Helping People Improve Their Communities, One Place at a Time
Placemaking Chicago supports the creation and care of public spaces across Chicagoland through policy advocacy, close collaboration with public agencies and elected officials, direct outreach with residents and community organizations, and an active social media and online presence. Through Placemaking Chicago, MPC helps create and enhance public spaces that bring people together and foster healthier, more social, and economically viable communities.
Placemaking Chicago fact sheet
Watch this short video to learn more about Placemaking.
Technical Assistance
Placemaking Chicago is currently providing technical assistance in two communities. Read about our work to transform the Polish Triangle in the Wicker Park neighborhood, and to create a community green space at 26th and Federal on Chicago's Near South Side.
Advocacy
Safe streets are some of our most valuable public spaces. The Pedestrian Safety Bill will make streets safer by clarifying the responsibility of pedestrians and drivers. Help MPC support this important bill!
Articles
MPC in Springfield: Solutions for a strong economy-
- Good policy doesn’t have to be expensive – in fact, it can lead to cost savings – and MPC’s 2010 Springfield legislative agenda is proof. This session, MPC is advocating for several bills that would improve state policies related to water supply planning, pedestrian safety,…
- The Creative City: Keeping Chicago Vibrant and Viable
-
Bob McNulty of the Partners for Livable Communities spoke to a sold-out crowd at MPC’s first 2009 roundtable, “The Creative City: Keeping Chicago Vibrant and Viable.”
- Residents come out in force to shape the future of the Polish Triangle
-
More than 700 residents have participated in MPC’s Placemaking project to create a vision for the Polish Triangle, at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Division Street, and Ashland Avenue.
- Great Chicagoland Places
-
MPC continues to advocate for community-planned and programmed public places in the Chicago region. Check out www.placemakingchicago.com for more information.
- Streets as Places: Sold out roundtable creates buzz about rethinking how we use our streets
-
Learn the secrets of “placemaking” from Fred Kent, founder and president of internationally-renowned Project for Public Spaces, and join the movement to transform your community’s rundown streets into desirable neighborhood places.
Multimedia
Pedestrian Safety Bill
HB 43/ SB 30: Creating safe streets and healthy communities-
- Publication
- (78 KB)
- February 2, 2010
- Chief Co-Sponsors: Ill. Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago)
Streets that are safe for pedestrians have benefits that ripple through neighborhoods and urban areas. Current Illinois legislation requires cars to yield, but not stop, for pedestrians in crosswalks,…
- Placemaking Chicago Fact Sheet
-
- Publication
- (104 KB)
- December 14, 2009
- Placemaking is a people-centered approach to planning public spaces. MPC's Placemaking Chicago project supports the creation and care of quality public places in the region through policy advocacy, collaboration with public agencies and officials, technical assistance on planning projects, and…
Placemaking Chicago-
- Video
- (2:05)
- September 4, 2009
- A short video on Placemaking, produced in August 2008 by Metropolitan Planning Council and Tu Multimedia.
- The Micro Revolution: Neighbors Making a Difference - Part 2
-
- At this MPC roundtable luncheon, Chicagoland residents shared their experiences bringing about positive changes in their school communities, by forging partnerships between parents and school administrators to improve public education and encourage community renewal.
- The Micro Revolution: Neighbors Making a Difference
-
- At this MPC roundtable luncheon, Jay Walljasper, author of The Great Neighborhood Book and senior fellow at Project for Public Spaces, discussed lessons learned from real-life stories of successful neighbor-driven improvements. He moderated a panel of motivated residents from the Chicago area who…
Links
- Reconnecting America
- Reconnecting America is a national nonprofit working to integrate transportation systems and the communities they serve, with the goal of generating lasting public and private returns, improving economic and environmental efficiency, and giving consumers more housing and mobility choices. More info »
- Streetsblog
- Streetsblog is a daily news source, online community, and political mobilizer for the worldwide Livable Streets movement, working to transform our cities by reducing dependence on private automobiles and improving conditions for cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders. More info »
- Project for Public Spaces
- Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. Founded in 1975, PPS has become an internationally recognized center for best practices, information, and resources about Placemaking. MPC partnered with PPS to create “A Guide to Neighborhood Placemaking in Chicago.” More info »
More related links »
Visit the Placemaking Chicago web site, Chicagoland’s hub for information about Placemaking, to download the free “Guide to Neighborhood Placemaking in Chicago.”
Every month, Placemaking Chicago uncovers true stories about the region's great spaces. Check out this month's story on Montrose Beach.
Join a network for Placemaking in the Chicago region and around the world.
Collaborators
Partners
Project for Public Spaces, New York, NY
Funders
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Prince Charitable Trusts
