Project Round-Up: Construction And Funding For Racine Blue Line And Homeless Shelter In Garfield Park

In a round-up of smaller projects; a construction contract has been awarded for renovations to the CTA Racine Blue Line station and funding has been announced for a veterans shelter in Garfield Park. The CTA station is located at 430 S Racine Avenue just east of the Illinois Medical District and runs in the center of the highway below. The shelter will be located at 4941 W Chicago Avenue and repurposes an existing building to provide much needed resources to military veterans experiencing homelessness.

Site context map of the Racine Station via Google Maps

CTA Racine Station

The aging station was originally built in 1958 and will now receive a $75 million renovation project thanks to the state’s Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. The work will make it accessible and bring it up to code as a part of the system’s All Station Accessibility Program including; adding elevators, renovations to the secondary entrance on S Loomis Street, platform extension, new ramps, wayfinding, benches, and more will create the accessible environment. Local contractor FH Paschen was awarded the contract that will also include new electrical equipment at the station’s substation.

Rendering of the ARLI Center via ARLI

Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute (ARLI) Wellness Center

The ARLI is a local non-profit with the goal of assisting those in need started by the late pastor of the church who owns the vacant building they will be retrofitting. In the works for a few years already, the center will focus on providing temporary housing and food for up to eight families, with future plans for physical, mental, and behavioral treatments for the greater community according to Block Club. The awarded $324,000 grant is only half of what’s needed to replace the structure’s roof and build out the units with new finishes and appliances.

Site context map ARLI Center via Google Maps

Both projects have now received greenlights to proceed, however neither has announced a groundbreaking nor a construction timeline at the moment. More information on the CTA’s All Station Accessibility Program can be found here, more information and a donations page for the ARLI Center can be found here.

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