SUMMARY

Formerly the terminus of the CTA’s Blue Line, the Logan Square station is an enormous expanse of bare concrete and asphalt, in stark contrast to the scale and accommodation of the surrounding neighborhood and the lushness of the nearby boulevards and parks. Residents consider the space an unfinished project and a missed opportunity to make modern-day improvements measure up to the grandly conceived and well-integrated urban fabric of this neighborhood. Logan Square is in dire need of affordable housing. Two recent developments near the California stop have no affordable units, causing area rents to rise even further. This project calls for the development of a true affordable housing solution in the form of prefab micro apartments to be built in conjunction with a market hall capable of housing Logan Square’s active farmers market and the local food co-op. The goal is to greatly increase the population density near this plaza, allowing easy access to fresh food and services without inviting in more cars. To achieve this goal, Diversey Avenue is reconfigured to create a new T-shaped intersection north of its current location. This creates a safer traffic pattern and allows for the creation of a legitimate bus turnaround on Kedzie rather than the current drive-through configuration. The new plaza still connects the buses to the trains under a continuous roof, but the shelter now buffers the plaza from the surrounding traffic on Kedzie. This layout allows shops, bars, restaurants and activity to spill out onto sidewalks, enhancing public life in Logan Square

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