The city of Chicago will break ground next month on a street redesign in the Fulton Market historic district to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.
The improvements will include a full reconstruction of Fulton Street, which is full of potholes, and provide hookups for water and electricity to accommodate farmers’ markets, Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said at a Tuesday news conference.
Other features of the $19.6 million project, to be paid for with tax increment financing dollars, will include:
•Four granite-cobbled intersections, to recall the way the street looked earlier in its history.
•New, widened sidewalks with shorter pedestrian crossings at intersections, benches and tree plantings along side streets.
•Energy-efficient LED street lighting.
Fulton Market Chicago Department of Transportation As part of the Fulton Market district redesign, the city will add water and electrical hookups to accommodate farmers’ markets. As part of the Fulton Market district redesign, the city will add water and electrical hookups to accommodate farmers’ markets. (Chicago Department of Transportation)
•Separate truck parking zones and a wide, through lane to allow enough room for cars.
•Angled and parallel parking areas that will serve as loading zones during hours the street is used by industries and parking during entertainment hours.
"We think it is a flexible design that reflects the evolving land uses and preserves the historic feel while harnessing the creative energy that is blossoming in this area," Scheinfeld said. She said the design will be "minimalist," enhancing the area’s industrial history and character.
The streetscape plan involved consultation with local businesses as well as Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, city officials said. Traffic will continue to flow during construction, and city transportation officials will hold monthly meetings with community members to discuss issues that come up, Scheinfeld said.
The City Council designated the Fulton-Randolph Market District a Chicago landmark in 2015, and the streetscape plan has been approved by the landmarks commission. A gateway arch was built at the entrance to the district west of Halsted Street in 2015.
A market district since the mid-19th century, the area has served as a wholesale distribution center for meats and produce. It has in recent years also become home to popular restaurants and modern tech companies, including Google’s Chicago office and SRAM, a bike component manufacturer. In 2012, the Morgan Street CTA "L" station opened, serving the Green and Pink lines.
"The enhancement we’re making over here is an investment for the whole city of Chicago," Burnett told reporters. He said tourists from around the world visit the area’s restaurants. "They spend money that goes to everyone else in the city."
Construction will start in March from Carpenter to Halsted streets, to be finished in summer 2018, while construction will start in early 2018 on the section from Carpenter to Ogden Avenue, city officials said.
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @marywizchicago
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