Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. have announced that work will begin this September on a $23 million project to renovate and modernize the Illinois Medical District (IMD) Blue Line station.
The main stationhouse will be rebuilt and numerous improvements will be made to increase accessibility for customers. The CTA also provided a look at what the main station house will look like after the project is finished. This project will be the largest renovation to the station, which was built more than 50 years ago.
“The Illinois Medical District is one of the largest medical centers in our nation, serving four major hospitals and thousands of patients, students and employees every day,” stated Mayor Emanuel. “By investing in CTA stations like this one that provides access to health care and jobs for thousands of Chicagoans, we are creating a world-class transit system that better serves our city and those who come here.”
The project will make improvements to all three entrances of the station, including the complete reconstruction of the main stationhouse on Ogden Avenue, making it accessible to customers with disabilities with the addition of an elevator. Two station-to-platform ramps at the entrances at Damen Avenue and Paulina Street will also be upgraded to improve access.
The project will also include improved station and platform lighting, new security cameras, new CTA Bus and Train Tracker displays, and improvements to the station platform canopy. The Damen and Paulina entrances will be refurbished with new flooring, wall and ceiling finishes, fare-payment equipment and customer assistant kiosks.
“Under Mayor Emanuel, CTA has committed to making significant improvements to more than one-third of its rail stations, the largest station investment in CTA history. The improvements we are making to the Illinois Medical District station further our commitment to improving accessibility systemwide for our customers and strengthen the vital transit connections to the busy medical district,” said Carter.
The IMD Station had more than 1 million entries last year. The station provides key connections to four major hospital systems – the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Rush University Medical Center and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. It also serves Malcolm X College and the United Center.
The CTA board has awarded a construction contract to McHugh/UJAMAA Joint Venture I. The project is funded through TIF funds.
The IMD station will remain open throughout construction with occasional temporary entrance closures. The project is expected to be completed in late 2017.