The Chicago Plan Commission has approved the new Chicago Transit Authority consolidated control center at 335 N Pulaski Road in West Garfield Park. Located just north of the intersection with W Lake Street, the new structure will replace a large vacant lot and storage yard. Efforts for the project are being led by the Farpoint Development and the CTA, with Lamar Johnson Collaborative leading the design.
Current view onto site
Site plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Currently the CTA operates out of a single floor of a West Loop building at 120 N Racine Avenue owned by Farpoint, which they will vacate as soon as the new facility is completed. This will also become the second largest investment in the neighborhood from the city in recent years, the other being Chicago Police and Fire Academy training center nearby.
Site plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Massing plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Rising three stories and 47 feet in height, the massive 150,000-square-foot center will also be home to the CTA’s new training center. The structure itself will be split into three components; the new two-story training center spanning over 28,000 square feet, three-story office/training center spanning 52,000 square feet, and the central 63,400-square-foot high bay training structure.
Rendering of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Rendering of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
The facility will have three separate parking lots; a small four-space lot by the entrance that leads to a 104-space visitor lot on the south end, and an 80-vehicle employee lot on the north side. In between the two will be a massive paved pad to be used as a flexible outdoor training area, complemented by 18 employee bike parking spaces.
floor plans of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Elevations of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
The structure itself will be clad in patterned and painted precast panels with an orange gradient motif, with the main street corner boasting an all glass moment. Once completed it will house 250 employees. The $158 million project just needs approval from the city prior to moving forward, with an original completion date of 2026 having been announced.
It is unknown what the plans are for the existing structure at 120 N Racine Avenue, however Farpoint could redevelop the property into over one-million square feet of new space.
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Ok. Someone’s gotta ask the question. Why are there 184 parking spots for the CTA training center (including 80 for employees)? The Pulaski Green Line stop is 1/8 mile away. There are buses that will take people there too. If anyone should be taking CTA, it’s the people who work there. Things won’t get any better until the people who work for the authority are forced to deal with the inconveniences riders endure daily.
Buses that literally stop in front of this place, both N and S.
I am not usually anti-car but here they need to have the requisite handicapped spots and that is it.
+1 to the anti-parking wizard. Kind of ridiculous.
Also – I am curious about whether this construction cost seems reasonable to others. I am more familiar with residential rates, but doesn’t this seem like a high price for this project?
It’s well known CTA employees don’t use the CTA… so parking is necessary
I realize that. But maybe if they didn’t include parking (which is expensive and a horrible land use practice) more employees would have to use transit. If they’re not willing to use their product, they shouldn’t be working there.
I’m glad that the CTA is building this. It’s not only fiscally smart, trading expensive land for less expensive land, but it also brings jobs to disinvested parts of the City. I wish more government agencies took this approach.
I think a better question to ask is how many employees on average will be at the center as compared to the number of employee parking spaces. I am pro-public tranit, but there are parts of the city where public tranportation is not a realistic option for people. The idea that some employees will need to drive shouldn’t shock anyone who lives in Chicago.
Given that at least some of these jobs are 24/7/365, transit isn’t an option for everyone. It is good that it’s so close to the Green Line though, if one were lucky or have enough seniority to work first or second shift.
It’s also nice that they’re using vacant land. That makes sense.