Mayor Rahm Emanuel and officials from the Chicago Transit Authority, Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, sole service provider to Lakeview Special Service Area (SSA) 27, and Friends of Lakeview, today announced the completion of the Paulina Plaza, located at the west end of the future Lakeview Low-Line pathway, and revealed a first-look at plans for Phase 2 of the Low-Line, which will connect one-third of the project from Paulina to Ashland in 2019.

The Lakeview Low-Line is a one-of-a-kind landmark destination that envisions connecting Southport and Lincoln avenues with a continuous, half-mile long art walk and garden beneath the CTA ‘L’ tracks. The project was first introduced in the 2011 Lakeview Area Master Plan as a means of connecting the neighborhood’s unique sub-districts and beautifying the area for local residents while attracting visitors.

“This is an exciting step in what promises to be a great addition to a great Chicago community,” says Mayor Emanuel. “Projects like the Lakeview Low-Line give residents opportunities to experience and explore their city in new ways and form bonds between residents, families and businesses.”

“This unique and creative use of space below the Brown Line is another example of how CTA helps create destinations and focal points in the communities we serve,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “More than just a beautification effort, the Lakeview Low-Line will serve as a pilot for similar projects in the future that propose turning viable, unused CTA properties into shared community spaces.”

SSA 27 and its 501(c)(3) non-profit partner organization, Friends of Lakeview, have partnered with PORT, a leading-edge design consultancy, to envision the future of the Low-Line. Phase 1 of the Lakeview Low-Line was funded by SSA 27, and includes the newly completed Paulina Plaza as well as community plazas at Southport and Ashland, incorporating enhanced lighting, seating elements, public art, space for programming, and pathway improvements. The Southport Plaza was completed in fall 2017, and the Ashland Plazas are expected to be completed in 2019.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating the completion of Phase 1 of the Low-Line project and would like to extend our appreciation to Mayor Emanuel and the Chicago Transit Authority for their support,” says Lee Crandell, executive director of the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Friends of Lakeview. "Our goal with this project is to reimagine underutilized space, creating a fun and dynamic path connecting Lakeview and an exciting art destination in a unique Chicago setting. We believe the Low-Line will encourage residents to explore their own back yards and give visitors another reason to come check out Lakeview.”

Phase 2 of the Lakeview Low-Line will connect the new plazas at Paulina and Ashland in 2019, and includes an urban forest and a new pathway with public art and a creative lighting installation. Friends of Lakeview, which is funding Phase 2, is launching a crowd-funding campaign to help pay for the project at www.lakeviewlowline.com. Completion of Phase 2 is expected in 2019, contingent on fundraising. There is not yet a timeline or design for Phase 3 of the Low-Line, which would link Ashland to Southport, completing the project.

For more information on the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.lakeviewchamber.com or say hello on social media at @thisislakeview. For more information about the Chicago Transit Authority, please visit www.transitchicago.com.

Images of Phase 1 of the project can be found here. Renderings released at the ribbon cutting of Phase 2 can be found here.

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ABOUT THE LAKEVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SSA 27
The mission of the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce (LCC) is to support the prosperity of the local Chicago business community from Diversey on the south and Irving Park Road on the north to Ravenswood on the west and Racine on the east. It especially strives to promote the retail, professional, educational and economic interests of the area, and works to make Lakeview a neighborhood where people wish to live and linger. The Lakeview Chamber is the Sole Service Provider for Special Service Area 27 (SSA 27). It coordinates the development of the SSA and administers the SSA-funded programs. SSAs are a funding mechanism to raise money for services to a designated mixed-use area through a property tax levy. Follow along on social media with the handle @thisislakeview.

ABOUT FRIENDS OF LAKEVIEW
Friends of Lakeview is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and partner of the Lakeview Chamber and SSA 27.
Its mission is to support a vibrant local economy and high quality of life for the benefit of businesses and residents in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood by improving and enhancing public streets and spaces, creating memorable experiences, and promoting the neighborhood.