Chicago Transit Authority Headquarters
Cost: $95 million

The Chicago Transit Authority's headquarters at 567 W. Lake St. is a 418,000-sq.-ft., 12-story building.

The CTA departed the Merchandise Mart, where it had been located for decades, for the Lake Street location in hopes of realizing cost savings. The new location is projected to reduce the agency's annual operating expenses over a lease alternative.

The Lake Street building presented a number of logistical issues, including accommodating the traffic for another project across the street, the 20-story 180 N. Jefferson St. apartment.

Because of the CTA's own Green Line transit system and existing buildings nearby, the crane for the CTA headquarters could only be placed on sidewalk on the site's west side. Likewise, the apartment project team had the only option of placing its crane on the street.

Each project was required to have luffing booms to avoid each other when swinging, and each did not swing over the Green Line tracks.

Indeed, the neighboring tracks required constant attention. Mesh safety nets were put up, and the third of the CTA building closest to the tracks was not used to house materials.

Greening the CTA

A green roof tops the structure, an environmental feature Mayor Richard Daley is championing.

The team needed to make sure the roof could sustain the weight of the added materials and topsoil. It consists of a hydro-tech membrane with multiple components, including drainage mats, filter fabrics, soil and different natural grass plantings.

The mats were put in place first, followed immediately by dirt, because the mats can potentially blow away.

A benefit of the system is that living plants create an ecosystem that significantly decreases the amount of runoff that would otherwise enter the city's sewage system.

The building was turned over in sections for phased occupancy to meet the CTA's schedule. The CTA occupied the lower floors while work continued on upper floors.

Return to Top of 2005 list