Chicago’s Front Yard Reimagined 2026, launching a comprehensive plan to transform the historic park for the next generation
Park District announces the Paris-inspired chair installation at Buckingham Fountain to debut this Spring
Today, the Chicago Park District unveiled its highly anticipated Grant Park Framework Plan - Chicago’s Front Yard Reimagined 2026. The plan sets forth a community-driven vision for the historic park over the next 20 years. The Grant Park Framework Plan takes a comprehensive look at the park, including assets, usage, accessibility, connectivity, safety and advances five core themes: Preservation & Landscape, Recreation, Events, Mobility, and Safety & Logistics; and includes both near-term and long-range recommendations to guide future public and private investment.
Preservation & Landscape – A park that celebrates its historic beginnings while prioritizing its natural beauty.
Recreation – Spaces that provide flexibility for all recreational activities today and in the future.
Events – A world-class destination that balances economic vitality with the shared values of the community.
Mobility – An inclusive park for all
Safety & Logistics – A safe and connected park
“After a multiyear- community engagement process, we are proud to present the Grant Park Framework Plan for Chicago’s Front Yard,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. “Grant Park is the crown jewel of Chicago’s world class park system. As the stewards of this historic gem, we must ensure we have a thoughtful plan that prioritizes restoration and development for future generations, just as our forefathers did for us.”
The Park District will inaugurate the framework plan by installing mobile seating on the Buckingham Fountain table to activate the Grant Park’s most iconic feature. Moveable seating featured at the Luxembourg Garden, Tuileries Garden and Palais-Royal Garden in Paris, will be installed in Grant Park this Spring. The willow green metal, armchairs, will transform the fountain table and encourage social gathering, extended leisurely visits and impromptu picnics. Bryant Park in New York also utilizes a successful moveable chair program that is credited for revolutionizing the public space. Lollapalooza is a sponsor of the Buckingham Fountain Movable Chair Program. Also this Summer, the District will partner with the community and other city agencies to come up with improved wayfinding signage.
Chicago’s Front Yard Reimagined reflects an extensive community engagement, including a kick-off meeting held Fall 2022, seven public engagement meetings, four stakeholder committee meetings, three focus groups, including the final design presentation held this month. Over the three years, the District collected 1225 proposal comments, 682 chat comments, 543 website comments and 382 poll responses. The feedback represented residents from 23 zip codes across the city.
Additional highlights of the framework plan include the development of the People’s Plaza Overlook in South Grant Park. The space, located at Columbus Drive and Roosevelt Road will feature rotating art exhibits that celebrate the rich, cultural tapestry of the city. Based on supportive public feedback, the Agora sculpture by the late, renown sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz, located at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road, will remain in Grant Park. In the coming years, the Chicago Park District will work with partners to accomplish the more ambitious features of the plan in addition to working with the community through its participatory budget process to invest the $585,000 generated from permitted events held in the park.
Ulysses S. Grant Park is perhaps Chicago’s most recognizable parks attracting more than 20 million visitors annually. Designed by renowned architects Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., Daniel H. Burnham and Edward Bennett to be “forever open, clear and free of buildings and obstructions”, the park serves as a community hub for neighboring residents, a gathering space for all Chicagoans and a popular destination for tourists. The park’s features include the Buckingham Fountain, Maggie Daley Park, Cancer Survivors Garden, Queen’s Landing and the Museum Campus. The park features many recreational opportunities for local residents such as tennis, pickleball, softball, pedestrian/biking trails and skateboarding among others. Each year, the park hosts a robust schedule of large-scale civic and revenue generating events, including the Grant Park Music Festival, Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza, Sueños Music Festival and the Chicago Marathon in addition to moderate size and small permitted events. The historic significance of the park and high volume of visitor activity underscores importance of reimagining the park’s current and future use and needs.
The Grant Park Framework Plan can be viewed on the Chicago Park District website here.