This urban design plan is a response to the edge environments experienced in Berwyn, Illinois–an inner-ring suburb facilitating a new wave of change. Enclosed are a community profile of Berwyn, a spatial analysis account and community evaluation, and a series of design proposals for Cermak Road–the defining edge for the Urban Edge Studio.
As part of the Master of City Design program at the University of Illinois-Chicago, the Urban Edge Studio is the first in a series of applied plan-making courses that focuses on the discovery, synthesis, and design opportunities centered on communities of the urban periphery. Eight students prepared this report through a collective approach to discovery and design resulting in a vision for the corridor.
The proposed concepts represent the culmination of a research and design process that values the ways Cermak Road functions well and recognizes its realms of opportunity. These results should be regarded as inspiration and encouragement for how complex commercial suburban spines can be enhanced, diversified, and updated for evolving communities.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
The land upon which Berwyn sits is an occupation of Indigenous territories traditionally stewarded by the Potawatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe Nations of the Council of the Three Fires. Many other nations, like the Miami, HoChunk, Menominee, and Sac and Fox have also called the region home.
The Urban Edge Studio recognizes the continued presence and resilience of Indigenous people who enrich our communities and who established the legacy of the region’s trade, gathering, and kinship.
Study Area
Characterized as an inner-ring suburb, Berwyn is located 9 miles west of Chicago. It is bounded by four roads–Roosevelt Rd to its north; Pershing Rd on the south; Lombard Ave to the east; and Harlem Ave to the west. Despite this compact size, Berwyn’s population of 57,000 makes it the most densely populated township in Illinois. Along with Oak Park, Cicero, Forest View, Riverside, and North Riverside, Berwyn forms an integral part of Cook County’s suburban tapestry.
Out of a 19-mile stretch, 1.4 miles of Cermak Road runs eastwest in Berwyn’s northern half, connecting Chicago’s near south neighborhoods with the western suburbs of Glen Ellyn and Wheaton. A half-mile walking radius from Cermak Road houses many of Berwyn’s civic and commercial amenities, including being a cultural divide between the north and south sides of the community.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Chicago
International Airport
Map 0.0: Regional Context
Midway
Approach to Discovery
Our findings stem from a combination of identifying patterns, strong trends, or gaps in the data. We engaged in a process of discovery by interacting with Berwyn in three distinct ways:
• Our detection of notable spatial features worth investigating stemmed from our personal observations during several site visits.
• Our dialogue with community experts and planning officials helped define areas of study, including listening to selfdetermined issues, expectations of governance, and visions for new environments.
• Our decomposition of the built environment into its components defined the general categories of research. Related data lent itself to themes and courses of study.
Design Process
The principles from the Approach to Discovery fit into the broader Design Process Timeline. Foundational theoretical knowledge of plan-making and design was applied through:
• a spatial analysis of the study area,
• the exploration of precedent case studies,
• a midterm review of initial design approaches,
• rounds of design and critique discussions,
• and mitigating design drawbacks with supportive policy concepts.
The resulting narrative attempts to bridge the key findings of the community discovery with affirmations of place that offer options for Berwyn’s futurity.
Figure 0.0: Approach to Discovery
0.1: Design Process Timeline
Figure
Community Profile 1.0
History
For 115 years, Berwyn has bridged Chicago to its suburban expanse. Throughout that time, the city’s changes have reflected the pulse of social, cultural, economic, and political change. As such, today Berwyn finds itself as a vanguard of what diversifying inner-ring suburbs can become: a dynamic environment that attracts diverse communities that contribute to a vibrant suburban tapestry.
Indigenous Potawatomi establish trails through area, including future Route 66.
Thomas Baldwin turns 347 acres of land into wealthy subdivision called LaVergne.
Illinois Central railroad creates access to Berwyn, bringing new European residents. Berwyn incorporates city, avoiding annexation into Chicago.
Figure 1.0: Historical Timeline
incorporates as a annexation
Strict zoning begins alongisde the “Bungalow Boom” and th birth of the Cermak commerce corridor
Urban flight and economic changes affect Berwyn. Revitalization and community identity shape.
Racial tensions signal community change as Hispanic and Black residents relocate.
Berwyn further develops its historic preservation with a diversifying community with changing needs.
Land Use
Single-family detached residential is the largest categorical land use in Berwyn. All housing accounts for the slight majority of land use at 53%. Space dedicated to transportation and similar uses comprises one-third of all use. The city has very limited open green space, mirroring neighboring Oak Park and Cicero. In fact, these suburban areas have three- to six-times less open space than Chicago.
Along Cermak Rd, space dedicated to road networks and parking is abundant, while no intentional public green space sits on Cermak itself. The corridor is the highest concentration of commercial
land use in Berwyn due to Cermak Plaza’s 311,000 square feet of retail space. The neighborhoods north of Cermak Rd is the highest concentration of multi-family housing in Berwyn, with two- and three-flat structures and mid-sized apartment complexes most prevalent.
Despite zoning allowing for five story mixed-use buildings, Cermak Rd structures are typically ground floor commercial with two floors of apartment-style living. Berwyn’s zoning permits high allowances for impermeability for new construction. Historic bungalow districts are zoned R-2 and are predominantly to Cermak’s south.
Legend
Map 1.0: Land Use
Berwyn City Boundary
Traditional Mixed-Use
P: Public Areas
R-1: Single Family Residence
R-2: Bungalow District
R-3: Two-Family Residence
R-4: Multi-Family Residence
Zoning
Along the Cermak corridor, mixed-use zoning aims to promote economic growth. Despite strategizing this blend of commercial and residential space, actual land use and morphology suggests Berwyn struggles to achieve the dynamic cohesion of an mixeduse environment.
The C-2 Traditional Mixed-Use embodies this discrepancy, while also nodding to how, materially, Berwyn’s zoning code permits high allowances for impermeability for new construction.
Legend
C-2:
Map 1.1: Zoning Along Cermak
Housing
As of 2021, Berwyn has 21,281 housing units with a 92% occupancy rate, affirming the community’s locational desirability and affordability for Berwyn. Over 58% of units are owner occupied. The share of renters has remained stable for several years and is comparable to Cook County’s share of 42.5%. With 60% of all housing structures predating 1939, Berwyn’s historic houses are a source of pride for the community. The median home value of just over 244,000 and annual costs representing only 22% of a share of the median household income indicates Berwyn’s relative affordability.
The Cermak Corridor is a central axis for various housing typologies:
• Denser multi-family housing cluster to the street’s north.
• Large single-family bungalow districts are to Cermak’s south.
• Several traditional mixeduse buildings sit directly on Cermak Rd.
