Using Shrubbery Greens To Produce Dollar Greens

Chicago will use the 'green-town' concept to bring economic revitalization to a distressed area.

1 minute read

July 30, 2003, 9:00 AM PDT

By Connie Chung


"Chicago officials have a plan for turning the Garfield Park Conservatory into a West Side economic engine: create a "green town" of landscaping businesses on a corridor near the park to fill vacant lots and provide jobs for residents...." The effort comes in response to a study that concludes that despite the success of luring thousands to the conservatory last year, it "failed to turn the windfall into lasting economic benefits for the West Side"--a low-income, high crime area. Officials hope that "a mile-long green town will capitalize on the conservatory's emphasis on plants and make Lake Street, from East Garfield Park toward downtown, a horticultural hub....National park organizations say a similar concept has revitalized areas around parks across the country, where farmers markets are set up on the periphery and attract other businesses....the farmers market idea also has helped grow businesses around parks in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Baltimore." LISC will work with the City to help attract green-town businesses, in addition to improving housing, health care and other business development in the area.

Thanks to Connie Chung

Tuesday, July 29, 2003 in The Chicago Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

6 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Black and white photo of San Francisco city hall neoclassical dome with person walking across crosswalk in foreground.

San Francisco Mayor Backtracks on Homelessness Goal

Mayor Dan Lurie ran on a promise to build 1,500 additional shelter beds in the city, complete with supportive services. Now, his office says they are “shifting strategy” to focus on prevention and mental health treatment.

3 hours ago - The San Francisco Standard

Brutalist grey department of housing and urban development building in Washington DC.

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response

Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

4 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Lancaster Boulevard with tree-lined median and wide sidewalks in Lancaster, California.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way

One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

5 hours ago - Streetsblog USA