CAC Watch List 2022

The CAC Watch List follows pressing issues and transformative projects in Chicago’s built environment that we are committed to investigating. This resource helps you stay informed on design and development throughout the city. Explore the content below and follow @CACWatchList on Twitter to keep up with related news as it unfolds.

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INVEST South/West

One of Mayor Lightfoot’s signature policy efforts, this $750 million initiative uses taxpayer money to leverage private investment in underserved neighborhoods on the South and West sides. There is no question this is a bold undertaking, perhaps the largest single infusion of design resources delivered to these communities in decades. The project bid process also fosters new partnerships between Chicago architects and builders, prioritizing local talent, capacity, and design excellence. The architecture community has long sought opportunities to impact neighborhoods through design, and we sincerely hope INVEST South/West makes the grade.

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Our Changing Downtown?

Floundering retail. Stunted tourism. Stubbornly high office vacancy. Downtown Chicago is facing big challenges and choices borne partly of the pandemic’s long-lasting workplace and travel disruptions. As America’s fastest growing downtown by population, expect city leaders to encourage this trend as a viable way to stimulate the storefront economy. If downtown does skew residential, do other areas of the city capture some of the job base or does that work turn remote? How can designers play a larger role in reinvigorating streets and reusing buildings to meet post-pandemic needs?

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A Casino for Chicago

In 2019, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation dramatically expanding casino gaming across the state and providing for a mega-casino within Chicago city limits, with as many as 4,000 gambling “positions,” or seats. Several developer bids have been submitted targeting three sites adjacent to downtown. Meanwhile, Chicagoans continue to debate the merits of a casino, in terms of viable locations and economic development prospects. We also wonder about its ultimate design and integration into the local fabric. Looking past the rhetoric, can a casino truly be a community anchor?

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Mega-Development for Whom?

The pandemic delayed several so-called “mega-developments,” and it may have prompted developers of such sites as The 78 and Lincoln Yards to reconsider their anchor attractions and mix of uses. These are, by virtue of their sheer scale, 10-to-20 year undertakings in building new neighborhoods from the ground up. The success of mega-developments rests on more than financial returns—design excellence, inclusivity, and strong connections with the surrounding urban fabric also matter. They should be viewed as generational public-private investments, held to a standard that delivers vibrant places for all to enjoy.

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Saving Neighborhood Treasures

Local character is a slippery thing—hard to define and even harder to protect. There is, however, broad consensus around the importance of civic anchors to the life and identity of communities. These run the gamut from historic movie theaters to industrial hubs to houses of worship. Across the city, many character-imparting structures sit dormant or underutilized awaiting a viable reuse and meanwhile may be threatened with demolition. CAC supports ongoing efforts at the grassroots and municipal levels to save and revitalize our neighborhood treasures.

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Greening the City

Chicago is getting wetter and hotter. Bold interventions in the built environment are essential to help Chicago and our region withstand the harshest impacts of climate change. Of foremost interest to architects and designers is the literal greening of streets and communities to clean and cool the air, and the retrofitting of buildings for improved energy efficiency. Given the proper resources and policies, urban designers and architects, together with planners and engineers, possess the tools for proactively addressing many acute threats.

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