Enclosed in this report is a community profile of the Village of Oak Park, a design framework plan, and design concept proposal for the Madison Street Corridor in Oak Park. This report was prepared by 11 students in the Masters of City Design program at University of Illinois at Chicago in accordance with the fall 2022 Urban Edge Studio.
The Urban Edge Studio explores design, planning, and development opportunities along corridors in communities that straddle the urban/suburban continuum- the “urban edge.”
This document is intended for use as a design framework plan at the intermediate urban scale, focusing on the Madison Street Corridor in Oak Park. The ideas put forward in the latter half of this framework plan may be used as inspiration for transforming underutilized suburban corridors in communities across North America.
Defining Study Area
This map shows Oak Park’s location in relation to Chicago as well as the major transportation corridors that serve the community. The red line here indicates the 1.5-mile Madison street corridor.
Process and methods
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Neighborhood
History
In comparison to the neighboring regions and to Cook County as a whole, Oak Park has seen an increase in total population over the last two decades. The increase in population and median household income in Oak Park over the last 10 years, coincides with a fast-paced, luxury housing development strategy in Downtown Oak Park.
Race and Ethnicity
Maps of population patterns with regards to race and ethnicity help to visualize this sense of an “urban edge.” A strong contrast between Oak Park and Austin’s racial composition emerges, with Austin’s black population reaching almost 90%, and Oak Park’s landing at closer to 20%. This map also shows that more Black residents live along the eastern edge of Oak Park.
Oak Park Forest Park
Austin Cook County
Income, Poverty annd Unemployment
Oak Park’s median household income is 1.4 times higher than that of Cook County as a whole. Furthermore, there has been a 2.5% increase in the Median household income of Oak Park Village in 2020- notable given severe economic challenges during the pandemic.
Though Oak Park is overall a prosperous community in comparison to its neighbors, census tracts around the Madison corridor contain the lowest median household incomes, the highest percentages of poverty, and highest percentages of unemployment within the community
Transportation
Historically, Oak Park has leveraged its proximity to Chicago and connection to transit systems as development opportunities- such as the development of Lake Street right at the Oak Park Green Line stop. Despite the high availability of transit, most Oak Park residents drive to work.
Additionally, Madison lies just outside the reach of Oak Park’s rich transit network. The suspension of the Madison Street Pace bus route in 2020, coupled with the fact that Madison is just beyond a 0.5 mile walking shed of multiple transit stations along the Blue and Green CTA lines, contribute to this “just out of reach” position. As a consequence, Madison is known to Oak Park residents as a car-centric, east-west thoroughfare.
CTA Blue
CTA Green Metra Train PACE Bus routes
Bike Paths
Apart from its “just out of reach” position in the overall transit scheme of Oak Park, the existing street design of Madison itself presents several assets and opportunities for improvement. Existing bike lanes, green medians, and tree cover on the eastern section of the corridor contribute to an overall ease of walkability and micro-mobility. A high prevalence of underutilized surface parking lots throughout Madison, as well as a lack of connected bike infrastructure and tree coverage on the western section of the corridor, contributes to an overall carcentric environment.
Housing
Oak Park is a residential suburban community with historic housing stock and a growing high-end housing market. The Village has seen growth in local population and revenue. Village-wide, Oak Park has a strong historic character, and tall new buildings along Lake street establish a strong sense of place.
Property taxes from housing are an important contributor to Oak Park’s economic structure, and have increased in recent years- however, there hasn’t been a stark change in property values near Madison (unlike downtown).
Census tracts along the Madison corridor have a higher availability of rental housing on the northern side of Madison. Census data also shows that rents along the Madison corridor are moderate in comparison to census tracts in other parts of the village.
Economy
With a lack of large revenue-generating institutions in Oak Park, this looks into the economics of Oak Park and Madison focuses on jobs, existing businesses, and new developments as a significant share of village revenue comes from property and commercial tax revenues. Overall, the Madison corridor operates at the neighborhood-level as a service-based economy, whereas downtown Oak Park generates revenue for the entire village as a commercial, big-box retailer economy.
