CUPPA Showcase of Student Work 2023

Chicago’s New Nature: An Ecological Override Plan challenges the audience to reconsider the suite of possibilities for the built environment and natural systems woven throughout the Chicago region. Focusing on the ‘C’ – the shape that is created by the Des Plaines River, the Chicago River, and the Calumet Sag Channel confluence – and the resulting inner island of land that defines the south and southeast sides of Chicago. We investigate how a history of natural abundance and recent legal precedents could give way to a rights of nature movement in Chicagoland. Chicago’s New Nature investigates how factors of influence have degraded and fragmented the region’s natural systems and over time disconnected its communities from nature and each other. The plan provides a pathway for a new kind of built environment, one which embraces the City in a Garden’s rich and diverse ecotopes. Adaptation strategies explored included a green roof network, railways as natural corridors, waterways as safe havens and community focal points, and other place-based solutions.

Shashwat Arya; Abdullah Chaudhry; Molly Delaney; Grace Hebert Wen Po Hsu; Alek Jaunzemis; Janhavi Manjrekar; Aayush Patel; Dinesh Prasad; Ravi Thakkar; Neha Nagendra Thunga;  Mikaela Uddfolk; Punya Vats; Sara Zandi

Healthy Future IMD provides a blueprint for transforming the Illinois Medical District into a vibrant, connected, and healthy community. The vision of Healthy Future IMD is for the Illinois Medical District to become a model neighborhood, designed to center health equity and accessibility and to be a place where Chicagoans can live, work, study, and play in a safe, vibrant, and healthy environment. At the District level, this plan establishes goals to improve the IMD’s spatial fragmentation to create a more connected, navigable, and comfortable neighborhood for all IMD users. We then hone in on a proposed ‘L’ stop to demonstrate how equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) can facilitate transit-rich mixed-use growth, support active transportation, and create a more people-centered neighborhood. Healthy Future IMD is rooted in health equity and the belief that the IMD can ensure a healthy community by transforming its built environment to support the four anchor institutions in their mission to advance health equity. The IMD is at a pivotal point where recent changes in zoning within the district will allow for a greater diversity of land use and urban form. With this, the IMD is uniquely positioned to steer the district’s growth to become a medical district that is a model for community health and connected identity.

Professor Kheir Al-Kodmany

Adrian Blasi; Marcus Daniels; Emma Field; Brad Iwicki; Saulo Richmond Solera; Allison Sawyer Sam Tomko-Jones; Antonio Wright

The Illinois Medical District (IMD) is a 560-acre hub of world-class medical facilities, research institutions, biotechnology labs, incubators, and universities recognized globally for their excellent contributions to advancing innovative healthcare, research, and development. At the heart of IMD Forward plan are three core principles (3P’s): 1) preventive health through natural green areas, healthy food options, education centers, and community resources, 2) progressive policies that address inequality, accessibility, human rights, and social justice issues, and 3) proactive planning that ensures efficient infrastructure, developments, and spaces that protect the health of the environment and its people. Our plan sits hand-in-hand with the 2021 IMD Master Plan and addresses nearly all of the comprehensive goals set out for the IMD. Thus, IMD Forward is the realization of our shared and expanded upon vision of the IMD.

Professor Kazuya Kawamura

Yazan Bata; Natasha Felicita Brown; Rafael Cervantes; Cary A. Chan; Adam Davis; Ryan A. Fulgham; Andrew B. Kanwit; Maggie E. Kochman; Guilherme Leao;  Violeta V. Lialios-Bouwman; Tegha Obire; Jenna Temkin

The Illinois Medical District is a global healthcare innovation community located on Chicago’s West Side. With 560 acres of specialized zoning and four strong anchor healthcare institutions in Rush University Medical Center (RUSH), Cook County Health (CCH), Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (JBVA), and University of Illinois (UIH), the Illinois Medical District stands as a central core for expert care and breakthroughs in medical research. At its inception, the IMD Commission’s mission was to create a medical and academic district of excellence. While the District has grown and crystallized its centrality to Chicago’s health ecosystem over the past 80 years, some of its achievements have come at a cost to its surrounding communities in the form of displacement, disinvestment, and systemic barriers to wellness. Looking to the future, it is paramount that the IMDC harness the collective strength and resources of the District to not only position the IMD as a center of scientific excellence, but to enrich surrounding communities and solidify the District as a partner and good neighbor. In collaboration with the University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, our class team of Masters in Urban Planning and Policy students were tasked with creating an area plan for the District. Atria Associates sought to build upon the 2021 IMD Master Plan to reflect the changes that have come to healthcare and Chicago’s communities following the COVID-19 pandemic. This opportunity came at an exciting inflection point due to the recent amendment of the IMD’s Planned Development charter. This amendment has allowed for denser, more urban development within the District. With this, there has never been a better moment for the IMDC to focus on community care, employ innovative solutions, and enhance the District’s position as a globally lauded hub for health and prosperity. Reimagined uplifts the District’s potential to be a creative, cohesive neighborhood grounded in its unique space, place, and time. We envision the Illinois Medical District as an economically and culturally integrated West Side community that welcomes all those who seek to live, work, play, learn, and heal there. This plan centers Equity, Innovation, Collaboration, and Resilience as it seeks to make intentional use of underutilized space and allocate resources. This plan provides recommendations for short, medium, and long term solutions to improve the built environment and strengthen relationships with surrounding communities.

