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Community Corner

Waukegan Begins Planning Project

Established in 1859, the City of Waukegan is a well-established and mature community with a rich history. Building on its community assets, CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program is now helping the City plan for its commercial corridor along Washington Street, from Glen Rock Avenue on the east to McAree Road on the west.


Washington Street is a main gateway into the city and is home to many locally-owned businesses and civic institutions. Using an interactive, community-based process, the plan will complement the community's long-term physical, socioeconomic, and cultural goals. Together, local residents, business owners, community and regional stakeholders, and the City of Waukegan will explore different strategies to revitalize the Washington Street corridor. The primary objective is to build upon existing assets, however small, and identify opportunities for economic development that are grounded in the real world and correspond with the needs of the people who live, work, and do business in the area.


Once complete, the Washington Street corridor plan will issue a set of recommendations identifying viable strategies that can be pursued by both the City and businesses along Washington Street to help the corridor become a more economically dynamic and successful area.

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January 22 and January 24 events let residents have their say
Residents have two opportunities in January to directly contribute to the plan via community focus groups for the future of Washington Street:



  • Tuesday, January 22, 2013, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Delia’s Daycare, 1401 Washington Street, Waukegan, IL 60085

  • Thursday, January 24, 2013, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Vista Medical Center West, Café Dining Room, 2615 Washington Street, Waukegan, IL 60085


At each of the community focus groups, residents will be asked to answer the following questions:

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  • What do you like about Washington Street? What would make it better for you?

  • Where do you shop or eat on Washington Street?

  • What types of stores, restaurants, or services would you like to see on Washington Street in the future?


For information or to RSVP, contact CMAP’s Ricardo Lopez (312-386-8766 or email rlopez@cmap.illinois.gov) and visit www.cmap.illinois.gov/waukegan.


HUD and CMAP build capacity for local planning

CMAP’s LTA program, funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grant, is helping 80 local governments, nonprofits, and intergovernmental organizations to address local issues at the intersection of transportation, land use, and housing, including the natural environment, economic growth, and community development. In response to the LTA Year Two call for projects, CMAP received over 100 proposals from more than 80 applicants. Current projects include local comprehensive plans and more-specialized ones for housing, water, transit-oriented redevelopment, and overall sustainability.

Media contact:
  Justine Reisinger, 312-386-8802 or jreisinger@cmap.illinois.gov

Project contact:
  Stephen Ostrander, 312-386-8696 or sostrander@cmap.illinois.gov

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