Scheduled to be open by end of summer. This is great news and an excellent use of the old railroad path.

Chicago’s next “rails to trails” project is slated to connect the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods with a 4-mile bicycle and walking path.

The first stretch of Paseo is expected to open by the end of the summer on abandoned BNSF rail tracks along Sangamon between 16th and 21st streets, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Sunday morning at the adjacent El Paseo Community Garden.

Map from the City of Chicago

Full Story: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/paseo-trail-to-connect-pilsen-litt...

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It looks like it will be easier to finance and build since most of it is at street level. It might have the feeling of Legion park up in North park once it's done.

Concerns raised with the planned trail to connect Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods:

Neighbors previously voiced apprehension that, like the 606, the Little Village Paseo would lead to higher property values, property taxes, and rents, eventually pricing out longtime locals. The mayor's announcement that the trail will now reach Pilsen brings that concern to the forefront.

Unlike Little Village, Pilsen has seen rapid gentrification in recent years, including a wave of upscale retail and housing, so the Paseo's potential to fuel displacement will be an especially pressing issue there. (The median home sale price in Pilsen is $241,000, according to Zillow. Little Village is cheap by comparison, with a median home sale price of just $129,000.)

I heard concerns over displacement last Wednesday, when the Chicago Department of Transportation unveiled the results of a feasibility study for the Little Village portion of the Paseo during a community meeting at Kanoon Elementary.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/little-village-pilsen-paseo-di...

Alderman George Cardenas said "The idea is not to bring gentrification but to improve the quality of life."

Maybe it's time to buy in Little village before the freeze on property tax thaws.

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