Alderman Reilly is very pleased to announce that the final recommendation for landmarking the Quincy Elevated Station at 220 S. Wells Street was recently approved at the September 7, 2017 meeting of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.
Opened for service on October 3, 1897, the Quincy Elevated Station has served generations of Chicagoans and visitors to the City, and remains the best example of an original Loop “‘L’ Station.
With the exception of a hiatus for restoration in the 1980s, the Station has been in daily service for 120 years.
The massive riveted steel elevated structure is a tangible symbol of the Industrial Revolution which involved major changes in construction and transportation. The structure also displays fine architectural detail, including Neoclassical-style pressed-metal ornamentation, and pressed metal and oak finishes in the station houses.
The Loop ‘L’ and Station was designed by engineer John Alexander Waddell, an authority on steel construction who designed bridges across the globe. The ‘L’ has become an iconic feature of the city. Its encircling perimeter so clearly defines the central business district that it gave downtown Chicago its famous nickname, the Loop.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) requested the designation as part of its 125th anniversary of the Loop ‘L’ service in Chicago.
A renovation project for Quincy Station is also underway to make the 120-year-old station fully wheelchair accessible, while preserving its historical appearance. The $18.2 million project is the largest renovation in nearly 30 years for Quincy, which serves more than 2.2 million riders annually via the Brown, Orange, Pink and Purple lines and is a major transfer point for 10 CTA bus routes, Union Station and the LaSalle Street Metra Station. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The Commission on Chicago Landmark’s recommendation will be introduced to City Council in October, and be referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. At the Committee meeting where designation is considered, the public can make oral or written statements for the Committee’s consideration. Upcoming Committee meeting agendas are posted on the City Clerk’s website. After Committee, the landmarking will require a full City Council vote.
For more information about Quincy Elevated Station, click here to read the Department of Planning and Development’s preliminary summary.
