United Center planning $7B mixed-use district to replace parking lots

[Teemu]

United Center owners planning massive $7 billion mixed-use campus around the arena

Plans call for a music hall, housing, park and pedestrian-friendly spaces as part of a 10-year development project that could start as early as 2025.

chicago.suntimes.com

The owners behind the United Center announced on Tuesday that the parking lots and area surrounding the United Center will be replaced by a $7 billion mixed-use district — a price tag they say would make it the largest private investment in the West Side.

Dubbed The 1901 Project, if approved, the estimated 10-year development would transform the West Side with green space, mixed-income housing, a music hall and more. Construction is planned in seven phases, with the first estimated to start as early as next year.

...

The first phase is expected to start construction in spring 2025 and would transform the surface parking lots adjacent to the United Center. In February, the Sun-Times had reported that associates of Jerry Reinsdorf spent $44.7 million to scoop up nearby parking lots run by his competitors.


The plan is to construct a parking facility, which would have more than 10 acres of open green space on the roof. Given United Center’s history of hosting events, it could host events at the park. But Savarise said it’s “open” to conversations with the Chicago Park District and their potential role with the park.

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[Beukeboom Fan]

I used to live a mile north of there - and not sure about investing $7B in that area. Hope they can pull it off - but this would have been timed better 25 years ago when a bunch of areas in the city were being gentrified. Not sure if the environment is there to do so now.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Development around the UC is long overdue and needed. Will need more information to really give a concrete judgment on the plans, but I like the idea in principal.

Heck, I'm almost in favor of spending that much just to have buildings whose sole purpose is to act as a wind barrier when exiting the UC on a freezing January night.

That being said, I'm always convinced that these ten figure projects always involve significant skimming off the top by multiple parties, and a $7 billion price tag for this doesn't make that conspiratorial outlook of mine seem any less reasonable.

 

[varsaku]

Development around the UC is long overdue and needed. Will need more information to really give a concrete judgment on the plans, but I like the idea in principal.

Heck, I'm almost in favor of spending that much just to have buildings whose sole purpose is to act as a wind barrier when exiting the UC on a freezing January night.

That being said, I'm always convinced that these ten figure projects always involve significant skimming off the top by multiple parties, and a $7 billion price tag for this doesn't make that conspiratorial outlook of mine seem any less reasonable.

Or just ends up being like the Lincoln yards and just never progresses much. If this was done years ago it would have made sense.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Before and after rendering, or more accurately now and later.

 

[Fatass]

Park on rooftops when attending games?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Excited for this to be completed when I'm *checks notes* 45

 

[StreetHawk]

Park on rooftops when attending games?

Pretty much parking lots surround the arena. So, how do fans typically get to games. Need to accommodate enough of them who drive.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

"The plan is to construct a parking facility"

 

[Sam de Mtl]

Lol of course the first concern of people is "how will I park my car?"

So north american. As if car was the only way to get around in a huge downtown city or even a smart way to do it.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Lol of course the first concern of people is "how will I park my car?"

So north american. As if car was the only way to get around in a huge downtown city or even a smart way to do it.

Just to let you know - probably 75% of the fanbase is from the suburbs and there is not a practical way to take mass transit to the United Center. So it's probably a pretty damn good idea to make sure that they have someplace to park if you want them to attend.

And it should be noted that "powers that be" specifically did not allow a Green Line stop (part of the Chicago subway/elevated train system) to be built even though it runs right by the United Center specifically to enable the Bulls/Hawks to maximize their parking revenue.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Lol of course the first concern of people is "how will I park my car?"

So north american. As if car was the only way to get around in a huge downtown city or even a smart way to do it.

Driving there is probably the safest way, it’s not a great neighborhood. At least when I drove to a game there.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Driving there is probably the safest way, it’s not a great neighborhood. At least when I drove to a game there.

And in related news - the Pacific Ocean is a little bit wet! ;o)

 

[Golden_Jet]

And in related news - the Pacific Ocean is a little bit wet! ;o)

Ahh thanks , didn’t realize it was so well known as a bad neighborhood.
As a hawk fan who drove 16 hours for a weekend to see a game, loved the city, didn’t like the neighborhood.
Cars up on 4 wheels, houses with no roofs, people living in the lower floors.
Self serve gas pump, attendant came out and yelled at me to get back in the car, he would pump the gas for us , as it’s not safe he said.
Told us to lock the doors, and recommended only slowing down for red lights.

Hopefully this project cleans up the area.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Lol of course the first concern of people is "how will I park my car?"

So north american. As if car was the only way to get around in a huge downtown city or even a smart way to do it.

