If you live in the South Loop you may have heard something about the plans
Prairie Pointe at Central Station have for the park at16th St. and S. Indiana Ave.
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| View of park at the corner of 16th St. and S. Indiana |
When Prairie Pointe took control of the building management in 2006, they also took control of the 16th St. park. A park that was not completed by the developer, as originally promised. The responsibility for developing and maintaining the space then fell to the owners of Prairie Pointe.
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| View from inside the park facing west |
In an attempt to look for a solution Prairie Pointe reached out to the Chicago Park District. Prairie Pointe board president,
Jeff Key said that the response from the CPD was, “they had no immediate plans to acquire” the park. Prairie Pointe is now faced with annual maintenance costs of $35,000.
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| United Service Companies offices are in the Penthouse Lofts at 1550 S. Indiana Ave. |
United Service Companies located at 1550 S. Indiana Ave. was looking for a solution to a parking problem. Medical offices located in the Penthouse Lofts (the same location of the USC offices) wanted convenient parking for their patients. USC approached Prairie Pointe about turning the park into a parking lot. Prairie Pointe said no. USC approached the association several more times, but Prairie Pointe still said no. USC was persistent and asked what would they have to do to strike some kind of a deal. And then Prairie Pointe suggested the park plaza idea, not expecting USC to consider it.
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| Artist rending of the park plaza proposed by Prairie Pointe |
Remarkably, according to Key, USC agreed to the Prairie Pointe plan. The plan, if approved, could be a model for future public-private partnerships. While Prairie Pointe is still the owner and ultimately responsible for the park, USC will maintain it. The result: Prairie Pointe saves thousands of dollars a year in costs and the neighborhood gets a well-maintained multi-use park.
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| The medical practice at 1550 S. Indiana is looking for convenient parking for their patients. |
The planned park plaza will take up a relatively small space (approximately 15% of the existing park). Additionally, the parking will be recessed to help diminish the plaza’s profile to pedestrian traffic. This diminishing affect will be enhanced by steel pergola structures for growing vines, eventually creating a green canopy over the plaza area.
The park plaza will have space for approximately 22 cars. Parking will be for physicians and patients on weekdays. The park plaza could be used as a special event space available to the public on weekends. However, Key was quick to point out that “the plaza will never be available for tailgating.”
In addition to the parking, the plan includes landscaping with trees, shrubs, and flowers, an irrigation system, lamppost lighting, park benches, and a water feature/sculpture in the center of the park.The details of the plan were presented at an open meeting of the
Greater South Loop Association (GSLA) on July 17, 2010. The plan was also presented to other community organizations.
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| To read FOTP endorsement, click here. |
The plan has been endorsed by
Friends of the Parks. According to their
Facebook page, they are “a non-profit park advocacy organization, dedicated to preserving, protecting, and improving Chicago's parks and forest preserves for all citizens.” FOTP was founded in 1975. Local realtor,
Eve Kronen, upon reviewing the plan said it “reads like a very good investment for the neighborhood. [It] has all the elements of a good solid plan.”
To learn more about the Prairie Pointe Park Plaza, and other issues facing the Second Ward, come to the
Community Meeting on Wednesday September 22, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place at 1st District Police station Community Room, 1718 S. State St.
