February 2016

MILLENNIUM RESERVE MONTHLY
FEBRUARY 2016
The I & M Canal Past Lives On A look at mid‐19th century Illinois history tells us that an up‐
and‐coming state legislator (among many others) strongly advocated for, and traveled on, the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which stretched for 96 miles from Chicago to LaSalle. The canal, a key conduit through which goods traveled to and from Chicago, played a pivotal role in the growth of the region’s economy and the rise of the city to global prominence. That state legislator was Abraham Lincoln. Later, as president, he also advocated for improvements to the I & M Canal. Today, the I & M Canal is a Na onal Heritage Area; in fact, in 1984, it was the na on’s first such designa on. Na onal Heritage Areas (NHAs) are designated by Congress as places where natural, cultural and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, na onally important landscape. Through their resources, NHAs tell na onally important stories that celebrate our na on's diverse heritage. For Millennium Reserve the history of the I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area suggests a path for preserving our heritage. Millennium Reserve priori es include suppor ng na onal heritage designa ons for dis nc ve regional landscapes in three areas: the exis ng I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area along with the proposed Black Metropolis and Calumet na onal heritage areas. “The process of developing the I & M Canal created a regional framework for collabora on, public‐private partnership and regional coopera on for tourism purposes,” says Jerry Adelmann, execu ve director of Openlands. “It’s about crea ng a shared vision.” Adelmann joined Openlands in 1980 to develop a special program that led to the crea on of the I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area. No commercial boat traffic has traversed the canal since 1933, but its path from Lake Michigan via the Chicago River to the (then navigable) Illinois River and, ul mately, the Mississippi River reflects the region and city’s story of industrial, commercial and popula on growth. The Canal Commissioners laid out a half dozen towns in its 96 miles including Chicago. In 1840, when the canal was being built, the city had only 4,470 residents. Fi een years later, it had more than 74,000 residents. In 1848 the Chicago Board of Trade opened along with the canal. Story conƟnues on page 2
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The I & M Canal Past Lives On ‐ ConƟnued from page 1
The canal ran from the Bridgeport community in Chicago to LaSalle, Illinois. A 17 mile feeder canal was finished in 1852 to bring water from the Li le Calumet River at Blue Island to the I&M, four miles north of Lemont. When it was reauthorized by Congress in 2006, the boundaries of the I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area were expanded through Chicago with a northern arm along the route of the canal to Lake Michigan and a southern arm along the path of the Cal‐Sag Channel and Calumet River. The boundaries now encompass numerous communi es in Millennium Reserve, including Alsip, Crestwood, Blue Island, Riverdale and the City of Chicago. “A big part of our work is telling the story of this place,” says Ana B. Koval, president of the Canal Corridor Associa on, which was designated by Congress as the local coordina ng en ty for the I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area. The organiza on works to preserve history, protect nature and create des na ons where people can learn and have fun in the area. “The glaciers carved out the land crea ng a natural passageway – birds migrated, Na ve Americans lived and traveled here and French explorers made their mark,” says Koval. “In the middle of the 19th century, the canal was developed. A lot of people think of Chicago as a railroad town, but the canal and Chicago’s geography played a huge role in forming what the city became – and what it is today.” The Canal Corridor Associa on works to increase the visibility of the I & M Canal Na onal Heritage Area through various ac vi es, including a replica canal boat tour at the western terminus of the canal in LaSalle, Illinois that informs riders about the history of the canal. The tour, which features presenters in 19th century period garb, is offered from May through October, with three or four rides a day (and a total of about 400‐500 rides per year). Other projects include interpre ve signage along the canal’s route and at historic and natural sites and an illustrated book that depicts the story of a journey along the canal in 1860 through hand‐done illustra ons, due out in April. Koval points to the considerable recrea onal benefits to communi es along the path of the canal, including bike riding, fishing, walking and running. (The canal boat site in LaSalle is also