Professor Stacey Sutton

Alejandra Diaz; Meredith Eickhoff; Farah El-Nahal; Bailey Foster; Marlene Guzman; Mackenzie Hayes; Patrick Holzman; Malik James; Jinhyuk Jang; Grace Li; Brianna Makumbi; Haley McDonnell; Gvantsa Nikolaishvili; Reis O’Donnell; Jasmine Serrano; Alec Singer; Emily Steinhauer

The Path to Public Connectivity: IMD Strategic Zonal Plan is a testament to the collaborative planning process of 15 Master’s of Urban Planning and Policy graduate students at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) under the direction of Dr. Rachel Weber. This plan speaks to the deepest needs and opportunities of the District. The plan consists of three separate zonal plans for areas identified in the IMD with large amounts of vacant land, histories of disinvestment, and current feelings of isolation that would benefit greatest from revitalization. Each zone includes a catalytic project which aims to reinvigorate these areas and spur future development in adjoining areas. Though each zone stands on its own, the zones are positioned to link together by a Common Thread Trail that will improve the pedestrian infrastructure of the entire IMD and connect the area to its surroundings.

Professor Rachel Weber

Andrea Benitez; Darko Bojin; Max Burns; Ian Canovi; Sam Carlson; John Casey; Brian Krause; Madeline Laborde; Elizabeth Miller; Jocelyn Rodriguez; Joey Slater; Brock Sliter; Kyle Sussman; Haley Ventura; Aspen Walters

The MPA Capstone Team partnered with Better Streets Chicago to develop an alternative to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) proposal “Redefine the Drive.” The IDOT Proposal expands Northern DuSable Lake Shore Drive along the 7.5-mile corridor from Hollywood Blvd to Grand. For the capstone project, the MPA Team administered a survey to develop a community-driven version of the lakefront. The alternative envisions a reduced DuSable Lake Shore Drive and major investments in transit alternatives throughout the city.

Kyle Friedler; Dalton Kay; Michael Tanis; Jill Zell

Examining the financial benefits of accessible pedestrian infrastructure to motivate the completion of ADA Transition Plans and general ADA compliance in the Chicago metro area in partnership with Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).

Andreana Brenner; Jane Huber; Yu Tang; Ricky Weina”

The City of Rolling Meadows and a team of CUPPA Graduate Students, led by Professor Jeffery Gawel, took on the task of updating the city’s nearly 20-year old Employee Rules & Regulations Handbook utilizing the ordinances passed by the City since 2006. In addition, the UIC Capstone team provided evidence-based recommendations to the Handbook, including changes to employee policies and programs through the analysis of 14 comparable Illinois cities’ handbooks. The final product includes an updated Handbook, a list of recommendations on behalf of the UIC team, and a final report containing data analyses and the research behind the four recommendations.

Cristian Arana; Zaria Greene Mariana Mercado; Gerardo Ramirez; Askar Sadu

Assistive Technology is a multidisciplinary field aimed at meeting the mobility, communication, and support needs of people with disabilities. It can range from the simple, like a communication board or small ramp, all the way to the complex, like a sip-puff power chair or augmented communication software. UIC is home to one of the top AT programs in the country, the Assistive Technology Certificate Program (ATCP). It currently has five Areas of Focus: AT for Education, Augmentative & Alternative Communication, Access, Design, Seating & Mobility, and Environmental Modification, yet enrollment has largely been in the AAC and Education areas. The UIC ATCP has collaborated with CUPPA graduate students in the MPA, MPP, and MSCA programs to explore the issue and possible solutions for recruiting a wider range of students to the ATCP.
The ATCP proposed that Design, Seating & Mobility, and Environmental Modification be consolidated into a “comprehensive AT” area of focus, and asked the CUPPA team to answer three questions: first, is this a feasible solution, second, is there a market for such an area, and third, how might the program market it? To answer these questions, the team used several- data gathering methods, including a survey of current and former UIC ATCP students, benchmark analysis of other accredited and non-accredited programs, comparison of the “comprehensive AT” with test requirements of RESNA certification exam, and market research to determine interest and promotion strategies.

