North End of Grant Park Up for Redesign

By Tim State in News on Dec 20, 2008 4:45PM

The Chicago Park District has invited landscape firms to submit their qualifications and ideas to rebuild the north end of Grant Park, transforming 25 acres that includes Daley Bicentennial Plaza, and two smaller areas known as Cancer Survivors Garden and Peanut Park.

The plaza is the area approved for the new Chicago Children’s Museum, and the new landscaping would be installed after the top of the plaza is removed to repair waterproofing covering the East Monroe Street Garage.

The district hopes the new landscaping and redesign will create a dynamic family-oriented link between Millennium Park and the Lakefront, providing something of purpose for the BP Bridge, designed by architect Frank Gehry, to link to. The district will use $35 million from a lease of city parking garages, which should cover landscaping costs. Additional amenities would likely cost extra, but could be paid for through naming rights. [Trib]

Photo by DeliriousFish.