Overview
Chicago Park District
Northerly Island Framework PlanJJR is working with the Chicago Park District and key stakeholders to create a new framework plan for Northerly Island, adding it to the city's long and proud legacy of iconic lakefront parks. Located amongst some of Chicago's most desirable real estate, along the Lake Michigan waterfront just south of downtown Chicago, it served as Meigs Field Airport until 2003 when it was decommissioned. Although the island is currently home to Adler Planetarium, recreational amenities and a concert pavilion, numerous stakeholders have suggested a variety of additional reuse options.
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Client
Chicago Park District
Size
91 acres
Practice Area
Cities and Communities / Waterfronts /
Specialized Service
Environmental Science / Landscape Architecture / Planning / Urban Design /
Approach
A manmade peninsula originally created for the 1933 "Century of Progress" World's Fair, Northerly Island is the only constructed element of an offshore chain of islands envisioned in the 1909 Plan of Chicago (Burnham/Bennett). More recently, it has been associated with Meigs Field, the single-strip airport that operated there from 1948 to 2003. Since Chicago Mayor Richard Daley made the decision to close the airport, numerous stakeholders have suggested a variety of reuse options.
JJR began the planning process by working with the Park District and other city personnel to identify Northerly Island's key elements to create an appropriate sense of place. The next step will be to conduct a series of public workshops and to craft an appropriate framework for the future development of the island.