What do you know about living in Chicago and getting around the city? I'd love to see you map out how to get there via public transit in a relatively convenient way. Pretend like you're from the suburbs too. From Union Station to the United Center, go ahead.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Ahh thanks , didn’t realize it was so well known as a bad neighborhood.
As a hawk fan who drove 16 hours for a weekend to see a game, loved the city, didn’t like the neighborhood.
Cars up on 4 wheels, houses with no roofs, people living in the lower floors.
Self serve gas pump, attendant came out and yelled at me to get back in the car, he would pump the gas for us , as it’s not safe he said.
Told us to lock the doors, and recommended only slowing down for red lights.

Hopefully this project cleans up the area.

My self loathing let me walk to games! My favorite quote "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose!" ;o)

I remember when the Bulls won championships in the 90's and folks there would burn cars! Good times.

 

[BRayne]

Just to let you know - probably 75% of the fanbase is from the suburbs and there is not a practical way to take mass transit to the United Center. So it's probably a pretty damn good idea to make sure that they have someplace to park if you want them to attend.

And it should be noted that "powers that be" specifically did not allow a Green Line stop (part of the Chicago subway/elevated train system) to be built even though it runs right by the United Center specifically to enable the Bulls/Hawks to maximize their parking revenue.

The Damen Green Line stop opens like next month and this proposal includes a Pink line stop as well.

 

[Terrier]

The Damen Green Line stop opens like next month and this proposal includes a Pink line stop as well.

Bruins fan here, as someone who is fortunate to be able to take transit to TD Garden and several college arenas(I don't own a car), I've always wondered about those Pink Line tracks just east of the UC. If a stop materializes there, it's about time. Does the "Stadium Express" bus still exist?

SI had an article called "Da Stadium" in 1992, which described the neighborhood then as "brutally impoverished" and said that "Hawks fans are street smart, but Bulls fans are more of the yuppie type."

'Da Stadium'

This is something, what's happening here at old Chicago Stadium. What will happen. What could happen. On Wednesday night the Chicago Bulls were to play the

vault.si.com

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Good. the Near West Side redevelopment has made its way all the way up to Ashland and this will push it further west as well. Need more and more to continue to make the area even nicer.

 

[Bostonzamboni]

Is the area at all safer vs. when Chicago Stadium was there? Worse?

But it still doesn't stop fans from going to night games there, right? Otherwise, I assume incidents around there after games against fans and their cars would be prevalent?

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Bruins fan here, as someone who is fortunate to be able to take transit to TD Garden and several college arenas(I don't own a car), I've always wondered about those Pink Line tracks just east of the UC. If a stop materializes there, it's about time. Does the "Stadium Express" bus still exist?

SI had an article called "Da Stadium" in 1992, which described the neighborhood then as "brutally impoverished" and said that "Hawks fans are street smart, but Bulls fans are more of the yuppie type."

'Da Stadium'

This is something, what's happening here at old Chicago Stadium. What will happen. What could happen. On Wednesday night the Chicago Bulls were to play the

vault.si.com

It's funny, I'd say the exact opposite now

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Is the area at all safer vs. when Chicago Stadium was there? Worse?

But it still doesn't stop fans from going to night games there, right? Otherwise, I assume incidents around there after games against fans and their cars would be prevalent?

I've never felt unsafe in the area around the UC. I park my car on the street a few blocks north and have never had a problem. I looked at 2 apartments in the area and would've had no problem living there, but decided against because there's nothing around there, just empty parking lots.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

It's funny, I'd say the exact opposite now

Bulls crowd is super corporate and yuppie.

 

[Rich Nixon]

I've never felt unsafe in the area around the UC. I park my car on the street a few blocks north and have never had a problem. I looked at 2 apartments in the area and would've had no problem living there, but decided against because there's nothing around there, just empty parking lots.

And this is the chicken-egg thing for "safety" folks. Desolate and underutilized urban areas have a tendency to become "unsafe." When you put things in those places that people frequent and use, that changes.

When people go "well I feel unsafe traveling to this location any way other than by car" they typically don't realize that car infrastructure (large, mostly-empty parking lots; overpasses; highways that break up neighborhoods) is exactly what made the area feel "unsafe" in the first place.

In a related note, a few months ago the Flyers and Phillies announced a joint plan to similarly replace some of their endless parking capacity with commercial and entertainment projects.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Is the area at all safer vs. when Chicago Stadium was there? Worse?

But it still doesn't stop fans from going to night games there, right? Otherwise, I assume incidents around there after games against fans and their cars would be prevalent?

It's not DANGEROUS but it's poorly lit and there's just about nothing nearby so when you've got to walk a bit to get an uber or get lucky with a taxi after the game it kind of sucks. It's not in the best neighborhood but there's thousands of people around and I don't think there's been many incidents after a game as far as I know.