The Big Ideas Behind the Proposed 'Chicago Transit Redevelopment Trust'

The Chicago Central Area Committee has thrown its hand into the ring for the "100&Change" grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

1 minute read

October 28, 2016, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Chicago

Greg K__ca / Shutterstock

Greg Hinz reports that the Chicago Central Area Committee "is bidding for an innovative $100 million grant that Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation is offering for the best big idea worldwide."

The Chicago Central Area Committee's idea: "expanded transit service in the bustling and increasingly congested Loop area" and "better transit to the Barack Obama library site, too, combined with new investment in housing and jobs on the South Side."

The latter comes as a result of the catalyst provided by the Obama Library, planned for the east end of Hyde Park, in Jackson Park.

Though CCAC's plan is expansive, even wild in its ambition, it puts together in one spot two obvious concerns: downtown's need for added capacity on Chicago Transit Authority lines from the north and west, which now are near capacity in peak hours, and the South Side's need for both new service and massive redevelopment help.

The Chicago Central Area Committee put together a video for the Chicago Transit Redevelopment Trust Proposal, as its called, which describes the dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots in the city of Chicago.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016 in Crain's Chicago Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation