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Projects in Planning
Check here for project updates, upcoming meetings, and project communications for projects that are currently in the planning phase.
- Grant Park Framework Plan
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Address: 331 E. Randolph St. (Columbus Drive), 60601 Community: Central Business District, Loop & South Loop Status: Site Verification & Program Analysis Project Description
Grant (Ulysses) Park, proudly referred to as “Chicago’s Front Yard,” is a 313-acre Chicago Park District site bounded on the north by East Randolph Street, on the south by Roosevelt Road, on the east by Lake Michigan (Monroe and DuSable Harbors), and on the west by Michigan Avenue. A few of the park’s most iconic and notable features, today, include the Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, and the Museum Campus (which includes the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium). Its beginnings date to 1835, with the original intent of the park being to prevent lakefront development and to protect the open space. The park’s original area east of Michigan Avenue was “forever to remain vacant of buildings”. Officially named Lake Park in 1847, the entire park is built on landfill, much of which consists of the charred rubble of the Great Fire of 1871. The park was renamed Grant Park, in honor of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, by the South Park Commission (later to become the Chicago Park District) in 1901. Renowned American/Chicago architect and urban designer, Daniel H. Burnham, is credited with the park’s reconceptualization as a formal landscape including museums and other civic buildings, only to be contested by the Chicago based mail-order magnate, Aaron Montgomery Ward, who sought to protect the park’s open character.
In 2002, the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners adopted the Grant Park Framework Plan. It outlines recommendations and principles to guide land use and management for Grant Park based on the Grant Park Design Guidelines of 1992. Since the plan’s publication, the Park District has accomplished a number of objectives within the proposed framework. These include the development of Maggie Daley Park, the adjacent Millennium Park, as well as the Skate Park on the southern end. However, twenty years hence, areas of the park such as Upper and Lower Hutchinson Fields and Columbus Drive, warrant reconsideration because the park, its communities, and the City, have evolved in the past twenty years. Other areas, such as Butler Field, which was intended as a temporary structure, have aged out of use in their current forms, and others, such as the Lakefront development, have yet to be realized.
In the spring of 2022, the Chicago Park District selected a consultant team to prepare the 2023 Grant Park Framework Plan, which will provide an updated and current vision for improvements in the park over time. It will also serve as a planning tool for the Park District and the greater community as resources to invest in the park become available. The plan will address Grant Park’s role as a neighborhood park, a city destination, and as public open space with national significance as a historic park. The plan will be the guiding document that outlines priorities and ensures that improvements are implemented in a coordinated manner with respect to the historic integrity of the park and the evolving needs of the community.
Anticipated Project Schedule
Site Verification & Program Analysis : April - July, 2022 Public Engagement : August 2022 - March 2023 Design & Plan Development: March - September 2023 Final Framework Plan & Report Document : September - December 2023 Project Completion: Late December 2023
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
Project Documents- 2002 Grant Park Framework Plan
- 1992 Grant Park Design Guidelines
- January 11, 2023 Community Meeting #1 Presentation:
Questions or Comments
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- Upcoming Meetings
- Jackson Park Plan for Interpretive Materials
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Address: 6401 South Stony Island Avenue Community: Hyde Park Status: Design Project Description
In July 2016, the Obama Foundation announced that Jackson Park will be the site of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC). In addition to the construction of the center itself, the project will include a number of site improvements in and around Jackson Park. Anticipated site improvements include roadway reconfiguration to accommodate the OPC, the construction of new bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and the relocation of certain recreational uses that will be displaced to accommodate the OPC.
Because the proposed project area is located on property listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of both the Jackson Park Historic Landscape District and Midway Plaisance and the Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District, the project is subject to review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. As part of this process, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Federal Highway Administration, the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation was executed in December 2021. The MOA identifies feasible measures to resolve any adverse effects identified in the Section 106 process that could impact the historic integrity of the project area. The scope of work of this project addresses one of the mitigation measures identified in the draft MOA, the development of a plan for interpretive materials within the park.
The Park District has engaged a consultant team led by SOM to help develop a plan to install interpretive materials or carry out programs to commemorate and present the cultural and natural historical contributions of Jackson Park and its use by South Side residents. The plan for interpretive materials may encompass different formats for interpretation such as a digital program components and interpretive displays. The draft plan will be created in consultation with Consulting Parties, local museums, community groups, schools and universities, to determine the appropriate content, format, and locations for interpretive materials. The draft plan will be made available for 45-day review and comment by signatories, invited signatories, and concurring parties to the MOA. The consultant team will assist to prepare and provide a comment / response document summarizing the comments received. In light of these comments, the Park District and consultant team will prepare the final plan and provide it to signatories, invited signatories, and concurring parties to this MOA before implementing the final plan.
