After a lengthy meeting on Dec. 11, 2025, the City Council approved the flexible-open plan for reconstructing 38th St. and Chicago Ave. In addition, the council voted for a resolution in support of many of the recommendations presented by the Community Visioning Council (CVC) the week before.
The flex-open plan was first recommended by Public Works in late 2024, before the City Council voted to more fully vet the possibility of a pedestrian mall concept instead. In July 2025, however, businesses on the block made clear they would not support a pedestrian mall – meaning the city would not have the majority support from adjacent property owners required by state law to create one.
“This seems like the most prudent way to move forward,” said outgoing Ward 8 Council Member Andrea Jenkins, who with Mayor Jacob Frey has strongly advocated for the flex-open plan…