“The Chicago Plan Commission approved a proposal Thursday by DePaul University to build a $42 million basketball practice facility in the heart of its Lincoln Park campus, a controversial plan that will require demolishing a row of century-old residential buildings.

“The four-story facility will be on the northwest corner of Sheffield Avenue and Belden Avenue, and provide two basketball courts, one apiece for the men’s and women’s teams. The upper floor courts will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, while training and team meeting rooms, sports medicine facilities and locker rooms for other student athletes will occupy the lower floors.

“The university plans to demolish five DePaul-owned buildings, which are a mix of student housing and administrative offices, including several three-story walk-up townhouses. The plan still needs an approval from City Council.

“The project won the support of Ald. Timmy Knudsen, 43rd, but many community members and historic preservationists say they would prefer DePaul use a Fullerton Avenue parking lot it owns one block north for a new basketball facility.

“‘We surveyed the neighborhood during the planning process, and once people learned of the options DePaul had, it didn’t make sense to them why DePaul would tear down these gorgeous homes,’ said Brian Comer, president of the Sheffield Neighborhood Association, who challenged Knudsen for his Council seat in 2023, losing in a 52-48 vote. ‘We want the university to expand and be successful, we just disagree with how they’re going about it.’

“Historic preservationists agreed DePaul University needs to grow, but said Lincoln Park has already lost too much of its history.

“‘We get it, it’s just that there are available sites that are ready and do not require the demolition of the neighborhood’s historic fabric,’ said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. ‘What makes the DePaul campus special is how well it’s integrated into the community.’

“Rich Wiltse, vice president for facility operations, said the school considered several sites, but the Belden Avenue location was the best fit. It’s in the university‘s dead center, an appropriate spot for a student-only building. The Fullerton Avenue lot is on the campus’ northern edge, so it makes more sense to use it for a more community-focused, marquee attraction, perhaps a hotel or convention center with first-floor retail.

“The university did agree to support any city effort to landmark several historic buildings on campus, including Cortelyou Commons, a reception hall built in 1929 at 2324 N. Fremont St., and Peter V. Byrne Hall at 2219 N. Kenmore Ave. Cuvalo said the city could start that process early next year.

“The project was first introduced in spring 2022, and many neighbors balked at the plan. The development would mean the demolition of ‘four historic three-flat buildings along Sheffield Avenue,’ according to a letter by the Sheffield Neighborhood Association. The group submitted its letter to the city Tuesday to oppose the project. The buildings are in the Sheffield National Historic District.

“‘It is a continuation of the deterioration of the historic street wall that has stood since the 1890s,’ the letter said. ‘DePaul University is one of, if not Sheffield Neighborhood Association’s, closest friends and community partners. Yet, we always must speak truth to friends and the majority of the community is against the location of their proposed project.’

“Preservation Chicago is also opposed to the practice facility. The buildings, at the northwest corner of Sheffield and Belden avenues, were part of the organization’s 2024 ‘Chicago 7’ list of endangered buildings. (Miller, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/20/25)

Preservation Chicago very much supports and understands the need for DePaul University to expand its programs and footprint on an as-needed basis. If such a facility is desired, there are many alternative options for expansion. Preservation Chicago believes this athletic center should be relocated to the nearby, underdeveloped surface parking lot a block away at Sheffield and Fullerton. This would be an ideal site for the proposed athletic building as it would not harm the architectural fabric of the community and would sit much closer to the CTA Red Line station for ease of access to games by students and visitors. Likewise, an expansion of the university’s facilities could also be accomplished by adding additional floors on top of the two existing athletic center buildings located across the street from the proposed site, possibly even extending over the adjacent parking garage structure.

Given DePaul’s history of demolition, we are very concerned about other historic Lincoln Park properties near the campus that could one day be replaced by future university proposals. These include Cortelyou Commons (1929) designed by architect Dwight Wallace, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and Rectory (1897) by architect James Egan, the former DePaul Academy (1907), Sanctuary Hall (1883-1889), and several rowhouses at the southeast corner of Belden and Sheffield (1891) by Harold M. Hansen.

All of these historic buildings could be considered worthy of Chicago Landmark designation and should be bestowed with that honor to prevent demolition in the future. Preservation Chicago is confident that DePaul, the Lincoln Park community, and organizations like ours can all collectively craft a sensible vision for growth, while also respecting the university’s and surrounding neighborhood’s historic assets.

Read the full story at the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Preservation Chicago’s Sheffield-Belden Group Chicago 7 Most

• Plan Commission approves DePaul’s controversial plan for Lincoln Park athletic facility, Brian Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 11/20/25
• Plan Commission approves long-awaited DePaul practice facility, Morgan Park redevelopment project; The approved projects have been in the works for years, with one like the Morgan Park Commons development dating back to 2018, Abby Miller, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/20/25
• DePaul Cleared To Build New Athletic Complex In Lincoln Park, Replacing Century-Old Homes; The facility, which will replace four 1890s rowhouses and a student apartment building, was redesigned multiple times to address preservation concerns and neighborhood feedback, Patrick Filbin, Block Club Chicago, 12/10/25
• DePaul Athletic Facility, Hundreds Of Apartments Across City OK’d By Council’s Zoning Committee; The City Council’s zoning committee advanced the Lincoln Park practice facility, the Morgan Park Commons project and numerous apartment buildings Tuesday, Quinn Myers, Block Club Chicago, 12/9/25
• Sheffield-Belden Group, a Preservation Chicago 2024 Chicago 7 Most Endangered Chapter