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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Rahm Announces Details About Cermak CTA Green Line Stop

We've seen a bevvy of stories in regard to the Cermak corridor recently and today we're going to devote a couple of post to them.

This $50 million TIF-supported project consists of the design and construction of a new elevated CTA station at Cermak on the Green Line. The station, located in the two mile-stretch between the existing Roosevelt and 35th/Bronzeville stations will provide much needed access to rapid transit for neighborhood residents and businesses. The new station will be ADA-accessible and have station house facilities located at grade level. The platform will be a center-island configuration for an eight-car train with canopy coverage for six cars. The station will also include an auxiliary exit to the north side of 23rd Street.

The design work will begin in March with construction set to begin by February 2013. The 18-month construction project is expected to be complete by July 2014.

This station, which will allow another access point to McCormick Place, is expected to provide a significant boost to the convention industry and help facilitate conventioneers getting downtown quickly and affordably.

This doesn't come as a surprise to loyal Sloopin readers, but it makes it a little more tangible and real when the mayor announces the plan. Although July 2014 seems like a long time away, we imagine this will continue to drive positive momentum for the area (see old Motor Row entertainment district stories) .

We will follow-up with a couple additional posts today on other things in the Cermak area.

(Image from Chicago Tribune)

37 comments:

  1. This is such fantastic news: the one physical ingredient needed (along with a *smidge* of economic rebounding/recovery) to kick development and buildout of the South Loop into gear. Now eager to see what happens in the next 3-5 years......

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  2. great, more shootings and loitering. This will serve the south loop in a "wonderful" way

    Public transportation is for poor people and criminals

    btw sloopy, stop screening posts

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  3. Is this really nessesary? the only people using these criminal coaches are people passing THROUGH the s loop.

    Can we get signatures to stop this?

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  4. Why is Rahm making this announcement if it is being built with TIF money? Where is the Alderman who signed off on giving over the TIF dollars? Fioretti had a meeting a couple years ago on the options of a Cermak versus an 18th street stop and the community favored 18th street on the Orange line. What happened to that?

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  5. Wow, by the time this Green Line stop breaks ground the comments section here will be just as awful as Yahoo.com. Get used to it people, the city is making strong moves for McCormick Place. The new tower for the hyatt mccormick is now under construction so the Mayor's focus is not on your part of the Sloop. The upside is that if all goes as planned the revitalization of the McCormick Place area will only help the rest of the sloop. When that happens what will you people complain about?

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  6. Fioretti's not going to be our alderman anymore, he's got other things to worry about instead of a CTA stop opening in what used to be his ward.

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  7. To say only certain people use public trans is crazy, but the key is to not offer secondary transportation options at Roosevelt. Heading west from Cermak is actually not that bad. Also, the other ANON had it correct, this is not only about McCormick, but about creating a brand new business district by building retail, mid-size commercial office towers, NEW HOTELS and some residential (NOT affordable housing is the key). We need this to create the bookend for the South Loop.

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  8. As a homeless, criminal parasite I welcome this news!

    But seriously, this is great news, anything that could potentially improve the area and in a round about way increase the value of my condo I am for!

    Are people just amusing themselves by stirring things up with awful comments they don't believe? I sure hope that is the case.

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  9. this idea sucks. Everybody is right, this will just funnel more crime through our neighborhoods like mastastisizing cancer. So the McCormick end will become a drug haven and chinatown can run the prostitution. South loop is returning back to its roots of skid row..... Thanks Rahm, you cronie, hoodwinking launderer. Good thing you hooked up your construction buddies. Chicago way everyday! F'n BS

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  10. I think this is great news. I would have preferred an 18th street stop, but oh well. I really hope this helps to build out a technology park in the area around McCormick as well.

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  11. I think it is a step forward AND a step backwards

    They need to stop all of the crime that is associated with these platforms before they erect this thing. But hopefully they can, but as of right now--no this is not a good idea AT ALL

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  12. Alot of the residents of the south loop are loaded.....so i could see why they wouldnt want an L Stop added because of all the crime/hoodrat stuff that goes on with them. but there are some kids around the area now that take public transportation and rely on it daily, this would help..! Are these stops mostly crime filled? Yes. Are they playing this off as a nessasary piece to bring back business to McPier, YES. Will this help some of the columbia students get around and some lower class people ( they are people too) ...YES. Jesus have a heart people, try not to worry about your "property value" all the time.

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  13. Broomy (of the South Loop Broomys)January 18, 2012 at 11:57 AM

    -Public transportation is for poor people and criminals)

    But, I use public transportation all the time, and I am a multi-thousandaire (that's right) with no criminal record. How can this be? I will stop immediately. Thank you for setting me straight on the rules. Thanks Anon 9:59 (if that's even your real name)

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  14. Great news for the sloop, I'm glad we have progressive leaders instead of the small minded sloopin bigots running the place.

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  15. agreed. This will do nothing for the neighborhood but bring in crime and crowd the streets with jaywalkers. Another "clutch" decision by the city of chicago.

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  16. You people are crazy! This is great news. L stops don't cause crime. Bad people cause crime.

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  17. yeah...and bad people hang out at L Stops. geez

    L Stops = Liquer stores = dark alleys

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  18. who cares about L stops?

    this city needs to be concerned with more than L Stops for all the hippies and bums in this city.

    what about crime, what about pension reform, ????

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  19. The Urban PoliticianJanuary 18, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    If you just sit back and really think this through, it makes absolutely no logical sense whatsoever. They need to knock down the walls of Dearborn Park before they start up with this nonsense

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  20. For all the racists who are angry about this... You should really think this through....

