Though many pass the humble Pritzker Park at the corner of State and Van Buren without a second glance, now is the time to enjoy one of the last green spaces in the Loop. Yesterday the City of Chicago announced that the 1.05-acre slice of public space—once home to artist Tony Tasset's hyperrealistic three-story "EYE" public art installation—is seeking proposals for mixed-use redevelopment, with the caveat that roughly 65,000 square feet on two or more floors of the to-be-redeveloped site be set aside for a new Chicago Park District headquarters.
Jones Lang Lasalle is managing the the proposal process for the L-shaped plot, recently appraised at $14 million. The current zoning will allow for up to 728,000 square feet of redevelopment, with an expectation of at least 12,000 square feet reserved for recreational public use. More recently, the Chicago Loop Alliance had made efforts to draw attention to the park space, hosting events that would bring more people to fill the underused corner lot park. The best proposals will hopefully save some of that green space, but in the meantime, enjoy it while it's still there.
·City Seeks Redevelopment Proposals for State Street Property [City of Chicago]
·Mapping Downtown Chicago's Eight Tiniest Public Parks [Curbed Chicago]
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