Strategies for Preserving and Growing a Place of Urban Heritage

United on Argyle

Vitaliy VladimirovCommunity Development

Dr. Stacey SuttonSpring 2017

Cover and top right photos: Dave Suarez, courtesy of Uptown United

Table of Contents

What is a Place of Urban Heritage 5Chapter 1: Introduction 7 Chicago’s Asian Enclaves 8 History 10 Vision and Guiding Principles 12 Goals 13 Methodology 14 SWOT Analysis 15 Relationship with “Discover Asia on Argyle” 16Chapter 2: Neighborhood Profile 19 Uptown Demographics 20 Demographic Context 22 Community Assets 23 Argyle Streetscape 24 PublicandAffordableHousing 25 Argyle Night Market 26 Argyle Lunar New Year Parade 27Chapter 3: Retail Context 29 Retail Vacancies and Business Types 30 Late Night on Argyle 32Chapter 4: Recommendations 35 Explore Development Opportunity Sites 37 Expand Argyle Night Market 41 EncourageDaytimeTraffic 42 Plan a Taste of Argyle Event 42 Support Culinary Events 44 Hire Part-Time Argyle Liaison 44 Expand Business Support 44 Manage Key Retail Vacancies 45 DefinePlacemakingOpportunities 45Chapter 5: Implementation 47References 52List of Acronyms 53

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Houston’s Firth Ward (Houston Chronicle), Jersey City’s India Square (Jersey Digs)San Francisco’s Chinatown (Ricardo Sanchez), San Diego’s Little Italy (Jaime Partners),Miami’s Little Havana (Getty Images), Montreal’s La Village (Travel Media)

What is a “Place of Urban Heritage”

Whether it’s a Chinatown or Koreatown, Little Italy or Little Havana, Barrio or “Gayborhood,” mostcitiesbigandsmallhaveatleastone-butoftenseveral-geographicallydefinedethnicor cultural enclaves with a pronounced concentration of a particular minority. Whether a block-long, or taking up an entire district or neighborhood, these places often formed due to a number of socioeconomic events that drew that particular group there. Be it the promise of work,accesstosocialnetworks,ortobufferagainstdiscriminationorexclusion-macroandmicroeconomic forces conspired to concentrate minorities in a particular place. They in turn, overtime,havedefiedthoseforcestocreateplacesofentrepreneurship,culture,andmeaning.

These places often act as engines of culture, social capital, and economic mobility, boosting not just their vicinity but the host city as a whole by driving people to them. Their presence is also a celebration of cities’ pluralism. Years of activism, boosterism, and overcoming hostile bureaucracies gave rise to places of multi-layered communal sentiment, imbued with meaning by those who built them.

But, the success of these places often puts them at risk of displacement. Often through sheer persistence areas that once were undesirable or blighted are uplifted, making them into magnets for people and investment, sometimes displacing immigrants or making these communities too-expensive to remain as a port of entry. And while neighborhoods change, modern market forces conspire against these places’ historic status as the “other,” exacerbating displacement and diluting their sense of place.

Take Chicago’s Andersonville – for decades a popular destination for shopping, dining, and street festivals as well as a must-see stop for visiting Swedish tourists, most of its many local Swedish businesses have closed recently, including its nearly-century-old bakery in 2017. Plus,itslandmarkSwedish-flag-paintedwatertowerwasremovedin2014,erasingmuchofthe heritage that underpins its identity. Even if it remains a destination and “shop small capital of Chicago,” its heritage is all but gone. Similarly, many Chinatowns across America are dissipating,highlightingapressingneedtousetoolsofplanningtobufferthem.

And while some places have long, rich histories others form in the matter of a couple decades, oftenasaresponsetoaglobalevent,suchastheFallofSaigonthatspurredafloodofSouthEast Asian immigrants to America that gave birth to Uptown’s Little Saigon. Today called “Asia on Argyle,” it’s a pan-Asian business district that has all the ingredients to become a long-lasting place of urban heritage.

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A New Chinatown

Six miles north of Chicago’s Loop and two blocks west of Lake Michigan is a distinct commercial and cultural district adjacent to the Argyle El station. Set within Chicago’s north-side Uptown community area, this district loosely forms a T-shape and includes the three blocks of Argyle between Broadway and Sheridan Avenues and extends for several blocks along Broadway.

Despite its small size, this is a place packed with history and culture and the residential blocks surrounding the commercial core are some of the most diverse in the city, reflectingseveralrecentwavesofimmigration.

Argyle Street todayPhotos: DNAinfo Chicago

Fig. 1: Location of the Argyle district in relation to Uptown and Chicago’s Loop.

Chapter 1: Introduction

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Chicago’s Asian Enclaves

White Black Hispanic Other Asian

= 10,000 People

ChineseIndianFilipinoKoreanVietnameseJapaneseOther Asian

Chicago is a city known for its diversity, whichisreflectedinpartinthecity’s154,287residents of Asian descent. As in many cities in America, Chinese is the largest ethnicity within the Asian group, with over 42,000 residents.

Between 1990 and 2015, Chicago’s Asian population has grown across many of the city’s communities. In that time, Chicago’s historic Chinatown areas has grown to become as much as 86% Chinese, while an Indian enclave has grown up in the area near Devon Avenue, and Argyle’s small Asian community has managed to stay in place.

OthercommunitiessuchasHydePark,JeffersonPark,SouthLoop,and others also saw notable increases in the number of Asian residents and overall most north-west Chicago communities saw increases in the number of Asian residents living there.

Despite this, only a handful of Chicago census tracts exhibit concentrations of Asian residents greater than 15%, the minimum threshold to qualify as enclaves, and for the most part the city’s overall proportion of Asian residents remains deconcentrated.

This is in part thanks to Chicago’s current Asian residents enjoying far greater mainstream acceptance than past generations, who faced hostile nativist sentiments that forced them to cluster spatially -forcesthatgaverisetoethnicenclavesinthefirstplace.Despitethisimprovement,enclavesnonethelessbenefittheirhostcitiesbyboosting tourism, while also helping maintain the native culture and traditions of an immigrant group.

Fig 3: Chicago’s Asian Population, 1990-2015

Fig 2: Chicago Demographics, 2015

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Founded as a model suburb in the 1880s after speculator W. C. Goudy had a railroad extended through his land, the village was named Argyle Park after Goudy’s ties to Scotland’s Dukes of Argyll. The town was annexed to Chicago in 1889 and by 1908 there was an Argyle stop on the city’s nascent rail transit system, the same year Charlie Chaplin openedtheEssanayfilmstudiosthreeblocksaway.

Afterthefilmindustryleft,ArgylebecameJewish and a lavish cathedral-style synagogue was built on Winthrop in the 1920s. Eli Shulman openedacoffeeshopatArgyleandSheridan,which became Eli’s Cheesecakes.

By the 1960s, many of Uptown’s buildings were derelict and the neighborhood was designated for Urban Renewal projects. Appalachian and Native Americans migrants settled in the area and, together with Latin and Black gangs, fought for better housing conditions.

In 1971, the Hip Sing moved to Argyle to found a “New Chinatown.” The Fall of Saigon, however,precipitatedaninfluxofSouthEastAsian refugees who opened businesses alongside the Chinese. Charlie Soo advocated tirelessly for the area, with many calling him “Mayor of Argyle.” Soo’s accomplishments included securing renovations of the El station, which the CTA planned to close, and getting the city to repair sidewalks and streetlights. Soo passed away in 2001.