45-Day Review & Comment Period (June 21 – August 5, 2024)
As required by the Memorandum of Agreement Among Federal Highway Administration, Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Regarding Projects in Jackson Park, a 45-day review and comment period for the drafted interpretation plan for Jackson Park will begin on June 21, 2024. The Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Park District invite the public, signatories, invited signatories, and concurring parties to review the plan and provide comments concerning the interpretive elements and narrative themes. The comment period will close on August 5, 2024.Review plan materials here: Jackson Park Plan for Interpretive Materials
Anticipated Project Schedule
RFS Advertised to Consultants: January 5, 2021 Notice to Proceed to Consultant: February 2022 Stakeholder Engagement: May 2022 – October 2022 Preliminary Plan Development: June 2022 – October 2022 Consulting Party Review: June 21 – August 5, 2024 Final Plan Development: Q3 - 2024 Project Completion: Q4 - 2024
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
Project Documents- Documentation Related to the Federal Review of Jackson Park Improvements
- May 3, 2022 Community Meeting #1 Presentation (Slides)
- Jackson Park Plan for Interpretive Materials
- Upcoming Meetings
- Washington Park Framework Plan
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Address: 5531 South King Drive Community: Washington Park Status: Planning Project Description
The Chicago Park District is excited to announce the kick-off of the Washington Park Framework Plan process, led by MUSE Community + Design, a woman-owned urban planning and public engagement firm founded in 2014, has extensive experience in Chicago and across the region leading equity-centered planning processes. Rudd Resources is a woman- and Black-owned public relations firm based on Chicago's South Side and will be leading community engagement and outreach, while the award-winning landscape architecture team at Hitchcock Design Group will lead the technical and design aspects of the project.
The updated Washington Park Framework Plan will provide a vision for improvements in the park over time and will serve as a planning tool for the Park District and the greater community as resources become available to invest in the park. The plan will address the park’s role as a South Side community hub, a city destination, and as a nationally significant historic park. Once complete, the plan will be the guiding document that outlines community priorities and ensures that improvements are implemented in a coordinated manner with respect to the historic integrity of the park and the evolving needs of the community.
Washington Park is a 367-acre Chicago Park District site bounded on the north by East 51st Street, on the south by East 60th Street, on the east by Cottage Grove Avenue, and on the west by South King Drive. It was conceived in 1871 by Frederick Law Olmstead as part of a large 1,055-acre park known as South Park, a complex that is now home to modern-day Jackson Park, the Midway Plaisance, and Washington Park. Today, Washington Park continues to reflect many of its original design elements, and of the three parks comprising the original concept for South Park, Washington Park remains the most intact representation of Olmstead’s plan.
In 2002, the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners adopted the Washington Park Framework Plan. The framework plan outlines recommendations and principles to guide land use and management for Washington Park. In 2004, Washington Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a United States Registered Historic District. Since the early 2000s, the Park District has accomplished a number of plan objectives with respect to the park’s historic context, and significant changes have occurred in the surrounding community and connecting parks – the Midway Plaisance and Jackson Park.
Anticipated Project SchedulePark Planning: Spring 2022 – Fall 2023 Framework Plan Completion: Summer 2024 Meetings
- Upcoming Meetings:
- Design Listening Session for Adults - Saturday, November 23 at 11 am at the Washington Park Fieldhouse, 5531 S. King Drive Dr.
- Design Listening Session for Youth - Saturday, November 23 at 11 am at the Washington Park Refectory, 5531 S. Russell Dr.
- Past Meetings/Events:
Participate Now
The next stage of the Washington Park Framework Plan needs your help. Please share your preference on the different park design alternatives here.
Project Documents
Questions and Comments
Please sign up to receive project information direct to your email, or share any questions or comments you have about this project by filling out our feedback form. - Upcoming Meetings:
Projects in Design
Check here for project updates, upcoming meetings, and project communications for projects that are currently in the design phase.
- DuSable Park Planning & Design
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Address: 401 North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Community: Near North Side Status: Design Project Description
DuSable Park is a 3.44-acre park located east of Lake Shore Drive at the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. The park site is located upon an area of lake fill that was home to various industrial uses beginning in the late 1800s. The site was established as a park as part of the Chicago Dock and Canal Trust Planned Development, and in 1987 Mayor Harold Washington dedicated and named the site in honor of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, the first non-native American settler and founder of Chicago. In 1988, a quitclaim of 3.44 acres for DuSable Park was deeded to the Park District. Today, although yet undeveloped, the park is positioned as both a critical piece of Chicago's public lakefront and the endcap to Chicago’s Riverwalk.
In the years that followed the park’s dedication and transfer into Park District ownership, several advancements and some setbacks in the site’s planning and development as a public park have occurred. In 2006, the Park District worked with local stakeholders to develop the DuSable Park Framework Plan. The Framework Plan lays out a vision for the park including interpretive and recreation elements such as a Founder’s Plaza, an observatory, a promenade, a lakefront boardwalk, an outdoor classroom, a boat drop-off, and educational and art components. Unfortunately, implementation of these plans stalled as a result the economic recession of 2008. Despite this stall, and the fact that some updates to the plan will be required based on current existing conditions, the Framework Plan remains relevant and supported by community stakeholders to this day. The Park District intends that the Framework Plan will serve as a strong foundation for the new park development. Per the Framework Plan, the Chicago Park District's goals in creating DuSable Park are to:
- Honor and celebrate Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable's contributions to Chicago and to educate the public accordingly.
- Recognize the unique confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan by creating a passive, visible and accessible park.
- Attract the local community, citywide residents, and tourists to the park.
- Create a park design that has evolved from the input of the Chicago Park District and the DuSable Park Steering Committee.
- Incorporate art and storytelling into the park that celebrates the life and legacy of DuSable
Because this is such a historically important project at a premier lakefront site happening at a pivotal time in the City’s history, the Park District chose to solicit a designer for the project through a public, “target market” Request for Proposals process. A diverse, world-class design team was selected, composed of Ross Barney Architecture and Brook Architecture. Design of DuSable Park is currently underway, based on the recommendations of the 2006 DuSable Park Framework Plan and an ongoing community feedback process.
Anticipated Project Schedule
Park Design Start: Summer 2022 Park Design Completion: Fall 2024 Anticipated Construction Start: Fall 2026 Anticipated Park Completion: Fall 2027
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
- Past Meetings/Events:
Participate Now
Please take our short survey about what you would like the Park to feel like and what you would like to experience when visiting DuSable Park: Project Introduction Survey
Project Documents- 2016 DuSable Park Framework Plan
- Board of Commissioners Meeting Presentation
- Dusable Park Concept Designs
- Dusable Park Site Plan
Questions or Comments
Please sign up to receive project information direct to your email, or share any questions or comments you have about this project by filling out our feedback form.
- Garfield Park Formal Garden & Water Court Feasibility Study
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Address: Garfield Park, 100 North Central Park Avenue
north of the bandstand between Hamlin Boulevard & Central Park AvenueCommunity: East Garfield Park Status: Planning Project Description
Located in the East Garfield Park community area, Garfield Park is a 172.57 acre park that features historic landscapes, a swimming pool, baseball fields, athletic fields for football or soccer, a fishing lagoon, tennis courts, formal gardens and playgrounds. Garfield Park is also home to the Garfield Park Conservatory, a popular destination for special events, educational field trips and flower shows. Garfield Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Chicago Park District has engaged a project team led by Design Workshop to produce a feasibility study, assessment report, and phasing plan for the formal garden area. This report will include a plan for the rehabilitation of the existing reflecting pools, an assessment and detailed cost estimate for the rehabilitation of the existing garden structures (pergolas, walls, and associated pathways), an assessment and cost estimate for the rehabilitation of the comfort station (golf pavilion), as well as an assessment for pathway restoration, plumbing and lighting upgrades, and ADA improvements, as necessary.
Finally, the feasibility study will identify a phase 1 scope for implementation. The Park District anticipates phase 1 design will begin at the end of this year, immediately upon completion of the feasibility study report.
ct.Anticipated Project Schedule
RFP Advertised to Consultants: March 2022 Board Committee & Contract Award: April 2022 Community Engagement, Assessment, & Planning: Spring 2022 – Fall 2022 Final Feasibility Study & Phasing Plan: Winter 2022 Phase 1 Design Start: Winter 2022
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
Project DocumentsQuestions or Comments
Please sign up to receive project information direct to your email, or share any questions or comments you have about this project by filling out our feedback form. - Upcoming Meetings
- Jackie Robinson Fieldhouse
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Address: 10540 S Morgan St Community: Washington Heights Status: Design Project Description
Jackie Robinson Park is a 12.27-acre park located in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The park features a multi-purpose clubroom and boasts a playground, softball/baseball diamonds, and basketball courts. The park is adjacent to a CPS facility and Mt. Vernon Elementary School. An agreement with CPS will allow the Park District to demolish an unused school annex building and build a new fieldhouse for the community.
The new fieldhouse will provide the community with a vital neighborhood amenity and will pay homage to the park's namesake, Jackie Robinson. The current building design features art and design concepts that honor Robinson, such as a printed portrait in the fieldhouse's lobby and a color scheme that complements his former Dodger's uniform. CPD is still seeking comment from the community on the project. See survey and feedback form below.
The fieldhouse will include two multipurpose clubrooms, a full-sized gymnasium, fitness center, teen room, pantry, lobby, storage space, offices, and restrooms. Site improvements will include staff parking, paving, and landscaping.
The new 18,000 sq ft fieldhouse will be compact and efficient. Welcoming entrances will connect the fieldhouse, park, playground and school. Inside, the gymnasium will contain a full-size basketball court and two half size courts with retractable bleachers. The lobby will serve as the central hub of the building allowing for visibility to activities inside and outside. The two multipurpose clubrooms will provide a meeting space for community use and park kids, while the adjacent pantry can be used for food prep and catering services. The fitness/wellness center will house new multi-generational workout equipment and the teen center will allow space for youth to gather for activities and recreation.
This project is funded through a State of Illinois, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) grant.
The Park District partnered with architecture firm Booth Hansen to develop a design for the fieldhouse. With the design process underway the Park District will hold community meetings to solicit feedback on the design and gather input on community needs.
Anticipated Project ScheduleRFP Advertised to Consultants: August 2022 Board Committee & Contract Award: November 2022 Fieldhouse Design Start: December 2022 Fieldhouse Construction: Summer 2024 – Summer 2025 Anticipated Opening Date: Summer 2025
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
- Past Meetings/Events:
Project Documents
Participate Now
Please take our short survey to provide feedback and comments on the fieldhouse design, share any questions or comments you have about this project, and receive project information direct to your email: Jackie Robinson Fieldhouse Design Comment Form - Upcoming Meetings
- Midway Plaisance East End Improvements
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Address: 1130 Midway Plaisance North Community: Hyde Park Status: Design Project Description
In July 2016, the Obama Foundation announced that Jackson Park will be the site of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC). In addition to the construction of the center itself, the project will include a number of site improvements in and around Jackson Park. Anticipated site improvements include roadway reconfiguration to accommodate the OPC, the construction of new bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and the relocation of certain recreational uses that will be displaced to accommodate the OPC. Because the proposed project area is located on property listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of both the Jackson Park Historic Landscape District and Midway Plaisance and the Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District, the project is subject to review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. As part of this process a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Federal Highway Administration, the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation was executed in December 2021. The MOA identifies feasible measures to resolve any adverse effects identified in the Section 106 process that could impact the historic integrity of the project area. For more information on the federal review process, please visit the City’s project website: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/jackson-park-improvements.html
The scope of work of this project addresses one of the mitigation measures identified in the draft MOA: Replacement of recreational use area within Jackson Park that was restored in the 1980s using Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) grant money. Because the footprint of the OPC development will modify the original UPARR boundary within Jackson Park, the City is required to dedicate replacement recreation property elsewhere. As part of a UPARR Amendment executed in May 2021 between the National Park Service and the City of Chicago (Grantee) and the Chicago Park District (Subgrantee), the recreation replacement will be partially addressed through the dedication of recreation area at the east end of the Midway Plaisance. To replace lost recreational opportunities and respond to community requests, the recreation replacement site will accommodate a combination of play area, open space, and rehabilitated walkways.
The Park District solicited proposals from design teams through a public, “target market” process, wherein project teams were required a certified MBE (minority-owned business enterprise) or WBE (woman-owned business enterprise) team lead in order to qualify for selection. In October 2021 the Park District awarded the design contract to Site Design Group. The design process is underway, and the Park District anticipates the first community meetings related to design of the new park improvements will be hosted in March 2022.
45-Day Review & Comment Period (7/8-8/22)
As required by the Memorandum of Agreement Among Federal Highway Administration, Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Regarding Projects in Jackson Park, a 45-day review and comment period for the proposed modifications to the east end of the Midway Plaisance will begin on July 8, 2022. CDOT and the Chicago Park District invite the public and signatories, invited signatories, and concurring parties to review and provide comments on proposed plans concerning landscaping features and other character-defining elements of the design. The comment period will close on August 22, 2022.
