CTA Announces Changes Coming to Clark/Lake Loop Elevated Station

Proposed rendering: Facing East from platform level

Courtesy of CTA

CHICAGO - The CTA has announced plans for changes at its Clark/Lake Loop Elevated Station.

The Chicago Transit Board approved an amendment to its agreement with JRTC Holdings to make changes to the Clark/Lake Loop Elevated station, one of the CTA’s busiest stations that sees more than 9,100 average weekday entries. JRTC Holdings is the firm tasked with redeveloping the former James R. Thompson Center. This amendment results in a “change of easement for the property that will relocate the main station entrance” to the northeast corner on Clark Street. Currently, the main station entrance is at Lake Street underneath the elevated tracks. The project plan also includes making improvements to the station’s mezzanine finishes and aligning with the JRTC design plans.

The work and associated costs with the relocation of the entrance and upgrades are within JRTC’s overall facility renovation. As well, the CTA says it is planning $10 million in improvements for the elevated platform. Below are the three phases of the project:

1. Phase 1: The station entrance – November 2025
2. Phase 2: Remaining scope – June 2026
3. Phase 3: CTA platform work – Late 2026

CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said, “This is a historic renovation project that will not only restore the luster to one of Chicago’s most iconic downtown buildings, but also to the station that is the heart of the city’s public transit system. . . This collaborative investment project reflects a shared commitment to the future of Chicago transit, and we look forward to continuing our work with JRTC in creating a modern, welcoming station for all who rely on our system for their regular commutes or while visiting our great city.” 

“Like the Thompson Center itself, which has been one of Chicago’s most vibrant and busy spaces since it opened in 1985, the Clark/Lake station is vital and hardworking. It not only connects six rail lines but also links to six major CTA bus lines—making it ‘ground zero’ for Loop access and a reminder of the significance of this entire project,” Prime|Capri co-principal and Capri Investment Group Founder and Executive Chairman Quintin E. Primo III noted. “As partners in this project with the CTA, we’re putting effective and consequential infrastructure in place that will help revitalize the Loop and make it a better place to live, work and play.”