Recently,renewedfearsofgentrificationand development pressures have reignited discussions about protecting Argyle’s rich history and heritage – before it slips away.

Top: Argyle EL station in the 1940sMiddle: Argyle and Sheridan, 1955Bottom: Charlie Soo, the one-time “Mayor of Argyle”Photos: Chicago Tribune historical archives

History

Top to Bottom: Argyle Station, 1908; Eli’s Restaurant at Argyle/Sheridan, 1940s; shoppers on Argyle in 1980s; Mekong Cuisine in1980s;ArgyleElstation,1995;AsiaonArgyleidentifier,2014;Streetscaping ribbon cutting with the Mayor, 2016

1880 – Founded as village of Argyle Park

1908 – Argyle station opens

1916 – Charlie Chaplin leaves nearby Essanay Studios (1345 Argyle); Rail is elevated to become the El

1941 – Eli’s opens at Sheridan and Argyle (and then closes in 1962)

1960s – Urban Renewal projects demolish many of Uptown’s old buildings

1971– The Hip Sing move to Argyle; King’s, Argyle’s first Cantonese Chinese restaurant opens

1975 – Fall of Saigon spurs wave of South East Asian emigration

1981 – First “Taste of Argyle” festival; Chinese Mutual Aid Association founded

1983 – Mekong Restaurant, area’s first Vietnamese restaurant, opens at Argyle & Broadway

1990 – Restaurateur Lam Tom closes Mekong after his home is firebombed

1991 – CTA station renovated with pagoda and red/green colors

2010 – Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “West Argyle District”

2013 – First “Argyle Night Market” event

2014 – “Asia on Argyle” marker installed

2016 – “Shared Street” streetscaping completed; A 710-unit development announced for Argyle & Broadway

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Argyle will remain a one-of-a-kind, pan-Asian hub of culture and commerce, catering equally to Uptown’s diverse populace and visitors. Buildinguponthreedecadesofaccomplishmentsbylocalnonprofits,businesses, and residents, Argyle will stand side-by-side among Chicago’s better-known north-side neighborhoods.

Argyle’s character is retained and reinforced by fostering local pride in the district’s history and character and by carefully considering the potential implications new development has on the community.

Within this decade and beyond, Asia on Argyle will remain a lively, safe, clean, and vibrant community that will continue to welcome immigrants - both new and second-generation - and serve as a hub of culture along Chicago’s north lakefront.

Guiding Principles:

These principles help guide this document’s recommendations and aim to balance the needs of residents, businesses, and newcomers.

1. Community: Reinforce Argyle’s charm and sense of place

2. Economy: Recognize potential as a business incubator

3. Culture: Celebrate local traditions, arts, and events

4. Tourism: Draw visitors without commodifying the community

Dragon dancers at Argyle Night Market, 2016.Photo: Dave Suarez

Vision and Guiding Principles

1. Expand the district’s footprint by incorporating the businesses along Sheridan Avenue between Winona and Argyle Streets and revitalizing the block between Ainslie and Argyle Streets.

2. Support a resilient local business ecosystem that attracts entrepreneurs, area residents, and newcomers alike.

3. Build upon recent physical improvements to the district, including the “shared street” design, L station, and “Asia on Argyle” identity and marker.

4. Preserve and celebrate Argyle’s multi-layered history.

6. Provide actionable steps for community activists, planners,andcityofficialstosupportArgyle’sneeds.

Young participant at Argyle Night Market, 2016.Photo: Dave Suarez

Goals

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Methodology

Whileeachcommunityisdifferent,ethnicenclavesshare numerous characteristics and are most often considered as a single category, despite representing numerous ethnicities. A limited literature review was conducted with a particular interest in understanding the following topics:

• Residents’ Health: Does living in enclaves benefittheirresidents’wellbeing?Researchisinconclusive,butsuggeststhatbenefitsmaybelimited to certain cultures,

• Defining enclaves: There are inconsistent definitionsforenclaves,particularlyAsianAmerican ones, making studying them all the more challenging.

• Preserving Authenticity: Many once vibrant enclaves have declined thanks to encroachment from development or residents no longer being forced to live there. Preserving enclaves as tourism destinations raises issues of using culture as commodity.

• Co-Ethnic Benefits: Even as non-native minorities enjoy greater acceptance in American society, many still choose to cluster in enclaves - potentialy thanks to their capacity as bulwarks against assimilation.

• Co-Ethnic Business Location: Locating new businesses among coethnic peers seems to give entrepreneurs a boost tied to enclaves’ capacity to generate social capital, which gives new businesses a leg up. At the same time, sustaining growth requires that they reach beyond the enclave economy.

• Retail Patterns:Thespecificretailingneedsofvarious ethnic groups can be in odds with zoning rules, which planners must be aware of.

Literature Review Synthesis:This document seeks to build on Uptown United’s many yearsofworkingwithandtothebenefitoftheoverallArgyle business community by considering some of the trends and forces that have shaped it.

This work is founded on the premise that immigrants, bothfirstandsecond-generation,benefitfromremainingattached to their origins and that ethnic enclaves are ever-changing neighborhoods.

It also considers Argyle as a physical manifestation of Chicago’s rich multicultural mosaic and a distinct place where several ethnic groups are able to express and preserve their identity and cultural independence rather than be expected to assimilate into mainstream American culture.

Thedocumentexaminespastplanningeffortsandcasestudies from other enclaves both in Chicago and nation-wide, especially the recent Chinatown plan by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), while focusing on what the district needs currently.

Itskeyaimisnotto“Disneyfy”theareaforthesolebenefitof tourists and visitors, but remember that it is still a thriving, multinational community with residents of all ages and backgrounds, all of whom may experience this place indifferentwaysandhavedisparateneeds.

At the same time, it’s understandable that certain trends are irreversible and its key for the district to draw new patrons if it is to remain viable.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

• Varied concentration of authentic, fresh, diverse culinaryofferingswithinasmallspace

• Foodestablishmentsoffermultiplepricepoints,fromunder-five-dollarbanhmi,tohigher-endrestaurantfare

• Argyle is a well-regarded dining destination

• Nearbynon-profitsandorganizationsprovidebotha social net and boost local commerce through employee and client spending

• Specializedretailofferingssuchasherbs,Asianhomedecor, and beauty supply

• Destination for Asian groceries, both for locals and other restaurants

• Lake front proximity, transit access and location near a dense urban neighborhood

• Argyle continues to draw new Asian businesses - as seen in a recent spate of business openings

Opportunities:

• Filling commercial vacancies can diversify retail mix

• Promote lunch-time business to tap into nearby workforce and school populations

• Promote the Argyle area to a city-wide audience

• Promote regional variations within cuisines to broaden customer base

• Attract second-generation immigrants to Argyle for events and celebrations

• Market district to city’s sizable Asian population

Weaknesses:

• Small businesses are especially susceptible to rent and property tax hikes

• District’s small size impedes status as destination

• Lowfoottrafficduringweekdaysand non-peak hours

• Long-standing businesses susceptible to closure when owners retire

• Little district-wide collaboration between the businesses on initiatives or events

• No single vision for Argyle corridor

• Not as visible or recognized as Chinatown

• Ongoing perceived lack of safety and that businesses close early

• Ever-increasing rents act as a barrier to new immigrants

Threats:

• Competition from neighboring Edgewater and Andersonville

• Rising commercial rents prevents entrepreneurship and displacing long-standing businesses

• GentrificationdisplacingnearbyAsianresidents,turning this into a commercial district only

• CTA’s slated rebuilding of Argyle L station and viaduct could degrade businesses still recovering from streetscaping project

Considering all aspects of this district help addressing the challenges this community faces, while underscoring possibilities where the community may grow.