Review plan materials here: July 8, 2022 Draft Plan for Review
Review comments and questions about plan materials received during the 45-Day Review and Comment Period here: 45-Day Review Period Comments
Anticipated Project ScheduleRFP Advertised to Consultants: July 2021 Board Committee & Contract Award: October 2021 Park Design: Winter 2021 – Spring 2023 Anticipated Park Opening Date: Spring 2024
Meetings- Past Meetings:
Project Documents
- January 25, 2022 5th Ward Aldermanic Meeting Presentation
- March 29, 2022 Community Meeting #1 Presentation
- May 3, 2022 Community Meeting #2 Presentation
- June 21, 2022 Community Meeting #3 Presentation
- October 6, 2022 Community Meeting #4 Presentation
- December 13, 2022 Community Meeting #5 Presentation
- March 2023 - Midway Lakefront Protection Ordinance Application
Questions or Comments
- Please share with us any questions or comments you have about this project in general: Midway Plaisance East End Improvements Project Feedback Form
- Share comments or questions about the plan materials, as part of the 45-day review & comment period (see more on that above): Midway Plaisance East End Improvements 45-Day Review & Comment Period Form
- Morgan Shoal Revetment Reconstruction
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Address: Lakefront - 45th to 51st Streets, Chicago IL 60615 & 60653 Community: Douglas, Oakland, Kenwood, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Armour Square, Grand Boulevard, Washington Park, Fuller Park. Status: Design Project Description
The Morgan Shoal Revetment Reconstruction Project is located along the Lake Michigan shoreline between 45th and 51st Streets. The project study area is located within the larger 650-acre Burnham Park which stretches along the Chicago lakefront from the Museum Campus south to Jackson Park. This project is the latest phase of the Chicago Shoreline Protection Project, a long-term shoreline reconstruction project undertaken by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Chicago Park District (CPD), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In conjunction with its partners, the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) is managing the development of planning, design, procurement, and construction of the Morgan Shoal Revetment Reconstruction project.
The PBC, in collaboration with CPD, CDOT and USACE, has engaged a project team led by SmithGroup to design the revetment reconstruction. The proposed design for the project will reflect the conceptual designs that resulted from the 2014-2015 Framework Plan process. While some refinements to the shore protection arrangement are anticipated, the coastal structures will include a combination of rubble mound and dynamic revetment, stepped stone blocks, and a transition section of steel sheet pile and concrete revetment to connect to the existing structure at 51st Street. The project will add up to 9.5 acres of new usable parkland by providing more width to the narrowest parts of the park. The additional space will allow for a dual trail system and will create separation between park users and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
The defining feature of the project segment is the near-offshore geologic formation known as the Morgan Shoal. One of many shoals in the area, the Morgan Shoal is a bedrock formation of dolomite limestone formed 300 million years ago that protrudes almost to the surface of Lake Michigan. The shallow water depths reduce the incident wave conditions and the shallow bedrock makes sheet-pile-based shoreline protection systems difficult to construct, therefore, it presents an opportunity for alternative shore protection measures.
The design is intended to provide additional passive and active recreational opportunities, as well as a new comfort station, improved viewpoints at 47th Street and 51st Street, and enhanced connectivity for trail users. A balance will be struck between traditional park green space and new, diverse natural areas supporting indigenous flora and fauna, particularly migratory birds.
The Morgan Shoal reconstruction will provide a degree of coastal protection and flood damage reduction in keeping with the broader Chicago Shoreline Protection Project. This project will also provide an important link along the Lake Michigan waterfront to create an active, interesting, and educational place for people to visit, in keeping with the 1999 Burnham Park Framework Plan and the 2015 Morgan Shoal Framework Plan.
Anticipated Project ScheduleDesign Development Plan: Q3 2022 to Q3 2023 Final Construction Documents: Q4 2023 Community Engagement: Q2 2024 Construction Start: Q4 2024 Bid and Award Procurement: Q3 2024 – Q4 2024 Anticipated Park Completion: Q4 2028
Meetings- Upcoming Meetings:
- Please check back here for more information on meeting dates, times, and location/format, as it becomes available.
- Past Meetings/Events:
Project Documents
Questions or Comments
- Please sign up to receive project information direct to your email or share any questions or comments you have about this project by filling out our feedback form
- Upcoming Meetings:
Active Projects
- South Lakefront Framework Plan
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Address: Jackson Park and South Shore Cultural Center Community: Hyde Park, Woodlawn, and South Shore Community Areas Status: Plan Complete 2018;
Implementation of Recommendations UnderwayCost: N/A The purpose of a Park Framework Plan is to create a long-term plan for a park that responds to diverse neighborhood needs as well as the historic context of the park. In 1999, the Chicago Park District authorized framework plans for three historic parks: Jackson Park, Washington Park and the South Shore Cultural Center, which became known as the South Lakefront Framework Plan. The South Lakefront Framework Plan served as a guide to future improvements within the park, many of which have been completed.
