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DPD is soliciting proposals for Courtyard Apartment Buildings at three large-lot sites in Bronzeville. These projects will be used to inform planning for a new zoning overlay district aimed at allowing for new by-right courtyard buildings. www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...

Request for Proposals
Courtyard Buildings
Chicago DPD

One of the RFP lots on 4200 S Indiana Ave. Approx 100' x 160'

XAMPLE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS | RM-5
For specific requirements please refer to the Chicago Zoning Code Section 17-2-0300 Bulk & Density Standards
125’
15’ 37.5’
5’ 5’
U-Shape Courtyard
Example Site Area: 12,500 ft2
By-Right Building Footprint: 6,525 ft2 (52%)
Historic Courtyard Footprint: 7,500 ft2 (60%)
Recommended Courtyard Footprint: 6,520 ft2 (52%)
L-Shape Courtyard
Example Infill Site Area: 9,375 ft2
By-Right Building Footprint: 4,895 ft2 (52%)
Historic “L” Footprint: 5,600 ft2 (60%)
Recommended “L” Footprint: 4,300 ft2 (46%)
Corner Site L-Shape
Example Corner Site Area: 9,375 ft2
By-Right Building Footprint” 4,895 ft2 (52%)
Historic “L” Footprint: 5,950 ft2 (63%)
Recommended “L” Footprint: 4,500 ft2 (48%)
75’ 75’
15’ 37.5’
3.75’ 3.75’
26’
minimum
37.5’
3.75’ 3.75’
15’
EGRESS & ACCESSIBILITY
Current requirements for a secondary means of egress can be met with an exterior metal stair up to
45’ (see Chicago Building Code section 1027.2). This mirrors the strategy used for historic courtyard
buildings, allowing all units to have exterior light and air exposure on at least two sides. Exterior metal
stairs are also commonly used for modern three- and six-flat buildings.
Beyond 45’ a second egress stair and corridor must be enclosed. DPD’s analysis has concluded that
enclosing a second egress path would defeat the purpose of the courtyard model by effectively limiting
half the units to a single exterior exposure, like an internalized double-loaded corridor building. For this
reason, DPD recommends limiting the building height to 45’ to maintain the courtyard model with an
exterior secondary egress path. Duplex units with an additional floor only accessible from within each
unit may provide more design flexibility.
The City is interested in reviving the courtyard building typology in part to facilitate a more cost-
effective multi-family housing alternative to standard mid-rise corridor

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Being an alderperson is first and foremost about protecting your constituents from harmful ideas like “Living in a Society” or “The Collective Good”

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

146 year old tram still gets stuck behind cars the old fashioned way

Streetcar stopped behind 1 broken down car

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Chicago should mark every train station with beach access too

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

9 acre strip mall next to the Kedzie Orange Line is getting remodeled and adding a drive thru. Ranks pretty high on the Could Have Been Housing meter 😬

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Yes I do think Chicago should build a Western line and yes I do think it should be cowboy themed

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Comittee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards meeting is LIVE. www.chicityclerk.com/committee-zo... The Villegas-Sponsored FAIR ordinance will be the topic of discussion after Johnson-backed PRO narrowly passing out of Housing Committee yesterday.

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Michael McLean @michaelmclean.me · 16/09/2026

I've made a ward scorecard for Divvy bikeshare infrastructure, inspired by the @chiwho.bike dashboard. You can drill into a ward and look at the station deployment and ridership trends. michaelmclean.me/chicago-divv...

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

$75M one-time payment 5% share of annual net operating income 2% payment on any future sale price Changes to true-up payments for street-fest closures 50% minimum in-city workforce Limitations to usage data sharing with feds we paid $7.6M in true-ups in 2024, interested to see the details there.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

CTA has mostly recovered their headcount losses from the first half of this year. Rail is nearly back above the 2019 benchmark!

CTA Rail operators through August 2026: 873

CTA Bus operators through August 2026: 4,302

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

. .:;:. .:;;;;;:. ;;;;; ;;;;; ;;;;; They're running for mayor ;;;;; ;;;;; ;;;;; ..;;;;;.. ':::::' ':`

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Since 2010, Bronzeville (60653, proposed Bronzeville trail in Gold) has been able to add population and diversity while maintaining its existing black population. What other neighborhoods can say this?

Zip code 60653 (Bronzeville area, Chicago) population change by race/ethnicity since 2000. ACS 5-year estimates used from 2013 onward.

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Michael McLean @michaelmclean.me · 11/09/2026

You don't hate the "Friends of the Park" enough...

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Chicago Ward races as of today. 17 Uncontested incumbents 30 Contested incumbents 3 Open seats

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Right now, hundreds of motorists are excitedly starting their drives eastward towards the DLSD on-ramps. After 5 grueling hours of bicycle tyranny, all is right again. The cars are free.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Ranking Chicago’s Plagues this summer 1. The smog 2. The floods 3. The flies 4. Corn Sweats 5. Library driver shortage

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Cyclists unbanned. Thank u Brandon Johnson 🙌

Bikes and peds waiting at a closed DLSD bridge

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I would like to see more research on this, but surveys from January show AI advertising sentiment +30 among Millenials, +2 for Gen-Z. I'm scared to know the figures for anyone older. It is probably important to grapple with how many of your neighbors are positively perceiving the AI Queso Tot ad.