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In 2008, at the request of Uptown United, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) with the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), issued a technical report on how to grow Argyle’s local economy. The result of a year’s worth of study and a two-day round table with business owners and Uptown leaders, the report took great care to be sensitive to Argyle’s needs, assets, and challenges.

The report’s key goals were to expand the Argyle area’s footprint, improve the shopping and dining experience via placemaking and physical improvements, and also reinforce the area’s pan-Asian characterthroughaunifiedidentityandculturalevents.

Since its release, many of the reports’ recommendations have been realized. The Argyle Night Market, launched in 2013 as a weekly event series in July and August, has gone on to be a popular local attraction, with nearby restaurants, vendors, groceries, and live music and entertainment drawing a sizable crowd each week. Also, an “Asia on Argyle” marker was installed in 2014 over Argyle Street on the west side of the viaduct. Despite initial objections over costs and design - notably its letters are all lowercase - the sign has recently been joined by a matching pillar at the Broadway and Argyle intersection.

Other ideas, such as culinary tours, gateway features, an association of restaurant owners, and a proposed senior housing development remain unrealized.

This document updates and builds upon the 2008 ULI report, considers citywide and national trends, and considers lessons from recent research as it relates to the Argyle district.

Relationship with “Discover Asia on Argyle” Technical Report

Top:IdentifierconceptfromULIreportBottom:Current“AsiaonArgyle”identifier

Photo: DNAinfo Chicago

Short-term Mid-term Long-term

Goal 1: Expand the Argyle District to include Broadway from Gunnison on the south to Winona Street on the north.

Incorporate banners and signage to reorganize identity of the district and invite visitors.

Develop unifying visual concept to tie Broadway and Argyle and establish an identity.

Redevelop parking lot owned by the Vietnamese Association of Illinois on Winthrop north of Argyle into senior housing.

Gateway features at Broadway and Gunnison, Broadway and Winona, and Argyle and Sheridan.

Broadway median planters and sidewalk bumpouts.

Update and repair the CTA station in a contemporary Asian style.

Implement land use controls to encourage retail over service at along Broadway and Argyle.

Goal 2: Create a community of sustainable businesses that engages and attracts area residents.

Enhance shopping experience with improved lighting inside stores and out, removing burglar bars, and simpler window displays.

Keep businesses open later to accommodate more clients and enhance feeling of safety.

Diversify the types of goods and services available to encourage repeat business as long as the corridor maintained its Asian identity overall.

Cooking and food-related classes at area markets.

Form an association of restaurant owners to identify and pursue projects that support common interests.

Connect business leaders to area block clubs.

Parking meters along Argyle and side streets.

Goal 3: Create a landmark identity reflecting the area’s diversity and appealing to a broader market.

WayfindingonLakeShoreDr.andwithin the community. Provide directions to parking.

Rebrand district as “Asia on Argyle.” Strengthen this with streetscape and gateway.

Repair and upgrade the CTA elevated train station with a cultural feel.

Cultural events in area restaurants and other spaces.

Work with DCASE to develop area tours. Establish a cultural

centerreflectingArgylenationalities.Preserve architectural elements

and enhance facades

Provide Asian-style entertainment

Establish an Asian Night Market - held annually, then quarterly.

= Achieved= Partially achieved= Unrealized

Fig 4: Status of Recommendations from 2008 “Discover Argyle” ULI Report

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Argyle Street todayPhotos: DNAinfo Chicago

Asia on Argyle

Though often called either New Chinatown or Little Saigon, more recently its been given the “Asia on Argyle” moniker aspartofeffortstogivetheareaacohesiveidentityand“brand.” This push was a recommendation from the 2008 ULI report and while some locals consider it to exclude the area’s non-Asian residents and businesses, its largely been accepted by the community.

Most visibly, the moniker is on a colorful gate-like feature built at the east side of the El viaduct. A matching marker that just says “Argyle” was installed in the median of the Argyle and Broadway intersection.

Despiteofficials’effortstobrandthecommunity,demographictrendsshowacontinuedoutflowofAsianresidents from the area and an overall population decline across Uptown.

Chapter 2: Neighborhood Profile

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Uptown Demographics

Uptown has, for years, held a reputation as being an exceptionally heterogeneous community. A 2008 DePaul Chaddick Institute study1 even ranked Uptown as one of the city’sfivemostdiverseneighborhoods-bothracially and economically - noting that 38% of its residents are foreign-born and that:

“Its promoters see protecting ‘rich diversity’ as critical to achieving important neighborhood goals, which include making improvements to its business core, developing an entertainment district, and revitalizing the neighborhood as a whole.”

The study notes that Uptown is being reshaped and that groups work to keep it affordable,eventhoughrecentinvestmentshavecateredprimarilytothewell-off.Itnotesthat the diversity of Uptown and several other neighborhoods is unusual in Chicago and that thanks to factors such as the city’s long history of housing segregation, Chicago will, for the foreseeable future, remain “the most segregated major city in the country.”

1Fischer, L., & Joseph, P. S. (2008). A Kaleidoscope of Culture: Measuring the Diversity of Chicago’s Neighborhoods.

Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, DePaul University.

Fig 5: Uptown demographics and demographic trends

Between1990and2015,mostofUptownsawasignificantgrowth in the proportion of white residents – as much as 55% in one census tract – while the proportion of non-white residents has mostly shrunk. Notably, the neighborhood shrunk by nearly 8,702 residents and had 7,996 fewer Hispanic residents in 2015. Uptown also shed over 3,247 Asian residents in this period, throwing into question how sustainable its diversity is in the long-term.

A 2016 DNAinfo headline.

Fig 6: Uptown demographic changes bu census tract, 1990-2015

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Fig 7: Distribution of Chinese in Chicago’s north-west communities in 1990 and 2015

Fig 8: Distribution of Vietnamese in Chicago’s north-west communities in 1990 and 2015

Demographic ContextBetween 1990 and 2015, the proportion of Chinese and Vietnamese residents living in Uptown and Chicago’s north-west communities has changed noticeably.

Since 1990, the number of Chinese residents has declined across all of Chicago’s north-west neighborhoods, while the Vietnamese population has spread across numerous communities, with Argyle losing some of its standing as a north-side Chinatown/Little Saigon. Notably, Devon Avenue within the West Ridge community, better known as an Indianenclave,hasseenaninfluxof Vietnamese residents in this time period.

1990

1990

2015

2015

Fig 9: Argyle-related community assets in Uptown

TheArgylecommunitybenefitsfromnumerouslong-standing institutions that help strengthen its identity and vibrancy. Long-standing service agencies, Buddhist Temples, and a multi-lingual local library all help support the community.

Asian Human Services operates separate workforce andmentalhealthcenters,St.ThomasoffersmassinVietnamese, and the South-East Asia Center runs its own school and adult center.

