Initial details have been revealed for a new cultural and community hub at 2905 West Madison Street in East Garfield Park. Located at the intersection with North Francisco Avenue, the center will replace a city-owned vacant lot as part of the city’s initiative to reinvest in the West Side. The effort is being led by The Brim Foundation and P3 Markets.
Site view of 2905 West Madison Street via DPD
Dubbed The Madison Street Athletic & Cultural Complex, the project is the winning proposal from a city RFQ issued last year, according to Block Club. It is being designed by local firm bKL Architecture and will rise three floors in height. The building will feature a mix of brick, glass, and metal mesh on the exterior, with rounded corners and extensive surrounding landscaping.
Rendering for Madison Street Athletic & Cultural Complex by bKL Architecture
The interior will include 30,000 square feet of space housing fitness facilities, an indoor baseball diamond, an academic learning center, a teaching kitchen, music and media studios, a café, an arts and culture hall, a rooftop deck, and an event space. The grounds will also include an outdoor activation area and visitor parking, according to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD).
Site view of 2905 West Madison Street via Google Maps
The $42.2 million project will occupy the entire 0.95-acre site, which the city will sell to the development team at its appraised value of $996,000. The project will still require city approval and support from the local community, and the team plans to apply for up to $10 million in public funding. While a construction timeline has not yet been announced, local contractor BOWA is slated to complete the work.
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A beautiful and beneficial addition to the neighborhood.
The brickwork is striking, and the street presence is inviting (considering the existing conditions). But it is hard to sell a $40 million new community center when the Garfield Park Field House is not even a mile away.
I guess you can’t fit an indoor baseball diamond, but I am positive $10 million could renovate/repurpose portions of the Field House to fit some of these uses. Will this structure then be on the city’s dime to maintain, or will another organization take over management?
I am all for new investment for the West Side, but housing is the absolute biggest need to reinvigorate the neighborhoods. Two of Chicago’s biggest parks are within a quick bike ride away, one of the country’s most beautiful FREE conservatories, and no shortage of community centers around.
I am wary of this being the best use of resources.