Map 1.2: Corridor Housing
Environment and Ecology
Within Berwyn’s boundary, there are limited green spaces compared to the region. As a result of the lack of greenery, Berwyn’s land surface temperature is very high. The high building density and zoning allowances have further compounded the consequences of imperviousness. Areas of high density developed land, such as those on Cermak Rd, have contributed to a strong heat island effect for Berwyn.
Trees and shading can reduce heat island effect, but Cermak Rd has the least amount of tree canopy coverage. This contributes to the corridor’s proneness to higher surface pleasant temperature, creating an unpleasant human experience for pedestrians.
Because of high impermeability, stormwater management remains an issue for Berwyn and its neighbors. Massive rainfall events, like a July 2023 storm that deposited over 9 inches of moisture, have stressed the city’s infrastructure. Likewise, areas more prone to flooding are located where there is higher impermeability in the surface material. Recent amendments to Berwyn’s zoning ordinances seek to integrate landscape standards for effective stormwater management, including the promotion of green infrastructure to decrease the release of pollutants and mitigate urban flooding issues.
Short-Eared Owl
Eastern Screech Owl
Iceland Gull
Downy Woodpecker
White-Throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Ground Beetle
Mason Bee
Swallowtail Butterfly
Figure 1.1: Species of Berwyn
Map 1.3: Imperviousness, Tree
Canopy Cover, and Surface Temperature
Imperviousness
High Permeability Low Permeability
Few surfaces along Cermak Road are considered highly permeable due to its dense mobility infrastructure.
Tree Canopy Cover
Tree Canopy Cover
Compared to its residential cross streets, Cermak Road has a stark lack of tree canopy cover, leading to higher surface temperatures.
Land Surface Temperature
Berwyn’s density of developed land and the sparse vegetation have contributed to an intense urban heat island effect. High Surface Temperature
1.4: Demographic and Economic Characteristics
Berwyn City Boundary
Cermak Corridor Buildings
Census Tract Boundary
Map
Demographics
There were 56,960 people living in Berwyn in 2021, comprising a diverse tapestry of neighborhoods. White, non-Hispanic and Hispanicidentifying folks of any race are the largest ethnic groups in the city. 46% of Berwyners identify as Hispanic or Latino. 41% identify as white, non-Hispanic. In more recent years, Berwyn’s population of Black and African American people has grown.
A quarter of Berwyn residents are immigrants and the citizenship rate is lower than the national average. Likewise, nearly half of Berwyners speak primarily Spanish at home. Such conditions suggest a community need for informed and appropriate policy, while affirming strong connections to residents’ home cultures and traditions.
Figure 1.2: Race and Ethnicity
Economics
Berwyn’s median income of $65,000 is 17% lower than that of the state. Cermak Road passes through various socioeconomic advantaged or disadvantaged areas. Berwyn’s poverty rate stands at 11.6%. This near-identical poverty rate to the state’s suggests that, even with lower household incomes, the standard of living is accessible. This is further evidenced in Berwyn’s annual housing costs and housing values, which are relatively affordable compared to other communities.
The vast majority of Berwyn residents work in the private sector, but a notable percentage also works for not-for-profit organizations. Self-employment–a critical tenet for the Berwyn Development Corporation’s community development strategy, comprises just over 7% of workers. Education Services and Health Care employs the largest share of residents, with Loyola McNeal Hospital being the largest single employer in the city. Other medical services are dispersed along Cermak Road, too.
Figure 1,3: Workers by Industry
Culture and Community
Berwyn is a diverse community that plays host to rich cultural expressions and popular events. Civic and organized programming activates year-round, but primarily in the summer and fall seasons. Due to its history of social change, Berwyn’s event calendar is known for its Czech heritage, its Latino culture, its LGBTQIA+ pride, and an emergent Juneteenth tradition. Likewise, its massive public events draw in visitors from the entire region. The Route 66 Car Show and Berwyn Oktoberfest attract over 20,000 and 15,000 attendees respectively. As such, various streets are reactivated and occupied for these events.
1,4: Community Events
Figure
Mobility
Berwyn has an extensive network of roads and highways, but lacks a CTA station despite having several in proximity in Oak Park and Cicero. Rather, Berwyn is home to three Metra BNSF stations, which offer a convenient connection to Chicago’s Union Station. CTA and Pace both provide regular service along Cermak Road and north-south service for its Ridgeland, Oak Park, and Harlem cross streets.
The percentage of people walking is significantly lower than other transportation nodes, as most individuals rely on their personal vehicles. Berwyn’s own thoroughfares
CTA 322 Cermak Rd. Hollywood Metra Station
Map 1.5: Public Transportation Network
affirm this mode of transportation: Ogden Avenue (the historic Route 66), Harlem Avenue, and Roosevelt Road are additional vehicular spines for the township.
Infrastructure
All utilities, including sewage, stormwater, and water main systems, are set up and maintained under Berwyn’s roads. The municipality has encouraged resilient blue and green projects to mitigate the infrastructural stresses caused by flooding and massive rain events in the region.
Along Cermak Road, street furniture is placed at some junctions, primarily to the east of Cermak-Wesley. Plenty of street parking from Wesley to Lombard widens the road, as opposed to Cermak’s west end, where the narrower street limits the parallel parking spots. Throughout the corridor, the street lacks designated or marked bicycle lanes.
Figure 1.5: Existing Cermak Sections
The Cermak-Harlem intersection prioritizes vehicular movement over human-scale mobility. Buildings here maintain large setbacks to accommodate drive-thru infrastructure for Cermak Plaza and Berwyn Gateway Plaza.
At Wesley, Cermak considerably widens, with large sidewalk bumpouts and angled street parking. The junction also accommodates traffic flowing from Riverside Drive, effectively creating a five-point intersection.
Berwyn’s western boundary at Lombard continues the wide sidewalks, but much of the landscaping is relegated to the medians on this end of Cermak Road.
Spatial Analysis & Community Evaluation
Spatial Analysis
The spatial relationship of Cermak Road’s characteristics are both inhibiting and conflicting to a harmonious human-scale atmosphere. Such street elements contribute to an analysis of activity and porosity between buildings and the street.
Figure 2.0: Street Character Analysis
Cermak Road contains positive elements:
• There is free availability of information with books, magazines, and periodicals on newsracks.
• Street infrastructure has frequent, active use.
• Outdoor seating with shade encourages people to utilize the street as the public space it is.
• Generally, the infrastructure for safe crosswalks follows the width of Cermak’s cross streets.
• Verdant neighborhood streets leading to residential areas of Berwyn transect Cermak Road.
• Some corners are activated with unique features, like a newsstand’s social interactivity.