1.Existing Businesses
Downtown Oak Park has an abundance of luxury, high-end commercial properties, concentrated within a short walking distance and located on the ground floor.
Madison, on the other hand, has a good deal more of neighborhood-based, independently owned businesses and service-based enterprises, such as beauty salons, barber shops, health clinics.
2.Jobs
There is a resident-labor exchange happening in Oak Park. Only a small portion of people who work in Oak Park also live there. Of the 14,890 people who work in healthcare or educational institutions in Oak Park, a majority would qualify for affordable housing.
3.New Developments
As mentioned previously, the Village has followed a “retail follows rooftops” development strategy to grow local population and revenue. Many mixed-use new developments are concentrated around Lake Street, and the rest are scattered throughout Madison. With opportunities for development on Lake drying up, Madison is the new frontier for development.
LAKE STREET MADISON STREET
Land Use and Zoning
AdoptedSeptember18,2017
AmendedthruFebruary28,2021
Overall, Oak Park is dominated by single-family housing. Most multifamily residential housing within the community is located directly north of Madison.
Land Use
HISTORICDISTRICTS
HISTORICDISTRICTS LEGEND
The blocks directly north and south of Madison are zoned for multifamily residential and single-family residential, respectively. These differences in zoning, which allow for different building heights and densities, contribute to a sense of a north-south “urban edge”.
Zooming out from Oak Park, the transect analysis shows how the Madison corridor transforms from a downtown urban artery (and the start of Chicago’s North/South numbering system), to a newly developed commercial and office strip in the West Loop, and eventually transitioning into a neighborhood corridor. Forest Park’s downtown on Madison is also directly adjacent to the boundary of Oak Park at Madison and Harlem.
Morhphology Analysis
Through a morphology analysis, it becomes clear that Madison is a heterogeneous street, with new developments driving it towards a“contemporarymodern” building character, in contrast to the historic character of the rest of the community.
Key Map
SWOT Analysis
Key Issues
a
OAKPARKAVENUE
MADISONSTREET
Lack of concentration of retail on Madison Street contributes
MADISONSTREET
The absence of a historic district a lack . a lack of the streetscape doesn't as to
02.
DESIGN PROPOSAL
Vision for Madison
Madison’s existing local retail, anchor institutions, and central neighborhood location give it potential as a “community connector”- both between neighboring communities and within the community of Oak Park itself.
By considering both public and private land, this design framework creates an integrated vision for a mutually reinforcing urban system- ensuring a holistic experience from structure to sidewalk. By increasing density at intersections, redesigning the entire right of way, and prescribing new building typologies, the entire Madison corridor can transform from an urban edge into a community connector.
We divided Madison into three sectors based on three most prominent assets/ problems we identified on the corridor: Med, Mix, & Made.
Med draws inspiration from the RUSH Oak Park hospital, on the western edge.
Mix is in reference to the wide range of parcel sizes, land uses, and building types in the center of the corridor.
Made honors the significant number of small, historically Black-owned businesses on the eastern edge.
Existing Conditions
Proposed Concept
Insert Title Here
Where are we designing
How are we designing?
Street Design
Since Madison street’s right of way is under the jurisdiction of the Village of Oak Park, redesigning the street is the most rational first step for transforming this corridor. These are general street design elements that we will implement throughout the corridor.
By incorporating elements such as green medians, continuous bike lanes buffered by green spaces, wider sidewalks for frontage retail’s activities, the entire Madison street will become a pedestrian-friendly, accessible, neighborhood destination for the majority of residents and visitors.
