The Chicago City Council has approved the new Chicago Transit Authority consolidated control center at 335 N Pulaski Road in West Garfield Park. Having received approval from the Plan Commission earlier this year, the project has been in development for over two years now. The new center is being co-developed between the CTA and Farpoint Development.
Site plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Site plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
The CTA is currently operating out of the West Loop at 120 N Racine Avenue, within a two-story structure owned by Farpoint which they hope to either sell or redevelop. This is combined with the CTA’s need for larger dedicated training facilities as well in order to restore and expand service across the system.
Rendering of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Rendering of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Located on the intersection with W Lake Street, the Lamar Johnson Collaborative-designed structure will rise three stories and 47 feet in height. Inside will be 150,000 square feet of space which will be split into three main uses. 52,000 square feet will be for office space and training rooms, 28,000 square feet just for training space, and a 63,400-square-foot high bay training room.
floor plans of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Massing plan of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
This will be supported by a large paved pad to be used for outdoor training and driving. Though the facility will be used for public transportation and located next to the CTA Pulaski Green Line station, it will contain 104 parking spaces for guests as well as 98 spaces for staff. Once completed, the new CTA training center will house roughly 250 employees.
Sections of new CTA training center by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
With the city’s approval in hand, the $158 million project can now move forward towards construction. While a formal groundbreaking date is unknown, it is expected to open in 2026.
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The irony of employee parking in a CTA training facility…..
98 spots for 250 employees, so at least they assume most will use transit.
How is there going to be 104 guests and how do you make sure employees do not park in those spots?
Thank you, Tupper. This bothers me to no end. Transit employees (and board members at all levels should be required to take CTA to work, so they can all experience the same ghost buses/trains and service disruptions transit riders experience daily. Maybe that will motivate them to make the changes necessary to improve the system.
Interesting, 120 North Racine is master leased to Farpoint and they are not paying rent or taxes and have accumulated $15 million in fines via the Sun Times Article. Who at the City has Goodman’s back? How does he get two migrant shelters? The lender has filed suit for fraud on the Odgen migrant shelter.
Isn’t the CTA broke
Capital and operating budgets come from different revenue streams. The State has a fair box recovery ratio and a sales tax which covers operating costs. Capital funds usually come from State and federal grants (like the Rebuild Illinois program or the bipartisan infrastructure bill).
no it isn’t. and transit service is a public good like schools, emergency services, police, and street cleaners. do those services need to turn a profit too or should we shut all of them down since they are all newrly taxpayer funded?
This is going to make that corner of Pulaski and Lake a lot nicer. Love hearing that.