Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

CMAP team members enjoyed the opportunity to connect with parents and students at an open house at Passow Elementary School in Franklin Park. Brett T. Brown and Lily Brack, AICP (pictured) were joined by Elizabeth Miller. It's part of the vision to create a brighter future for Grand Avenue, which is near the school. CMAP is partnering with the Village of Franklin Park to transform Grand Avenue into a safe, accessible, and thriving corridor.

It’s Feature Photo Friday time! Our next feature in our FLIP miniseries highlights day four of the program, which was centered around environmental stewardship and conservation.  After learning about CMAP’s Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, students spent the first part of the afternoon at the Pepper Family Wildlife Center in the Lincoln Park Zoo, where they learned about the importance of supporting and planning for urban wildlife.  Students ended the day at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, where they learned about wastewater treatment and stormwater management work, environmental justice missions and initiatives, and employment opportunities. #featurephotofriday #cmap #futureleadersinplanning #flip2024 #cmapflip #urbanplanning #environment #conservation #urbanwildlife #lincolnparkzoo #ccap #climateactionplan #mwrd #environmentaljustice #wastewatermanagement  

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It's time for a #CMAPCelebration! Congratulations to our recently promoted team members:  ▪️ Sema Abulhab, promoted to senior specialist   ▪️ Janelle Blackwood, promoted to senior specialist   ▪️ Makala Morales, promoted to planner   ▪️ George Perkins-Anene, promoted to planner   ▪️ Julie Reschke, promoted to senior analyst

Lights, camera, CMAP! If you’re watching the new MGM+ TV series The Emperor of Ocean Park, you can get a look at some areas of our office. Grantham Coleman, Forest Whitaker, and Tiffany Mack were among the actors in the house for filming, which was done earlier this year. The filming also included scenes shot elsewhere at the Old Post Office, including the front steps and the lobby.

Happy Friday! For today’s feature photos, we have snapshots from day three of our FLIP program, in which students learned about strategies for planning in cultural neighborhoods. The day began with a Water Taxi ride to Chinatown’s Ping Tom Park. Students visited the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, where they learned about the culture and history of the neighborhood. After, the group went on a walking tour of the area and discussed planning in the neighborhood, including parking, housing, park space, and highway infrastructure that has physically divided communities. We ended the day at the Chinatown Centennial mural with artist Roman Villareal, who discussed his artistic process and the restoration of public art pieces. #featurephotofriday #cmap #futureleadersinplanning #flip2024 #cmapflip #urbanplanning #chinatown #pingtompark #chineseamericanmuseumofchicago #camoc #chinatowncentennialmural #publicart #mural #artrestoration 

We enjoyed a great visit from the Chicago Department of Public Health’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access team at the Old Post Office, which houses CMAP’s office. We explored opportunities to work together and ensure that health equity is considered in CMAP projects. Joining us were Aia Hawari, April Walton, Brian Edmiston, Brittany Williams, Clayton Oeth, Cynthia Martinez, Eduardo Munoz, Everett Foney, Genese Turner, Isabel Abrams, Ivonne Sambolin, Julia Myers, Kenneth Harper, Kyle Sullivan, LaToya Cooper, Meghan Marth, Mervin Dino, Miguel Lopez, the Rev. Nilsa Irizarry, Octavia Tyson, Paula Crose, Rahel Woldemichael, Rajahna Reed, Stephanie Jara, Stephanie Salgado, Susan Martinez, Sydney Edmond, Taylor Roberts, and Tessa Day.

This month, United Way of Metro Chicago’s community engagement team held their retreat at the Old Post Office, where they charted out the year ahead, working toward a region where all our neighbors have access to the resources they need to thrive.

Say hello as we continue to welcome our #CMAPInterns! Jr Alvarez (he/him) is a field data collection intern in the research, analysis, and programming (RAP) division. Jr is an undergraduate student at DePaul University majoring in geography with a concentration in geographic information systems (GIS) and geotechnology with a minor in urban planning. During his time at CMAP, Jr is excited to get hands-on data collection experience and see how that data contributes to larger projects. He also looks forward to applying the GIS skills he learned in the classroom to a transportation context and to gaining a better understanding of the planning process from a project's initiation to execution. He hopes his experiences at CMAP will be a starting point for future opportunities in sustainability, transportation, or community planning. Fun fact about Jr: This summer, he met Jenna Ortega at a vintage store’s basement in Dublin. #intern #cmap #cmapintern #internwelcome #fielddatacollection #rap #researchanalysisandprogramming #urbanplanning

It’s that time of week again — Feature Photo Friday! This week, we’re continuing our Future Leaders in Planning mini-series with photos from day two of the program, which focused on historic practices and preservation.  The day began with a presentation from CMAP team members about the economic history and development of the region. Then, students took a field trip to Pullman National Historical Park, where they learned about how urban planners can utilize historic spaces and how factors such as classism, capitalism, and labor organizing were formative aspects of planning in the neighborhood. #featurephotofriday #cmap #futureleadersinplanning #flip2024 #cmapflip #pullman #urbanplanning #historicpreservation #pullmannationalhistoricalpark #economicdevelopment