Existing 115’ Wide Section
Proposed 115’ Wide Section
Existing 75’ Wide Road Section
Proposed 75’ Wide Road Section
115’ Wide Section line
75’ Wide Section line
Street Design
Street Design : Phenotype Schedule
Common Spiderwort (TO)
Pale Penstemon (PD)
White Prairie Clover (DC)
Stiff Aster (AL)
Virginia Spiderwort
Wild Larkspur (TV) (DT)
Sky Blue Aster
Little Bluestem (SNA) (SS)
New England Aster (SNA)
Prairie Smoke (GT)
Purple Prairie Clover (DP)
Rough Blazingstar(LA)
Culver’s Root
Purple Milkweed
Savanna Blazingstar
Purple Coneflower (VV) (AP) (LS) (EPU)
Pale Purple Coneflower
Prairie Blazingstar
Wild Bergamot (EPA) (LP) (MF)
Cream Wild Indigo (BB)
Butterflyweed (AT)
Showy Glodenrod (SSP)
Rosinweed
Foxglove Beardtougue (PD) (SI)
Indiangrass (SN)
White Fir
Eastern White Pine
Mugo Pine (AC) (PS) (PM)
Junegrass
Prairie Dropseed
Rattlesnake Master
(KM) (SH) (ZA)
Grasses Throughout Madison
Evergreen Trees Throughout Madison
Madison Made - Yellow & Seasonal Focus
Madison Mix - Red & Support Biodiversity Focus
Madison Med - Blue & Sensory Focus
Building Typology
Matrix
Thoughtful, intentional building design will ensure that new development on Madison benefits, rather than burdens, neighbors and pedestrians on the corridor.
In accordance with this, these proposed building typologies respond to different parcel sizes and building heights. Each of these proposals is based on an average of three different parcel sizes found on Madison: 50’x120’, 120’x100’, and 200’x120’. The northern and southern blocks abutted to Madison have different building characteristics, with 45’ multifamily housing zoned to the north of Madison, and 30’ single-family homes zoned directly to the south.
Building Typology Offset
• 0 offset is not allowed unless granted special privilege
• Minimum 5' offset on the front, right and left side of the parcel
• Minimum 10' offset on the back of the parcel
North Side South SideIntersection
• Maximum building height is 80'
• Building mass above 30' is to be pulled back 15' from the back of the parcel line
• Building mass above 50' is to be pulled back 25' from the back of the parcel line
• 0 offset is not allowed unless granted special privilege
• Minimum 10' offset on the front, right and left side of the parcel
• Minimum 15' offset on the back of the parcel
• 0 offset is not allowed unless granted special privilege
• Minimum 15' offset on the front, right and left side of the parcel
• Minimum 20' offset on the back of the parcel
• Maximum building height is 50'
• Building mass above 30' is to be pulled back 15' from the back of the parcel line
• Maximum building height is 30'
• Building mass above 20' is to be pulled back 10' from the back of the parcel
Building Typology
Regardless of parcel size or building height, all building types strive to maximize housing units, maximize retail square footage on the ground floor to activate on-street activities, consider appropriate offsets, integrate parking into the building for residential units, and stagger building height so as not to overshadow residential blocks behind Madison and maintain the homogenized spatial tone.
Section Perspective
When implemented alongside the proposed street redesign, these building typologies help stimulate an active, mixed-use, dense urban character, while respecting the existing parcel sizes and not overshadowing neighboring residential areas.
Intersection
The synergy between street redesign and building typology proposals is most impactful at intersections. For instance the intersection of Madison Street and Oak Park Avenue, has the potential to create a connection between the CTA Green and Blue line stations.
By increasing building density at the intersection of Madison Street and Austin Avenue and enhancing the opportunities for ground floor retail to expand into the public realm, new and existing businesses benefit from higher foot traffic and activated street frontages.
Harlem Ave. / Madison St.
Oak Park Ave. / Madison St.
Austin Ave. / Madison St.
Intersection
Public Art
Visible Crosswalks
Pocket Plaza at Corners
Improved Bike Infrastructure on N-S Axis
Madison Med
The Rush Oak Park Hospital anchors the Madison corridor at the southeast corner of Madison and Harlem Avenue. Between Harlem and Oak Park Avenue, an assortment of senior living facilities, health clinics, and wellness-focused enterprises characterize the existing assets and needs of the “Madison Med” section.