Cermak Road also exhibits poor spatial relationships:
• The arrangement of street furniture places seating right next to garbage receptacles.
• Several ground floor uses are hard edges with no interactivity or visual permeability for street users.
• Some mixed-use structures on Cermak Road have unexpected configurations with the street, contributing to the feeling of unsafe access.
• Other outdoor seating is assembled without complementary landscaping.
• Several underutilized surface car parkings along the corridor create spaces of opportunity.
Urban Morphology
The spectrum of buildings and structures range in size and access along Cermak Rd. To the west, the building footprints are large to accommodate big box retail and single-uses. Towards the east, the morphology includes mixed-use buildings and heritage structures that contain commercial services, medical services, and additional retail.
Block Analysis
Assessing the corridor across metrics for noise level, street furniture, vegetation, street edge, and street parking localizes user perception into block zones. For the north and south block frontages:
• Decibel reading averages from different points on the street formed Cermak’s noise level;
• Ranking the presence, quality, and configuration of street furniture built its profile;
• Evaluating the placement and appropriateness of vegetation formed a green image of the street;
• Sensing the hardness and interactivity of buildings to the human-scale user nuanced the street edge;
• Noting the orientation, quantity, and usage of street parking determined its intensity.
Overall, the west side of the corridor is louder, less furnished, less landscaped, is 36% less permeable, and has fewer street parking than the eastern end. Progressively, vegetation and street furniture are more frequent the further east one goes. Towards the east, Cermak Rd is quieter, more furnished, more landscaped, more permeable, and has more street parking. The CermakCulyer and Cermak-Clarence intersections earned the highest ratings for the eastern end of the corridor. The Cermak-Wesley intersection earned ranked highest for the western end.
Noise Level 1
Street Furniture 2
Vegetation 3
Street Edge 4
Street Parking 5
Scale:
Average of three decibel readings at different block positions.
Scale: 0-2
Scale: 0-2
Scale: 0-2
Scale: 0-1
0: No furniture; street is mobile.
0: No landscaping along Right of Way.
0: Unactivated walls or windows on block frontages.
1: Some furniture; issues of placement and quality.
1: Some landscaping; issues with placement/ appropriateness.
1: Activated, porous windows on block frontages.
2: Inviting furniture with landscaping.
2: Complimentary landscaping of varying heights.
2: Occupation of the public way, extending block frontages.
0: Lack of street parking
1: Presence of street parking
Figure 2.1: Scales of Analysis
Block Analysis - West End
Figure 2.2: Block Analysis
Map 2.0: Block Analysis
Block Analysis - East End
Cermak
COMMUNITY
“Berwyn has incredible business opportunities and the proximity to Chicago is why we chose to open a shop here.”
I appreciate how commercialized Cermak Road is and how we have access to different amenities all along it.”
“It’s a quiet neighborhood; not many loud nuissances occur.”
OPPORTUNITY
COMMERCE
CONNECTIVITY
“The Cermak CTA bus takes me from Berwyn close to Downtown!”
Community Perspectives
The spatial relationship of Cermak Road’s characteristics are both inhibiting and conflicting to a harmonious human-scale atmosphere. Such street elements contribute to an analysis of activity and porosity between buildings and the street.
CERMAK
11 64% 27% 45% 82%
Total Interviews Identify as Hispanic Live in Berwyn Business Owners in Berwyn Work in Berwyn
Prime Location
Berwyn’s proximity to Chicago makes it a gateway to and from the outer west suburbs.
Community Spaces
A density of civic amenities around the Cermak corridor offer choice and space for the area’s residents.
Diverse Convergence
Shifts in population have created a proud multicultural community fabric that celebrates its cultures.
Historic Character
Heritage buildings and wellmaintained bungalow districts reflect the city’s historic value,
while also lending themselves to exploratory adaptive reuse efforts.
Open to All
Berwyn’s housing affordability has commanded high occupancy rates for both homeowners and renters.
The Shopper’s Strip
Cermak Plaza anchors the entire community’s destination shopping, but the myriad specialty stores provide easy access to retail.
The Right to Ride
Lack of demarcated bike lanes limits access to the public way and decreases its safety.
Do Not Sit
Inconsistent or absent street furniture, particularly on the west end of the Cermak corridor, leaves few spaces for social spontaneity.
Summer Heat
The lack of green spaces, affixed shading, or tree canopies along Cermak directly fuel the intense urban heat island effect.
One Size Fits All
A dense built environment and a strong historic zoning code favoring single-family housing leaves little room for variation in housing and unit types.
Parking Availability
An overabundance of parking along the public way and business side parking has promoted vehicular mobility and limited alternative public land uses.
Room to Grow?
As the densest township in Illinois, Berwyn has few vacant lots available for development, posing challenges in attracting new investment.
Monotonous Frontages
Few activated storefronts along Cermak Road limit the corridor’s full potential as Berwyn’s main street, instead creating impersonal block frontages
A Regional Fulcrum
The township, itself, is in a prime location that attracts outer suburban traffic and entrepreneurship to proximate Chicago’s vitality.
The Way West
Cermak Road is a vital artery for dozens of neighborhoods across two counties, connecting near-south Chicago to the Far West suburbs. Transportation Webs
Berwyn’s integration with Metra rail, Pace bus, and CTA bus routes ensures regional mobility has access to the city.
Dream Homes
As housing prices increase in adjacent communities, Berwyn’s continued affordability is an opportunity to attract new residents.
15-Minutes
Berwyn’s dense urban fabric lends itself to implementing micro-nodes of development, amenities, and services that encourage walkability.
Outbound Workers
The dependence on other communities for employment of Berwyn residents poses challenges in transportation infrastructure and economic leakage.
Changing Climates
Berwyn will continue to suffer from the effects of climate change upon the Chicagoland region, adding stress to its aging infrastructure and homes.
Flood Watch
The high imperviousness of Berwyn’s infrastructure,
affirmed by generous zoning allowances, will affect the regional strategies for resilience. With major rainfall events, Berwyn and Cicero will continue to experience challenges in stormwater management and flooding with high damage costs.
Slight Exodus
With a population decline annually since 2020, Berwyn’s projected shrinkage will stress the taxable base of residents and businesses, as vacancies become more common.
Design Proposals 3.0
Vision Statement
A century of Cermak Road’s commercial magnetism for Berwyn, while enduring successive waves of social change, has conditioned it into an urban edge between the north and south ends of the community.
Through the redesign of the right-of-way, the establishment of a new urban core, the fostering of a community gateway, and integration of Cermak Plaza, we seek to restitch Berwyn’s edges into a cohesive and transformative alternative for the future of the corridor.