Community Assets

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Argyle StreetscapeThe City of Chicago recently invested $5 million on repaving Argyle between Broadway andSheridanasthecity’sfirstever“sharedstreet.”

The project included replacing the 125-year old water mains and was largely paid for with stormwater abatement funding, the street’s design includes bioswales and permeable paving, along with new LED streetlights.

And although completed ahead of schedule thanks to a mild winter, many adjacent businesses were still hampered by months of construction and report not seeing any boost intrafficpost-construction.

Tobufferbusinessesagainsttheconstruction,Uptown United partnered with the 48th Ward for the “Open on Argyle” campaign to encourage locals to continue shopping in the area. Also, weekly construction meetings were held to appraise the owners about what was happening when, helping bring stakeholders who otherwise don’t communicate much.

And while drivers have adapted to the new design after months of confusion, the street remains a work in progress, lacking street trees, seating, and a sense that its safe for pedestrians to share the street with cars.

Now that maintaining the street has fallen to Uptown United, the agency is also charged with building upon the infrastructure investmentinmaximizingitsbenefittothecommunity.

Top: Argyle Streetscape rendering, Site DesignBottom: Streetscaping in-progress, DNAinfo

Despite recent trends toward a proliferation of luxury housing in the area, Argyle retains a concentration of low-income and public housing. Heartland Housing, Mercy Housing, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), and others maintain facilities near the Argyle district with a total of771publicandaffordableunitsinthevicinityandUptownisoftenthought of containing the largest number of housing units designated asaffordableofall77Chicagocommunityareas-anumberthatinpractice remains hard to quantify.

These units exist in converted historic hotels and SROs and are unknown to many Uptown residents, except the Urban Renewal-era, tower-in-the-park CHA senior housing tower at Sheridan and Argyle that is the tallest building in the area.

Also, all three Uptown CHA properties are designated as senior housingandamongdedicatedaffordablehousingfewunitsarelargerthan one bedroom presenting barriers for young people and families to remain in the neighborhood.

Public and Affordable Housing

Name: William Castleman

Apts.

Somerset Apts.

The Kenmore Harold Washington

Apts.

Delmar Apts.

Major Jenkins

Apts.

San Miguel Apts.

Units: 201 16 100 69 163 160 62

Agency: CHA Private CHA Mercy Housing

Mercy Housing

Mercy Housing

Heartland Housing

Type: Senior Mixed Income Senior Supportive Supportive Supportive Affordable

Address: 4945 N. Sheridan

5009 N. Sheridan

5040 N. Kenmore

4946 N. Sheridan.

5042 N. Winthrop

5012 N. Winthrop

907 W. Argyle

Fig10:PublicandaffordablehousingadjacenttotheArgyledistrict

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Arecommendationofthe2008ULIreport,theeventwaslaunchedfiveyears ago and has become a popular annual attraction. Each Thursday evening in July and August the block of Argyle between Sheridan and Kenmore is turned into an open-air festival with food, vendors, and live music. Launched by Uptown United, the event is a partnership with the 48th Ward, the 20th Police District, and the Chicago Department of CulturalAffairs&SpecialEvents(DCASE).

Modeled after events common in Asian cities, each of the events draws roughly 5,000 attendees to enjoy the festivities. Many nearby restaurants set up stalls along with local vendors selling food, produce, and goods. Either a DJ or live performances accompany the event, and atthefinalNightMarketinAugust,theChineseMutualAidAssociation(CMAA)bringsitslionandfandancerstocapofftheseason.

In 2016, Uptown United hired several part-time “market managers” to help coordinate the setup and tear-down of each market, helping alleviate some of the logistical hurdles in putting on the event series.

And while part of the reasoning for the Argyle streetscaping was to make it easier for the street host event such as this, the awkwardly-shaped bioswales limit the amount of space available for vendors, hamperingtheevent’sabilitytoeventuallybecomeprofitable.

Argyle Night Market

Photos: Dave Suarez, Courtesy of Uptown United

One of the area’s longest standing traditions is the annual Lunar New Year celebration. The festivities typically include dragon dancers, firecrackers,music,andasmallparadewithahandfuloffloats.Traditionally sponsored by the Hip Sing Association, recently the event has been organized by Uptown United in partnership with local business owners.

Called Tet in Vietnamese, on Argyle the event becomes a cross-cultural celebration that draws numerous onlookers and guests.

Recently, Uptown United has worked with Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism bureau, to publicize the event to a broader audience and while Argyle’s festivities are smaller than similar events in Chinatown, the2017celebration-thefirstsincetherecentstreetscapingwascomplete - nonetheless drew up to 1,000 onlookers and revelers.

Coordinatingthefirecrackersisthesinglelargestlogisticalhurdle,and a key cultural aspect of the festivities - the dragon dancers go frombusinesstobusiness,lightingthefirecrackerstosymbolicallyhelp secure good fortune for the coming year. To do so, the city has begunrequiringaseparatefireworkspermitthattypicallytheHipSing have secured. In 2017, the group didn’t secure the permit in time and although the festivities proceeded as usual, the prospect oftherenotbeingfireworksattheNewYearCelebrationwouldbeadisappointment.

Argyle Lunar New Year Parade

Top: Lunar New Year, 2016Bottom: Lunar New Year, 1983.

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Argyle Street todayPhotos: DNAinfo Chicago

United on Argyle

Argyle is most notable for being a dense commercial district, packed with over 50 restaurants and cafes within just a few city blocks. This concentration is well-known locally and is a magnet for foodies eager to sample Argyle’s diverse culinary offerings.

Several of these are old enough that they’re nearly institutions - like Sun Wah BBQ or Furama - and are now run by second generations. Many others - like Miss Saigon and Cafe Ciat - are newer.

Aside from the eateries, the district includes several large grocerystores-themselvesdestinations-andretailofferingselling herbs, gifts, liquor, and more. Services like nail salons andprofessionalbusinessessuchasdoctors’officesroundout the district. Argyle also includes a notable concentration of beauty supply wholesalers - 10 within its small footprint.

The district also includes several prominent vacancies, presenting both opportunities and challenges to its cohesion andfledgingstatusasadestination.

Chapter 3: Retail Context

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Retail Vacancies and Business Types

Despite a prevalence of ground level retail vacancies, new businesses continue to open within the district - mostly pan-Asian eateries. Kung Fu Tea and Bambu Drinks are both national franchise chains that opened on Broadway within months of each other and Miss Saigon and T’Oui, meanwhile, are both second businesses of local restaurateurs, highlighting that the district’s market potential is recognized both nationally and locally.

While Argyle’s tremendous concentration of bakeries, cafes, and restaurants is its key strength, a successful retail corridor needs avarietyofofferingstostayvibrant.Luckily,Argyle has a number of salons, gift shops, andotherretailofferingsthatcomplementitseateries.

Since 2008, the area’s share of restaurant and service businesses have grown, while the proportion of retail and grocery businesses have shrunk.

Fig 11: Current retail vacancies and recent new businesses in the Argyle district.

Fig 12: Argyle District business types in 2017 (left) and from 2008 ULI Argyle report (right)

New businessVacantArgyle district

Jennifer Pham did not think she would end up taking over her father’s long-standing medical center and pharmacy at Argyle and Withrop, but when he began talking about retirement and selling the business, she couldn’t stand losing the place where she spent much of her childhood. Today, she’s retooling the business as an East-meets-West pharmacy.

