Credit: BBB

University of Chicago, 53rd Street Action Plan

Working with the University of Chicago, BBB is promoting the revitalization of the 53rd Street district in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood to create a vibrant retail and mixed-use corridor that is both attractive to the campus community and an amenity for residents.

BBB is working with the University of Chicago to support the revitalization of the 53rd Street district in Hyde Park, which suffered a loss of vitality in the decades following the urban renewal of the surrounding area. The corridor offers an opportunity in the vicinity of campus to create a vibrant retail and mixed-use district that can attract both the campus community and Hyde Park residents. Capitalizing on a mix of early 20th-century architecture, significant redevelopment potential, and revitalized parks and open spaces, the initiative is transforming the corridor through a series of large and small actions by the University and other stakeholders. The process has been informed by extensive engagement with the community, stakeholders, and business owners. BBB is supporting University partnerships with the private sector through design guidelines and review for mixed-use redevelopments including retail, dining, residential, and cultural spaces, as well as 150,000 SF of new University offices and a new 130-room hotel. Planned public space improvements include new streetscapes and a multi-use plaza for community events. BBB has also created storefront and signage standards, and designed the award winning rehabilitation of the historic 1913 Harper Theater. Within the historic theater space, BBB is designing the University’s planned Chicago Innovation Exchange.

 

Client

University of Chicago

Location

Chicago, IL

Size

80 acres

Completed

2015

People

AIA, AICP
Partner, Director of Planning & Urban Design
Partner-in-Charge
AIA, LEED AP
Principal