By acknowledging our role as designers offering choice, we seek to affirm the existing activity systems and culturally responsive perspectives, extending projects that inspire homegrown selfdetermination. As such, the vision converts the Cermak corridor from an urban periphery into a community link.
Guiding Principles
Six key principles guide our efforts for Cermak Road:
1. Urban Anchors
Create social and cultural integration and upliftment by identifying spaces for future development opportunities that enhance the social infrastructure of Cermak Road.
2. Culture & Community
Berwyn has a strong Czech heritage and Latino vitality within its cultural context. Designs that preserve and celebrate these multicultural assets are paramount.
3. Complete Streets
Enhance the street infrastructure; promote accessibility, safety, and enhanced mobility along Cermak Road for all groups of people.
Access and opportunities for small-scale businesses that can benefit from Cermak Road’s visibility and traffic.
5. Diversified Nodes
Diversify the social and economic fabric by creating a core, inviting people and businesses to Cermak Road.
Positively mitigate climate change impacts and introduce green and blue infrastructure on all scales of development.
4. Equity
6. Adaptation & Vitality
Phases and Projects
The challenges posed by a densely built environment in Berwyn are also opportunities to think creatively about what public land can be, as well as how to coordinate with private land. As such, we recognize the importance of where interventions are more likely, effective, and impactful in achieving the desired vision.
Using a phasing of implementation between Tactical, Modest, and Ambitious projects, the design proposals become a menu of options for Berwyn to experiment with– incrementally increasing in scope and intensity.
• Tactical refers to the short-term projects with the potential to catalyze shifts in development financing, economic and social vitality, and are culturally responsive.
• Modest identifies the medium-term proposals characterized by greater permanence and intensity of development, furthering the Tactical innovations.
• Ambitious represents the large-scale and long-term initiatives that fundamentally change the built form, shift community paradigms, and realize the vision set forth, effectively becoming the new basis for future planning and design efforts.
Map 3.0: Project Phases
While phasing permits stakeholders to manage resources, minimize development disruptions, and adapt to Berwyn’s changing needs over time, we propose five distinct project sites to illustrate the menu’s themes.
1. Cermak Right-of-Way: The entirety of Cermak Road, from junctions at Harlem to Lombard.
2. The Core: A two-block center, bounded by Oak Park and Wesley Avenues.
3. The Gateway: A corner concept where Riverside Drive and Cermak Road intersect.
4. Infill Development: Three underutilized sites dispersed along the corridor.
5. Cermak Plaza: A redevelopment of the strip mall site.
Map 3.1: Corridor Interventions
Cermak Right-of-Way
Cermak Road is the largest public area along the corridor, from which the largest potential impact from a single project is a worthy starting point. As noted, Cermak functions as a mass connector from Chicago to the western suburbs, and the cultural ethnographies that bind the neighborhoods together nuance the purpose of the street and how it can change. Likewise, the comparative ecological barreness of Cermak to the rest of Berwyn beckons landscaping solutions that encourage future adaptation of climate change effects.
As such, the proposed projects go beyond the Tactical phasing introduced. The community already applies Tactical street closures for hosting events and cultural celebrations. Rather, the changing street width at the Cermak-Wesley intersection is where Modest and Ambitious approaches begin.
The Modest approach restructures the Cermak right-of-way from Harlem to Wesley. By reducing travel lanes to one per direction, Berwyn takes a formative step in implementing its long-awaited active transportation plan with protected bicycle lanes on the northern block edge. Paired with upgraded lighting and a robust vegetation strategy, Cermak begins to tackle its urban heat island effect and serve a secondary stormwater management role.
An Ambitious approach would extend interventions to the east side of Wesley until Lombard Avenue. Currently, this east end of Cermak is considerably wider, from which a longer-term solution would aim to increase the pedestrian walkability experience by widening sidewalks and introducing a flexible-use median bounded by two travel lanes per direction. This median space would host pop-up markets, extending small-business incubator initiatives like Berwyn Shops. At other times, the median becomes a community gathering space with ease of access to other parts of Cermak Road. The removal of bumpouts helps increase angled street parking, while also extending the bike lanes and their protective buffer towards the 54th/Cermak CTA Pink Line terminus in Cicero.
by widening sidewalks and introducing a flexible-use median bounded by two travel lanes per direction. This median space would host pop-up markets, extending small-business incubator initiatives like Berwyn Shops. At other times, the median becomes a community gathering space with ease of access to
other parts of Cermak Road. The removal of bumpouts helps increase angled street parking, while also extending the bike lanes and their protective buffer towards the 54th/Cermak CTA Pink Line terminus in Cicero.
SECTION AA
SECTION BB
Reviewing the Project
• Modest: restructures street from Harlem to Wesley; formalizes protected bike lanes on north frontage; lanes reduced to one per direction; landscaping and lighting upgrades.
• Ambitious: restructures street from Wesley to Lombard; sidewalks extended and angled street parking increased; flexible-use, landscaped median space introduced; extension of bike lanes
Key Issues Addressed
Public space is created for community use.
Connectivity improved with active transportation infrastructure.
Adaptive to climate change impacts with vegetation and landscaping.
AMBITIOUS: TRANSFORMATION
Cycle Lane
Pedestrian Lane
Angular Parking
Angular Parking
Parallel Parking
Crossing Aid
VIEW OF CERMAK STREET, WESLEY STREET AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE INTERSECTION
A Core for Berwyn
For a hundred years, Cermak Road has helped people access commerce, even as societal and urbanization shifts have altered the regional context significantly. The moment then arrives to examine what the next century should look like. Specifically, two blocks stand out as candidates for developing a protoype for this alternative future: those northern blocks from Oak Park to Wesley Avenues.
Currently, the two blocks contain the transitional space from the busy frontage to quieting backlots as they become residential areas. This distinction of sub-environments leads to particular designs that address the limitations of their car-oriented infrastructure and propose new areas for public space.
The Tactical approach focuses on restruturing a one-block stretch of Euclid Avenue, right as it meets Cermak between the two blocks. Like the Cermak Right-of-Way interventions, the expanded sidewalks and reduction of road lanes, adding vegetation, street furniture and lighting work together for an enhanced and lively pedestrian-focused environment.
A Modest approach builds upon the Tactical phase, moving attention to a strip of backlot surface parking. Dubbed the Vasin Fairway, these city-owned parking lots extend the width of Berwyn and are not uniformly used and are overabundant. In fact, in some areas, the Vasin Fairway converted parklands for the Berwyn Gardens into surface parking. In establishing a core, two prototypes for these lots’ transformations emerge that municipal leaders can apply.
