For more information, contact:
Robert Krueger at 202-624-7051

WASHINGTON (January 10, 2013) – The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Wilson Station in Uptown Chicago has tremendous potential for attracting developers and business investors, according to widely renowned land use experts from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). This week, ULI released the written report of the ULI Governors Advisory Panel it conducted in 2012.

The report outlines a series of both physical improvements and programmatic suggestions to help CTA work through the myriad of development and neighborhood issues facing the Wilson Station area. The panel laid out a specific set of recommendations for successful redevelopment, which included:

• A mixed-use commercial and residential building consistent with transit-oriented development guidelines
• Redevelopment of the Gerber Building
• Enhancement and extension of the streetscape programs already underway along Broadway
• Critical attention to iconic station architecture

The advisory services panel consisted primarily of ULI Foundation governors, an exclusive group of the organization’s membership united in their commitment to ensure a strong future for ULI by supporting its program of work. The ULI Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ULI, funded the panel.

Now in its 65th year, the ULI advisory services panel program assembles experts in the fields of real estate and land use planning to participate on panels worldwide, offering recommendations for complex planning and development projects, programs and policies. Panels have developed more than 600 studies for a broad range of land uses, ranging from retail and entertainment development to military base reuse.

The panel of ULI governors advising the CTA elevated the already substantial level of expertise available through the advisory services program. “ULI governors are some of the most experienced practitioners in the world of real estate and land use,” said Thomas Eitler, vice president of ULI’s advisory services program. “It was an incredible opportunity to have access to their thoughts and wisdom on a site as important as the Wilson Station.”

The Governors panel was chaired by Chris Kurz, president and CEO of Linden Associates in Baltimore. Other jury members included Mary Borgia, president of the Borgia Company in Newport Beach Calif.; Tom Gardner, senior associate at RNL Design in Denver; and Tom Murphy, ULI senior resident fellow and former mayor of Pittsburgh.

The ULI Advisory Panel report for Wilson Station is now available for download.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

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