Campus Pedestrian Enhancements

Overview

Status: Completed

The pedestrian flow and green spaces of the University’s main quadrangles will extend east to Woodlawn Avenue and west past Ellis Avenue, through three projects that will create a central connection across the campus and enhance accessibility.

To the east, as part of the adaptive reuse project at 5757 S. University Ave., the block of 58th Street between Woodlawn and University avenues will be transformed into a pedestrian pathway with the look and feel of the main quadrangles.

To the west, a new pathway will be created this summer where 58th Street now dead-ends, removing existing obstacles and opening up the pathway to the Crerar Quadrangle.

The east-west connection will be made complete with the creation of a new, open-air portal through Levi Hall that will join the main quadrangles with the science quadrangles and the medical campus. The projects are designed to enhance the pedestrian experience, making it safer and more pleasant, encouraging informal encounters among faculty, students, staff and visitors, and improving accessibility.

“The outdoor spaces on campus can be as important as the indoor spaces,” said Steve Wiesenthal, University Architect and Associate Vice President for Facilities Services. “Like the Midway Crossings, these projects will connect parts of campus that have felt distant from each other because of features of our buildings and landscape. They will contribute to our sense of community and the integrated nature of the University.”

Project Team

  •     Project Manager: Patrick Wilson
  •     Architect/Engineer: Site Design Group, Ltd.
  •     Construction Manager: Turner Construction
  •     Project Contact: Patrick Wilson, wpwilson@uchicago.edu

Milestones

Past Milestones:

  •     April 2013: Design completed
  •     April 2013 - June 2013: City approvals
  •     June 2013: Project approved
  •     June 2013: Accessible ramp completion
  •     September 2013: 58th and Ellis completion; Quad Portal completion
  •     June 2014: 58th St. East completed.

Photos

Project site plan

Street view from the Administration Building

Street view looking east

New quad portal entrance at the administration building from Ellis Ave.

New quad portal entrance at the administration building from the Main Quadrangle

How Do I?

UChicagoSocial: Facilities Services