CTA Seeks Redevelopment Proposals for Lakeview Sites as RPM Phase One Nears Completion (Chicago, IL) – The Chicago Transit Authority is moving forward with long-promised transit-oriented development in Lakeview as it nears completion of Phase One of the Red and Purple Modernization project.
CTA announced it has issued three requests for proposals seeking developers to purchase and redevelop parcels of land used during construction of the major rail overhaul. The sites, located near the Red, Purple and Brown lines, are expected to be redeveloped in a way that supports transit use and includes affordable housing options.
The parcels were acquired by CTA to facilitate construction of new track structures and a rail bypass north of the Belmont station, replacing a 107-year-old junction where the Red, Purple and Brown lines intersected. The project also rebuilt more than a century-old elevated track structure between the Belmont and Addison stations.
With construction in the area now substantially complete, CTA officials said the agency is honoring a commitment made to the community to return the land to productive use.
“After successfully delivering modern stations and improved service for CTA riders, we are honoring our promise to the Lakeview community to redevelop land used during construction,” Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen said in a statement.
The redevelopment effort follows a Transit-Oriented Development plan adopted in 2018 after extensive community engagement. The plan emphasizes mixed-use development, neighborhood-scale design, environmental sustainability and the inclusion of affordable housing.
The three sites are located at the southeast corner of West Newport Avenue and North Clark Street, the southwest corner of West Roscoe Street and North Clark Street, and along the Clark Street frontage between those intersections. One parcel includes the historic Vautravers Building, which was relocated during construction to allow track reconstruction.
Proposals for the three sites are due Feb. 25, 2026.
CTA said additional requests for proposals are expected in 2026 for redevelopment sites in Uptown and Edgewater tied to later phases of the RPM project.
Phase One of RPM included rebuilding four Red Line stations to make them fully accessible, replacing six miles of track, constructing the Red-Purple Bypass near Belmont, and installing a new signal system between Howard and Belmont to improve service reliability. The Red Line is CTA’s busiest rail line, carrying nearly 40 million riders in 2024.
CTA Seeks Redevelopment Proposals for Lakeview Sites as RPM Phase One Nears Completion
