Chicago city leaders and CTA officials marked the opening of the new Green Line station at Damen Avenue and Lake Street, two weeks ahead of the Democratic National Convention at the nearby United Center.
The new Damen station, which fills a 1.5-mile gap in service between the Ashland and California stops on the Near West Side, sits blocks away from the United Center, Malcolm X College and the Kinzie Industrial Corridor.
When the DNC comes to Chicago Aug. 19, delegates will only have to stroll half-a-mile to the United Center.
"This is gonna be good for the DNC. Delegates are going to be able to get off here get right to the convention if they want to, if they're out partying downtown or doing whatever they're doing coming from their meetings," said Ald. Walter Burnett of the city's 27th Ward.
Funded by tax increment financing, the project features a glass bridge that connects the inbound and outbound train platforms and a large mural by artist Folayemi Wilson, highlighting "the rich history of various ethnic groups on the Near West Side."
Calling the station a "transformational achievement for Chicago," Mayor Brandon Johnson, in a news release, said it will "have a multiplying effect on this neighborhood, attracting future investments for a vibrant hub of multi-use developments.”
"This region was neglected and ignored, but this station is an $80 million investment that is fully accessible, stunningly modern," he said at an event marking the station's opening.
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Design plans for the station were initially unveiled by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2018. Construction was delayed, however, until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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