CTA issues three Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the sale & redevelopment of land used during construction in Lakeview community; proposal request includes affordable housing
As part of CTA’s ongoing commitment to invest in transit and the communities the agency serves, CTA today announced it is accepting proposals for the sale of land in the Lakeview neighborhood as the Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project nears completion.
CTA has issued three Requests for Proposals to redevelop three parcels of land in the Lakeview neighborhood that were acquired by the CTA to build new track structures and stage construction during the RPM project. The construction included building a new rail bypass north of the Belmont station that replaced a crowded, 107-year-old rail junction where Red, Purple and Brown lines intersected. The project also rebuilt Red and Purple line elevated track structures that were more than a century old between Belmont and Addison stations.
Now that construction in this area is substantially complete, CTA is following on its commitment to pursue development proposals for the land.
"After successfully delivering modern stations and improved service for CTA riders, we are honoring our promise to the Lakeview community to redevelop land used during construction," said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. "We are excited to work with the community and serve as a catalyst for development that will enhance the vibrant Lakeview neighborhood."
The redevelopment of these parcels is part of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plan created in 2018 by CTA in partnership following extensive meetings and engagement with residents and other community stakeholders. The Plan established a shared vision and redevelopment strategies to bring lasting benefits to residents, businesses and transit riders.
The guiding principles of the Plan based on the community’s vision include:
- Promote cultural, generational, economic, and family composition diversity
- Seek commercial, retail, and civic uses that encourage vitality
- Capitalize on transit proximity
- Focus on the quality and scale of future neighborhood development
- Pursue environmentally sustainable and economically viable development
- Improve the public realm
- Seek to provide affordable housing options
The CTA issued three separate RFPS for the following parcels:
- Southeast corner of W. Newport Ave. & N. Clark St.; officially portions of 3401-3427 N. Clark St. and 947-949 W. Newport Ave. This parcel includes the historic Vautravers Building, which was moved 30 feet west to allow the CTA to completely reconstruct and straighten century-old Red and Purple Line track structures.
- Southwest corner of W. Roscoe St. & N. Clark St.; officially portions of 3366-3368 N. Clark St. and 947-955 W. Roscoe St.
- Frontage along N. Clark St.; officially portions of 3330-3348 N. Clark St.
Proposals are due by Feb. 25, 2026.
CTA in 2018 also published a separate Transit Oriented Development Plan for parcels in the RPM Project’s Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization area in the Uptown and Edgewater communities. CTA expects to issue RFPs for those parcels in 2026.
RPM Phase One Overview
RPM Phase One included three major components:
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Reconstruction of the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr Red Line stations into larger, fully accessible stations; and replacement of track structure totaling six track-miles.
- Construction of a Red-Purple Bypass north of Belmont station and the reconstruction of Red and Purple Line track structure between Belmont and Newport/Cornelia.
- Installation of a new signal system on 23 track miles between Howard and Belmont that, similar to roadway traffic signals, to improve train flow and service reliability.
The Red Line and RPM
The CTA’s Red Line is CTA’s busiest rail line, providing nearly 40 million rides in 2024. CTA is completing Phase One of the multi-phase RPM Program, which is rebuilding the 9.6-mile stretch of Red and Purple Line track structure and stations on the North Side that were a century old. RPM replaces aging infrastructure; increases CTA’s capacity to increase train service as needed; and improves our service for customers with more reliable, comfortable service. Learn more about RPM at transitchicago.com/RPM. More information about future phases of RPM can be found here.