Plans are moving forward to convert an unused, century-old Chicago rail artery to a 2.7 mile, 13-acre recreational facility and transit corridor. Unlike New York's High Line, the Bloomingdale Trail and Park will welcome bicycles as well as pedestrians, linking trendy and transitional neighborhoods on the city's Near North Side (Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Humboldt Park) with public transportation to other parts of the city and suburbs.
Six "anchor parks" owned by the city will serve as access points to the trail, providing additional space for arts performances and recreation. Public funding will be used for the $91 million job, including $39 million in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds. Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates led the Phase I planning team, with groundbreaking possible this year and completion as early as the end of 2014. Collins Engineers is helming the Phase II design, with Frances Whitehead named as lead artist. Participating agencies include the Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Park District, Department of Housing and Economic Development, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Trust for Public Land, and local community groups.
If the project succeeds, long-range plans would extend the trail eastward, ultimately crossing the Chicago River and Kennedy Expressway (I-90).
(http://www.archdaily.com/354677/chicago-on-track-to-break-ground-on-elevated-parkway/)
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
ZweigWhite names its fastest-growing architecture, engineering, and environmental firms
Management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite has identified the 200 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms in the U.S. and Canada for its annual ranking, The Zweig Letter Hot Firm List. This annual list features the design and environmental firms that have outperformed the economy and competitors to become industry leaders.
| Aug 11, 2010
SSOE, Fluor among nation's largest industrial building design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Industrial Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Guggenheim to host live online discussion of Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum launches the Guggenheim Forum, a new series of moderated online discussions among experts from a variety of fields that will occur in conjunction with major museum exhibitions.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Report: Building codes and regulations impede progress toward uber-green buildings
The enthusiasm for super green Living Buildings continues unabated, but a key stumbling block to the growth of this highest level of green building performance is an existing set of codes and regulations. A new report by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council entitled "Code, Regulatory and Systemic Barriers Affecting Living Building Projects" presents a case for fundamental reassessment of building codes.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
