Since the World's Fair, Hyde Park has never been considered one of Chicago's more happenin' 'hoods, but these days, there are more new developments in the works and on the drawing board in Hyde Park than just about any other Chicago neighborhood. The University of Chicago is the big cheese when it comes to real estate purchasing and development in and around Hyde Park, and in recent years the university has been on a binge, buying up and developing (and helping to foster the development of) both academic and commercial buildings around town. A new feature in the Architect's Newspaper offers a roundup of new developments in Hyde Park and Woodlawn, including a number of new U of C buildings located south of the Midway. In the 1960s, the university cut a deal with Bishop Brazier and Saul Alinsky not to expand south of 61st Street, but in recent years it has been inching ever closer to that boundary, including the new 367,000-square-foot dormitory, an 11-story arts center, a parking structure, and a new "light bridge" connecting the South Campus to the main campus. In the coming weeks, Curbed will take a closer look at some of Hyde Park's new residential developments, but in the meantime, follow the link below to read about the changing face of Hyde Park and Woodlawn (well, mostly just Hyde Park).
· Feature: South Side Story [Architect's Newspaper]
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