As Children's Memorial Hospital prepares for a move to a new campus in Streeterville, the hospital's current neighbors in Lincoln Park are pushing to ensure that new development on the hospital site is environmentally friendly and will help ease traffic snarls.

Residents spoke at a series of four recent meetings about their hopes for the development. Their concerns will be reflected in a handbook that's provided to the purchaser of the hospital site,  2300 N. Lincoln.

“This document would be a guidebook or roadmap for those interested in purchasing the site and what principles that the people will support. Buyers will also go through more meetings as well,” said Todd Meyer, who is vice president and location director for Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabum, Inc., the architectural firm that led the sessions.

Residents say they want potential buyers to respect the existing neighborhood by understanding the current architectural style, and making sure new buildings are of similar height. Many say they're in favor of re-using existing Children's Hospital buildings.

Mixed-use projects that would attract a diverse group of residents and businesses also won praise.

“We need affordable housing. Lincoln Park is not affordable to people who serve the community, like teachers, police officers and seniors. That’s why there needs to be affordable [housing] and it doesn’t happen until people ask for it,” says Liz Brake, a member of Children’s Memorial Redevelopment Coalition. 

Besides diverse housing, residents asked for a connected network of transportation alternatives, such as walking and biking.

They would also like to calm traffic at Lincoln/Fullerton/Halsted intersection and create a pedestrian walkway through the site. Residents also asked for a more "green" environment by asking for new construction to be energy efficient. 

Some residents faulted Alderman Vi Daley for giving their concerns short shrift, and for devising a planning process that lacked transparency.

“There’s not much left of what we said [at the first meeting], it has been distilled to a small document," says Peter Zelchenko, who is a Lincoln Park resident since 1971 and ran for alderman in 2007.

"Buyers do not have to follow anything or adhere to what the community wants. People of the community are concerned and want mixed income families. I would also like to see Alderman Daley commission a committee of residents and stateholders and see the process through," he says.

Daley disagrees.

“There is an existing steering committee. Neighbors are part of this committee. Smaller committees need to happen to accomplish goals and keep the plans. The committee would also be at future meetings that happen,” she says.

Gary Sinclair, who lives two blocks away from Children’s Memorial Hospital, is optimistic that the development will turn out well.

“These processes most of the time do work when you have people dedicated to make it happen," he says.

Children’s Memorial Hospital hopes to work with the community, but also needs to make sure it's able to maximize the sale price of the existing site to fund new construction, says  spokeswoman Mary Kate Daley.

"Proceeds from the sale of the Lincoln Park properties are a critical source of funds for the new hospital," she says. "We look forward to continuing our work with the community on this issue once the properties are on the market and there is a likely developer involved."