On Madison Med, design interventions like public handrails, tactile crosswalks, outdoor fitness equipment, and information kiosks serve aging residents and pedestrians with specific mobility and safety needs.
Madison Med
BRANDING ON LAMP POSTS
The Rush Oak Park Hospital anchors the Madison corridor at the southeast corner of Madison and Harlem Avenue. Between Harlem and Oak Park Avenue, an assortment of senior living facilities, health clinics, and wellness-focused enterprises characterize the existing assets and needs of the “Madison Med” section.
On Madison Med, design interventions like public handrails, tactile crosswalks, outdoor fitness equipment, and information kiosks serve aging residents and pedestrians with specific mobility and safety needs.
Madison Mix
Between Harlem and Oak Park Avenue, a diversity of parcel sizes, land uses, building types and elementary schools contribute to a flexible, mixed-use, open character with a wide range of potential uses. The variety of people, places, and properties that animate the heart of the corridor characterize the “Madison Mix” concept.
On Madison Mix, design interventions like group seating, playful social spaces, waiting spaces for school children, and patterned crosswalks help bring a diverse range of people and activities together to strengthen community and infuse a sense of dynamism into the corridor.
Madison Mix
Between Harlem and Oak Park Avenue, a diversity of parcel sizes, land uses, building types and elementary schools contribute to a flexible, mixed-use, open character with a wide range of potential uses. The variety of people, places, and properties that animate the heart of the corridor characterize the “Madison Mix” concept. On Madison Mix, design interventions like group seating, playful social spaces, waiting spaces for school children, and patterned crosswalks help bring a diverse range of people and activities together to strengthen community and infuse a sense of dynamism into the corridor.
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Madison Made
Between Oak Park Avenue and Austin Avenue on the eastern edge of the Madison corridor, a high number of Black-owned, local businesses contribute to an active commercial strip that draws in foot traffic from Oak Park and Chicago. High foot traffic, porous retail frontages, and local business offerings characterize the assets and needs of the “Madison Made” section.
On Madison Made, expanded sidewalk space for outdoor retail amenities, parking spots at bus bulbs, popup market spaces along buffer zones, color-coded signage, and patterned crosswalks that bridge north and south sides of the street invite foot traffic to promote local businesses.
R RETAIL & 01. OUTDOO IAN AMENITIES PEDESTR ACES WITH 02. WORK SP G PRO VISIONS CHARGIN ROSS-WALKS 03. PATTERNE �;POP-UP E VENTS 04. COMMU�L VEGETATION 05. SEAS��PLE TREES ) 06 �EE��IL EXTENSION ON • SIDE-WALKS CURB E XTENSION - 07. , MARKET FARM E R S N LAMP-POSTS 08. BRANDING O VICES 09. SHADINGg�ED SIGNAGES 10. COLOR C ED CAR-PARKING 11 PATTEREN • US BULBS A�� INSTALLATIONS AT 12. MEDIANS
Conclusion
This design framework plan puts forth ideas for celebrating the people, places, and buildings that define the public and private realm along the Madison Street Corridor in Oak Park.
As Oak Park continues to develop and attention turns towards Madison, this plan can serve as a thoughtful, place-based, urban design guide for Madison, while positioning Oak Park as a vibrant, diverse community for years to come. Urban design can be a powerful tool for positive community and social changes. If implemented in tandem with a meaningful community engagement process and strategic policy change, this vision of “Madison for Everyone Else” can evolve, grow, and result in tangible improvements in the built environment and community uplift.
While the designs in this plan are tailored to the unique regional context and local conditions on the Madison corridor, the general approach, scale, and concepts may be replicated along suburban corridors found at the “urban edge.”
Our fabulous team:
Isobel Araujo
Shashwat Arya
Paul Hsu
Abdullah Kamal
Janhavi Manjrekar
Aayush Patel
Dinesh Prasad
Ravi Thakker
Neha Thunga
Punya Vats
Sara Zandi
A special thanks to Sanjeev Vidhyarthi Vinayak Bharne
