Sounds like:
Reopening the grid is a political problem only - could (probably) legally reopen barriers at 9th, 11th Place, and 15th tomorrow if the alderman or mayor were willing to steamroll the residents. The 15th one may actually happen if the 78's new Red Line station moves forward. It's not even internal to Dearborn Park and, apparently, our current mayor no longer employs a personal trainer who lives on that block. (What a weird 90s version of Chicago cronyism, Mike Royko would have had a field day)
Redeveloping Dearborn Park to something more intense is a developer problem AND a political problem - convincing the residents of any one Dearborn Park slice to sell out, and convincing the alderman to allow a PD revision/zoning change over the objections of all the other slices. Since it's all in a PD, there is no as-of-right redevelopment option, any changes to the approved plan have to go through City Council.
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la forme d'une ville change plus vite, hélas! que le coeur d'un mortel...
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