Greater Ashburn Planning Association
The mission of the Greater Ashburn Planning Association is to present the Greater Ashburn Area as a welcoming, safe, well-cared for, and vital place to live , shop, work, play, and do business. GAPA provides planning and development for our business area, expanded outreach to commercial retail businesses, financial consultation to stimulate private investments and to promote the stabilization of the Ashburn Community.
With the support of the five community and civic organizations, the local chamber of commerce, area churches, schools, and political organizations, we will enthusiastically promote our neighborhood to people looking for such a community and to those who already live here. Through the active participation of area residents and businesses, we will maintain and enhance the quality of life that characterizes the Greater Ashburn Area.
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For Potential Home Buyers, Realtors & Business Owners
What We Do At G.A.P.A.
We work on:
Attracting new businesses to our area
Business/Residential Relations
City Service Advocacy
Community Planning
Loan Packaging
Networking/Organizing
Real Estate Developement
Retail Promotions
Where Is Greater Ashburn?
The Greater Ashburn Community is bounded by 75th Street to the North, 87th Street to the South, Western Avenue to the East, and Cicero Avenue to the West.
The City of Chicago considers all of us Ashburn. We incorporate all of the Wrightwood, Ashburn, Marycrest, Parkview, and Scottsdale neighborhoods.
History of Greater Ashburn
Historical Greater Ashburn
The Greater Ashburn Community was established in 1865 as part of the Town of Lake. By 1880 The Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway (Grand Trunk Western) had established a route through Greater Ashburn. The first subdivision in the area was opened in 1893 and was located between 79th Street and 85th Street and Pulaski Road and Central Park Avenue by the real estate firm of Clark and Marsdon and the area became known as Clarksdale. Another subdivision opened later that year by a developer named Mitchell, between 83rd and 85th Streets, and Central Park and Kedzie Avenues. In 1889 the Town of Lake was annexed by the City of Chicago.
In 1894 there were 30 residential structures and in the next 10 years only 18 more were built. The area was remote from the next community and transportation to the Loop was difficult. An even bigger problem was that whenever there was a fire, the property burned to the ground due to lack of fire equipment. In 1908, the area name was changed from Clarksdale to Ashburn because there was another Clarksdale on the railroad line near Decatur.
During World War I, the Ashburn Flying Field was constructed to train pilots. This was Chicagos first airport and it remained open until 1939. It was located between 79th and 83rd Streets, and Pulaski Road and Cicero Avenue. In 1930 Midway Airport had opened and use for the Ashburn Flying Field diminished.
By 1920, the population had grown to 1,363. In 1927, Quakenbush and Abbey opened a subdivision between 79th and 83rd Streets and Central Park and Kedzie Avenues. At that time there were about 100 houses and several apartment buildings along Western Avenue. However, transportation was still a major obstacle to attracting home buyers. By 1930 the population decreased to 733 and it remained at that level until after World War II. The 1940s saw an increase in the population from 731 to 7,472. Housing units increased from 200 to 2,000. All of the present homeowner associations were formed during the late 1940s.
The biggest boom in housing and population was during the 1950s. Between 1950 and 1954 a total of 4,503 housing units were built. There were 38,638 residents when the 1960 census was taken. This decade is when most of the Greater Ashburn community was developed. In 1970, the population reached its peak of 47,161. Since then the population has been steadily decreasing. In 1980 the population was 40,477 and in 1990 it was 37,092. This decrease is related to the movement of children away from home and can be seen in the increase in the median age of the population. Nearly one-third of the population in 1990 was above the age of fifty-five. Today, the projected demographics of the Greater Ashburn Community has soared to over 46,000 and having an increased average income per household.
