The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) today participated in a grand opening celebration of “The Gateway,” a colorful placemaking activation of a street median in Chicago’s downtown Loop that invites visitors and residents to explore the vibrant business and cultural district.

“The Gateway is the first ‘People Plaza’ in our new efforts to activate public spaces with new programming and amenities,” said CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein. “By activating these public spaces like plazas, streets, parking spots and alleys, we are bringing new retail opportunities and invigorating our urban environment.”

People Plazas are part of CDOT’s Make Way for People initiative, which aims to create public spaces that cultivate community and culture in Chicago’s neighborhoods through placemaking. 

“Make Way for People supports innovation in the public way by opening Chicago’s streets, parking spots, plazas and alleys to new programming and market opportunities via public and private partnerships,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “In addition to improving street safety and promoting walkable communities, this initiative supports economic development for local businesses and adds vibrancy to Chicago’s neighborhoods.”

The Program had four pilot locations last year and is expanding to 12 locations in 2013.

People Spots will be located at:

• 5228 and 5624 N. Clark St. in the Andersonville neighborhood
• 2959 N. Lincoln Ave. and 3551 N. Southport Ave. in Lakeview
• 643 and 1060 E. 47th St. in Bronzeville

People Plazas will be located at:

• The Gateway, in the median on State Street between Lake Street and Wacker Drive
• Perez Plaza, at 26th Street & Kolin Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood
• And through a design competition led by Architecture for Humanity Chicago, three additional plazas will be activated this summer:  62nd Street and Drexel Avenue in Woodlawn; Jackson and Homan in East Garfield Park; and Wisconsin and Lincoln in Old Town.

 The first People Street will be located at:

• Laflin Street between Blue Island Avenue and 21st Street, and is also part of the Architecture for Humanity Chicago competition.

Klein also announced that CDOT was sponsoring bike rides to see the new People Spots on Saturday, June 15th, departing from Millennium Park at 9:30 a.m., and heading either to Bronzeville or Andersonville and Lakeview.

The Gateway is located on State Street between Lake Street and Wacker Drive and conceptualized by CLA’s Placemaking Committee, the new public space is filled with bright blue and red canopied tables and chairs, flowerboxes, trees and banners welcoming pedestrians to the Loop.  The Chicago Loop Alliance will actively manage The Gateway with a cleaning team and support staff from 7 am-10 pm each day through the end of September.

“Placemaking and place management have emerged as key priorities in Chicago Loop Alliance’s ongoing strategic planning process,” said CLA Executive Director Michael Edwards. “The Gateway is our first major experiment activating a public plaza in the Loop, and represents CLA’s ongoing commitment to enriching the urban experience for the Loop’s many audiences.”

The Gateway is supported through funding from the Chicago Loop Alliance Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to develop, support and promote the use of art, design and technology to activate public space in the Loop, benefitting businesses, individuals and stakeholders within in the service area of Chicago Loop Alliance.

“The Gateway contributes to balanced urban planning in our neighborhood, as well as preserving vital downtown green space,” said Alderman Brendan Reilly. “It will benefit residents and visitors throughout the 42nd Ward.”

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