Woodlawn residents, housing advocates protest hotel development under consideration
Protesters stood on vacant lot at South Stony Island Avenue, East 64th Street, near Obama Center Tuesday
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Obama Center towers over some nearby housing, and some in the neighborhood hope their housing needs will be considered, as a new hotel development is being considered by the city.
Woodlawn residents and housing advocates stood on a vacant lot at South Stony Island Avenue and East 64th Street Tuesday in protest.
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It's the spot where a new hotel is being proposed.
Those assembled said they and others are being shut out of growth opportunities and instead being asked to pay more rent.
"The rent went from $850 or $835 to $850 to now $1,300; that ain't right. That ain't right for really to upgrade in the apartment itself," former Woodlawn resident Philon Green said.
"We need protections for people in the neighborhood; there cannot be luxury hotels in our neighborhood until we have protections for all of us who make this neighborhood great," said Dixon Romeo, with the Community Benefits Agreement Coalition.
The Obama Center, just blocks from the site, is scheduled to open next year. A proposal was submitted to the City Council in March. It seeks to change the zoning from a Community Shopping District to a Business Planned Development.
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The application was introduced by Aquinnah Investment Trust, and has the contact listed as Allison Davis.
Davis could not immediately be reached for comment.
The proposed hotel would be 26 stories and have 250 rooms.
Some who live nearby want to see housing issues addressed for residents already in the area before any development proceeds.
"If you don't understand that a luxury hotel is the minimum priority in this neighborhood, in time it would change, but it starts now," South Shore resident Courtney Chism said.
"If I can't live next to a good school, it's hard for my kids to do there. If I can't live next to a job, it's hard for me to do that job. We need to live first; everything starts with your home," Romeo said.
The hotel project was referred to the Chicago Plan Commission.
A community meeting on the proposal would likely happen before it moves forward.
And it would still need approval from the Zoning Committee before it goes to full City Council for a vote.