only a ten minute drive to Starved Rock State Park.) In addi on, visitors can walk or bicycle the I & M Canal State Trail beginning at Rockdale. The Trail offers more than 60 miles of scenic views of the canal and the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers. The canal’s story connects with proposed heritage area efforts to tell a larger story of the region’s history. While the canal was central to the development of Chicago as a major city, it was the people who migrated here – including those from the Great Migra on – whose collec ve experience also helped shape the city and is a central part of the Black Metropolis story. At the same me, the culturally and biologically diverse Calumet area is also the source of a dis nct (yet connected) and compelling narra ve. “There are many great and na onally significant stories about the Chicago region,” says Koval. “And we have to share them.” 2 Millennium Reserve - Feb 2016
Building Consensus with The Lakota Group Sco Freres, co‐founder and principal of The Lakota Group in Chicago, is used to answering the inevitable ques on: “What does ‘Lakota’ mean?” “Lakota is a Sioux word for allies,” says Freres. “That’s what we’re about. Our work is about being allies by listening to people, encouraging a posi ve dialogue and moving forward. Lakota specializes in planning, urban design, landscape architecture, historic preserva on and community engagement; our name reflects the connec on between people, communi es and organiza ons.” Freres and a colleague worked at a large interna onal architecture firm in Chicago before they started Lakota in 1993. Lakota typically works on a mix of projects in the Midwest involving public, private and nonprofit organiza ons. Among the wide‐ranging projects Lakota has worked on include the Waters School playground in Chicago and a survey of historic bungalows in Berwyn – a district that is now, as a result of Lakota’s work, recognized on the Na onal Register of Historic Places. Other projects include the Marion Street streetscape in downtown Oak Park; a downtown plaza design for the Village of Homewood; and a redesign of Hubbard Woods Park in Winnetka. Lakota’s process, says its vice president Sarah White, is o en about “trying to find common ground between people with different perspec ves. Our work with Millennium Reserve is an example of how that works. We’ve learned that you can never be transparent enough or invite enough people to become part of a public process.” Freres, White and others at Lakota are landscape architects by trade; many at the firm also have a background in urban planning and urban design. One example of how Lakota has worked con nuously with a client for many years involves five communi es that make up the Quad Ci es at the Illinois‐Iowa border. The Mississippi River sits next to these ci es and, according to Freres, “it was part of everyone’s brand.” Lakota’s work was about helping these communi es rebrand what the river meant, not only to these ci es, but as part of a greater system. Lakota prepared a land use plan, framework, and guidelines that helped transform the region’s waterfront. Through the process, Lakota worked with communi es to develop a trail design, signage system and vision for how open space could be used. In the last couple of years, Lakota has worked on a couple of Millennium Reserve projects. The group conducted a feasibility study for the Ford Calumet Environmental Center, which would serve as a gateway for people who want to explore the region. Lakota interviewed more than 100 people for the project as it engaged a working group of stakeholders that included community organiza ons, land managers, educators and program specialists. Story conƟnues on page 4
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Building Consensus with The Lakota Group ‐ ConƟnued from page 3 Currently, Lakota is producing a park enhancement recommenda ons plan for William Powers State Recrea on Area, which is located in the Hegewisch community on Chicago’s southeast side and is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Millennium Reserve is also part of another Lakota project, a Gateway Master Plan for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Lakota is currently working on a wayfinding project for Millennium Reserve to create a realis c and comprehensive concept that will address visitor experience through storytelling and recommenda ons for a strong visual iden ty and use of various communica ons tools. The goal is to engage communi es and local residents, and get people on board about why Millennium Reserve is special. Tools may include signage and dedicated ambassadors from different parts of the region who can communicate its assets. “We are hearing,” says White, “that it’s really important for the message about Millennium Reserve and the greater Calumet region to be more clearly