The Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday approved rezoning to allow construction of the new 22,000-seat soccer stadium for the Chicago Fire Football Club that team owner Joe Mansueto wants to build in The 78 neighborhood of the South Loop. Zoning Committee and full City Council approval are the next steps toward getting shovels in the ground.
Pedestrian circulation, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 traffic access, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Site circulation & Access, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
The Chicago Fire FC announced this week that they’ve assembled another team, with Pepper Construction, GMA Construction Group, and ALL Construction Group collaborating as general contractors on the stadium, which will anchor The 78 project.
Four character districts, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
The distinct urban spaces, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Four character districts, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
The three-and-a-half-hour presentation drew dozens of speakers both for and against the project. Many of the pro-votes were Chicago Fire fans, and others proclaimed developer Related Midwest’s history of hiring minority and women-owned contractors around the city, and encouraged the commission to allow them to move forward with another large project. The Commission lauded the Latino voices of independent contracting firms who expressed desires to be included in the construction phases.
Phase 1 development, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 Community plaza, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 Fire Community plaza, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 riverfront, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 riverfront section, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Many of those opposed to the plan cited transportation and infrastructure concerns around the stadium, an issue many in attendance acknowledged needed to be addressed as plans for The 78 move forward. There was also concern from some that the plan was moving too quickly, having just been announced about three months prior. And once again, that point was acknowledged by commission members. But sentiment seems to hinge on taking advantage of the $650 million in private money Mansueto is putting forward to build his stadium, and the sooner he can get started, the better for the city.
Many commentors spoke in defense of the Chinatown neighborhood, with complaints from residents who fear being forced out by the new development, and many not having been informed of the proposal at all. Third Ward Alderman Pat Dowell pushed back against those claims, citing the nine community meetings that have already been held, with more to come, vowing that community engagement will continue as the project evolves. She called today’s request for approval “an appropriate step forward” despite the three-month proposal timeline. She, like many, are eager to get a long-derelict site developed.
Also pushing back on the nay votes was 11th Ward Alderman Nicole Lee, who asked that the commission not view the negative voices for the Chinatown community as representative of her constituents. She disagreed with sentiment that there would be mass displacement of residents. And when pointing out that she is a life-long Chinatown resident, made the point that many of those speaking for the community were not. She went on to assure her constituents that she would see to mitigating any harm new development might bring to them, and encouraged the development team to include the Asian community in the project.
Phase 1 pedestrian network, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 bicycle network, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Phase 1 Wells Street access, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
Stadium elevations, via the Chicago Plan Commission presentation
As stated, the next steps to approval lie with the Zoning Committee and the full City Council. The Chicago Fire plan to begin playing in their new home in 2028, and that means moving dirt sooner rather than later.
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Better Streets Chicago and CBCAC are working together in opposition to a long stalled mega project poised to bring a large tax bases and much needed units to a city that lags behind every other. It is so disappointing to me that these so called pro housing orgs do the opposite I am glad they are moving forward with this project and hope they ignore these small wannabe roadblocks to develop a plot of land that’s laid vacant for over 50 years in our downtown area.
Better Streets Chicago is concerned about the $551 million of TIF money that was supposed to go to infrastructure improvements (Red Line station, Metra re-alignment, etc.) being cut from the redevelopment agreement. You should be too.
The 78 and Lincoln Yards/606 expansion are the exact infrastructure improvements I wish the money went towards.
I still don’t like the idea of the money being used to support overpriced affordable projects and the office conversions of downtown. Redo LaSalle to make it more family-friendly? Sure. Use the money to make Michigan Ave a pedestrian paradise? Absolutely.
We must not cut corners on the infrastructure for the 78. You only get one chance to redevelop virgin land in such an easy format.
Yeah sure throw up more roadblocks when the CBCAC that better streets partnered with is explicitly against any development there. Have you seen their talking points? They are against any development because it would attract “high income tenants” now tell me what proposal would be acceptable to the CBCAC and by extension better streets that would have a developer actually break ground no one is going to deliver on a megadevelopment that doesn’t include luxury units to be significant portion which means that no development would ever be acceptable to them. I just believe that this is a NIMBY disguised as urbanism.
Weren’t there talks about adding a new Red Line CTA station within the confines of this project or at least right around Clark & 15th street? Confused on why that’s not being discussed anymore? It seems essentially to me that they add that and start working on it NOW considering how long it would take.
It was discussed, and it has been deemed not financially viable for now. Still a possibility, but probably a long shot.
I agree. They definitely should add a new Red Line (and Metra) stop to this location to accommodate the fans. Back in 2019, Alderwoman Pat Dowell opposed adding a Red Line stop because she said the other side was “too residential” in character to allow an L stop. Hopefully her opinion has changed since the.