    People who work in the loop will be more likely to see the south end of the south loop as a viable place to live with better transportation options.

    For the "criminals" who currently live further south along the green line, they now don't need to come up to Roosevelt which you always love to gripe about.

    Added visibility and access to McCormick place tops it off.

    This is a good thing.

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  21. This L stop makes zero logical sense, especially since it's only a stones-throw away from the stop at Cermak and State. Are Bears fans going to get off at this stop? No way, Roosevelt is much closer. Are visitors to Museuems going to get off at this stop? No way, Roosevelt is much closer. Will convention-goers get off at this L stop? Not a chance in hell; shuttle buses are the norm for Chicago conventioneers. Plus, as this area is full of vacant lots, employee-less data centers, and no real residential scene (and no room for it either), not many "locals" will use this stop.

    This stop makes no sense to anyone other than the Englewood hood-rats who will now have easier access to their buyers at Hilliard and LongGrove.

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  22. Glad to know I'm not just poor but also a criminal, as I use public transportation daily. I really feel sorry for people who are so deluded as to post such hateful and ignorant things.

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  23. @Matt, enough with the race-baiting.

    I like everyone's points, but feel this is a catch-22. People rely on the train to get to work in the Loop, it's not only crooks, but I also understand that the L stops attract derelicts.

    Ultimately, it helps in the long run. Lack of L stops prevents people from visiting the neighborhood, see West Loop.

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  24. Matt - They will continue to stop at Roosevelt vs Cermak. The reason they stop at Roosevelt is to switch trains, grab something from Walgreens, Jewel or take a bus WEST (and of course the 3, 4 or 1 on Michigan in front of 1212). Cermak will only be the GREEN LINE. Take a look at Cermak and head WEST on on Google Maps... AFTER Chinatown, it is industry area of Pilsen, then the burbs of Berwyn. You also have it backwards, those that are coming from the South, West get a great view of the South Loop as they take the bus or train through it, not from the North as they stop in the loop from that direction.

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  25. Show me where the term "criminal" specifically lists a race...

    A criminal is a criminal, no one here said anything about blacks, whites, hispanics. In fact you are the only one throwing race into this argument.

    Sorry if being concerned about the welfare of our community bothers you but frankly its a know fact tha L stops are a haven for criminals and as you can see by the majority of the posts here people tend to agree with that sentiment. If you want to kick and scream like a baby and spout of "racist!" then go ahead--whatever makes you feel smarter I guess.

    Silly, just utterly silly

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  26. Anon 5:23 - good points as many of us live in the 'present', but this stop is about creating the 'future' development on those empty lots, etc.. Take a look at this guys picture of Roosevelt in 2000. There are no Museum Towers, no Columbian Building, no Trader Joes,etc...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/32693718@N07/6692803945

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  27. Can someone who is against the el stop please explain to me why you live in the city? City life contains public transportation. If you think that equals crime, then I don't know why you're here.

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  28. "This stop makes no sense to anyone other than the Englewood hood-rats"

    Englewood is red line, so I suggest tearing down the Roosevelt stop.

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  29. L stops DO equal crime, you would have to be deaf dumb and blind not to accept that reality. jesus, what is with this blind faith in the all glorious green line stop....so stupid!

    FYI just because I live in the city doesnt mean I have to feel good about an L stop. I have a job that has garnered me the opportunity to pay for a vehicle like 90% of the country. Im calling a spade a spade....L stops harbor crime...more L stops, more crime. Get used to that because it isnt going away

    UPDATE: my neighbor 3 doors down is actively going forward with getting a petition to stop this from being erected...will follow up with sloopy as it seems majority is opposed to this

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  30. Just because you own a car doesn't mean you don't use public transit. We have a car but my husband takes the bus into work in the loop rather than pay $30+++ in parking each day. An L stop will help grow the south end of the Sloop, giving a boost to condos and vacant stores at that end. We have a rental condo near McCormick and many people want to know how far it is located from public transit. Have you ever attended a convention at McCormick or driven through our neighborhood after one lets out? Many people opt to walk north rather than wait in the long lines for a bus or taxi.

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  31. What about being deaf, dumb, and blind to the fact that if every single person in Chicago had a car, you would be stuck sitting in your car not going anywhere? There's a reason for public transportation in a city. It's not just there for those without vehicles.

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  32. Wow, I'm amazed... I'm thinking a lot of you haven't travelled much...outside the neighborhood, let alone the city or country!

    New York, Paris, London, Tokyo. What do these cities have in common? I give you a hint: excellent public transportation... In Paris, a Metro stop can be found within a quarter of a mile anywhere in the city. Both NYC and London have efficient and extensive systems. Hell, even LA is investing more money in PT than our fair city!

    Wake up and smell the ozone, investment in PT is needed. Gas is at $3.91 at the BP ( I can see it out my window) I for one am glad I don't have to fill a gas tank at those prices!

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  33. Any additioanl access to the L system will improve the neighborhood and make the system as a whole better. If your concerned about crime, please protest the expansion of the section 8 program and demand it's removal from your neighborhood. Publicly humiliate section 8 landlords who are often out of state sunning it up in S. Florida or politically connected property management companies. Thats your true enemy - not public transit. Take back your neighborhood, your property and right to live safely.

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  34. so corrupt landlords are why those black kids shot up the roosevelt platform a month ago?

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  35. I gotta say the commenter who is obsessed with the jaywalking crime wave is hilarious! And the argument about el stops breeding crime.... under that line of reasoning we should get rid of department stores because people steal from them?

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