The Lakeview Low-Line reimagines the underutilized maintenance path under the Chicago Transit Authority’s elevated tracks as a half-mile-long art walk and garden, connecting the Lincoln Avenue and Southport commercial  corridors. This vibrant transformation represents a strategic reinvestment in neglected community spaces, promoting walkability, mass transit, and neighborhood vitality.

PORT has worked closely with the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Lakeview, and the Chicago Transit Authority to implement a phased redevelopment strategy. Each phase has built momentum for the next, steadily transforming the site into a dynamic public space.

Key phases include:

• Phase One: Renovation of the Paulina  Brown Line station entrance, featuring custom urban furniture that integrates lighting, sound mitigation, seating, and vending. The design also incorporates a vibrant yellow canopy with perforated metal scallops, creating  a striking identity and enhancing the upgraded LED lighting.
• Phase Two: Extension of the project  into a three-block art walk and garden. This phase introduced murals by local  artists, passive green spaces, and interactive lightboxes that illuminate murals and provide dynamic lighting experiences.
• Phase Three (In Progress): The completion of the final segment will connect the entire 1/2-mile stretch between the Lincoln Avenue and Southport commercial corridors

Throughout the project, elements like the playful cubbies—bright  yellow rectangular structures that function as vendor booths, picnic tables, or lean-tos—add moments of delight and multi-functionality to the space. Integrated art panels celebrate neighborhood creativity, while native  plantings and passive garden spaces create opportunities for relaxation and connection to nature.

As the final phase nears completion, the Lakeview Low-Line stands as a prototype for transforming underutilized infrastructure into thriving public spaces, inspiring similar projects across Chicago’s neighborhoods. 

‍