Chicago Riverwalk

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Chicago Riverwalk as seen from Upper Wacker Drive looking down at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial The Riverwalk as seen from Upper Wacker Drive looking down at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.jpg
Chicago Riverwalk as seen from Upper Wacker Drive looking down at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Chicago Riverwalk is a multi-use public open space located on the south bank of the main branch of the Chicago River in Chicago, extending from Lake Michigan and the Outer Drive Bridge westward to the Wolf Point area and Lake Street. [1] The Chicago Riverwalk contains restaurants, bars, cafes, small parks, boat and kayak rentals, a Vietnam War memorial, and other amenities. [2]

Contents

2001–2005

The Chicago Riverwalk under construction in 2002 20020829 05 Chicago River @ Michigan Ave. (5474906557).jpg
The Chicago Riverwalk under construction in 2002

In conjunction with the Chicago Department of Transportation, construction of the Riverwalk began in 2001 as an extension of the Wacker Drive reconstruction project. With the rebuilding of Wacker Drive, the street was purposely relocated to allow for development of the walk. The oldest section now called Market, between Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue was at first an extension of the lake shore trail with tour boat docks, concessions and stair access. [3] Sections at first required going up to street and bridge level to access the next section, until design plans and funding could be arranged over time.

The plan developed by architects at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill called for four separate districts within the riverwalk: Confluence, Arcade, Civic and Market, all with a specific location and theme in mind.

2005–2012

Chicago Riverwalk in December 2012 Chicago River in Chicago 2012-0241.jpg
Chicago Riverwalk in December 2012
Chicago Riverwalk in front of 205 West Wacker Drive at Wells St. bridge in 2009 Chicago Riverwalk in 2009; in front of 205 West Wacker (at southwest corner of Wells Street Bridge) .jpg
Chicago Riverwalk in front of 205 West Wacker Drive at Wells St. bridge in 2009

At State and Wabash Streets where the Riverwalk is at its widest is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza, commemorating events that took place during that war. Designed by Ross Barney Architects and built in 2005, it is nestled within the Riverwalk and consists of a terraced lawn, a waterfall and a central pool. The Chicago Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Plaza, one of the largest in the nation outside of Washington, D.C., connects people to the riverfront, provides an escape from the steel and glass of the City, and bejewels the City's waterfront. Its public objectives and finished forms embody what a memorial plaza should be; a remembrance of those that served, and a celebration of the living. The plaza occupies land, reclaimed by the rebuilding and relocation of Wacker Drive, to create an urban park, with terraces and bench-lined ramps that gently transition from busy city streets to more quiet spaces near the river, providing a green refuge. [7]

Plans were announced to deploy the full intention of a connected path from Lake Michigan west toward Lake Street. Ross Barney Architects was again charged with envisioning this extension. Phase 01 was completed in 2009 with under-bridge canopies and new landscaping added south of State Street. [8]

2012–present

Chicago Riverwalk from DuSable Bridge on Michigan Avenue in 2016 Chicago Riverwalk from DuSable Bridge.jpg
Chicago Riverwalk from DuSable Bridge on Michigan Avenue in 2016

On October 8, 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled plans for an addition to the Riverwalk, extending it another six blocks along Chicago's River from State to Lake streets. [9] Phases Two and Three of the Riverwalk, a collaborative design effort between Sasaki and Ross Barney Architects, links a series of six distinct civic spaces or "rooms", each named for its unique program. [10] Floating gardens, a bridge and fishing piers aim to create more recreational options for the city's "Second Lakefront," and connect the downtown area. [9] As of early summer 2015, three of the rooms were finished, completing Phase Two: the Marina (food vendors and seating to watch watercraft), the Cove (boating and kayak rentals), and the River Theater (amphitheater seating and a link to Upper Wacker Drive). Phase Three, the final three blocks, is planned to be completed by the end of 2016. [11] [12]

In June 2015, The Marina Plaza, The Cove, and The River Theater sections of the Riverwalk from State Street to LaSalle Street was officially opened. [13]

The City has been working on the development plan for the Chicago Riverwalk since the 1990s. During the reconstruction of East-West Wacker Drive, the roadway was reconfigured to allow greater public access to the river. The City received Congressional approval to redefine the navigational channel allowing the build-out of the path 20 feet under each bridge and 25 feet between each bridge and 50 feet between Franklin and Lake Street in order to extend the Riverwalk.

The City obtained $98 million for design engineering and construction from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act. The remaining phase along the south bank of the river from Lake Street to State Street was connected to the previously completed section of the Riverwalk.

In October 2016, The Water Plaza, The Jetty, and The Boardwalk sections from LaSalle Street to Lake Street opened to the public. [14]

The city has a $10M renovation plan of the Riverwalk east of State Street. This includes new landscaping, seating, play areas, and walkways. [15]

The Riverwalk is one of several mega and large scale development projects over the last several years either completed, under construction, or planned in Chicago. Others include the 606, Lincoln Yards, The 78, One Chicago, Wolf Point Towers, Tribune East Tower, Bronzeville Lakefront, One Central, a city casino, an $8.5 billion revamp of O'Hare International Airport, an extension of the Red Line subway/elevated train, and the Barack Obama Presidential Center among other projects.

Chicago Riverwalk expansion sections

See also

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References

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  3. "Chicago Riverwalk". Chicago Architecture Foundation. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
  4. "Chicago Riverwalk Main Branch Framework Plan". City of Chicago. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  5. "Civic District". City of Chicago. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  6. "Market District". City of Chicago. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  7. "Riverwalk". Blog. A View on Cities. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  8. Stephen, Phyllis (October 5, 2009). "Riverwalk Completion in Chicago Ties Up 100 Years of Plans", World Architecture News. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Balde, Lisa (October 8, 2012). "Chicago Unveils Riverwalk Expansion Plans", NBC Chicago. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  10. "Sasaki and Ross Barney Architects complete Chicago Riverwalk -". World Landscape Architecture. December 3, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  11. "Chicago Riverwalk Construction", Riverwalk Expansion. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  12. Sisson, Patrick (October 24, 2016). "Chicago's new Riverwalk offers a vision of the future of urban parks". Curbed. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  13. Isaacs, Deanna (July 1, 2015). "Like Rahm's Riverwalk, the Chicago River's Still a Work in Progress". Chicago Reader. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  14. "Downtown Riverwalk expansion opens". Curbed. October 24, 2016.
  15. "Riverwalk East". Chicago Tribune. August 1, 2018.

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