Planning Commissoner Wants Massive South Works Site Along Lake Michigan Split Up

Posted by Leo Clark. on Sunday, January 19th, 2020 at 8:27am.


Chicago South Works Development SiteChicago's planning commissioner is proposing the massive, 415-acre South Works site along Lake Michigan be split up and sold to developers in the future, according to new reports.

The 415-acre property is ready for development, but the commissioner thinks it’s too big for just one developer to take on. That’s because the property in question is larger in size than all of Downtown Chicago.

Still owned by U.S. Steel, the property was once home to a steel plant. Closed decades ago, the plant has since been demolished and the property has mostly remained vacant over the years.

Despite several attempts in the past to develop the property into housing and possible mixed-use space, nothing has ever been built at the site. Had a megadevelopment ever gone through, it could have majorly altered the city. With nothing in place just yet, some city leaders are now pushing for a new plan.