Initial details and a Request for Proposals (RFP) have been issued for the reimagining of the northern half of Chicago State University in Roseland. Dubbed University Village 95, the plan calls for the redevelopment of the mostly vacant areas of the campus along the south side of East 95th Street.
Approximate location of University Village 95 via Google Maps
The over two-acre project spans roughly from South St. Lawrence Avenue on the west to South Cottage Grove Avenue on the east. It would rebuild the existing offshoot of St. Lawrence Avenue to create a new campus entrance, while also connecting to the upcoming rebuilt Metra station at 95th Street. The development is expected to bring a total of 232,000 square feet of space.
Rendering of new 95th station via Metra
Led by the university and CBRE, the completed vision would feature multiple five- to six-story buildings centered around a pedestrian walkway. The plan includes three blocks of new student housing, standard residential units, retail, green space, and more. To achieve this, the university will partner with developers and offer long-term land leases, according to Crain’s.
Sample rendering of University Village 95 via DPD
The university hopes to build over 1,000 units of student housing with amenities such as bookstores and coffee shops, with an emphasis on local brands and art. The first of four phases is now open for bidding, calling for up to 528 student beds and 25,000 square feet of retail space to be completed by 2027.
While a full project timeline is not yet known, the university aims to sign a contract with a developer for phase one by the end of this year. The project website with further details can be found here.
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Yea, this chalk this up as things that will never happen. Chicago State will probably be defunct in the next 10-20 years.
Love to see this. I think CSU is a great resource for the South Side and having this on-campus housing will help to stabilize the school. It’d be great to see this school become more of an economic engine for the surrounding community, too.
I do hope CSU finds a way to replace some of the mature trees that this will cut down elsewhere on campus though. Go Cougs!
Agree, the only downside seems to be that the proposed plot of land appears to be heavily landscaped. But I’m not familiar with the campus and can’t say if these are young, middle aged or mature trees :).
Student housing and retail attraction in this Southeast Cluster will be well received by residents and new homeowners. The cluster deserve new amenities to build upon the expected surge in population. Maintaining a pedestrian friendly environment will be key along with air and noise pollution reductions. Would love to hear more about its clean energy, green infrastructure and design features that would boost African American trade workers. We should be able to develop a progressive apprenticeship. Also, at 100th and King Drive us the Rev. Dr. MLK Jr Commemoration Bridge is is scheduled for it’s rededication on August 28th.
I hope it connects smoothly with the Metra station and could hopefully go even larger with so much transit near by.
161 acres campus for 1,450 full time students
I think there’s a strong push to build-up more local colleges that get ya the bare needs of a degree without all the bells and whistles.
Definitely a bit too much land for a student body that size, but some investments into more realistic versions of higher education seems reasonable. Not everyone is a Harvard mind and not everyone can pay their way into the Ivy’s like the ruling class does, but some good housing goes a long way on the local level. Lots of young families with a parent in full-time school benefit from student housing that’s not ultra luxurious. It’s ridiculous what some cities get away with as they pair spas, rooftop lounges, and arcades while your little one is getting a bachelor’s in communications. (If they’re willing to pay, who am I to judge)
This is a great use of space, I actually had this idea haha I can’t believe they’re actually doing it
I used to love going to CSU basketball games for only $5 in the mid-2000s.
My question for Yimby, will your staff do a future post on the developments in Joliet? The mayor said his goal is for the city to become the second-largest city in Illinois, which is saying a lot considering the city is about 30k residents behind Aurora. I read that the city is approving developments like crazy.The city has approved large-scale residential projects that include 377 single-family homes, 72 townhomes, a 570 unit apartment project, and that is only the beginning of the city’s upcoming developments. I am a bit fascinated by seeing such large-scale developments being done in the Chicagoland area.