Chicago's cultural offerings on the West Side are about to get a major glow-up.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the owners of the United Center are looking to revamp the parking lots surrounding it, turning the area into a giant mixed-use district featuring a music hall, a park, mixed-income housing and much more.
The 1901 Project, as the $7 billion plan is called, would take a decade to come to completion, but it sounds like things are actually happening. The paper reports that construction, set to be completed in seven separate stages, will kick off as early as next year.
According to the outlet, the project will be carried out with no government funding, which is actually how the United Center itself was built 30 years ago.
Given the enormity of the project, we're sure things will change but, for now, phase one will apparently include the construction of a parking facility featuring over 10 acres of open green space on its rooftop.
"Given United Center’s history of hosting events, it could host events at the park," reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
Also on deck is a 6,000-seat theater-style music hall, a better pedestrian experience complete with bike lanes and new lighting systems and, potentially, a hotel and retail destinations.
In terms of next steps, Chicagoans can expect a whole lot of red tape, including city and community feedback sessions, approvals and more.
That being said, this is clearly going to change everything about the city, benefiting a variety of different local industries. We can't wait to see how the changes will be implemented moving forward.
Check out more renderings of the project on the official website.