DuSable Park, Chicago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DuSable Park is a park (3.24 acres) in Chicago, Illinois currently awaiting redevelopment. It was originally announced in 1987 by then Mayor Harold Washington. The park is to be named after Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the first non-native settler of Chicago.
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[edit] Location
The park would be located directly east of the site of the proposed Chicago Spire and North Lake Shore Drive. The park would also be directly southwest of Navy Pier with Lake Michigan to its west. To its north would be the Ogden Slip and to its south would be the Chicago River.
[edit] Development
The Chicago Park District took ownership of the land at DuSable Park in 1988 via a quit claim deed.[1] Since that time two public request for proposals were sent out on the topic of developing the property in 2001 and 2004. Each of those public invitations ended in stalemates. Finally, in late 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the project may be going forward with a compromise on the design being reached.[2]
In early 2007, Shelbourne Development Group, the developers of the Chicago Spire project adjacent to the land at DuSable Park, released updated drawings of their new building which included their own ideas for the development of DuSable Park. Although the Chicago Park District has been recently moving forward in their plans for development, the development of the Chicago Spire may play a major part in the design of DuSable Park.
[edit] Budget
The current budget of the proposed park requires approximately $12 million.[2] The city has pledged to pay for at least half of the cost of the project. On March 26, 2007 Shelbourne Development Group pledged to pay for the remaining $6 million of development costs.[3]
[edit] Memorial of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
The Art Institute of Chicago tapped Martin Puryear to design a statue of Jean Baptiste Pointe which will be erected at DuSable Harbor, directly across the river.[2]
[edit] Radioactive contamination
Soil tests performed in December of 2000 showed contamination of radioactive thorium.[4] Thorium was used by the Lindsay Light Company which operated a location nearby. After the closing of that location in the 1930s, contaminated soil was dumped on the location of the proposed park. In March of 2003, the Chicago Park District stated that the thorium clean-up on that land was incomplete.[5]
[edit] Seawall repair
The current revetment of the land is in need of repair which may cost up to $5.7 million. Many, including the Chicago Park District, are petitioning for state and federal funds to be used for this portion of the project.[2]
[edit] See also
- Chicago Park District
- Chicago Spire
- Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
- DuSable Museum of African American History
- Parks of Chicago
[edit] References
- ^ DuSable Heritage Association. (2006, September 30). DuSable Park Retrieved February 7, 2007, from http://www.dusableheritage.com/dusablepark.htm
- ^ a b c d Herrmann, A. (2006, September 18). A DuSable park at last? Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 6, 2007, from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060918/ai_n16733817
- ^ Yue, L. (2007, March 26). More twists in final plans for Chicago Spire. Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=24369
- ^ Palmer, L. (2002, August 8). DUSABLE PARK PROJECT Retrieved February 6, 2007, from http://www.saic.edu/~lpalmer/index.html
- ^ Palmer, L. (Unknown Last Update). 3 acres on the lake : dusable park. Retrieved February 6, 2007, from http://www.laforum.org/forum_issue_5_parks/3_acres_on_the_lake_dusable_park_chicago_by_laurie_palmer
[edit] External links
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