New Green Line Train Station Opens in South Loop

Lee Edwards | As of Thursday, February 12, 2015

Local neighborhood resident Gloria Jhonson began her daily commute using the new green line CTA station at 16 E. Cermak Rd.
Local neighborhood resident Gloria Jhonson began her daily commute using the new green line CTA station at 16 E. Cermak Rd. Photo by Lee Edwards.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was joined by Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), President Forrest Claypool, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner, Rebekah Scheinfeld, Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward) and several community stakeholders at a ceremonial opening of the newly constructed Cermak-McCormick Place CTA Green Line station at 16 E. Cermak.

“One of the most important cultural institutions in the World is a community that for a two mile stretch had no public transportation,” said Emanuel. “This station now changes the economics both for McCormick Place, the cultural institution, [but] most importantly for the resident of South Loop who now can conveniently get from home to work or anywhere they need to go from neighborhood to neighborhood in the city of Chicago.”

The new station, part of $4 billion in transit investments was financed through Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) funds. The Cermak-McCormick Place station provides service in a two and a half mile radius between CTA Green Line stations at Roosevelt, 1167 S. State St., and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT, 16 E. 35th St. The previous Cermak station was demolished in 1977.

“This is truly a 21st century station and long overdue and although this is the latest in Mayor Emanuel’s unprecedented five billion dollar CTA modernization program, it fills a gap that has been here for decades,” said Claypool. “Today, this new station will serve an increasingly vibrant community with Motor Row nearby, Chinatown nearby and obviously McCormick Place. Now all of the conventioneers will have easy and convenient access to downtown. We believe just like the Morgan station that opened a couple of years ago that you’ll see economic development and other quick triggers to jobs and economic activity surrounding the station which is one of the advantages of these investments.”

The new station has three entrance points, including a main entrance on the north side of Cermak and additional entrances on the south side of Cermak and on 23rd Street. Both the main entrance and the 23rd St. entrance include elevators from the street level to the platform for easy access for all passengers.

The station has a fully enclosed boarding platform to protect riders from the elements. The project also included new sidewalks, landscaping and street lights along 23rd St. and bike racks at each station house.

“This is another major investment in Chicago’s transit system that demonstrates Mayor Emanuel’s commitment to building a new Chicago,” said Scheinfeld of the Chicago Department of Transportation, who managed the station’s construction.

“This station today is truly worth celebration because we are going to be exposing a lot of people within the city of Chicago to great communities of McCormick Place, Motor Row, Chinatown, Ickies, and so forth,” said Dowell. “We have development interests on the northeast corner of Wabash Ave. & 22nd St. and development interests at the old White Castle site so we should see more.”

Dowell mentioned, too, that third ward residents were hired as part of the project and that minority participation goals were exceeded.

During his remarks, Mayor Emanuel stated that CTA stations in the future will feature artwork and acknowledged the contributions of local artist Hebru Brantley who produced pieces for the Cermak-McCormick Place station.

“I wanted to tell a story from a prospective of not only a citizen and a resident of Chicago but this neighborhood but also from the prospective of youth and those who have to commute back and forth on this line everyday just to give them something other than an advertisement or local weather or news,” said Brantley. “I wanted to change the aesthetics and give them something that’s hopefully inspiring as they’re starting or ending their commute”

The positive impact of the Cermak-McCormick Place station was immediately felt as commuters were using the station during the celebration.

“I usually have to catch the #4 or #3 and get off on Roosevelt and catch the green line so this is great for me now. One “L” all the way to where I have to go and comeback home,” said neighborhood resident Gloria Jhonson as she boarded an approaching train. “This is great that this has happened at this time. You don’t have to get on two or three buses.”

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