“The Chicago Plan Commission last week approved plans to rehabilitate and modernize the 59th Street Metra station, setting a summer 2026 construction start date for the long-stalled project.
“The $78 million overhaul will replace the existing headhouses, build new warming houses, reconstruct the ground-level depots and add elevators, according to city plans. It will also reopen the 60th Street station entrance, which has been closed for more than 45 years. The completed station is expected to open in early 2030.
“Located at the east end of the Midway Plaisance, the station is near the University of Chicago’s campus, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry and across the street from the Obama Presidential Center site in Jackson Park.
“The Obama Presidential Center is expected to draw some 750,000 visitors annually. Asked about future service needs, Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said the agency may add more trains to meet demand. He also noted that the agency has not yet determined if the station will close during construction.
“The project includes a full rebuild of the station’s depots and entrances, with a focus on accessibility. For the first time, both the 59th and 60th Street stations will be ADA-compliant, with elevators and redesigned street-level entrances.
“‘The street-level station that’s located below the bridge is primarily glass for light, transparency and security, as well as a way to highlight the existing bridge structure,’ Savery said. He added that although the project isn’t subject to the city’s Sustainable Development Policy, the rehabilitation will have green features, including track-level stormwater management and glazing that reduces heating and lighting loads.
Because the station falls within federally protected districts, the project required review under the National Historic Preservation Act. Metra and the Federal Transit Authority conducted a Section 106 consultation process with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, holding multiple community meetings to assess the impact on historic properties. The review found “adverse effects” on three properties and the Metra Electric District.
In response, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was finalized earlier this year outlining mitigation measures. These include an interpretive display under the viaduct showcasing commuter rail history, a landscape restoration plan for the Midway Plaisance between 59th and 60th streets, and transparent facades at new entrances. (Pharo, Hyde Park Herald, 8/29/25)
Read the full story at Hyde Park Herald
- 59th Street Metra station rehabilitation to finish in 2030, Zoe Pharo, Hyde Park Herald, 8/29/25
- Plans Approved For Rebuilt 59th Street Metra Station In Hyde Park, Ian Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 9/1/25