Opinions on Generative AI Ads: Gen Z vs. Millenials

https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens/

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Lady Topham Catt @ladytophamcatt.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

We needed today's rain... because it made this Schlitz ghost sign in Roseland more visible. Architect unknown. Built as a store in 1914, with the second floor added in 1924.

Color photo of a two story mixed use building taken on an angle. Painted on the lower half of the building's side is an old ad urging you to DRINK SCHLITZ BEER. Viewing of the ghost sign is partially obscured by a modern vinyl sign touting a transportation service.

Color photo of the ghost sign taken through a chain link fence, which is also up close and personal in the image. Behind it can be seen the DRINK SCHLITZ BEER ghost sign. Another ghost sign is on the wall above it, but cannot be read.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I don't think there is a more obvious candidate for a new Chicago train station than in Humboldt Park along the MD-N,MD-W and NCS Metra tracks. We should talk about this more. @nitachicago.org do something

Map of Chicago showing the nearest train station to each census block, up to 1 mile. Includes all CTA and Metra stops.

Where I would put Chicago's next infill train station. Humboldt Park near Grand/Division/Central Park

Added Metra Humboldt Park station. It's my new Chicago Transit White Whale. Nearly 40,000 people live in the gold blob

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Empty Brown Line train Conductor freestyling the station announcements Life is good

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I love living in a beach town

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Vincent Luyendijk @vincentluyendijk.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

‘Scientists stunned by children's lung recovery in ultra low emission zone’ www.bbc.com/news/article...

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I for one welcome our poor man’s 606 extension as a permanent fixture of the North Side.

Cortland st bridge, looking ravishing under the moonlight. Not a car in sight.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

We can’t leave road design decisions up to politicians who are determined to maintain these inequities

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Municipal Corporation @nikhunder.com · 04/08/2026

You must pay the bicycle and transit tax by filling out this survey (since they ask about both)

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I can’t believe the aldermen could this 😔

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

On top of all the structural, national winds pushing toward this line of messaging, it stands in direct contrast to the sentiment of “first we get the money”.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

1901 Project- “A pending permit in the Chicago Data Portal indicates the rooftop park will be replaced by another parking level.”

DDS 2019 CBC. REVISION TO PERMIT #101075068 TO UPDATE THE FOLLOWING: REVISED TO REMOVE ROOFTOP PARK AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, REPLACED ROOFTOP PARK WITH PARKING ON LEVEL 3, ADDED PARKABLE RAMP FROM LEVEL 2 TO LEVEL 3, ADDED CURB CUT ON MADISON ST, REVISED PARKING LAYOUT AT ALL LEVELS, ADD PARKING GARAGE CORE ON EAST SIDE, REVISED ELEVATOR CORE SIZE AND LOCATIONS, EXTERIOR WALL TYPES, LAYOUT OF TRASH AND RECYCLE ROOMS, ADDED TRASH CHUTE VENT TO ROOF, REMOVED WEDGE BARRIERS AT TOP OF LOADING RAMP, REVISED STORMWATER STRATEGY, REVISED MEP SYSTEMS, REVISED ELECTRICAL, TECH ROOM LAYOUTS, AND ADJUSTMENTS TO LANDSCAPE DETAILS AS PER PLANS. OCCUPANCY GROUPS A-2, A-3, A-4, B, S-1, AND S-2. TYPE 1-A CONSTRUCTION.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Has your train car ever not made it past the fence? Lmao

People jump over fence to get off a train

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Bebo, Chicago Rat Czar 🐀 @bebopott.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

81 Aldermanic & 13 Mayoral Candidates - Here's how Chicago's 2027 electoral field is beginning to shape up: Incumbents are italicized and presumed to be running for re-election unless stated otherwise (to date, just Marty Quinn) This is a work-in-progress - Let me know anyone I've missed!

List of all 94 candidates who have filed paperwork or set up a fundraising page for the 2027 Chicago Municipal Elections as of July 21st, 2026

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Is there any good writing on which neighborhoods on the West and SW sides are or aren't seeing significant racial diversification in the last 10-20 years? Specifically curious on if there's a primary driver for the N/S Lawndale divide being much more stark than West Humbolt or Back of the Yards

Racial Dot Map of Chicago based on 2020 census data

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Chicago Plan Commission meeting live now - currently looking at the amazon distribution facility proposed on the SW side. vimeo.com/event/2354896

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

cta rail headcount is up again, much to the benefit of the Purple Line. Still a ways to go before we reach the 880 benchmark again.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Does anyone have success riding the supposed Green Wave on Wells st? I've been tracking my speed the last few weeks trying to hit sequential greens at 12 MPH but, but no luck. Is it a me problem? Does it need recalibrating? Whats the deal?

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Just park in the bike lane! No one uses them anyway.

Line of bikes in scooters riding south. A fee cars take up the majority of the road

Five bikes wait at a red light. There are more behind them.

