The 78 is a development in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

that will consist of several office and residential towers, high-rises, and will also include a riverwalk. The name "The 78" refers to the existing 77

community areas in Chicago The city of Chicago is divided into 77 community areas for statistical and planning purposes. Census data and other statistics are tied to the areas, which serve as the basis for a variety of urban planning initiatives on both the local and reg ...

and the mega-development is to increase that number by one. Related Midwest will develop the site, and

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is an American architectural, urban planning and engineering firm. It was founded in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel A. Owings, Nathaniel Owings in Chicago, Illinois. In 1939, they were joined by engineer Jo ...

designed the project's master plan. Related Midwest acquired the land in 2016. The 78 development will be located on a 62-acre parcel of land just south of

Downtown Chicago ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distri ...

and north of

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

. The area is bordered by

Roosevelt Road Roosevelt Road (originally named 12th Street) is a major east-west street in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only south of Madison Street. It runs under this ...

to the north, Clark Street to the east, 16th Street to the south, and the South Branch of the Chicago River to the west. The 78 will also include a $1.2 billion research center called the Discovery Partners Institute, which will be operated by the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

. In April 2019, the

Chicago City Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mont ...

approved The 78 development, including a

tax increment financing Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries, including the United States. The original intent of a TIF program is ...

agreement. Several other mega and large-scale projects are also underway in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. These include Lincoln Yards, 400 Lake Shore Drive,

Tribune East Tower Tribune East Tower is a mixed use supertall tower which could possibly start construction on the eastern edge of the Tribune Tower property, in the Streeterville area of Chicago. The building plans were approved on May 8, 2020 and constructio ...

, One Chicago, Southbank, Riverline, an $8.5 billion revamp of

O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , sometimes referred to as, Chicago O'Hare, or simply O'Hare, is the main international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Chicago Loop, ...

, a city casino, an extension of the Red Line subway/elevated train, and the

Barack Obama Presidential Center The Barack Obama Presidential Center is a planned architectural project in Chicago to commemorate the presidency of Barack Obama, the List of Presidents of the United States, 44th President of the United States, president of the United States. Th ...

among other large scale projects. One Central is another mega-development that has been proposed southeast of The 78 near

Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1 ...

. In 2021, it was proposed to put a Rivers Casino in The 78 as part of the

Chicago Casino Proposals The Chicago Casino Proposals is a request for proposals made to the City of Chicago, for the first casino within city limits. There were 5 original proposals. After vetoing 2, there were 3 remaining after the first round of selections. This includ ...

, but the city selected a site in the River West district near the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street for a casino and entertainment complex.

History

Much of the land was created through landfills in the 1920s as part of a $9 million realignment of the South Branch Chicago River. The area then became a railyard for trains traveling to or from either the

Grand Central station Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...

LaSalle Street station LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad until 1968, and for the Chicago, R ...

. The railyard was eventually demolished in the 1970s, forming a 62-acre vacant lot. The former railyard remained in limbo for decades. In 2001,

Tony Rezko Antoin Rezko (born 1955) is an American businessman and convict. He was a fundraiser for Illinois Democratic and Republican politicians. After becoming a major contributor to Rod Blagojevich's successful election for governor, Rezko assisted Blag ...

bought the entire land for mixed-use development. His plan did not come to fruition and eventually sold the land in 2005.

References

Buildings and structures in Chicago Multi-building developments in Chicago Buildings developed by the Related Companies {{DEFAULTSORT:78