Battle brewing over future of North Branch of the Chicago River

Here's one vision for a stretch of the aging industrial corridor along the North Branch of the Chicago River: A wide-open public park teeming with native grasses, wildlife and people enjoying the outdoors.

Here's another: An urban "wall" of high-rises along the river, with little pockets and slivers of green space.

At least that's how two North Side aldermen and their allies see the battle that's brewing over the future of the North Branch, which is expected to see enormous growth.

Alderman Michele Smith, Alderman Scott Waguespack and their "great and growing alliance" are making the rounds this week, hoping to drum up support - including from Mayor Rahm Emanuel - to build a 24-acre public park that would run along the river between North Avenue to the south and Cortland Street to the north. The leaders say the site is the last "large-scale" parcel remaining of the transforming 760-acre stretch along the river, with development "imminent" elsewhere.

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