Strengthening the local economy and improving the quality of life in Chicago's neighborhoods were the top priorities for the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) in 2007.

"Chicago's strength relies on the health and stability of its neighborhoods," said DPD Commissioner Arnold Randall. "We utilize a wide variety of initiatives and innovative programs to strengthen our communities through added retail, open space, historic presentation and job growth and retention."

With the support of the City Council, DPD's economic development initiatives created and retained nearly 3,000 jobs in 2007. The Department is determined to continue making the necessary investments to create well-paying neighborhood jobs, especially those that foster opportunities for women and minority business ownership.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program By the end of the year, the TIF program will have leveraged nearly $300 million in private investment through $60 million in public assistance.

As the city's best economic development tool, the TIF program continues to expand. The 11 new TIF districts created this year bring the total number of districts in the city to 158. Since the program's inception more than 20 years ago, it has generated $8.3 billion in private capital spending through less than $1.5 billion in public investments.

To help residents and businesses understand how TIF affects their neighborhoods, and to help promote the transparency of municipal spending, budgetary information for every TIF district approved through 2006 was added to the DPD web site this summer. This year's TIF designations will be added after the start of the calendar next year.

Financial Assistance Programs
DPD will have helped eight companies to utilize more than $6.9 million in property tax incentives. The companies are subsequently investing more than $32 million in their facilities, resulting in more than 1,000 created and retained jobs.

A variety of redevelopment projects moved forward through land write-downs arranged by the department for city-owned properties. The effort provided more than $6 million in cumulative savings for buyers while enabling more than $59 million in new development. The projects equate to more than 300 new and retained jobs.

Business and Industry
In order to preserve suitable work environments for Chicago’s industrial sector, DPD worked with the City Council to establish the city's 14th Planned Manufacturing District (PMD) this summer. Located in the Armitage Industrial Corridor, the 273-acre district is vital to maintaining businesses diversity and reducing land-use conflicts in the Belmont-Cragin and Austin neighborhoods. Since the designation was created in 1988, Chicago's PMDs have seen more than $1 billion in private and public investment, making the city a national model for industrial retention.

Retail Development
This year, the Department has been particularly focused on ensuring that the retail shopping needs of every neighborhood are being met. In an effort to see that more Chicago neighborhoods are adequately served by modern grocery stores, DPD held its second annual "Grocery Expo" in conjunction with the ICSC Idea Exchange program earlier this year. Corporate representatives from the grocery chains in seven Midwestern states and an additional 40 companies with stores nationwide were invited. Attendees received information on grocery opportunities in Chicago, case studies from DPD's finance staff, and one-on-one meetings with neighborhood project managers to discuss specific sites across the city.

Housing
On the housing front, DPD's financial initiatives, along with the cooperation of the Department of Housing and the Chicago Housing Authority, is helping provide for the creation of approximately 250 affordable housing units for Chicago families in 2007, including more than 72 CHA replacements units. Nearly 500 units of market rate housing were also created through DPD assistance.

Vacant Land Initiatives
The department negotiated the sale of more than $5 million in land in 2007. With total project costs exceeding $30 million, the effort helped companies retain and create more than 630 jobs. Another $64,000 in land was sold through our Sealed Bid process, and our Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition (ANLAP) program put several vacant parcels back to good use.

Preservation
DPD's Landmarks Division will have helped to coordinate City Council approval of 24 new landmarks and four new landmark districts. Chicago now has 256 individually designated buildings, sites and objects, and 49 landmark districts and extensions, all totaling some 9,000 buildings and sites.

To reinforce the department's commitment to private preservation efforts, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks honored 21 owners of landmark buildings in September with the Chicago Landmark Awards for Preservation Excellence. The award-winning projects included the Chicago & North Western Railway Powerhouse, Biograph Theater, Krause Music Store and several historic homes in landmark districts across the city. Additionally, the Landmarks Division helped arrange property tax incentives for three landmark structures in 2007, with four more anticipated by the end of the year.

Open Space and Green Programs
As part of the Mayor’s strategy to make Chicago the greenest and most environmentally friendly city, the department worked with the owners of 50 buildings on new green roof projects. Nearly 400 completed or planned green roofs in the city today encompass more than 90 acres, more than any city in the United States. To help continue to the trend, the department is finalizing its "Green Urban Design" plan, which will serve as a roadmap for sustainable development initiatives for many years to come.

Additionally, impact fees collected from private developers to expand open space in Chicago neighborhoods totaled more than $5.4 million in 2007. Additional open space initiatives include the 109th Campus Park, which was dedicated earlier this month, and the City Council approval of five more NeighborSpace sites.