Bike and scooter commuters under the L tracks jn Chicago IL. No bike lane available.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Are none of the Chicago Mayoral candidates on Bluesky?

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Took my parents to Dine Out Broadway and their only question was “why just 3 weekends a year?”

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Chicago Water Taxi lines wrapped around the corner on both ends. The people yearn for more boats.

Line for watertaxi snakes around near Michigan Ave.

View of line to get on Chicago Water Taxi in Chinatown

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

We should implement this state of the art navigation technology into O’Hare and Midway so visitors can easily find their way to the train.

Line ends at Wentworth & Cermak, right in front of Chinatown Gateway

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Michael McLean @michaelmclean.me · 10/07/2026

🆕 Chicago Smart Streets pilot data has been retrieved via FOIA up thru June 27th Access the map, and raw data here -> michaelmclean.me/chicago-smar...

$Interactive map titled “Smart Streets Infractions,” with All Violations selected. It summarizes 104,753 violations and $3,268,640 in listed fines across 13,401 recorded locations. Dark circles mark geocoded enforcement locations; larger circles indicate more violations. Markers form dense strings along major streets, with the largest and most overlapping clusters in River North, the Loop, and West Loop—particularly along Chicago Avenue, Dearborn Street, and Wells Street. Additional corridors extend north through Old Town toward Lakeview, west toward Wicker Park and Pilsen, and south through the South Loop. Locations become sparser toward the outer western edges. The largest individual locations include 36 West Chicago Avenue with 1,062 violations, 158 West Adams Street with 1,045, and two South Dearborn Street addresses with about 1,000 each. A magenta outline marks the original pilot zone, roughly North Avenue to Roosevelt Road between Ashland Avenue and the lakefront. A larger blue boundary marks the expansion area, extending roughly from Irving Park Road to 31st Street. The original zone contains 85,606 violations, the expansion-only area contains 18,720, and 427 fall outside the supplied boundaries. Lake Michigan occupies the right side of the map; no ward is selected.$

Stacked bar chart titled “Monthly warnings and fines issued,” showing Smart Streets records from November 2024 through June 27, 2026. The horizontal axis lists months; the vertical axis runs from zero to 15,000 records. Monthly totals generally range from 3,100 to 4,500 through September 2025, after 2,640 in November 2024. That first month consists almost entirely of 30-day installation warnings; subsequent bars are dominated by zero-fine warnings. A marker identifies the first CTA bus violation on October 15, 2025, followed by a rise from 4,701 records in October to 5,205 in December and 5,831 in January. Another marker identifies the pilot expansion on January 21, 2026. Activity then increases sharply to 8,162 records in February, 10,846 in March, and a peak of 11,091 in April, before easing to 10,483 in May and 6,591 during partial June. Fine-bearing records become more varied in 2026—including bus-lane, bike-lane, bus-stop, expired-meter, and commercial-loading-zone violations—but warnings remain the largest part of every monthly bar.

Line chart titled “Cumulative annual fines,” comparing listed Smart Streets fine amounts by calendar day. The horizontal axis runs from January through December; the vertical axis runs from zero to $2 million. The green 2026 line rises fastest, reaching $1,558,980 by June 27—more than twice the $687,230 accumulated by the same date in 2025. The orange 2025 line continues through the full year and ends at $1,678,320, only about $119,000 above the partial 2026 total. The short blue 2024 line begins in November, when the dataset starts, and ends at $31,340. These figures are fine levels listed in the FOIA export, grouped by issue date; they do not represent amounts paid or collected.

Heatmap titled “Day of week by hour of day,” showing all 104,753 Smart Streets violations by weekday and hour, with Violations selected rather than Fines. Seven rows represent Monday through Sunday and 24 columns represent midnight through 11 p.m.; darker blue indicates more violations. Activity is overwhelmingly concentrated on weekdays during daytime hours. Monday through Friday become busier around 7 a.m., remain busiest from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m., fall sharply at 3 p.m., rebound at 4 and 5 p.m., and fade after 6 p.m. Friday at 8 a.m. is the busiest individual weekday-hour combination, with 2,505 violations. Across all days, 1 p.m. is the busiest hour, with 12,098 violations, or 11.5 percent of the total; noon has 11,835 and 11 a.m. has 11,142. Only 1,467 violations occur at 3 p.m., and almost none occur from 1 through 3 a.m. Friday has the highest weekday total at 20,013, or 19.1 percent, closely followed by Wednesday at 19,858. Saturday falls to 6,585, or 6.3 percent, and Sunday to 1,846, or 1.8 percent. Hours are interpreted as Chicago local time.

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Halfway through 2026, Chicago's Smart Streets pilot is on pace to roughly double 2025's fine total. New cameras have seen more consistent use in the last few months, and the majority of issued tickets continue to be 1st time warnings.

Smart Streets cumulative fines by year. 2026 fines through June 27 2026.

Smart Streets Tickets and warnings issued by month

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Alex @acannon.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

From @chicagodpd.bsky.social- $250k adopt-a-landmark grant was approved today to support repairs and renovations at the 69th st Schlitz Tied house (built 1898) in Englewood🎉

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