The stretch of Halsted Street that runs throughChicago’s Pilsen neighborhood is lined with residential lofts, a trendy new coffee shop, an alternative theater, a computer software company and an art gallery that may be converted into a holistic health center.
But one of the leading developers in the neighborhood–the Podmajersky family–on Tuesday called the infrastructure along the street a “near disaster area,” comparing the east side of Pilsen to the blight of a war-torn nation.
“Halsted Street looks like the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the height of the Vietnam War, filled with potholes, deteriorating curbs, broken street lighting, collapsing sidewalks and a decade of unfulfilled promises for improvements, new parks and better services,” said John Podmajersky Jr. during a news conference Tuesday.
He heads the Pilsen East Planning Association, a group comprised of about 100 businesses and property owners along Halsted and South Canalport Avenue. Joined by about 15 members of that group, they pointed out gaping holes in sidewalks and a barren lot next to an elementary school that is slated for conversion into a park.
But the leaders of two other business groups in Pilsen called claims that the Halsted corridor is blighted absurd. They said many buildings on the east side of Pilsen are owned by the Podmajersky family.
“He’s obviously looking for money from government to fix and repair some of his real estate,” said Oscar Iracheta, president of the 18th Street Business Association, in reference to Podmajersky’s comments. “That’s obviously not a blighted area.”
Jesus Saenz, president of the Pilsen Together Chamber of Commerce, agreed. “Nobody else in Pilsen would say such a thing,” he said. “They are saying these kinds of things to justify their developments.”
A resident of Halsted Street said city services in the neighborhood have been good. “The area is slowly improving,” said Al DiFranco, a Pilsen resident the past 24 years. “The city has been excellent in giving services here.”
Ald. Daniel Solis (25th) said the area does need improvements, and some are scheduled to begin later this year. Solis also supports a tax-increment financing district proposal that he said would create 4,000 jobs in the area.
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In an interview after the news conference, Podmajersky also said he supports the TIF district, but most of his properties fall outside the proposed area.
Several community groups are calling for a one-year moratorium on a TIF plan scheduled to go before the city’s Community Development Commission later this month.