Today, significant changes are proposed for these parks including the formation of the Obama Presidential Center campus, the roadway improvements to support the presidential center, and the restoration and merger of the Jackson Park and South Shore Golf Courses. Cumulatively, these changes necessitated an update to the South Lakefront Framework Plan to establish a vision of the park and its function as a whole. This 2018 update to the South Lakefront Framework Plan outlines recommendations for land use and management over the next 10 years for Jackson Park and the South Shore Cultural Center Park.
View the South Lakefront Framework Plan. - Cultural Centers
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Address: 18 Park District Cultural Centers,
1 downtown Cultural CenterCommunity: Various Status: In Design Cost: $20 million estimated (Park District) Unique to Chicago, the Chicago Park District’s eighteen Cultural Centers are positioned as hubs of arts and culture embedded in neighborhoods. Cultural Centers provide classes and events that showcase the arts, host local arts organizations as artists in residence, and provide affordable performance and rehearsal space for neighborhood artists.
DCASE’s Chicago Cultural Center in the loop is one of Chicago’s most visited attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to view its landmark architecture and enjoy free music, dance and theater events, films, lectures, art exhibitions, and family events.
The Park District and DCASE will collaborate to build a network connecting the neighborhood Cultural Centers and the landmark Chicago Cultural Center for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. Through capital investments in our neighborhood facilities, we will provide opportunities to nurture local artists and arts organizations across the city. Through coordination on programming and cultural opportunities, we will foster cross-cultural connection between and among our neighborhoods. And by building links between the neighborhoods and the Chicago Cultural Center, we will have an opportunity to both showcase Chicago’s neighborhood artists in a prominent downtown location, and to bring the arts resources of our downtown to our neighborhoods.
Eight Park District Cultural Centers are in active design; five of these sites are also within Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West Initiative that seeks to drive investments to priority neighborhoods on Chicago’s south and west sides. - Soccer Mini-Pitches
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Address: District-Wide Community: Various Status: 42 Completed since 2018; 8 in Design Cost: $3,750,000 The Chicago Fire, the U.S. Soccer Foundation and the Chicago Park District have partnered to construct 50 soccer mini-pitches in parks across Chicago over 5 years. Started in 2018, forty-two pitches have been completed. Following construction, the partners actively program the courts for Chicago youth with a goal to serve 21,500 youth participants. Soccer encourages team building and an active lifestyle, especially for Chicago’s youth.
The project is made possible by a $3 million gift from Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund and $750,000 from the Chicago Fire.
- Save Chicago’s Treasures
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Address: District-Wide Community: Various Status: Ongoing Cost: $25 million The Chicago Park District is committed to restoring our existing field houses and community centers, many of which are historic landmarks. With over 250 community centers across the District, from Columbus Park to Lincoln Park to Tuley Park, facilities are receiving needed upgrades including building envelope, HVAC, ADA access, and interior improvements. Many projects are made possible due to the Illinois State Park and Recreational Facility Construction Grant Program. Investing in our existing facilities is essential to ensure these treasures can continue to provide programming opportunities for future generations.
Completed Projects
- Brighton Campus – New Park and HQ | Complete 2023
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Address: 4830 S. Western Avenue Community: Brighton Park Community Area Status: In Construction Cost: $64 million The Park District developed a 17-acre vacant site at 4800 S. Western Avenue into a community asset bringing boundless recreation opportunities to the children and families in the area. The new Brighton Campus features a 20,000 square foot multi-story, public field house with a gymnasium, fitness center, bathrooms, locker rooms, community multi-purpose rooms and office space for the District’s administrative staff. Additional amenities include two artificial turf athletic fields with lighting, a grand lawn, walkways, a playground, spray pool, natural area and parking.
Prior to this project, Brighton Park ranked among the city’s top five community areas in need of open space according to the City Space Plan. The development has boosted the availability of parkland for Brighton Park, but also neighboring McKinley Park, Back of the Yards, Gage Park and Archer Heights. Located just steps from the CTA Orange line and Western Avenue bus route, the campus is easily accessible by public transportation.
