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A new mixed-use expansion in Chicago could be on the way. The owners of Chicago’s United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, recently introduced a $7 billion development designed to reshape the city’s West Side.
United Center owners Michael Reinsdorf and Danny Wirtz announced plans last month The 1901 projecta mixed-use development that includes housing, retail, entertainment and public open space on more than 55 acres of privately owned land surrounding the arena, according to the release. The owners say it would be the largest private investment ever for the city’s West Side.
The initial phase of construction will take place in the surface parking lots adjacent to the pavilion and include, according to the release:
- A 6,000-seat theater-style music hall designed to attract musical, artistic and cultural events.
- An elevated park integrated into the west side of campus, which will provide more than 10 acres of public recreational and community gathering space.
- Reimagined parking facilities and enhanced pedestrian experience with improved walkability, lighting, roads and bike lanes designed to blend into the development.
- A combination of hospitality and retail options to boost local trade and create jobs.
The future development will include housing that spans a range of unit sizes and includes affordable, market and luxury units, according to the announcement. In addition, transportation improvements will better connect the neighborhood through multimodal means, such as bike, pedestrian, car and rail improvements.
The development is estimated to create approximately 63,000 construction jobs, according to the release. The owners aim to start work in the spring, but all plans are subject to council approval, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand a legacy that makes all of Chicago proud,” Wirtz said in the press release.
