The so-called House that Jordan built is well on its way to getting a brand new six-story addition after breaking ground in mid-2015. Located immediately east of the United Center, the new HOK-designed annex replaces the stadium’s H Lot. While the new building will primarily house offices for the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, and United Center Employees, the plan also features a 10,000-square-foot team retail store occupying its ground floor. The current corporate offices located in the stadium will be converted into yet-be-announced fan amenities once vacated.
Plans to expand the stadium eastward to the corner of Madison and Wood have been in the works since 2010. A rendering of a planned United Center "entertainment district" for same location emerged in 2012 and called for a massive and somewhat busy looking 260,000-square-foot combination of retail shops, restaurants, and event spaces. This proposal was later refined into the more office-like design that is currently under construction. The new 190,000-square-foot project is expected to open this fall.
The United Center and its resident sports teams are increasing their footprint on Chicago’s developing Near West Side. In addition to the new corporate annex and fan store, the Chicago Bulls opened a practice and training facility just one block east while the Chicago Blackhawks have a new two-rink complex planned south of the stadium at a site formerly occupied by Malcolm X College. While the community has seen new residential development crop up, commercial projects as well as the long-discussed Pink Line stop at Madison and Paulina have been slower to materialize.
- United Center Owners Pitch Retail Complex at Madison & Wood [Curbed Chicago]
- A Closer Look at the Planned Blackhawks Practice Facility [Curbed Chicago]
- Previous Near West Side coverage [Curbed Chicago]