This investment in the neighborhood is a catalyst for lasting change and proof of the City's commitment to investing in our historic neighborhoods. - ComEd Recreation Center – Addams Park | Complete 2020
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Address: 1301 W. 14th St. 60608 Community: Near West Side Community Area Status: Complete 2020 Cost: $25 million Addams Park is an existing 9.24-acre park located in the Near West Side Community. The new ComEd Recreation Center includes the construction of a new community fieldhouse and improved outdoor athletic fields. The new 98,776 square foot recreation center houses an artificial turf field, multi-purpose hard surface courts, and community room for meetings and classes, restrooms, offices, reception and storage space. The site has been improved with landscaping, a parking lot and loading area.
This project is made possible through a generous donation by Exelon and partnerships with the Chicago Housing Authority and local schools.
- Ford Calumet Environmental Center at Big Marsh | Complete 2021
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Address: 11555 S. Stony Island Ave. 60617 Community: South Deering Community Area Status: Construction Cost: $7 million
In 2013, the Millennium Reserve Steering Committee identified the creation of a southeast side nature center as one of 14 priority initiatives for the Millennium Reserve. The Chicago Park District received a $35,000 grant from the Chicago Community Trust in 2014 to conduct a Feasibility Study which outlined the need, purpose, and program of a new center and recommended it be located at Big Marsh Park. In 2016, the Chicago Environmental Fund (CEF) dedicated $3.7M to the project, with funds originally provided to CEF by Ford Motor Company. Design of the building, to be called the Ford Calumet Environmental Center (FCEC), began in 2016. The project was completed and opened to the public in August 2021.The Ford Calumet Environmental Center includes two large multi-purpose community rooms, educational exhibit displays depicting the history and ecology of southeast side natural areas, bike rentals, office support, and public restrooms. The building incorporates bird-safe design and an innovative wastewater wetland instead of City sewer for wastewater disposal on site.
Learn more: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/FCEC - Gately Indoor Track and Field | Complete 2020
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Address: 744 E. 103rd St. 60628 Community: Pullman Community Area Status: Complete 2020 Cost: $56 million The Gately Indoor Track and Field is a world-class facility with the area’s first hydraulically banked 200-meter track. The 139,000 square-foot facility has a seating capacity of 3,500 and includes supporting amenities such as a meet management control room, concessions, multipurpose rooms, and locker rooms. Additionally, the facility features a 4,000-square foot warm-up area, eight sprint lanes, two long and triple jump runways and pits, pole-vault runway and pads, a high jump area, and scoreboard(s).
In addition to sporting events and programs, non-sport events are also expected to be held throughout the year. To accommodate this need, this facility is flexible with 70,000 square feet of usable space that can be programmed for recreational basketball, volleyball and other non-sporting events.
Also in the new facility, After School Matters (ASM) programs 22,000 square feet of program space including a dance program, full culinary kitchen and multi-purpose labs for art, science and technology. The new Gately facility is both a world-class sports complex and a year-round community center for wellness, culture and after-school programming.
This project is made possible due to a generous donation by Exelon and partnership with After School Matters.
- Lakefront Trail Separation | Complete 2018
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Address: Lakefront Trail from Ardmore Ave. to 71st St. Community: Various Status: Complete 2018 Cost: $16 million The Lakefront Trail (LFT) is one of the busiest non-motorized trails in the United States. It is used daily for commuting and recreation by diverse users including bicyclists, joggers, rollerbladers and people walking to enjoy the lakefront. The different types of users and speeds can cause confusion and congestion along the trail. Starting in 2017, the Chicago Park District separated the entire 18-mile LFT into two distinct trails, a bike trail and pedestrian trail. The bike trail accommodates primarily faster-paced patrons who want to cycle through the park without having to weave in and out of walkers. The pedestrian trail is for people using the park for walking, jogging, and pushing strollers; no bikes are allowed on the pedestrian trail. The trail design and implantation was developed in partnership with the Active Transportation Alliance and Chicago Area Runners Association.
The project is made possible due to a generous donation by the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund.
- Chicago Plays! Playground Program | Complete 2016
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Address: District-Wide Community: Various Status: Complete 2016 Cost: $40 million The Chicago Park District has over 525 playgrounds across the City. Starting in 2013, the District undertook a major initiative to update all of the oldest playgrounds in every neighborhood of Chicago. Under the Chicago Plays! Program, 327 playgrounds were renovated over four-years from 2013-2016. Program scope included complete replacement of all play equipment and additional site improvements (benches, paving, landscape, and drinking fountains) as needed. The program included strong community involvement to prioritize playground replacement and choose new playground designs.
