Page 9 - Chicago Market Community - Action Plan

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Station. With overwhelming community and political
support, CTA and Chicago Market agreed to a 10-
year lease for the grocery store, with two five-year
renewal options (Wisniewski, 2018).

The Gerber Building poses some challenges to
Chicago Market's retail operation. Most notably,
the triangular interior space is not conducive
to efficient grocery store layouts. However, the
visibility, location, and access to transit made
the Gerber Building the preferred location for the
store. While the building has an 18-stall parking lot,
Chicago Market's store will benefit from being in
a very walkable and bikeable urban location, with Walker's Paradise Excellent Transit Biker's Paradise
convenient access to a well-used "El" station and Daily errands do not Transit is convenient Daily errands can be
accomplished by bike.
for most trips.
require a car.
two city-wide bus routes.
Walk Score Summary for Gerber Building (Walkscore, 2023)

The Uptown Community

Uptown is well known for its cultural and
entertainment legacy and its rich global diversity.
The area's iconic and historic venues continue to
draw crowds today. As a landing spot for immigrants
and refugees from across the globe, Uptown is one
of Chicago's most racially and demographically
diverse neighborhoods (Choose Chicago, 2023).
The neighborhood's ethnic diversity makes it a
destination for global cuisine within the city. The
Argyle Night Market draws weekly crowds with
Asian-influenced food, vendors, and entertainment.
The numerous Ethiopian, Vietnamese, and Pakistani
restaurants, among other cuisines, make food an
essential part of Uptown's unique identity.

Unlike many neighborhoods on Chicago's south
and west sides, which have seen multiple national
brands close grocery stores, Uptown has good
access to fresh food (CFEC, 2023). In fact, three
full-size national grocery retailers are located
within a 10-minute walk from Chicago Market, with
additional specialty markets elsewhere in Uptown.

Racial / Ethnic Distribution in Chicago, with Uptown Indicated.
(Healy, 2012)

CHICAGO MARKET SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN 9