Ald. Walter Burnett's record on development is a mixed bag
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Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) at the recent Illinois delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
This week, Chicago's City Council approved Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) to chair the powerful zoning committee.
The big picture: Burnett, who oversees one of the city's most development rich wards, is now in charge of vetting additions to the downtown skyline and approving permits for new big box stores in neighborhoods.
Why it matters: Chicago is dramatically changing with megadevelopments and new office and residential towers that alter the city's aesthetic, as well as its affordability.
Between the lines: Burnett has run several council committees in his nearly 30-year tenure, and he knows how the sausage gets made. He also will command a $446,000 budget for the new assignment.
Yes, but: His record on development in his 27th ward is something of a mixed bag. Developers love him for his willingness to greenlight new projects along Fulton Market or the West Loop, but Burnett's relationship with residents and his record on affordable and mixed-use housing aren't perfect.
- Several Fulton Market buildings that were supposed to set aside affordable housing never did so or didn't hit the mandated numbers. "I feel bamboozled," Burnett told Block Club Chicago at the time.
The other side: Burnett has been lauded for his insistence on fairness, recently telling developers that there would be no more work in his ward unless they hired more minority construction workers.
Zoom in: West Loop residents have criticized Burnett for being pro-development at the expense of neighborhood needs, like bringing in a new high school or creating more green space.
- Burnett has also overseen other parts of the 27th ward, like Garfield Park, which has not seen the same amount of development as the affluent neighborhoods in the ward.
- He's also received major political contributions from the real estate industry, though that's not uncommon.
Zoom out: In 2016, Burnett and then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel led a surge in development in Fulton Market.
- Emanuel's predecessor Mayor Richard M. Daley had placed zoning restrictions on development in the old meat-packing area, but Emanuel and Burnett changed course, incentivizing developers to construct mixed-use buildings, which now make up most of the Fulton and Kinzie corridors on the Near West Side.
- This massive growth has brought residents, businesses and jobs to the area, but it's exacerbated traffic and parking issues.
- Real estate prices also surged, pushing some residents out of what's now one of the city's highest-valued ZIP codes.
Reality check: Burnett also has the Bally's Casino in his ward, which residents vigorously fought.
- West Town neighbors cite traffic congestion as the main reason they oppose the casino.
What he's said: Burnett says he reluctantly accepted this position to "keep confidence in the development community, so that we can keep the city moving forward."
- He previously said the rapid pace of development helps keep construction alive and sustain local businesses and that it attracts professionals to the 27th Ward.
The bottom line: Burnett's work on the Near West Side has brought lightning-fast development under his watch, but not everyone in the area views that as a positive.