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Image courtesy of Related Midwest
The Chicago White Sox professional baseball franchise may leave the neighborhood that has been synonymous with its existence for more than a century if a proposal for a new stadium at The 78 moves forward in the coming months.
According to Sun-Times, Related Midwest is pushing for a “massive funding package” from the Illinois General Assembly to fund the project by late spring. If approved, the $9 billion South Loop ballpark project would join 1,000 units of affordable housing in the “village” portion of the larger 62-acre site. The team's current Southside digs will be converted into a soccer stadium with another 1,300-unit housing component. He is expected to be named the architect of the project later.
Related says the project will create about 10,000 new construction jobs and add more than $4 billion in economic benefits. The White Sox' current lease at Guaranteed Rate Field expires at the end of the 2029 baseball season. The team still needs to pay off about $50 million in debt on that ballpark before it can make a move elsewhere.
A new technology industry research and education center for the University of Illinois system by OMA and Jacobs is the only project currently slated for development. 78 could potentially include another 4,000 homes, a boutique hotel, retail and dining options and a new office tower if the plans go ahead in their current form.
“We are encouraged that the conversation about the future of the White Sox in Chicago has begun and we look forward to further discussions,” Illinois Sports Facilities Authority CEO Bill Bilecki told reporters.
The Chicago Bears, meanwhile, are refocusing their plans for a new Manica-designed stadium on the Lakefront after a multi-year Arlington Heights proposal.