Open since 1983, Mini TX has been an invaluable resource to Uptown’s immigrant community. Her father, Nam Pham, immigrated to the States in 1975 and – despite not speaking English – earned a pharmacy degree in Iowa before moving to Chicago. Drawn to Argyle’s growing Vietnamese community, he saw a need in a specialized pharmacy to serve locals whodidn’tspeakEnglish,becomingoneofthefirstVietnamese immigrants to open a shop on Argyle and helping cement the area’s vibrancy for years to come.

Not much has changed since then, but as Jennifer gradually takes over the business, she has big plans forthepharmacy.Sheplanstobecomeacertifiedpharmacy technician to be able to continue serving Mini TX’s established South East Asian clientelle, while also expanding the pharmacy’s services to include acupuncture and nutrition. Her plans also include new signage, replacing the awnings, and installing a large mural facing Winthrop to enliven this key intersection.

©2017 Uptown United. Reprinted with permission.

Business Profile: Mini TX Pharmacy

A recent study1 considered enclaves’ role in shaping business growth and whether locating within one benefitedentrepreneursbyconductingin-person,bulingual interviews with 110 Chinese restaurateurs in Sydney (Zolin, 2016). The article examines the symbiotic relationship of role of enclaves and social capital growth, a topic previously hinted at in other literature.

Thestudyfindsthatenclavesallowentrepreneurstotap into coethnic social capital, which in turn provides a boost without which non-native entrepreneurs would be deprived of opportunities. This provides a boost thathelpsbusinessesgrowintheirfirstseveralyears.

Enclaves seem to help mobilize social capital, benefitingenterprisingimmigrantsbyhelpingidentifymarkets and resources – thus in itself becoming a keyresourcetoaccess.Thefindingssuggestthatnon-nativeentrepreneursbenefitfromstartingtheirventures within an enclave.

However,itsfindingsshowthatmaturebusinessesneed non-coethnic capital to sustain growth, suggesting that businesses will need to reach beyond the enclave to sustain growth.

1. Zolin, R., & Chang, A. (2016). Social Capital or EthnicEnclaveLocation?AMultilevelExplanationofImmigrant Business Growth. International Business Review, 58(5), 453-463. doi:10.1002/tie.21754

Enclaves and Entrepreneurship

Seafood Hot Pot, which opened on Argyle in 2016Photo: Chinese Yellow Pages

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Fig 13: Argyle Grocery Closing Times by Day

Fig 14: Argyle Bakery Closing Times by Day

Name: Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.Broadway Supermarket

8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM

Hoa Nam 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM

Viet Hoa Plaza 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

New Sam’s Food Mart

12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM

Tai Nam Market 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM

Old World Market 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 8:00 PM

Name: Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.Chiu Quon Bakery 6:00 PM – 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM

La Patisserie P 7:00 PM – 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 7:00 PM

Lucks Food 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM – 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

A frequently-heard complaint about the district is that its 50-plus food establishments don’t stay open late enough to accommodate the shopping and dining preferences of El riders, millenials, working professionals, and attendees to events at the planned Uptown Entertainment District.

However, a survey of the area’s businesses’ posted hours shows a wide range of closing times. Miss Saigon and Bambu Tea, restaurants that opened in 2016, close as late as 1 am and long-time favorite Sun Wah BBQ closes at midnight on the weekends.

This discrepancy can potentially discourage late night traffictothesebusinessesandkeeptheestablishmentsfrom extending their hours even when there’s demand.

Late Night on Argyle

Name: Cuisine: Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.Sun Wah BBQ C 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 9:00 PM

Ba Le Sandwiches V 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Huong Giang V 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM

Furama C 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Silver Seafood C 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM

Dong Ky C/V 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM

Le’s Pho V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Pho Vietnamese V 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Immm Rice Thai 12:00 AM – 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 9:30 PM

Tank Noodle V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM – 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 9:00 PM

Pho 888 V 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:00 AM

Honeymoon Café C/V – 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:00 PM

Miss Saigon V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 1:00 AM 1:00 AM 9:00 PM

Pho Loan V 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM – 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Thai Pastry Thai 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 10:00 PM

Kung Fu Tea C/V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Bambu Tea V 12:00 AM 12:00 AM – 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM

Pho 777 V – 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 9:00 PM

Hai Yen V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM – 10:00 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:00 PM

Hon Kee C 9:00 PM – 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Red Lantern C 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Nha Hang V 10:00 PM – 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Café Hoang V 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:00 PM

Pho Xe Lua V 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM – 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM

Uptown Pho V 10:00 PM – 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 9:00 PM

Masala Indian Indian – 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Family House C 9:30 PM 9:30 PM – 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 10:30 PM 9:30 PM

Seafood Hot Pot C 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 11:30 PM 11:30 PM 11:00 PM

Tweet American 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM

Kie-Gol-Lanee Mexican 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Lao Sze Chuan C 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 11:00 PM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 9:30 PM

Fat Cat American 2:00 AM 2:00 AM 2:00 AM 2:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 3:00 AM

Pho Lilly V 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM

Nhu Lan V – 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

China Café C – 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 9:30 PM

Dib Sushi Thai 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 10:00 PM

Shan Restaurant Indian 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM 12:00 AM

VN Tofu & Fast Food C/V 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM - 7:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM

Fig 15: Argyle Restaurant Closing Times by Day

C = ChineseV = Vietnamese

C/V = Chinese and Vietnamese

Sun Wah BBQ is one of Argyle’s oldest restaurantsPhoto: Uptown Update

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Scenes from Argyle’s Night Market and Lunar New Year ParadePhotos: Dave Suarez, Courtesy of Uptown United

United on Argyle

Whilesignificantaccomplishmentshavebeenmadeinrealizinggoals to grow and strengthen the Argyle district, as set out in the 2008 ULI study, much work remains and today the community faces new threats that could undermine this recent progress.

Changing demographics and the area’s decline in non-white residents presents a challenge in maintaining the district as the cultural destination that it has only recently become.

The following ideas consider the needs of the district

• Community: Reinforce Argyle’s charm and sense of place

• Economy: Recognize potential as a business incubator

• Culture: Celebrate local traditions, arts, and events

• Tourism: Draw visitors without commodifying the community

Chapter 4: Recommendations

35

Explore Development Opportunity Sites

OngoingProposedOpportunity sitesArgyle Streetscaping

Numerous buildings have either broken ground or are proposed for construction in Uptown, including the Argyle area.CedarSt.,aprolificnorth-sidedeveloperhasthreeprojects underway near Argyle, including a $150 million projecttoconvertanexistingofficebuildingandsurfacelot into hundreds of apartments.

Plus, despite the area’s built up environment, four sites present opportunities to add housing and density to the area. Redeveloping the VAI surface lot as senior housing was a recommendation from the 2008 report, but since then the city has passed a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) ordinance, minimizing the number of on-site parking spaces new development needed to include.

Fig 16: Opportunity sites within the district

Once a Vietnamese grocery store, this site has been vacant since 2011. The parcel’s zoning and prime location make it a key redevelopment opportunity for the neighborhood that can catalyze the entire block.

This parcel has been vacant for at least a decade, a rarity among Uptown’s dense urban fabric. Filling this gap could help better tie the Argyle district to Uptown.

This parcel was converted into a parking lot for the adjacent Mosaic of Uptown clinic in 2016. In the near future, it could be redeveloped yet again to provide affordablehousingorexpandtheclinic’sservices.

Thisparcelwasidentifiedforredevelopmentintoseniorhousing in the 2008 ULI report on Argyle, but still remains asurfacelot.Andwhilethesitebenefitsfromthecity’srecent TOD ordinance, any development here would likely still include parking to accommodate weekend shoppers and locals who use the lot.

1. Trung Viet parcel (4932-36 N. Sheridan)

2. Vacant parcel (4924 N. Sheridan)

3. Mosaic of Uptown surface lot (4900 N. Kenmore)

4. VAI parking lot (5013-37 N. Winthrop)

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Aside from minimizing parking requirements, the city’s TOD ordinance also provides density bonuses to certain zoning districts within half a mile of transit. However, these sites’ current zoning does not permit taking advantage of this. Thus, development proposals should go through a zoning amendment to maximize the number of units that can be built, although since the 4900 N Kenmore site is within a residential area, its potential to be zoned as Business of Commercial is less than the other three sites’ potential to rezone as B3-3, thus a higher density Residential zoning is suggested.

AddingtwofivestorybuildingsonSheridanwouldbecongruentwith the 22-story CHA tower across the street, the adjacent 14-story apartment building at the other end of the block, and a six-story apartment building behind it. This proposal assumes that the vintage single family home between the two sites would remain. Buying and demolishing it could allow for a large development with more units, but would not congruent with the district’s current prevalence of smaller buildings and retail spaces under 20,000 square feet.

Redeveloping the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI)’s surface lot on North Winthrop was a recommendation in the 2008 ULI report and should still be considered.

Instead of senior housing, market ratewithaffordablehousingonsiteshould be explored - with a reduction in the number of spaces available to accomodate both weekend shoppers and the parcels’ proximity to transit.

1. Identify maximum allowed density2. Advocate for zoning change to B3-3/RM-5.53. Insist that affordable units be built on-site4. Partner with Alderman’s Office for visioning

workshops to engage residents about the sites’ potential and determing what retail use is best

5. Develop cut sheets with market data6. Distribute cut sheets to pre-selected developers

Recommended Actions:

VAI Surface Lot

4924 N. Sheridan 4932-36 N. Sheridan 4900 N. Kenmore 5013-37 N. WinthropSize 7,158 sq. ft. 14,880 sq. ft. 15,031 sq. ft. 30,020 sq. ft.Current Zoning B3-2 B3-2 RT-4 B3-1Current FAR 2.2 2.2 1.2 1.2Proposed zoning B3-3 B3-3 RM-5.5 B3-3Proposed FAR 4 4 2.5 3.5Current Use Vacant Land Vacant Building Surface lot Surface lotPlanned Use Mixed Use Mixed Use Residential Lot and residentialProposed Retail 5,000 sq. ft. 11,000 sq. ft. 0 0Currently-Allowed Housing Units 7 14 12 15

Proposed Number of Units 18 35 20 55

Proposed Stories 5 5 3 3Proposed on-site parking 4 8 35 75

Fig 17: Proposed elevation view of Sheridan Rd., south of Argyle Street.

Fig 18: Comparing proposed developments

Upzoningthesetwopropertieswouldmaximizecommunitybenefitbyallowing more housing units to be built there, bringing more residents to the community who could patronize the nearby commercial corridor.

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InitsfifthyearandheldThursdayeveningsinJulyandAugust, the event series has become the neighborhood’s marquee event, with each iteration attracting a few thousand to Argyle. Thus, expanding both the event’s footprintandthenumberofweeksitisheldcouldbenefitUptown United by making the event more sustainable and growingitsprofiletomaximizethetimeandresourcesinvested by the agency in planning the events.

Funded through a mix of grants, city funds, and sponsorship, adding more spaces for vendors and additional weeks would let Uptown United collect additional booth fees and sponsorship dollars to support the event. Uptown United would realize economies of scale in planning a longer or bigger event series, with the additional time or space requiring less resources than putting a whole new event. The agency has hired Market Managers previously and should continue to do so, using monies earned from growing the event to fund additional supporttominimizethestafftimeneeded.

Attendees remark that they wished that the Night Market last longer, possibly through September when Chicago’s weather is more mild, and peak street-festival season in the city. Plus, the spaces available to vendors isn’t enough to accommodate all interested and there is usually a wait-list for a booth. This is in part because booth fees are relatively low - under $50 per week. Uptown United should research similar events to see if its fees are too low. Since somevendorsarelocalnonprofits,UptownUnitedshouldkeep several spaces low-cost, while raising fees for those selling food and goods at the event.

The agency has previously struggled with one or more vendors sporadically not showing up to the event, causing big gaps that dampen the festivities. Raising fees could discourage that, but Uptown United should explore developing“filler”content,suchasposterswithhistoricphotos or art that could be put in place at moment’s notice if a vendor fails to show.

In expanding the market’s footprint, Uptown United will need to work with CDOT on closing the Argyle/Kenmore intersection and also neighboring Viet Hoa Plaza grocery store to either keep its parking lot accessible for shoppers during event hours, or make it part of the festivities. Uptown United could initially take over just a half block and continue expanding if demand merits it.

Uptown United can also better use the Night Markets to help reinforce the area’s culture and history by displaying historic photos, collecting attendees’ oral histories, and similar art- or history-based activities. The agency could use the opportunity to promote the area’s amenities by highlighting certain businesses or distributing marketing materials such as hyper-local coupons to encourage attendees to return to the district.

And while the events always draw a diverse crowd, Uptown United should advertise the event in Chicago’s Chinese and Asian newspapers and media. Night Markets are common in Asian cities, but Chicago’s Chinatown has yet to host one, making Argyle’s event a unique, particularly Asian event in the city and advertising it to moreofthecity’s140,000Asianresidentscouldbenefitthe district as a whole by building awareness of the district as a traditional destination on par with Chinatown.

Expand the Argyle Night Market

1. Expand market footprint2. Plan additional weeks3. Raise booth fees for for-profit vendors4. Develop “filler” content in case vendors fail

to show5. Consider coupons/hyper-local guides6. Explore advertising event in Asian media

Recommended Actions:

A typical vendor arrangement from the 2016 season with the Culture Coach music/entertainment stage at Sheridan Road. This instance saw 27 vendors and even though some weeks its less, vendor booths are still packed tight between the street’s bioswales.

Potential way to extend the market to include the intersection. Uptown United would need to work with CDOT and the Police to know how to secure the street closure and maintain access for emergency vehicles.

Fig 19: Typical vendor arrangement at the Argyle Night Market

Fig 20: Potential vendor arrangement that includes the Argyle/Kenmore intersection

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Encourage Daytime Traffic Plan a Taste of Argyle Event

While Argyle is well-known locally as a destination for night-timeeatingout,thedistrictcouldbenefitfromadditional daytime business, which the 2008 ULI report also commented on.

Uptown’srobustnonprofitsectoremploysupwardsof 4,000, nearby Truman and St. Augustine colleges combinedhavefacultyandstaffof25,000,andadjacentcommunities are easily accessible via the L - giving Argyle access to a deep pool of potential customers.

AndsincemostArgylebusinessesalreadyofferlunchtimespecials, Uptown United could act as a facilitator in helping local businesses access the neighborhood’s substantial daytime population by advertising local food as an option for lunch-time by broadcasting existing deals and promoting the district’s extensive dining options.

