The Chicago Transit Authority has revealed new plans for its control center near the intersection of N Pulaski Road and W Lake Street in Garfield Park. Located just north of the CTA Green Line Pulaski station and the upcoming Chicago Police and Fire Academy, the new structure will free up space in their current location at 120 N Racine Avenue in the West Loop. The proposal marks one of the largest city investments in the area in recent years led through a venture with locally-based Farpoint Development.
Site context map of current 120 N Racine Avenue center via Google Maps
Currently the CTA’s control center operates out of the top floor of the aforementioned three-story 120 N Racine Avenue, owned by Farpoint itself which was started by a co-founder of famed Sterling Bay. The deal struck is a win-win situation for all involved in its current initial planning phases with the buying cost going to building the new center, while giving Farpoint full control of the massive West Loop site to redevelop into more than one million square feet of space per the current zoning approval according to Crain’s.
Current view of 120 N Racine Avenue via Farpoint Development
While no plans are set for that, the CTA will use the new 150,000-square-foot building to house its control center with improved security and technology while also consolidating multiple nearby training facilities into a single main location. Housing over 250 employees, the new digs will boast enough room for large-group training, orientation, and more that they currently cannot do, facilitating the work needed as the system faces various financial and operational hurdles in the years to come.
Site context map of new center (red) and other nearby major CTA sites (orange) via Google Maps
With only a single preliminary rendering published by the developer itself from an unknown architect, the image shows a large garage and logistics center with a three-story office portion clad in a gradient of orange metal panels accented with black walls. With plans still in the early stages for the $158 million project and multiple approvals still needed, construction is currently scheduled to commence as early as April 2024 with a 2026 completion date according to Mass Transit Magazine.
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Yes thanks to all architects and fellow workers who build this facility stay rational and motivated great work pays off
Seems like the CTA should demonstrate transit-oriented mixed-use development. This should have retail, residential, and designed for pedestrians.