CTA's Building Demo Plans Catch Lake View By Surprise

The CTA’s plans to raze 19 buildings between Belmont and Bryn Mawr -- 16 in Lake View -- to create a bypass for the Red, Purple and Brown lines north of the Belmont station came somewhat as a surprise to at least two North Side aldermen.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool announced the proposed $1.7 billion “Red-Purple Modernization” project, or RPM,” Thursday, including plans to bulldoze 16 buildings between Belmont and Addison. Three other buildings are slated for demolition between the Lawrence and Wilson CTA stations.

Plans call for completely rebuilding the four aging Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations, and rebuilding all the 100-year-old tracks, support structures, bridges and viaducts between Leland and Hollywood Avenues, the CTA announced.

The new stations will be fully ADA-compliant, including modern amenities and elevators. CTA officials said the new tracks would significantly enable the transit system to increase capacity by 30 to 50 percent, and provide a much better ride to commuters. 

The section of track where the Red, Purple and Brown lines intersect at Belmont, where trains must wait for others to pass, would include construction of a two-block long bypass separating the northbound Brown Line from the Red and Purple Lines.

The CTA plans to purchase 16 buildings between Belmont and Addison, and three others between Lawrence Avenue and Bryn Mawr.

Tress Feher, chief of staff for Ald. James Cappleman (46th), said their office wasn’t aware that the RPM Project called for acquiring and demolishing properties until Thursday.

“Yes, it did come as a surprise. We were not expecting that to be honest,” Feher said.  “I guess they haven’t worked everything out yet. Any historical buildings we definitely want to know about, but most are not on the tracks.”

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), in an email blast to constituents, said the CTA’s plans would affect many Lake View residences and businesses.

“I have serious concerns about this project and will work vigilantly with our neighbors to review the full plans and designs for the bypass,” Tunney said. “My office is coordinating meetings with the CTA, neighbors and businesses that would be affected by this. As soon as additional information becomes available, I will share it with our community.”

The CTA says that without the improvements it cannot increase rider capacity because the century-old viaducts and bridges won’t allow it. The outdated infrastructure also results in high maintenance costs, and the need for frequent repairs that disrupt service and slow travel.

The flyover bypass where the Red, Purple and Brown Lines meet is also intended to relieve one of the CTA’s most notorious bottlenecks, where some 150,000 customers travel daily.

Catherine Hosinski said that CTA officials were reaching out to affected property owners in the affected area.

“We understanding the sensitivity of the issue,” Hosinski, a CTA spokeswoman, said. “We are reaching out to property owners and informing them. We will also meet with them face to face with representatives to provide information.”

Hosinski said if the CTA is to acquire property, they are required by law to offer at least fair market value. She also did not rule out future land acquisitions by CTA as Red Line rebuild continues, consisting of empty lots and parking lots.

The Chicago Tribune reported that some Lake View residents and business owners started receiving hand-delivered letters from the CTA on Thursday afternoon.

A renter in the 3200 block of North Wilton Avenue along the tracks received a letter, the paper said.

At Beer on Clark, a bar at 3415 N. Clark St., also received a letter on Thursday. Owner Ryan Findlay told the Tribune he thought it would take five or six years before demolition to get underway, but that neighborhood businesses wouldn’t go down without a fight.”

Another CTA commuter told the paper that a big roller coaster shooting into the sky wasn’t needed in the middle of a thriving business district.

Tunney said his office would work hard to minimize the impact of the razing, but there would  be impact nonetheless.

“Whether it’s worth it or not — let me tell you: The CTA is the lifeblood of our economic development and of our transportation network,” Tunney told the Tribune. “It will improve commute times. It will add capacity to the system, and I think it will, with the other improvements, make our Red and Purple lines a much better ride.”

The CTA still needs to get the federal funding, although it was the first transit system accepted in the Federal Transit Administration’s new Core Capacity Program.

Part of the process to request federal funding is to gather public input and deliver draft environmental studies for RPM and the South Side's Red Line Extension.

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21

• Truman Community College

• 1145 W. Wilson Ave.

Red-Purple Bypass Open House

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22

• 19th District Police Station

• 850 W. Addison St.