CHICAGO — Today, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño, and local community leaders cut the ribbon on the new home of the Chicago Park District headquarters and a multi-purpose fieldhouse and green space for families in the Brighton Park, Gage Park, and Back of the Yards communities. In addition, the Park District announced the release of the summer programming schedule for the new park fieldhouse. The new Park District headquarters and fieldhouse bring 17 acres of open space to one of Chicago’s most park-deprived communities and further the City’s commitment to bring significant investment to areas in need.  

“The new Chicago Park District headquarters and community park is a prime example of how meaningful investments can transform a neighborhood and bring valuable resources and opportunities to residents,” said Mayor Lightfoot. "For far too long, Brighton Park families have had to travel to neighboring communities to access essential park resources. This project marks a new day for Brighton Park and our city as the headquarters will serve the vitality and well-being of Southwest Side communities.” 

This ribbon cutting marks yet another milestone in Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative to revitalize Chicago’s underserved neighborhoods by investing more than $2.2B in public and private investments in transformative projects across Chicago’s South and West sides. 

This summer, the Park District’s newest park addition will welcome children, ages 6 to 12 years old, to its inaugural six-week Summer Day Camp experience from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This park location will also offer Early Bird Camp (8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.) and Extended Camp (4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) options to help accommodate different family schedules. In late August, the park will host a Girls Basketball Camp and Play Camp. View park programming here. Registration for summer programming at this park location is forthcoming, and will be made available at a later time on the Park District’s website at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/bpcc.   

“Once the site of a vital manufacturing hub in Chicago, the Park District has transformed unused, vacant land into a welcoming, multi-use administrative and recreational facility, and a beautiful, versatile outdoor space to bring multiple alternatives for active recreation to the communities that we serve,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño. “This project’s unique combination of workplace and recreational space in a community setting is unprecedented for a city agency’s headquarters, and it underscores our unwavering commitment to pursue meaningful, positive investments in communities in need of more enriching programming and access to nature.” 

In addition, teens, ages 13 to 15 years old, will have the opportunity to apply at the park to become volunteer Junior Counselors and assist with day camp activities at the park. This teen summer program is also an enriching career development opportunity that allows Junior Counselors to learn the occupational skills necessary to become Recreation Leaders as soon as they are eligible at 16 years of age.  

The Chicago Park District will relocate its administrative headquarters to 4830 S. Western Ave. in the Brighton Park neighborhood in early June. This 58,100 square foot, multi-story facility with 174 acres of multi-use park space will be a win-win for the Brighton Park community and Park District employees. A new 20,000 square foot public fieldhouse will bring new recreation, as well as cultural and educational opportunities, to the neighborhood.  

The Park District’s move from its current Streeterville location to Brighton Park will bring much-needed investment to the City’s Southwest Side. The $69M development is the new workplace for roughly 200 Park District employees that will relocate to the new facilities and subsequently invest in the local economy. The project’s funding is a combination of Park District investment and Tax Increment Financing funds.   

Though not directly located in an INVEST South/West community, the new park campus shares a border at Western Ave. with the INVEST South/West New City Community Area and is located less than half a mile from the INVEST South/West priority corridor at the Western terminus at Hoyne Ave., where projects such as the United Yards RFP development and new Back of the Yards Chicago Public Library facility are already underway. The Park District building further strengthens the INVEST South/West initiative’s goal of bolstering communities through geographically concentrated economic development that brings investment, jobs, and new commercial amenities to historically underinvested neighborhoods. 

The new campus park and fieldhouse breathe new life into this community, bringing 17 acres of parkland, open space, two turf fields, and vital programming to one of the City’s communities most in need of park and green space. Once opened, the new park will bring the Park District closer to meeting its goal of every person, in every neighborhood across Chicago having access to a park within a 10-minute walk from their home. 

This transformative project, converted from a contaminated former industrial property to a park fieldhouse, will house a gymnasium, fitness center, bathrooms, locker rooms, and community multi-purpose rooms. Outdoor park features include two artificial turf athletic fields with lighting, a grand lawn, walkways, a playground, spray pool, natural area, nature play space, and bike and vehicle parking. 

Architecturally, the origins of the community/administrative office design are storied and deeply rooted in the history of the Southwest Side. The Park District’s newest facility stands as a two-story example of the future of sustainable development in an area known for manufacturing and industry. The walls of the courtyard and interior spaces are made of reclaimed Chicago common brick, and all of the building materials were selected for their constructability, durability, and ease of maintenance. Additionally, aluminum sunscreen shields the building from direct sunlight to increase the overall energy efficiency of the building. 

Building a resourceful and sustainable design also entails maximizing the positive impact that new construction has on its natural environment by using durable and environmentally-responsible materials and incorporating resource-efficient amenities. Specifically, this building includes window glazing that is bird-friendly and patterned with a ceramic frit to warn off incoming birds. In addition, the project has EV charging stations- with space to expand for more, 102 bike parking spaces, and a 15,000 square foot green roof.  

The close proximity of this site to main arteries of transportation, like the CTA “L” station and bus terminal, Western Avenue, Archer Avenue, and Interstate 55, will provide access to much-needed resources and outlets for recreation for Brighton Park residents and their surrounding neighbors, as well as public transportation commuting options for employees to consider.  

Economically, this new site offers a unique opportunity for the Park District to own, rather than lease, an administrative office while increasing access to park space in Brighton Park.  

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