Work to begin on Bronzeville’s shimmering Williams Park fieldhouse

After spending more than five years on the drawing board, a new Chicago Park District fieldhouse is ready to break ground in Bronzeville’s Williams Park. On Monday the South Side project slated for 2820 S. State Street was awarded its first building permit.

The 10,000-square-foot structure comes from Chicago-based STL Architects and stands out from the crowd thanks to an iridescent metal cladding reminiscent of fish scales. Behind its shimmering skin, the facility will contain a gymnasium, two multipurpose club rooms, and family-friendly restrooms. An adjacent splash pool will also be demolished and rebuilt under the plan.

In addition to its eye-catching aesthetics, the new fieldhouse was designed to be durable, making use of sturdy building materials such as polished concrete floors, composite acrylic polymers, and exposed “glue-lam” (glued laminated timber) beams. Financing for the $6 million project comes from the Chicago Housing Authority.

The Williams Park facility is just one example of recent investment in neighborhood amenities within the Bronzeville community. Notable projects include the Ellis Park Arts and Recreation Center as well as the 41st Street bike and pedestrian bridge.

STL Architects

STL Architects

STL Architects

• New construction permit at 2820 S. State Street [Chicago Cityscape]
• Fish-like fieldhouse pitched for Bronzeville’s Williams Park [Curbed Chicago]
• Bronzeville archive [Curbed Chicago]