LOGAN SQUARE — A $492 million reconstruction project set to begin on the Blue Line next month has many in the neighborhood talking, but one thing in particular caught many people's eye — a proposed five-story "transit-oriented" residential building next to the Logan Square station.
CTA's outline of planned improvements for the station describe a 58,200-square-foot mixed-use residential and commercial building for the 11,640-square-foot site.
But Ald. Rey Colon (35th) says the residential project at this point is "really just an idea on their website."
"There have been no plans that have been brought to my attention," said Colon. "There's been no decisions made, no bids, no requests for proposals, no anything."
The site in question is currently being used as a bus turnaround for the 76 Diversey Avenue bus, but is actually owned by the city and leased to the CTA, Colon said, adding that he started asking about the project after residents came to him wondering about it.
CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis confirmed that it was just an idea at this point, but that the city and the CTA hoped it would pique some developer's interest.
"It's a concept that the CTA will be pursuing with some private entities," she said. "At this point it's just a concept of transit-oriented development."
Meanwhile, work on the first phase of the overhaul will begin in just over three weeks, entailing replacing the track parts on the elevated part of the Blue Line between the Damen and Logan Square stops.
For 10 weekends, riders will be shuttled between certain stations as work is done, starting with the stretch between the Logan Square and Western stations the weekend of March 21.
The work will be done between 10 a.m. Fridays and through 4 a.m. Mondays through Aug. 11.
CTA has published a list of those weekend closures, with more specific details to come as the projects begin.
A community meeting with CTA representatives, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) has also been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at the Logan Square Library, 3030 W. Fullerton Ave., so residents can learn more about the project.