Too residential, wow that’s a shocking point of view if she did say that. The whole point of the L is to provide transportation for those who primarily live there – it’s not just a commercial toy.
A Metra stop would not be feasible given proximity to the LaSalle St. Station terminal. Whose south end of platforms are less than a half mile north of the stadium.
Dream would be for the CTA to build the relief line through the west loop (mostly under Clinton) from the 16th St. portal on the Red Line to the Willow portal on the Red Line. Which would go right under the 78 & could justify a station on 15th between Wells & LaSalle. Since that would allow for added service to/from more areas.
The initial plan was to put the stop within Dearborn Park, which caused the people living in that pretend little suburb to flip out because people might use transit way too close to their $1 million homes. Unfortunately Pat Dowell chose to embrace their delusion and torpedoed it.
Am I dense or is the Roosevelt red line stop a block or two away?
It’s like a 12 minute walk max. No way they should put a station here on one of the longest subway lines in the world. And that’s BEFORE the red line extension.
HA. I did not know it was Red also (curse you google maps).
I would suggest a Red Line/Metra stop at 18th, where both set of tracks are parallel and above ground. Oh wait, then there is Chinatown/Cermak a quarter mile away.
Maybe the Metra stop, but let’s now waste the limited CTA money on a red line stop there.
Listening to the meeting, it was interesting to hear all TIF money has been “cut” in the initial phase of this project. Without that money is a major reason this new plan is showing minimal transit infrastructure.
Supposedly, the development team expects a major upgrade to the Roosevelt Station a couple blocks east, but it’s unclear what that entails. I still find not adding the Red Line station and adjusting the Metra tracks will be huge opportunities missed.
It’s not like the Red Line’s two stations nearby are impossibly far, but it would help clear tons of foot traffic needing to cross Clark. Don’t know about y’all, but I’ve walked Roosevelt hundreds of times and that road is not one I’d release a stadium’s crowd upon. I’d rather siphon people south to where the stop could be.
So far, the only thing “set” is the stadium and the plan is very much still evolving and can easily adjust for city and community needs. It was almost described as a living plan. So maybe that means infrastructure is still in the works, but hopefully they make the biggest moves before it’s impossible or infeasible to correct. I’m glad to hear they will take another stab at the riverfront. Noted as the most important feature of the entire plan, they will take a more comprehensive approach to how they connect to the riverfront.
I’m very worried that “phase 1” becomes the permanent situation, and we get stuck with another massive surface parking lot in the south-loop area. Once people get used to the parking lots, they will not want to give those up.
I too very much share this fear. This could easily become like the United Center where it takes another 30 years before anything might actually be built over those parking lots.
You’ve got no evidence to back that up. It seems like you just wanted to throw some negativity into the mix. There’s this huge plot of land right by downtown Chicago, and something’s definitely going to be built there eventually. built there eventually.
Its a valid fear, developers do these rug pulls all the time. That said the concern isn’t a reason not to built the stadium.
yeah look up “District Detroit” for example
There’s lots of evidence all over the city of developments having “temporary” parking lots that end up lasting decades. Even if it lasts for 5 years, that’s 5 years of negative impact. In my opinion, a blank natural prairie is more beneficial to the city and neighborhood than a parking lot to store cars.
Yeah, I would feel much better if there were immediate plans to build a parking garage, so to help encourage the immediate development in the area without loss of existing parking that the temporary lots will create. The fact that there is huge underutilized parking garage just across the way at Roosevelt Collection also makes me hate these parking lots even more.
Someone shares a “worry” and you ask for “evidence” to back up their worry!? What planet are you from?
How is that weird? A worry with no reason behind it is not logical, so asking for evidence that their worry is a real concern is completely valid. What planet are you from?
From the Wikipedia page for Amazon HQ2 in Virginia:
“Phase I, which has capacity for 14,000 employees, opened in June 2023. Construction on Phase II is delayed and there is no timeline for development.”
It really is not far off from being a suburban-style development. It even has the typical suburban storm water retention pond to the south of the “temporary” parking lot. Designs around car access really do keep the quality of our developments so much lower than they could be if we thought about car access last.
“It even has the typical suburban storm water retention pond to the south of the “temporary” parking lot”
You do understand why the retention ponds are needed right? This site is very low to the water and a storm could flood everything on that site. These have a very real need beyond just trying to look suburban lol. Everyone has so many complaints when this is a good project with multiple phases to expand overtime. Do not let perfection be the enemy of good.
They just want this to stay empty for another two decades and complain endlessly how nothing gets built lol.