STREET SECTION
URBAN CORE PLAN
ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING PARKING EXTENSION
Enhanced Parking Prototype
The reduction in parking spaces of current Vasin Fairway lots allows for the planting of vegetation. For those deemed underutilized, enhanced parking increases user comfort while creating major community benefits for stormwater management. Functional vegetation for rain gardens plus new materiality for enhanced permeability can have dramatic impacts.
• Twenty-two Honeylocust trees for the proposed areas of tree planting across two parcels of surface parking would sequester 49,712 lbs of CO2, or the equivalent of 2.8 homes energy use for a year.
Linear Park Protoype
Transforming the Vasin Fairway into pockets of linear parks addresses the lack of access to open space and greenery that many in North Berwyn experience. This prototype restores the idea of the Berwyn Gardens by extending the linear park further east. Implementing linear parks would promote recreation and healthy living for nearby residents and visitors, while also considering an increase in biodiversity by creating habitats for wildflife species and new plant and tree species. The result also extends reductions of the urban heat island impacts beyond Cermak Road, too.
Pink Line Prototype
Restoring CTA service to Berwyn at Oak Park Avenue commands long-term coordination. While the rail extension replaces existing parking along the Vasin Fairway, the opportunity for Transit-Oriented Development greatly enhances the commuting opportunity for many residents who currently drive to Chicago.
The mixture of the transit corridor with a linear park system addresses access to efficient transit service and open space.
Plant Palette
As part of the enhancements and implementation of vegetation throughout Cermak, several plant species were identified to utilize throughout the corridor. The selection of species chosen range by environmental conditions from wet soil to urban tolerant. They also primarily focus on their effectiveness in supporting stormwater mitigation and providing resources to pollinators and their beneficial insects. The variety of species offered in the palette are perennials allowing for year-round interest throughout the seasons along with environmental functionality.
• Tactical: Euclid Avenue’s redesign to larger and landscaped sidewalks applies the Cermak right-of-way concept to the artery of a restored Core.
• Modest: The transformation of the Vasin Fairway into green infrastructural prototypes of enhanced parking and linear parks anchors the Core’s leisure and climate adaptation.
• Ambitious: The restoration of the Pink Line and the success of of Euclid Avenue’s public realm necessitate a fullblock Transit-Oriented Development.
Housing variety introduced and transit connections to similar communities and Chicago are restored.
MODEST: ENHANCE EXISTING PARKING
The Core
The Amibitous approach that anchors the core is the restoration of the CTA Pink Line to its historic stop at Oak Park Avenue. The line’s current terminus in Cicero is directly east following the Vasin Fairway. The opportunity for Transit-Oriented Development along Cermak Road would fundamentally change the vehicular dependency of thousands, noting that a full two-block redevelopment with higher density buildings, housing unit variety, and mixed-use spaces--all while integrating Berwyn into Pink Line’s Latino-cultural corridor.
Within the new block configuration, spaces for urban farming can foster community engagement, sustainable food sourcing for local restaurants, and foster a social and physical circularity to food that leads to more self-sustainability in the midst of climate change.
AMBITIOUS: ENHANCE EXISTING PARKING
The Gateway
Across the street from the Core, the convergence point of Cermak, Wesley, and Riverside Drive presents a unique opportunity to design an intentional approach for what is effectively a gateway to the corridor and the community. The fulcrum presented by this intersection indicates the Gateway site’s purpose as the facilitator of Cermak Road’s right-of-way redesign and street width changes. The design, therefore, places a strong emphasis on the central node, recognizing it as the pivotal point of convergence. By highlighting the intersection, attention is focused on creating and managing a vibrant and cohesive urban space.
Because the site requires community purchase and a financial basis for redesigning, the approach is Modest in scope. It still centers a breadth of interpretations for what a true plural public area can be.
Temporary Market
A temporary market would be integrated into the design of the Gateway, featuring an inviting aisle that guides visitors towards the green space to the west. This market would not only add a dynamic element but also serve as a focal point for community engagement. This seamless visual connection will enhance the overall coherence of the space.
Green Space Integration
To enhance the overall aesthetics and provide a respite for residents, a green landscaped area is proposed to the west of the site. This not only contributes to the visual appeal but also addresses the need for public spaces in the Cermak corridor.
Community- Centric Approach
In response to the community profile of Berwyn, which identifies a lack of public spaces along the Cermak corridor, the proposed public plaza serves as a valuable addition. This plaza offers a dedicated area for the community to come together, celebrate public life, and foster a sense of belonging.
Celebration of Public Life
The public plaza is designed as a multifunctional space, accommodating community events, cultural activities, and social gatherings. It provides an opportunity for the residents of Berwyn to celebrate and strengthen their sense of community.
RIVERSIDE DRIVE
Community Building with terrace garden providing opportunity for socializing
Temporary market
RIVERSIDEDRIVE
Pedestrian bridge connecting the ground floor to upper level as an extention to public realm
CERMAK ROAD
Berwyn Square
The convergence point of Cermak, Wesley, and Riverside Drive presents a unique opportunity to establish a substantial and meaningful public edifice at the core of Berwyn. This intelligent intervention would carve out a unique identity for Berwyn by transforming a previously under-utilized gas station into a place of integrated and vibrant public life.
The design process entails the development of an iconic circular public structure that not only commands attention within the Berwyn context but also serves as a prominent landmark. The introduction of a pedestrian bridge creates a sense of intrigue and an invitation to linger while doubling as an extension of the social ground plane. The proposed public building would consist of a public art gallery on the ground floor, library on the first floor, flexible spaces for workshops/seminars on second level and a couple of bars and restaurants on the third floor. The rooftop terrace garden would serve as a social gathering space with seatings and greenscape.
Reinvigorated in its sense of locale and prominence, the envisioned plaza, complemented by the iconic landmark public structure, revitalizes the link between the local community and the city of Berwyn. This project adeptly weaves together the Cermak corridor, fostering rejuvenated social and spatial connections.
“Berwyn Square embodies a new urban typology, fusing landscape, architecture, art, food and culture. A captivating new world-class urban neighbourhood would rejuvenate the heart of Berwyn”.
DAY AND NIGHT VIEW OF THE BERWYN SQUARE
Reviewing the Project
• Modest: The transformation of the corner site at the WesleyCermak-Riverside convergence into a community-oriented green market space initiates the visioning for the Gateway.
• Ambitious: The Gateway is matured into Berwyn Square, an ambitious and meaningful representation of the community’s history and futurity, anchored by an architecturally significant landmark guarding vibrant public life.
Key Issues Addressed
Strategically-located space is publicly reclaimed and available for community programming.
Verdant space integration combats urban heat island effect, currently represented by the site’s existing gas station.
