Work on historic Quincy station house wraps up

The much-needed work on historic Quincy station is finally complete. The $18.2 million modernization, which began last spring, brought two new elevators, updated lighting, tiled flooring, reconfigured stairs to help with passenger flow, and motorized doors that meet ADA guidelines.

Photos courtesy of the Mayor’s office

The Brown Line L station renovation was funded with local tax increment finance (TIF) funds and is part of a larger mission from the mayor’s office make all CTA stations accessible for people who have disabilities. Currently, 103 out of 145 stations are accessible for people in wheelchairs across the city. In July 2018, the city released plans for making the remaining stations accessible over the next 20 years.

The historic station house was given landmark status before the improvement project began and all the changes such as the elevator towers and railings, have kept in line with the original look. The station underwent a restoration in 1988 which brought back a lot of the historic features.

In 1897, Quincy and its sister stations near Madison and Randolph were built by architect A.M. Hedley in a Neoclassical style with Palladian influences, according to the CTA. Many details from this time remain—like the pressed metal wreathes, fluted pilasters, decorative columns, and the ticket booth. The interiors featured varnished wooden floors, pressed tin walls and wood paneling unlike the shiny, streamlined Art Moderne style of the historic State Street subway stations.

The Quincy station was one of three stations built above Wells Street, known at the time as Fifth Avenue, according to the transit agency. Remnants of the street’s former name can be found on the northeast corner building which has an engraving “S. Fifth Ave.”

Find more Quincy history and historic photos on the transit agency’s website.

Photo courtesy of DPD

• CTA begins work to renovate the Loop’s historic Quincy ‘L’ station [Curbed Chicago]
• Historic Quincy ‘L’ station one step closer to official landmark status [Curbed Chicago]