ThismarketingwouldbeabenefitofChambermembership and could help grow the agency’s roster of member business.

Taste of Argyle was an event originally planned by Charlie Soo and held on the street in the 1980s. Uptown United should explore reviving the event, particularly since the agency has planned a successful “Taste of Uptown” event in 2016.

Dinner,wine,anddessertcrawlsareacommonfixtureacross many Chamber of Commerce calendars and Argyle being both distinct and compact would make an ideal site for such an event.

The 2016 “Taste of Uptown” did not include Argyle but was a sold-out success, raising several thousand for the agency and showing that there’s plenty of demand. Uptown United could adapt a similar approach on Argyle, orpartnerwithanearbynonprofittosharetheplanningand logistical overhead.

1. Explore if agency has adequate capacity2. Choose a date for potential event 3. Engage business who’ve previously

participated in local events4. Target businesses to participante

Recommended Actions:

1. Define position roles and responsibilities2. Dedicate funding to the position - either

through internal means or a mix of sponsorship and other funds

3. Recruit locally if possible

Recommended Actions:

1. Solicit lunch-time specials from businesses2. Explore targeted social media ads3. Develop a lunch-time eating out guide4. Consider a daytime frequent eater perk/

discount

Recommended Actions:

1. Select local partner non-profit2. Encourage partner to apply for SSA-funded

community events grant3. Develop a culinary guide with recipes4. Explore available state/grant funding

Recommended Actions:

Support Culinary Events Hire Part-Time Argyle Liaison

Sinceplanninganentirelyneweventrequiresmanystaffhours, Uptown United could instead coordinate several smaller events to stimulate interest in the area’s culinary heritage.

In 2016, Axis Lab, a multidisciplinary team of Argyle-based artists and planners, have hosted a set of open-house events on Argyle with tremendous success. Uptown United should either take on some of the coordinating work or support Axis Lab in coming years with a community event grant.

Other events could be hands-on cooking demos or workshopsexplainingthespecificsofthemanydishesand ingredients found in the cuisines served on Argyle, for whichUptownUnitedcouldpartnerwithanon-profitlikethe Peterson Garden Project who already have a robust cooking class schedule as part of their work.

Uptown United could also develop a culinary guide with recipes and informations detailing Argyle’s cuisines and regional variations.

Uptown United should explore if state/grant funding is available for this type of work.

Despite Uptown United’s many successes doing community development work on Argyle, working with that community still presents several challenges, such aslanguagebarriersandthefactthatstaffareunabletodedicate themselves solely to Argyle since the agency works on behalf of all of Uptown.

Thus, Uptown United should recruit an Argyle liaison to more directly work with the community. An ideal candidate wouldneedtobefluentinMandarinorVietnamese,have familiarity with the district, and have previous event planning experience.

This person would take on the role of Argyle Night Market Market Manager and help the agency put on current and proposed events in the area.

1985 Taste of Argyle festival. Archival photo.

43

Expand Business Support

Recent businesses:

• Alchemia Hair Salon

• Miss Saigon

• Kung Fu Tea

• Bambu Drinks

• Café Ciat

• T’Oui Café

• Kie-Gol-Lanee

• Seafood Hot Pot

Manage Key Retail Vacancies Define Placemaking Opportunities

While Uptown United has access to CoStar, a commercial retail vacancy database, the resource is incomplete and does not accommodate Uptown United’s hyper-local knowledge. The agency has also previously maintained its own list of retail vacancies and should consider doing so again to complement the CoStar data.

Doingsocanhasproventobetedious,requiringstafftocontact brokers, agents, and property owners and walking the neighborhood, but having CoStar data should make theworkeasier.Thepayoffwouldbegreaterinsightintowhat properties are available at any given time and closer contacts to building owners for various other agency initiatives.

To make the data most useful, cut sheets should be developed for these properties - one-page documents highlighting area market potential and demographics to help attract tenants to the area’s vacant retail.

This project is ideal for an intern to take on, or the part-time Argyle liaison and numerous open-data census and market data is available, which just needs to be compiled and analyzed.

Uptown United has recently undertaken several placemaking projects such as exploring sites for murals and public art, and installing posters in vacant storefront windows. The many events the agency plans are another kind of placemaking, endearing Uptown to residents and numerous visitors.

As Uptown United continues its work in the Argyle area, it should make note of placemaking opportunities, including vacant storefronts, alleyways, blank walls, and the like.

Having close working relationships with property owners is key to being able to implement any ideas.

UptownUnitedbenefitsfromcloseworkingrelationshipswith many of Argyle’s businesses through the agency’s work on the Argyle Night Market, the recent streetscaping, and past initiatives.

Recently, in tandem with the streetscaping, Uptown UnitedmadeapointedefforttoadvertiseSpecialServiceArea (SSA) and City of Chicago small business programs available to local businesses, even walking the commercial corridor with the Alderman to promote them. The result has been an up-tick in interest in businesses wanting to improve their facades, make security improvements, and use the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funded Small Business Improvement Funds (SBIF) program for interior renovations.

The result is refreshed street wall that is more welcoming for visitors both old and new. Building on these successes would help the retail district become even more sustainable, and could help spur additional investment in the area.

First, Uptown United should survey the recent businesses owners better to understand why businesses continue to choose Argyle. This could be done as part of their member recruiting outreach and can be replicated across the neighborhood to help drive economic development, but with special understanding of the needs of the Argyle district.

To reinforce the district’s Asian American business community and continue drawing Asian businesses to the district, Uptown United should broker a connection with the Asian American Small Business Association. Founded by Charlie Soo, the one-time “Mayor of Argyle,” the organization supports Chicago Asian American professionals and may be a means of introducing the Argyle area to those looking to site their businesses.

1. Design a business owner survey2. Ideally, have the survey translated 3. Hold business owner focus group or

one-on-one in-person surveys4. Explore Asian entrepreneur outreach 5. Encourage sidewalk cafes by publicizing

the SSA’s newest cafe rebate program

1. Recruit summer intern/Argyle liaison2. Perform mark3. Perform periodic walking retail inventory4. Download area-specific market data

to develop cut sheets to promote the vacancies

1. Tally agency’s property owners contacts and connections

2. Broker connections with area artists3. Target a handful of locations as pilot sites 4. Define budget and scale for projects 5. Focus energies on single site at a time

Recommended Actions: Recommended Actions: Recommended Actions:

While many area businesses are long-standing, several others are brand new. Uptown United should take particularcareinsupportingthesefledgingbusinessestoensure they survive for years to come:

45

Top: Dave Suarez, Courtesy of Uptown UnitedBottom: Uptown Update

Argyle is Alive

Uptown United is already committed to numerous initiatives in the Argyle area and it this document realizes that the agency may be limited in its capacity to take on new work.

However, implementing these ideas does not have to be done at once and projects can staggered as capacity allows. At the same time, Uptown United is a robust agency with a proven track record of successfully launching and implementing numerous projects and these ideas should not prove to be a challenge for the agency.

Additionally, throughout implementation, the agency should make sure to track metrics and measure successes, no matter how small, so that programming could be changed as needed.

