image Credit: Teska

    Corridor Improvements Rendering: Urban Design + Land Use | Image Credit: Teska

  • As part of plan implementation, Teska created a branding strategy that celebrates the many cultures in Belmont Cragin | Image Credit: Teska

    As part of plan implementation, Teska created a branding strategy that celebrates the many cultures in Belmont Cragin | Image Credit: Teska