Space for cultural and community celebration stitches sides of Berwyn and anchors Cermak’s role as the attendant of positive social change.
Infill Development
In select spaces along Cermak Road, lots of underutilized, privately-owned side parking create opportunities for infill development for public space. The limitation of publiclyowned vacant lots along Cermak, paired with the dense built environment means coordination with the private sector is imperative. Berwyn can explore two models of how to catalyze interventions in these spaces:
1. Should the municipality purchase these opportunity sites?
2. Is there a path towards privately-owned public space projects in Berwyn?
Chicagoland’s success in implementing privately-owned public space, covering the spectrum of urban to suburban environments, can define these parameters. For Cermak’s infill opportunities, these are design on a per-site basis.
Site 1: 6837 Cermak Rd.
The proposed infill development aims to transform a 50-footwide underutilized parking lot into a pocket park. The design endeavors to create a harmonious and contemplative space within the urban environment. The concept of a pocket park presents an opportunity for the community to engage socially and leisurely in an open setting. Currently, the surplus of underutilized parking along the Cermak corridor offers a chance to repurpose these areas into parks.
The installation of chill-out hubs within the park allows residents to relax and charge their devices at solar-powered stations. This envisioned pocket park could serve as a momentary retreat for passersby. Simultaneously, it offers a unique opportunity, especially for residents north of the Cermak Corridor, to enjoy the outdoors.
Incorporating interactive art installations within the pocket park adds an engaging dimension to the space. These installations could serve as cultural markers, allowing residents to interact with and appreciate the artistic expressions that define Berwyn’s identity. People can take leisurely strolls, sit and unwind. Through the transformative power of this space, individuals can escape the bustle of city life and find solace in the tranquil pocket park.
Charging Stations
Solar panels
VIEW OF CHILL OUT HUB
Solar Panel operated Chill Out Hubs
Charging Stations
Inclusive Spaces for rest and play
Opportunity for Berwyn’s October Fest/ Houby fest
Engaging Art Installation
Site 2: 6818 Cermak Rd.
The proposal embraces an inclusive approach towards the community, aiming to synchronize the activities on the street with those in the park. Transforming the existing 35 foot-wide parking lot into a residential pocket park, the design responds to the contemporary needs of Berwyn by integrating spatial elements, pathways, and recreational features. The park is envisioned as a versatile space, accommodating people of all ages, operating fulltime, and occupying a non-exclusive character.
In alignment with the diverse demographics of Berwyn, the design offers a comprehensive landscape solution as a public asset. It embodies the essential “Genius Loci” spirit, creating a green backdrop that captures the unique essence of the surroundings. The design establishes a stable and secure environment conducive to fitness, play, and recreational activities.
Positioning the landscape as a platform for activating civic engagements, the proposal seeks to enhance the overall quality of public life. Furthermore, it provides a distinctive opportunity for the Latino community to celebrate the identity of Berwyn within the public realm. This design represents a thoughtful synthesis of community needs, spatial aesthetics, and cultural inclusivity, contributing to the enrichment of the urban fabric.
Integrated seating with landscape
Playful zone
Informal Seating
VIEW
Amphitheatre for cultural activities
Site 3: 6838 Cermak Rd.
The design focuses on community needs, reimagining the 70 feet wide parking lot into a multifunctional space that caters to the cultural aspirations of Berwyn’s residents. This transformation seeks to bridge the gap in public open space within the area. The primary goal is to address the community’s need for public open space while providing a platform for celebrating cultural diversity in a communal setting.
Cultural Celebration Spaces
The pocket park is strategically designed to host cultural events and celebrations, offering a dynamic platform for residents to express and showcase their cultural heritage. The layout accommodates spaces for performances, art installations, and community gatherings, fostering a sense of unity and pride.
Versatile Landscape Design
The landscape design is versatile, featuring greenery, seating areas, and artistic elements that reflect the diverse cultural tapestry of Berwyn. The intention is to create a welcoming environment that encourages people to engage, relax, and celebrate within a natural and aesthetically pleasing setting.
Spill out for informal activities
Inclusive Design Approach
The design adopts an inclusive approach, ensuring that the pocket park is accessible and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. This inclusivity reflects the rich diversity of Berwyn’s population.
Public Open Space Deficiency
Berwyn currently lacks sufficient public open space, and this proposal aims to fill that void by repurposing the underutilized parking area. The proposed pocket park provides a much-needed
Informal seating integrated with landscape allowing the community to celebrate public life
Path establishing connection between Cermak street to the residential to the North VIEW
Reviewing the Project
• Modest: Changing the use of Infill Sites 1 and 2 into pocket parks with cultural ornamentations offers familiar space for the community.
• Ambitious: Infill Site 3 augments the cultural relevancy of its pocket parks, in both addressing needs for public space while celebrating cultural diversity in a communal environment.
Key Issues Addressed
Works toward surface permeability, supporting adaptation.
Versatile landscape design incorporates green infrastrcuture and natural systems as microhabitats.
Strong cultural elements reflect community values of kinship, pride, and celebration.
Cermak Plaza
Cermak Plaza has been seen as the economic powerhouse of the Cermak corridor for decades, bringing nationwide staples such as Walgreens, McDonalds, and of course, Staples, to the residents of Berwyn. Geographically the plaza shares a vital intersection, Cermak/Harlem, with its neighbor to the west, the North Riverside Park Mall. The combination of which, plus other local amenities, helps draw crowds from across the Chicagoland area, further solidifying the vital nature of the Cermak corridor. However, due to the sheer size of the plaza and price of the brick and mortar storefronts local businesses would find it near impossible to locate themselves here. This was true until recently, where Sprout: A Homegrown Project launched itself into the corporate depths of Cermak Plaza.
Sprout is a shared retail space designed to lend a helping hand to 30+ entrepreneurs, giving these individuals an opportunity to have a brick and mortar location without the brick and mortar price. Business owners are able to apply for a booth within the incubator space, and if accepted can begin selling through products in person within the largest commercial sector of the Cermak corridor. This unique opportunity allows these small local businesses to cultivate an environment “providing “Big City” opportunities with the feeling and connection of a “Small Town”.
It is through the sense of community Sprout helps bring to Cermak Plaza that we have envisioned a new purpose to the shopping center. Looking to recent Urban Design projects and successful lifestyle centers for inspiration, such as Melody Farms in Vernon Hills, Illinois and The Arboretum of South Barrington, Illinois, the new proposal for Cermak Plaza intends to build off the initial framework, utilizing key interventions to further propel the local businesses, strengthen the sense of community, and create a new lifestyle center.