Chapter 5: Implementation

47

Timing Description

0 - 3 months:• Identify parcels’ owners and maximum allotted zoning.• Gather community market data

3 - 6 months • Host visioning workshop with community residents

6 - 12 months• Develop cut sheets with market data & workshop results• Plan and lead a real estate/broker tour of opportunity sites

12 - 24 months• Continue working to solicit interest in parcels• Advocateforaffordablehousingandmeetingresidents’requests

WhileUptownUnitedwouldleadproposedcommunitydevelopmentsefforts,theagencywould likely partner with the 48th Ward and the adjacent block club on workshops, tours, etc.

Timing Description

0 - 2 months:

• Decide whether to lead or partner on the planning and implementation of event• Choose a date and event capacity• Design logo and webpage for the event• Launch ticket sales and event marketing

2 - 4 months

• Begin business outreach by engaging businesses that Uptown United has previously worked with

• Secureparticipantsandfinalizeroute• Reach out to local media to promote event• Market event using agency’s social media, newsletters, and media contacts

4 - 9 months

• Reach out to past volunteers for assistance• Host the event• Analyze post-event metrics such as ticket sales, business satisfaction, and

attendees’ responses to gauge success

Timing Description

0 - 3 months • Solicit specials from member Argyle businesses• Ask businesses about what kind of promotions they would like to see employed• Explore targeted social media ads• Employ agency’s marketing prowess to advertise area as a lunch-time destination

3 - 6 months • Develop targeted marketing materials, such as a dedicated eating out guide• Continue soliciting current specials• Purchase online ads in DNAinfo, Curbed, or Facebook and track metrics• Pilot bi-weekly or monthly promotions

6 - 12 months • Usemetricsandreachtorefinesocialmediapromotions• Pilot a frequent eater promotion or discount as part of ongoing promotions

Timing Description

0 - 3 months • Selectlocalnonprofitorgrouptopartnerwith• Determine possible host locations• Encourage partner to apply for community event grant SSA funds• Schedule pilot event and publicize online • Explore if funding is available through state or foundations for healthy food-

related initiatives3 - 6 months • Continue hosting the events as appropriate

• Vary events, such as hands-on demos, presentations, speakers, and simpler promotion of local specialties

• Vary events as seasons change• Develop culinary guide with local recipes • Closely track metrics such as event attendance and any boost to area businesses

to see if approach can be replicated elsewhere in Uptown

Explore Development Opportunity Sites

Encourage Daytime Traffic

Plan a Taste of Argyle Event

Support Culinary Events

49

Hire Part-Time Argyle Liaison

Expand Business Support

Manage Key Retail Vacancies

Define Placemaking Opportunities

Timing Description

0 - 2 months:• Definepositionroles,responsibilities,andworkplan• Defineamountoffundingrequiredtostaffposition

2 - 4 months

• If funding allows, recruit candidate• Broker connections to key stakeholders and set agenda/work plan goals• Assign tasks such as event planning, property owner outreach, and community

relations

4 - 9 months• Have liaison act as Argyle Night Market manager• Track and analyze liaison’s achievements

Timing Description

0 - 2 months:• Recruit summer intern/Argyle liaison• Plot and perform walking retail inventory• Digitize inventory data and merge with CoStar data

2 - 6 months

• Download market data• Perform periodic vacancy surveys• Develop cut sheets for key local vacancies• Distribute cut sheets online

Timing Description

0 - 3 months • Tally agency’s property owner contacts and connections• Broker connections with area artists• Target a handful of locations as pilot sites• Definebudget,scale,andexpectations

3 - 6 months • Begin targeting sites for placemaking interventions• Explore small-scale initiatives in a variety of approaches, such as public art, mural

work,storefrontinstallation,wayfinding,etc6 - 12 months • Maintain working relationships with property owners to continue identifying sites

for interventions

Timing Description

0 - 3 months • Design a survey for recent Argyle businesses• Translate the survey materials and secure bilingual support• Explore Asian entrepreneur outreach• Promote sidewalk cafes and cafe permit rebate program

3 - 6 months • Hold business owner focus group or one-on-one in-person survey• Translate surveys if needed• Surveybusinesseswithcafesabouttheirbenefits/challenges• Partner with Asian American Business Association on an event such as a member

mixer or business workshop in the Argyle area 6 - 12 months • Usesurveyresponsestorefineapproachandeditworkplanifneeded

51

List of AcronymsReferences:

CDOT Chicago Department of Transportation

CMAA Chinese Mutual Aid Association

CMAP Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

CHA Chicago Housing Authority

CTA Chicago Transit Authority

DCASE DepartmentofCulturalAffairs&SpecialEvents

MPC Metropolitan Planning Council

LTA Local Technical Assistance program

SBIF Small Business Improvement Fund

SSA Special Service Area

TIF Tax Increment Financing

VAI Vietnamese Association of Illinois

ULI Urban Land Institute

1. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (2015). Chinatown Community Vision Plan

2. Damm, A. P. (2009). Ethnic enclaves and immigrant labor market outcomes: Quasi-experimental evidence. Journal of Labor Economics, 27(2), 281-314.

3. Edin, P., Fredriksson, P., & Aslund, O. (2003). Ethnic Enclaves and the Economic Success of Immigrants – Evidence from a Natural Experiment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics.

4. Fischer, L., & Joseph, P. S. (2008). A Kaleidoscope of Culture: Measuring the Diversity of Chicago’s Neighborhoods. Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, DePaul University.

5. Galbraith, C. S., Rodriguez, C. L., & Stiles, C. H. (2007). Social capital as a club good: the case of ethnic communities and entrepreneurship. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 1(1), 38-53.

6. Lin, J. (2010). The power of urban ethnic places: cultural heritage and community life. Routledge.

7. Lim,S.,Yi,S.,DeLaCruz,N.L.,&Trinh-Shevrin,C.(2015).DefiningEthnicEnclaveandItsAssociations with Self-Reported Health Outcomes Among Asian American Adults in New York City. Immigrant Minority Health, 19, 138-146.

8. Logan, J., Alba, R., & Zhang, W. (2002). Immigrant Enclaves and Ethnic Communities in New York and Los Angeles. American Sociological Review, 62(2), 299-322.

9. Meeks, M. S., & Murphy, M. K. C. (2016). The Past and Future City: How Historic Preservation is Reviving America’s Communities. Island Press.

10. Osypuk, T., Diez Roux, A., Hadley, C., & Kandula, N. (2009). Are immigrant enclaves healthy placestolive?TheMulti-ethnicStudyofAtherosclerosis.SocialScience&Medicine,69,110-120.

11. Preston, V., & Lo, L. (2009). Ethnic enclaves in multicultural cities: New retailing patterns and new planning dilemmas. Plan Canada, 72-74.

12. Takaki,R.(2012).Strangersfromadifferentshore:AhistoryofAsianAmericans.PenguinBooks.

13. Terzano,K.(2014).Commodificationoftransitioningethnicenclaves.BehavioralSciences,4(4), 341-351.

14. Urban Land Institute (2008). Discover Asia on Argyle: A Technical Assistance Report

15. Walton, E. (2015). Making sense of Asian American ethnic neighborhoods: A typology and application to health. Sociological Perspectives, 58(3), 490-515.

16. Zolin,R.,Chang,A.,Yang,X.,&Ho,E.Y.H.(2015).Socialcapitalorethnicenclavelocation?A multilevel explanation of immigrant business growth. Thunderbird International Business Review, 58(5).

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