Neighbors clash with ComEd over proposed Lincoln Park substation steps from homes and schools

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A packed community meeting in Lincoln Park turned tense Monday night as neighbors voiced concerns over a proposed ComEd substation, saying questions about the project's location, impact and oversight remain unresolved.

The meeting centered on a stretch of land along Diversey Parkway, steps from homes, schools and public transit, that has become the focus of a growing debate.

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During the meeting, residents challenged ComEd officials as they presented plans and answered questions about the proposed substation at Diversey and Seminary.

One attendee told the utility, "I think you are an important utility. However, you have a high level of disingenuousness on this whole issue."

Much of the pushback focused on the selected site, a former COVID-19 testing facility. Members of the newly formed Diversey Community Coalition argued the property should instead be used for housing or neighborhood development.

Jim Maggio, co-founder of the coalition, said, "That zone is meant for housing and retail. It's meant for people that need to use the L for work every day."

Marie Poppy, also a co-founder, added, "Everything else is zoned residential. Why this wasn't done, I don't know." She also said, "You have all this public policy saying we need more housing. And now we have a situation like this where ComEd has been sitting on this property for seven years and now we just find out about it through surveyors in the neighborhood."

ComEd officials said the project is driven by increasing demand for electricity in the area.

Keisha Parker, the company's vice president of governmental and external affairs, said, "The reality is that the existing substation for this community is at 95% capacity." She added, "without that additional infrastructure, what occurs is, is that there's an increased chance for blackouts and brownouts because we would not have the proper infrastructure to support this demand."

The utility said it plans to continue working with the community, but opposition remained strong among residents.

Maggio criticized the location, saying, "We're really pushing back on the fact that they're putting this a mile and a half away in a residential neighborhood next to it, next to a transit stop when there's tons of industrial and manufacturing zones right along that corridor."

Some elected officials echoed concerns about land use.

Ald. Timmy Knudsen said, "A few years ago in the city, we passed the Connected Communities Ordinance, which says that areas near transit, especially ADA accessible transit, should be priority for housing. This is about as close as you can get to transit. And it's a lot as big as a football field, so it should be prioritized for housing."

ComEd said the site was selected based on criteria including size, cost and proximity to the area it serves. Neighbors, however, maintained that other locations could meet the same needs.