While I understand the fear, it is in the developer’s best interests to develop the land, and even if phase 2 is never built, it will still be better than the massive empty lot that currently exists on the site
I share the concerns about the Red Line stop at 15th being removed from scope, but I also wonder if the addition of a Metra RI flag stop would be realistic.
The diesels already crawl through this area (and dont work up speed until after the SCAL tracks) so not much time would be lost. Not to mention there will also be frequent Stadler EMUs operating on this route (downtown to Beverly sub) by the time any development materializes.
They’re electrifying the Rock Island? Or just battery-powered trains?
Yeah, they are Battery Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs) which are cars with individual propulsion motors (no locomotive) and a battery cab to power the motors. For anyone who wanted to know.
Speaking of the EMUs, do we know the timeline of their introduction? Haven’t heard about them in a bit
UIC’s Urban Transportation Center held a seminar last week where Metra electrification was discussed. Initial delivery of EMUs is still planned for 2027 but they likely won’t see service for some time after that as Metra will need to do testing and ensure they have their facilities adapted. They also indicated they’re going to put out a new RFP in the coming weeks for new electric locomotives that can be used with their existing trainsets.
As a South Loop resident it is amazing to me that there is any opposition to a guy spending his own money to create both jobs and beautiful new stadium on land that is sitting unused. This city is utterly bizarre in its opposition to growth and a sustainable future. Would you rather foot the billion $$ bill the Bears would like us to swallow? C’mon Chicago—let’s get behind smart development like this and stop trying to kill this great city!
Perhaps instead of a red line stop, an orange line stop on the south end could be built to alleviate accessibility and crowd congestion concern. The stop could be on 18th and Wentworth street near ping tom park.
Looking at a map, it seems like a lot of potential is sitting at 18th & Clark/Wentworth with Red, Orange and Metra crossing over each other. Exit on 18th and walking down Wentworth/Wells looks to be only 0.5 to 0.75 miles to the stadium.
So what happens to the TIF money for infrastructure if said infrastructure isn’t getting built? Left in a piggy bank for future development? Surplus declared so the city can pay down pension debt? TIF district altered/eliminated?
“The 78” was an aspirational name for an ambitious project that would create new road connections, remove the barriers of existing train lines, enhance transit options, and create a new thriving neighborhood that was both distinct from the surrounding city and yet also interwoven into our urban fabric. What’s being proposed now is a stadium with parking lots that might, someday, morph into a “stadium district”. It’s uninspired but fine, I guess. Though the “78” brand no longer makes any sense.
The 78 brand never made sense. This land is already in the Near South Side community area (#33). If this land was its own community area, it would be the smallest by far.
The little economic impact the Fire have (17 home games) currently exists outside of this TIF. If they move, the sales and property taxes generated will go to the Fire owners and Related Midwest. The Park District will also lose the rent the Fire pay to play in Soldier Field. This will privatize future tax cash flows, just like the parking meter deal.
Well the brand didn’t make sense in terms of being “reasonable” but it did express a vision that was going to be city-changing. And in some iterations of that potential vision (Amazon HQ2, Chicago Casino and surrounding high-density entertainment/residential, high-tech research hub anchored by U of I), this would be a fairly monumental transformation — even if not its own community area.
This new plan “put a stadium and parking on it” isn’t any more appealing to me than when Tony Rezko was going to build a housing complex anchored by an IKEA. If Rezko hadn’t been a crook, today we’d probably be eating Swedish meatballs on patio seating overlooking a modest river promenade. And I actually wouldn’t have minded that much.
I love the Chicago Fire’s commitment to Chicago. The team built a practice facility in the city; now, the team is building a high-class stadium. A side note, I enjoy reading all the building that is going on in the city with all the apartment construction. The city needs more apartment units, and so many buildings are being built.
Even though they’re not nearly as glamorous, I think all the 3-4 story infills taking over empty plots will set the city up better long term.
Blight has a mental effect that is a contributor to crime and unease. Filling up those neglected lots with a family or two is so much more significant than people realize. And once our outer reaches start reversing the termoil, that helps improve demand of downtown.
Our next building boom of tall stuff is reliant on our neighborhoods also thriving/improving.
So true and well said.
Don’t even build the Phase 1 parking lots; allow RE developers to go ahead and come in and have public parking garage like. the Roosevelt Collection. I also would love to see a RL/GL/OL/Metra line additional stations build very close by.
Loved reading all of the comments from clearly knowledgeable people about this project. This is what comments sections should be all about
The recurring comments on this website is how long it takes to build something here in Chicago-The process is so ridiculously cumbersome. Here, you have a builder who wants it done. Chicago heads don’t have any idea of what needs to be done so they take forever to approve. We have to stop voting for those who have no idea how to manage a city yet alone their own finances. Vote in competent people who will then hire those who can get things done without all these delays, then the city will thrive.