communicated, especially to local people.” “Millennium Reserve and the greater Calumet region is an interes ng animal because of the size and gravity of the place, and the personali es,” adds Freres. “It’s not a linear space, and there’s no one place or feature to be focused on, but a lot of great places to visit. The challenge is kni ng them all together so that they are a single voice and concept. Part of our job is to get a handle on that and find ways to communicate what it’s about.” Freres adds that focusing on the “three‐legged stool” of Millennium Reserve – environment, economy and communi es – o en brings up issues related to the region’s industrial past. “For so long, we have thought that these things are mutually exclusive. Now we are seeing how they are related.” Note: The Lakota Group par cipated in a proposal bidding process for each Millennium Reserve project it has taken on. The lead (contrac ng) agency for each project has its own contractor procurement process, but all have been compe ve (that is, open to mul ple bidders) and transparent. 4 Millennium Reserve - Feb 2016
Land Bank Turning Around Proper es Fay’s Point sits on an eight‐acre stretch in Blue Island on the Li le Calumet River, just a few hundred yards from the Cal‐Sag Channel. The site includes a marina with more than 80 boat slips and is surrounded by wetlands. This piece of land is owned by the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority, which acquired and maintains the marina and has helped restore the wetlands. The Land Bank works to turn around residen al, industrial and other proper es in the south suburbs. The process o en involves managing, rehabbing and selling of proper es. The need is great: For example, in 2015 alone, there were 4,996 residen al foreclosures in Millennium Reserve, according to data analyzed by the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Associa on (SSMMA). Almost all of the homes the Land Bank sells have at one me been foreclosed. Many buildings the Land Bank works on are distressed proper es with serious tax problems. Based in Hazel Crest, the Land Bank was formed in 2012 through an intergovernmental agreement passed by the Village of Park Forest, City of Oak Forest and City of Blue Island. Now, 19 communi es in the region are members of the Land Bank. The Land Bank was also the first en ty of its kind in the Chicago region. (Now, Cook County also operates a land bank.) In 2011, the Land Bank was made possible by a U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sustainable Communi es Grant that was awarded to SSMMA, which then helped establish and provide technical assistance to the Land Bank. “In a nutshell, we’re kind of a toolbox that banks, municipali es, developers and some mes individuals use to turn around or redevelop proper es,” says Russell Rydin, execu ve director of the Land Bank. Once it owns a property, the Land Bank can maintain the site and hold it for future development or sell it. The Land Bank can be an especially valuable tool for municipali es that lack the financial resources or manpower to deal with troubled proper es. Through its intergovernmental agreement, the Land Bank may be able to clear or ex nguish delinquent, back and forfeited real estate taxes. The Land Bank is also able to exempt real estate taxes while it owns a property. “A typical municipality isn’t set up to acquire a property with big tax problems in a quick and efficient manner,” says Rydin. “In many cases, we are able to do that quickly.” Ci es that do develop these proper es, Rydin adds, are also o en required by state or local law to go through a me‐consuming process of pos ng public no ce and being considered in a commi ee. In addi on, ci es may not want to develop troubled proper es because of costs associated with maintenance, liability and public safety concerns. Story conƟnues on page 6
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Land Bank Turning Around Proper es ‐ ConƟnued from page 5 The Land Bank currently has an inventory of about 125 projects (these are proper es it has already acquired). Most of this inventory is for sale or will be for sale. In the last two years, the Land Bank has worked on numerous projects in Millennium Reserve. In Midlothian, Chicago Heights and other communi es, the Land Bank is exploring ways to acquire and take care of wetland areas that communi es and developers do not have the capacity to purchase and/
