Upcoming Events | January 2025
This year, it’s our New Year’s resolution to make Chicago more affordable & financially solvent, with safer streets and stronger transit for all!
To those aims, we have some upcoming member events and calls to activism for members:
Tactical Urbanism Visioning Session (Virtual) - 1/14
This will be hosted by tactical urbanism lead Eddie Lehwald. This is an open invite for anyone to brainstorm ways to make their neighborhoods safer, more pedestrian-friendly, and overall more inviting. It will be held virtually 1/14/25 at 5pm. Zoom details here.
City Hall Public Comment - 1/15
There will be a FINAL vote on reducing the city’s speed limit from 30mph to 25. When New York City lowered its speed limit the same amount, there was a 23% drop in yearly pedestrian fatalities. Email your alders expressing support for this effort! Or, better yet, show up in person to city hall on 1/15 to give public comment. Remember, no backpacks at city hall! Meeting begins at 10am, but they have a tendency to start late. Show up fifteen minutes early to ensure you enter your name for public comment!
Community Meeting - Support 615 Homes in Lincoln Yards - 1/15
After surviving some intense City Council drama, the proposal for 615 homes at 1840 N. Marcey has survived to see its "inclusionary application" era. This is the first project to pursue the "inclusionary application" approval route. Therefore, this should be a particularly interesting and impactful community meeting. Your attendance is greatly appreciated, regardless of where in Chicago you live! More details in the eventbrite here!
Rendering of the proposed development at 1840 N. Marcey in the proposed Lincoln Yards neighborhood
Urbanist Movie Night - 1/22
Since neighborhood walks would be difficult in the winter, we are hosting our first indoor watch party event in a few weeks! Join us at the Near North Branch Chicago Public Library on January 22nd from 6 PM to 7:30 PM to mingle, watch some Youtube videos, and discuss the question: “Why is Chicago Broke?” Capacity is limited, so while the event is free, registration is required. Tickets will go fast, so register at the eventbrite!
Strong Towns Book Club - 1/25
Strong Towns book club members are currently reading ‘The Battle of Lincoln Park’ by Chicago’s own Daniel Kay Hertz! Members will be meeting at Kapej Coffee at 11am Saturday, 1/25 to discuss the book. If you haven’t started the book yet but want to join, it’s a quick read! Be sure to join the #books slack channel if you haven’t already, and slack Caleb Schemmel if you have any questions!
Strong Towns Happy Hour - 1/29
Join Strong Towns for a happy hour and members meeting on 1/29 at Greystone Tavern in Wrigleyville. This will be an informal meetup for Strong Towns members to get to know each other, but also an opportunity to hear from initiative leads on what they’re working on and how to get involved! Eventbrite here!
Support Proactive Upzoning Along Broadway (Virtual) - 1/30
The DPD, along with the 46th, 47th, and 48th wards are holding a virtual public meeting to discuss the future of abundant housing on Broadway. This will be second major upzoning initiative in the city in recent times, after the Western upzoning. Upzoning will stabilize housing prices, increase CTA ridership, and increase the city’s taxbase. Register here!
Phew, no shortage of events or ways to advocate! As always, be sure to join us on our email list, Slack, Instagram, and BlueSky if you’re not already! And also share with your friends!
Happy New Year!
Aaron at Strong Towns Chicago