Present Day Strip Mall
Present day Cermak Plaza follows the same framework that can be found across the United States for large shopping centers, fields of parking lots, shopping carts drifting in the wind, and horizontally laid enterprises stretching the horizon. The plaza lacks any real sense of greenery, with pockets sprinkled throughout the concrete wasteland or occasionally creeping
through the cracks of the over-driven vehicular lanes. There is no sense of connective relationship between the existing buildings, requiring a pedestrian to weave in and out of the traffic lanes, like a matador holding a cloth to a raging bull. In simpler terms, one cannot easily or conveniently access any point of Cermak Plaza without a car.
EXISTING CERMAK PLAZA TRANSFORMATION PLAN
CERMAK ROAD
Tactical Approach
The first improvements we would utilize to instigate change within the plaza would be the introduction of more frequent, and in select locations, larger green spaces. Green spaces help attend to a multitude of issues within an urban environment, one of which is the slowing down of vehicular traffic. Studies have proven lowering the peripheral field of view of vehicles along a roadway causes them to slowen their pace, placing green medians within the vehicular right of way and planters along the edges causes this positive reaction. With a generalized lowered speed we would see an uptick in pedestrian safety throughout the plaza.
Not only does the introduction of more greenery produce a safety factor, but it also tackles an incredible environmental issue. Due to the almost complete concrete-ification of Cermak Plaza the site is prone to flooding, not only potentially causing millions in property
damage but also causing rain runoff to leave traces of gasoline, oil, and other car originating material everywhere imaginable. Increased greenery would help negate the potential of flooding within the plaza and neighboring areas. Lastly, the beautification of the plaza would be leaps and bounds ahead of the present day environment, increasing the overall image the plaza creates from the outside.
PHASE 1: CERMAK PLAZA TRANSFORMATION PLAN
CERMAK ROAD
Modest Approach
The Modest Approach for Cermak Plaza would be the first steps in transforming the area from a commercial shopping mall into a new and lively lifestyle center. Utilizing parking studies and the proximity to larger preexisting structures of Berwyn a new pedestrian oriented plaza would be located along the North-Northeast border with Cermak Rd. This new pedestrian plaza would be created with direct connections to the newly renovated Cermak Rd, helping to provide a linkage to the Core of Berwyn via improved walkways and revolutionary bike lanes.
Along with this new mode of exploration in the plaza would be pop-up markets. The pop-up markets would build off of the existing program found within Sprout, helping to bring in local small businesses owners to a freshly revolutionized economic wonder. There is even a purpose for the plaza when not in use by a pop-up market, and that is as a cultural
event center. The main goal with a revitalized Cermak Plaza is to bring a sense of place back to the Latino community, somewhere individuals can connect with their culture while being within arms reach of restaurants, bars, and retail outlets. The plaza could be transformed to host a wide array of events, from hosting community wide celebration of Mexican Independence day in September, to a local baile, or a quiet farmers market.
PHASE 2: CERMAK PLAZA TRANSFORMATION PLAN
CERMAK ROAD
Ambitious Approach
The transformation of Cermak Plaza would come to a close with a pivotal moment within the largest site located on the southern section. The southern half of Cermak Plaza is host to a large, horizontal superstructure containing a
multitude of nationwide brands (plus Sprout!). To help reclaim this superstructure to the pedestrian scale the expansion of a smaller plaza or green corridor would split the site in two. By splitting the structure in two it allows pedestrians to easily access the rear of the
structure, a feat only feasible in the past by walking around the multiblock building. Additional floors would be added onto the now two separate structures, expanding the potential for local businesses to find a home within the plaza and increasing the overall economic power of the site.
The reimagined Cermak Plaza would leave behind the ideology of a landscape dominated by vehicles with complete disregard to both pedestrians and the local community. What would come from the ashes of the past is a new lifestyle center putting community involvement, the promotion of local businesses, and a social pedestrian oriented means of exploration at the forefront of Berwyn.
PHASE 3: CERMAK PLAZA TRANSFORMATION PLAN
CERMAK ROAD
EXISTING CERMAK PLAZA AERIAL VIEW
HOMEAVENUE
PROPOSED CERMAK PLAZA AERIAL VIEW
CERMAKROAD
• Tactical: Mass greening of Plaza parking lots introduce permeability and shade to the largest parcels along corridor;
• Modest: Grand pedestrianization scheme of northern Plaza site frames the creation of a new flexible pseudo-public space for pop-up markets and events.
• Ambitious Increased verticality of the existing Plaza superstructure will incubate new businesses; a split of the structure culminates human-scale mobility from end to end.
Key Issues Addressed
Intensity of green and blue landscaping curb urban heat island effect and mitigate larger quantities of surface runoff.
Socioeconomic vitality affirmed with new typologies to access and support small businesses.
Programmatic presence of culturally responsive activities and events in a new privately-owned public space.
The Master Plan
Visualizing each project and the final iterative phasing together expands the relationship that each site-based project has to the community and to each other. The vision of a corridor transformed from an edge to a stitch signals the oppenness, vitality, and creativity that Berwyn can foster, and this menu of options provides alternatives to begin the work.
Through the redesign of the right-of-way with landscaping, enhanced public space, and bike lanes, Cermak Road becomes a pleasant, community-oriented paseo. Through the establishment of a central node, the Core becomes responsive to environmental and community needs, ultimately restoring CTA rail service to one of Chicago’s closest neighbors. Through the reclamation of strategic land, the Gateway affirms the key convergence of streets, anchoring the entire street with a new landmark. Through tactical identification, infill development opts for new public-oriented spaces with familiar cultural expression. Through responsive management and iniative, Cermak Plaza becomes a model for evolving inner-ring suburban strip malls into compact lifestyle centers.
The ultimate goal enhances the corridor through prioritizing the community and its needs.
Management Structures 4.0
Findings to Interventions
The community findings from the Approach to Discovery translate to design interventions that require symbiotic management, policymaking, and programming.
Findings
Need for last-mile connectivity options along Cermak, since most people selfdrive.
Interventions
Introduce bike lanes to the corridor with the concept of building towards ecologically complete streets.
As a long-term approach, reintroduce the CTA Pink Line extension.
Policies & Programs
Update and complete existing active transportation plan beyond Cermak Road.
Need for binding southern and northern parts of Berwyn’s community and spatial fabric.
Introduce culturally active pocket parks along the corridor’s infill development opportunity sites.
Need for vibrant cultural and events spaces to accommodate the diversifying population’s needs.
Propose vibrant streets and market spaces for people to gather and engage as a community.
Introduce a juncture design that affirms existing community threads and acts as a multipurpose space.
Coordinate larger-scale community events in North Berwyn.
Develop pathways for true participatory and accessible planning and design iniatives on the future of Berwyn.
