An audacious redevelopment project planned for a South Side housing complex has tenants worried they will be permanently displaced as a result. Lake Meadows, at 500 E. 33rd St., is a 92-acre complex in Bronzeville saturated with high-rise apartment and co
“They can say what they want, but I know this redevelopment project is really a way to push Blacks further south and away from the Lakefront atmosphere,” said Gene Harris, 47, a Lake Meadows resident for 15 years. “Look what’s going on with the Michael Reese Hospital closing. That was not an accident. The city wanted that land the minute they became a finalist for the Olympics.”
Melinda Sparks, 56, moved into her two-bedroom apartment at Lake Meadows 19 years ago and remembers when the complex was predominately occupied by single, middle-class Blacks. “That has all changed today as nearly half of the residents are white, and it seems like more are coming,” Sparks said. “It’s no accident that a redevelopment plan is being worked on prior to the 2016 Olympics. I hope Chicago is not awarded the Olympics because it will cause more displacement for Blacks.”
Draper and Kramer Inc., which owns Lake Meadows and the land it occupies, is in the preliminary stages of a master plan to redevelop the complex. Construction is not expected to begin until at least 2010 and would take about 15 to 20 years to complete, said Don Vitek, vice president of development for Draper and Kramer.
“We are in the early planning stages right now, and there is no set date when any tenants have to be moved out,” he said. “We do not expect any tenants to be displaced due to construction because before we even begin construction we will build new housing for tenants to move to if their building is slated for demolition.”
He added that only the older buildings will be demolished. The complex is 90 percent occupied and consists of 2,057 units, made up of condominiums, rental and single family units. Once construction begins, Vitek said phase one calls for the Lake Meadows shopping center at 3357 S. King Dr. to be demolished and rebuilt to include housing. “There will be retail on the ground floor and residential built on top,” Vitek added.
“We will work with the current stores to find temporary locations in Bronzeville they can move to until construction is complete.” Retail tenants at the shopping center include Walgreens, Foot Locker, ShoreBank and Jewel. Spread out over four to five phases, Vitek said upon completion, 7,845 units will make up the complex, which will include 400 new rental units and 200 affordable senior units.
There are currently no senior units at Lake Meadows although the senior population at Lake Meadows has increased over the past 10 years, Vitek said. The project has the support of Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th). “Lake Meadows is an underdeveloped site and is not a pedestrian friendly location,” Preckwinkle said.
“Twenty percent of the new units built will be affordable so this is not a case where tenants cannot afford to live after the redevelopment.” But with rent slightly rising this year in Chicago, some tenants are afraid they will not be able to find comparable units should they be displaced.
“I have a two-bedroom apartment 10 minutes away from downtown, and I pay $1,050 a month for rent. Now where can I go in Chicago and be able to say the same thing?’ said Elinor Brown, 47. “I cannot afford to pay higher rent, and I do not want to move to the suburbs because I work downtown.”
Wendell Hutson can be reached via e-mail at whutson@ chicagodefender.com.
About Post Author
