Chicago Could Get More From New Damen El Stop

The Green Line is getting a new stop at Damen, but, while it will be great to give Bulls fans and other visitors to the United Center access to the train, more could be done to develop the land around the station. "Train stations increase value in a city, especially on the properties surrounding them. Chicago should capitalize on this phenomenon by making sure nearby land – both city-owned and not – is used in a way that captures that value," Steven Vance argues in Streetsblog.

The new station is near the city's center and will now be connected to its train network. "The property owner or the city should redevelop the land to take advantage of the fact that it will have excellent transit access, by building housing, workplaces, and/or retail," Vance contends.

The station itself could be part of that redevelopment. "Current zoning on the station property would have allowed the city to incorporate 17 apartments in the station design. While including onsite housing, offices, and retail in transit stations is a common practice around the world, it’s unusual among Chicago train stops," Vance reports.