- Chicago River Boat Houses | Complete 2016
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Address: 5100 N. Francisco Ave. 60625, 3400 N. Rockwell Ave. 60618, 1700 S. Wentworth Ave. 60616, 2860 S. Eleanor St. 60608 Community: Lincoln Square/Albany Park, North Center, Near South Side/Armour Square, and Bridgeport Community Areas Status: Complete 2013-2016 Cost: $24 million Within the City’s effort to enliven the Chicago River as a recreational outlet and economic driver for the City, the Chicago Park District constructed four new Chicago River Boat Houses. Located along the length of the river at River Park, Clark Park, Ping Tom Park, and Park 571 (Eleanor), these facilities provide new access points to the river and offer new river programming opportunities. Clark Park and Park 571 are the largest of the facilities, both have boathouse and boat storage facilities including indoor ergometer rowing training rooms, community rooms, office space, and locker rooms.
- Ellis Quad Community Arts and Recreation Center | Complete 2016
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Address: 3520 S. Cottage Grove 60653 Community: Oakland and Douglas Community Areas Status: Complete 2016 Cost: $17.5 million The Ellis Quad Community Arts and Recreation Center is a partnership with the City of Chicago, the Chicago Housing Authority, and The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB). The new 32,482 square foot field house includes a full size gymnasium with basketball courts, an indoor pool, art and education club rooms, a fitness center and studio, meeting hall, and performance spaces for music, theater, etc.
- Maggie Daley Park | Complete 2015
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Address: 337 E. Randolph St. 60601 Community: Loop Community Area Status: Complete 2015 Cost: $60 million Located in Grant Park between Millennium Park and Lake Michigan, Maggie Daley Park is one of the largest green roofs in the country. A new multi-functional 27-acre park developed to replace Daley Bicentennial Plaza and Peanut Park, Maggie Daley Park is the cap to the 3,700 car underground Millennium Lakeside Garage completed in 1976. The Millennium Lakeside Garage completed extensive garage roof renovations which required the removal of the existing park in its entirety, providing a generational opportunity to envision a new design and use for the prime site.
Reopened in 2015, the new Maggie Daley Park includes a ¼ mile long skating ribbon, 40-foot high outdoor climbing walls, 3-acre children's play garden, tennis courts, and a great open lawn for passive recreation and events.
Maggie Daley Park was made possible multiple generous donations to the park. A wall listing the private and corporate donations to the park is located inside the Daley Bicentennial Field House at Maggie Daley Park.
Click here for more information about Maggie Daley Park.
- Northerly Island Natural Area | Complete 2015
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Address: 1521 S. Linn White Dr. 60605 Community: Near South Side Community Area Status: Complete 2015 (2017 plantings complete) Cost: $10 million In partnership with the Army Corps Great Lakes Fisheries and Environmental Restoration (GLFER) Program, Northerly Island was transformed into a 91-acre natural area with skyline views, hiking, and fishing. In the center of the peninsula is a six-acre pond serving as an estuary for fish and amphibians and a food source for migratory birds. In the center of the pond, unearthed during project construction, is a retaining wall from the time of the 1933 World’s Fair. The site also provides multi-purpose trails, nature trails, and scenic vistas.
- La Villita Park | Complete 2014
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Address: 2800 S. Sacramento Ave. 60608 Community: South Lawndale Community Area Status: Complete 2014 Cost: $19 million La Villita Park is an impressive 21 ½ acre park in the Little Village neighborhood of the South Lawndale Community. It occupies a former brownfield called Celotex in reference a former industrial complex that had polluted and degraded the site. Designated by the EPA as a Superfund site, the property went through remediation. The cleanup process was completed in 2009 and the Chicago Park District acquired the site in 2012. The new park is extremely significant to the surrounding Little Village neighborhood. Not only does this area have one of the highest needs for open space in Chicago, but its residents long-contended with the negative consequences of living near a polluted site.
For years, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) had advocated for cleaning up this site and converting it to parkland. The Chicago Park District worked closely with LVEJO and Little Village community members to develop plans for the new park. Designed by Smith Group JJR the $ 18,920,000 park (including acquisition costs) has two artificial turf athletic fields with lighting; three natural grass athletic fields; a skate park; basketball courts; community gardens; passive landscape areas; a large playground with a water spray feature; a picnic pavilion; comfort stations with concessions; a multi-use trail with fitness stations; and environmentally-friendly utilities.
LVEJO conducted a democratic and inclusive process to identify an appropriate name for the new park. The organization discussed possible names at several community meetings and then engaged more than 700 residents in an online survey. There was strong consensus for naming the site as La Villita Park. The name recognizes the vitality of a great immigrant neighborhood as well as the contributions Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans have made to Little Village and the city of Chicago.