The data gathered provide clear support for the new “comprehensive AT” area of focus. The market for AT products and services continues to grow as the baby boomer generation ages; Medicare coverage necessitates certified AT professionals as part of the AT purchasing process. The increased interest in accessibility has widened the number of fields looking to incorporate aspects of AT into their work, suggesting the potential for more collaboration within UIC graduate programs and recruitment of other graduate students into the ATCP. The team’s findings ultimately show the potential for the “comprehensive AT” area of focus to give the UIC ATCP a unique advantage over peer programs which will expand its reach and the impact it has on the field at large.

Estrella Carrillo; Alexandra Desrosiers; Joey Lee; Tristan Wright; Xinyi Xu

UIC Graduate Students worked with Rolling Meadows city leadership to research and provide recommendations on existing policy and plans aimed at shoring up the city’s internal financial regulations and forecasts. Focused on four main themes, the group investigated refuse collection, supplemental excise fees, surety bond policy, and potential financial impacts revolving around the soon-to-be constructed Arlington Heights Bears Stadium. Using financial reports, audits, internal data, municipal code, and a comparative analysis of peer communities, the UIC Team was able to craft a report with data-driven recommendations to improve the quality of city services and stabilize future streams of costs and revenues.

Alex Hawley; Kathy Nguyen; Philip Wasserburg; Brooke Wetmore

Due to changing populations within the communities Erie Neighborhood House has historically served, the creation of a needs assessment survey was essential in order to track the relevance of the organization’s services. The survey was created with three main populations in mind: those who are currently utilizing services provided by the organization, those who used to utilize services provided by the organization, and community members who have not utilized services offered by the organization. The survey’s aim was to see what services current community members wish to utilize or have offered by Erie Neighborhood House, along with seeing where past populations served by the organization reside currently, and what their needs for services look like currently.

Anna Pirvu; Ariel Cervera; Emilano Hernandez; Kevin Garcia

The last true comprehensive plan for the Village of Park Forest was published in 1983, with the most recent amendment to this plan was in 2008. The Village of Park Forest is long overdue for a comprehensive plan, however financial limitations have restricted the Village’s planning abilities. Amending the comprehensive plan has been a way of updating the document in the past, however this process can create confusion or contradictions to other recommendations in various independent planning documents. The Park Forest Plan Alignment group worked with Village Planner, Andrew Brown, to analyze fourteen planning documents to determine the level of alignment or incompatibility of recommendations adopted by the Village Board. These documents and their recommendations were entered into a searchable database to increase accessibility of planning information. The main goals of this project was to: alert the Village Board to the need of a new comprehensive plan, create a guidebook to help Village staff apply for grants, and create a tool for residents to understand current Village plans and regulations.

Ignacio Cambray; Sienna Tompkins

Our project with The Will County Land Use Department focused on the production of a series of informational pamphlets displaying commonly requested zoning information to property owners. Previously, this information was available to the public organized by specific uses, such as regulations for fence height or outdoor dining information. Our task was to organize much of this information based on zoning designation, so individuals who owned property on residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural lots can easily access information based on their specific property.

Lucas Sreniawski; Miriam Guerrero; Jack O’Brien

This project provides an analysis of current EV economic development incentive programs in Illinois as well as Chicago. Recently throughout the US, auto manufacturers and state governments have placed emphasis on the development, production, and use of electric vehicles in order to create a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. With this push to expand the development and production of EVs, there has also been competition among states to see who can attract the most manufacturers in order to advance local economic development. Many states across the country have made attempts to attract these EV manufacturers; Illinois however, has been falling behind in this race. In this report, states such as Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, and North Carolina are analyzed, and their incentive programs designed to attract EV manufacturers are compared to those of Illinois and Chicago.

Anastasia Kopp; Ray Liao; Cynthia Huerta; Eric Favela

Divvy is Chicago’s bike-share network managed by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) in partnership with Lyft. Since the formation of the original network, new stations and bikes have been purchased to expand the bike-share boundaries to cover the entire city. During the next expansion, CDOT wants to ensure equitable access to Divvy bikes and has asked our student team to provide creative ideas to ensure that goal. This task involved analyzing who currently lacks access and what spatial or demographic factors affect access to the system. The scope of this project involved three major tasks. The first was a survey conducted citywide on Divvy bike usage and barriers. The survey ran from late February to mid-April, allowing the student team to gauge socioeconomic factors that may disincentivize access to Divvy bikes. The second component was a spatial analysis using ArcGIS to discover any spatial factors that may create barriers to Divvy usage. The final component is a written report summarizing the findings and recommendations for increasing access to the Divvy system, which CDOT can use in its expansion efforts.

Marisa Miles; Rebecca Perelman; Aliya Oryn; Sean O’Rourke; Wylie Crowther

TBD