Joint efforts to consolidate parcels and/ or private land agreements for new public spaces.
Build cultural ties to Latino neighborhoods across Cermak Road for sociocultural solidarity.
Need for spaces for small, local, and woman- and minority-owned businesses.
Redevelop Cermak Plaza and two blocks along the corridor as areas responsive to environmental and social needs.
Provide street vending structures/spaces to encourage small-to-medium enterprises to occupy the corridor.
Foster strategic planning between commercial stakeholder, including Cermak Plaza owners, on phased improvements.
Affirm existing business incubator programs with pathways for economic circularity along the Harlem-Cermak TIF.
Anti-Displacement Policies
To anticipate the pressures of gentrification as projects are implemented and the private development fervor increases, it is important to outline policies that curb the displacement of households and local businesses. Here are a few representative examples:
Multi-Unit Preservation Ordinance
Community: Pilsen, Chicago
Description:
Creation of an overlay district that prohibits any single-family or duplex buildings on parcels zoned for multi-family unless a percentage of the block face has sufficient existing single-family buildings.
Predominance of the Block Ordinance
Community: Neighborhoods along the 606, Chicago
Description:
Prohibits single-family construction on single-family zoning if more than half of the existing parcels on the blockface have structure with more than one unit.
Renter Protections
Community: Throughout Illinois
Description:
Providing free information, referrals to legal service providers, and housing support resources to tenants, including right to an attorney.
Inclusionary Zoning Reglations
Community: Chicago, Lake Forest, Highland Park, St. Charles
Description:
Regulations refer to the percentage of apartments in new residential or mixed-use development that need to be affordable.
Renter Protections
Community: Throughout Illinois
Description:
Preserves the longevity of the affordable housing by rehabilitating the structure of aging housing stock. Includes the right to return of impacted residents.
Afterword
Through countless images, texts, renderings, and portrayals we have attempted to bring to life the potential of Berwyn to become a world renowned destination location. A destination location that not only draws in out of towners, but tremendously focuses upon the positive lasting improvements for the residents of the suburban city. Lasting improvements that start in the form of an enhanced Right of Way along the entirety of Cermak Rd., bringing back to life the once derelict streets and encouraging cleaner forms of transportation through the lens of wider and safer pedestrian sidewalks, along with a new protected bicycle lane.
encouraging pollinators and various avian/mammal species to traverse the spaces. The conclusion to the repositioning of the Core of Berwyn would be demonstrated through a shake-up of the existing blocks, part of a larger “50 Year Plan”. This would concern better utilization of existing mixed-use zoning codes regarding building height, all while establishing programs that incentivize and help existing businesses transition into the new urban space.
With infrastructure positioned to encourage pedestrian travel Berwyn would see a new “core” form, being strategically stationed at the most crucial intersection on the northern half, Wesley Ave. and Cermak Rd. This new Core of Berwyn would revolutionize two under-utilized blocks, with the initiation point being located between the two aforementioned blocks at Euclid Ave. Here the smaller one way street would be reconciled into a more pedestrian friendly route, bringing to life street amenities for all to enjoy. Through this fuse point the next step would be bringing to life a multi-prototypal parking lot restructuring at the rear of the site, allowing the city to transform neighboring lots as they see fit. One such prototype would be the introduction of rain gardens and greenscapes filled to the brim with native plants,
Simultaneously while the Core of Berwyn is being shaken-up the key parcel across Cermak Rd. would see equally dramatic improvements. Located at the point where five roadways converge would be the beginning of a new community driven plaza. Initial steps for this Gateway would include the introduction of a plaza, bringing the intersection to life through new greenery, public space to hold events ranging from town hall meetings and bailes during the summer months, to Dia De Los Muertos celebrations or their very own version of a Christkindlmarket. Kicking off further economic and local business prioritization a semi-permanent market would be established. Acting as a sister program to Sprout, or an expansion of the business itself, at Cermak Plaza Berwyn would see space dedicated to local vendors, giving them an opportunity to develop dynamic and critical relationships with the community. Final steps, part of the aforementioned “50 Year Plan”, sees the
installation of a new Landmark building. This new building would incorporate every aspect of the previously established plaza, and even expands upon it by including space for local artists to display their works and room for restaurants/bars. The new Landmark building would incorporate various Latin American architectural elements, and be a cultural space for the community to proudly call their own.
Through the success of the Core of Berwyn infill sites would start to fill the periphery of the intersection. These sites would replace decrepit and sparsely used concrete parking lots, in favor of a range of dynamic cultural green spaces. Artists would have the opportunity to portray these spots as such through the use of murals and sculptures, setting another precedent to the uniqueness of the Hispanic community found within Berwyn. With the sites being composed almost entirely of green landscape it would help to alleviate some of the environmental issues plaguing the corridor. The sites, along with the prototypal greenspace from the Core of Berwyn, would help alleviate many issues plaguing the community due to flooding.
Along the western edge of Cermak Rd., in conjunction with Harlem Ave., stands the prominent economic powerhouse that is Cermak Plaza. Here Berwyn would see a repurposing of the plaza, with utilization shifting to work in tandem with the new Core of Berwyn. Preliminary steps would include the “greening” of the concrete wasteland, bringing to life the hardscape with strategically placed planters, green medians, and small parkways. The next shift would focus on pedestrianizing a large portion of the plaza, removing access to non-commercial vehicles and replacing the landscape with a new lifestyle plaza. This lifestyle
plaza builds off of inspirations such as Mellody Farms in Vernon Hills and The Arboretum of South Barrington, both located in Illinois, United States. A lifestyle center such as the one brought here would help give the community another sense of place within the broader context, allowing anyone to participate in shopping, leisure, or recreational activities, all within arms reach of one another. Just like the new pedestrian plaza found within the Gateway this new space could host a plethora of events, with space even dedicated to fostering the Sprout project, whose original home is the Cermak Plaza. The last step would be pedestrianizing and building upon the commercial power of the largest structure located within the southern portion of the lifestyle center. The lifestyle center would seep into the context of the structure, splitting it into two separate beings, and allowing ease of access to the back portion of the lot. The commercial power would be strengthened through the additional stories built upon these now two separate structures. This newly introduced space would help host both local and nationwide businesses.
To push the boundaries and limits of a truly dynamic and cultural commercial corridor is the principle of Bridging People and Place: A Design Framework for Cermak Road. To not only extend the commercial complexity found between the northern section of Harlem and Lombard Ave., but to simplify it for the public in ways that it becomes easy to decipher, comprehend, and become a part of. To envision a community that actively utilizes and enjoys realms of the public space that previously had been unimaginable. These are the intentions set out to be accomplished by the Masters of City Design group here at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
