Development Plan for the Central Area of Chicago

A published report detailing Chicago’s city planning efforts in the late 1950’s.

In December of 1957, Mayor Richard J. Daley requested that the Chicago Department of City Planning prepare a development plan for the city’s central area, which was due to receive a number of significant projects in the coming years. Eight months later, the commissioners published this report, which detailed their findings on necessary updates to the transportation, recreation, and commercial facilities of the Windy City.

Contents are split into three sections; the objectives, the proposals for specific development, and the action program. Numerous photographs and illustrations, plus two folding maps, highlight suggested land use, traffic flow, new building developments, and more.

Though some of the recommendations were eventually implemented later, as part of the Chicago 21 Plan, the gigantic artificial beach in Lake Michigan opposite of Lincoln Park was never constructed (see photo of back cover).