or interest in managing these sites. Flood mi ga on is probably the biggest priority when discussing wetlands in the south suburbs, Rydin says. “Figuring out what to do with wetland areas has become a na onal issue,” he adds. “My feeling is that, in the future, there’s going to be more of a need to take these projects on. We want to be one of the organiza ons that has answers.” Meanwhile, housing projects include a recently renovated home in Sauk Village and another home that is almost rehabbed in Hazel Crest. Some home projects, Rydin says, are completed through a deed agreement between the Land Bank and a buyer; in order to get the deed, the buyer must complete agreed‐upon repairs. A homebuyer or small developer with limited resources may prefer a deed agreement. Through a deed agreement, homebuyers get the property at a discount and the Land Bank is able to monitor the rehab progress before transferring the deed, Rydin says. On the housing side, banks in the area can donate unwanted tax‐delinquent proper es to the Land Bank (and can claim the dona on to poten ally offset income tax). “There’s a steady pipeline of proper es that banks are dona ng to us or discoun ng heavily,” says Rydin. “When they do, we can fix them up and sell them to homeowners.” (The Land Bank may make a small profit or break even from sales, which are o en made at a below‐market rate). About half of the Land Bank’s work is commercial, and much of that involves industrial proper es. But what the Land Bank works on really depends on what’s happening in specific communi es. For example, the City of Blue Island has expressed interest in opening up a rowing center at Fay’s Point. With a li le more funding, the South Suburban Land Bank could help turn around more proper es. Rydin says that “states with the most effec ve land banks have legisla on that carves out funds for land banks.” Illinois does not currently have this kind of legisla on. “This is a long‐term kind of program, and there’s always going to be more for us to do,” says Rydin. “I like the fact that there’s always a challenge in front of us – and a chance to turn a property around.” Curious about what distressed properƟes are available through the South Suburban Land Bank and
Development Authority? Check out its map and list of available properƟes at hƩp://www.sslbda.org/
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First Person Narra ve: Neil Goulden Neil Goulden is one of the principals of Water Integrated Treatment Systems in Dolton. He and his partners
purchased the property where the company is located from the South Suburban Land Bank and Development
Authority.
It’s serendipity that I am involved in this business. I was an economics and finance major in college, went to law school in Cleveland and became a bankruptcy lawyer in Chicago. Later, I was in a job where my company helped fix companies. That’s where I learned about turnaround companies. Eventually I worked in that arena as a private consultant. One of my clients was a water transport company in Gary. They were in the environmental services field; they clean out sewers. I ended up buying that company with other people, and we turned it into Greenline Environmental Solu ons, which is s ll located in Gary. Last year, Water Integrated Treatment Systems opened in Dolton. We had been looking for a property. First, we needed to be in an area that was amenable to municipal water treatment. We also needed to be in a place where our company would be well‐posi oned to transport water – i.e., close to highway systems. The property in Dolton worked for us. When you look around the area, there are many more industries that produce the kind of water we need to treat than in just about any other place in the tri‐state area. However, there was $500,000 in real estate taxes. We went to the village and were referred to the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority. We had no idea about it. The Land Bank helped us get our hands on a property that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to buy, and they cleared the taxes. Now this site is where we do business, it’s back on the tax rolls and can provide jobs to local residents. It’s a win‐win‐win. Now, we are growing quickly.
My work has also led me on a path to use renewable energy and embrace green business. My son is my inspira on for ge ng into green business; he is a true environmentalist. In a way, our business contributes to that—we clean dirty water.
About the Partnership Millennium Reserve is a partnership of government, businesses, and nonprofit groups working together to advance a shared ac on agenda. It is led by a Steering Commi ee of diverse Partners who understand community priori es and know how to make the most of the region’s assets. Scores of addi onal Partners are ac vely stewarding ini a ves and on‐the‐ground projects that help to realize the Millennium Reserve vision. Join Millennium Reserve Millennium Reserve is a special place that belongs to everyone. Joining us as a Millennium Reserve Partner or community makes you an official part of the exci ng transforma on of this under‐recognized region. For more informa on and to join, visit h p://bit.ly/1GR4Y5W For ques ons, contact: Suellen Burns e: [email protected] p: 312‐814‐6509 7 Millennium Reserve - Feb 2016