The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has re-opened the new CTA Damen Green Line station at Lake Street and Damen Avenue. The state-of-the-art station addresses a longstanding need for improved transit options on the near west side that benefits residents, supports local growth and job creation in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor and accommodates large crowds attending events at the nearby United Center in Chicago, Ill.
“This new station is a transformational achievement for our city,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The long-awaited Damen Green Line on the near west side of Chicago will have a multiplying effect on the neighborhood, attracting future investments for a vibrant hub of multi-use developments.”
The new Damen Green Line station fills a 1.5-mile service gap between Ashland and California stops, restoring rail service to the neighborhood for the first time since the original station was closed at the exact location in 1948.
The station serves the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, the United Center, Malcolm X College and the surrounding residential area on the growing near west side, which includes the Chicago Housing Authority’s Westhaven Park IID, a $50 million, equitable transit-oriented development project that is adding 96 mixed-income apartments in the community.
“Damen Green Line is more than a rail station, it is a stunning, modern and accessible gateway to Chicago’s West Side that will provide improved connections to transit and opportunities for all those who live and work in the surrounding communities,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “This project is a reflection of the CTA’s and city’s shared commitment to ensuring everyone has equitable access to opportunities.”
The station provides easy access to CTA buses, space for pedestrians to walk and bikesharing options. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has installed the city's 1,000th Divvy station at the Damen Green Line, helping the station serve as a multimodal facility to provide various sustainable and equitable transportation options for the neighborhood.
“CDOT is proud to have helped deliver this vital project. The new Damen Green Line station embodies our commitment to creating a transportation network that is equitable, sustainable and resilient, ensuring all Chicagoans have access to the opportunities our city has to offer,” said CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney. “This station will serve as a hub for mobility in the community and a catalyst for future development.”
"Affordable housing and access to transportation go hand in hand. Our team prioritized this with Westhaven IID, as we do with all of our projects,” said Chicago Department of Housing Commissioner Lissette Castaneda. “Residents can now access a major CTA station in just a short walk and we are proud that this is what equitable transit-oriented development looks like."
The $80 million Tax Increment Financing-funded project was administered by CDOT in close collaboration with CTA. The construction contractor was F.H. Paschen. The station was designed by Perkins&Will, a Chicago-based global architecture and design firm known for innovative transit station projects from British Columbia to Chongqing City, China.
CTA notes station materials and design elements were chosen and arranged to create an intuitive user experience and to allow for a long-lasting transit facility with low-maintenance requirements. A grand stair and escalator, visible through the transparent glass façade, guide passengers to the platform level. A glass bridge connects the inbound and outbound train platforms, offering views of the Chicago skyline and orienting visitors to neighborhood destinations and attractions.
The new station also features a large mural by artist Folayemi Wilson that highlights the history of various ethnic groups on the near west side. The mural depicts a scene on the prairie with images of young people taken from local photographic archives peering towards the horizon and imagining their future.
“Over the last 20 years, CHA’s investments, combined with strong partnerships with public sector agencies like the city of Chicago and HUD, have resulted in more than 600 new homes in this community, including 275 apartments for families who need housing assistance,” said Tracey Scott, CEO, Chicago Housing Authority. “The opening of the new Damen Avenue Green Line Station is another piece of the puzzle in the transformation of Chicago’s west side – a game-changing piece that will have a profound effect on CHA residents while also helping anchor the redevelopment of an entire community. Congratulations to all involved.”
