Alderman Knudsen approves DePaul Basketball practice facility

Alderman Timmy Knudsen has officially announced his approval of the DePaul Basketball practice facility. Planned for the northwest corner of W. Belden Ave and N. Sheffield Ave, the new facility will rise across the street from the current Sullivan Athletic Center. The site is home to four 1890s row houses as well as a 1925 courtyard building on the corner of W. Belden Ave and N. Sheffield Ave, all of which are owned by DePaul University.

Designed by HNTB and Antunovich Associates, the new basketball facility will feature a brick façade that mirrors the aesthetic of the Lincoln Park neighborhood, with a pitched roof that pays homage to DePaul’s former Lincoln Park arena, Alumni Hall. Floor-to-ceiling glass around the basketball gyms will offer views of the surrounding neighborhood and wider city context.

The design has been tweaked with a refined brick facade design at the base of the building with large windows to make the activity in the building more visible from the street. The footprint of the building was also reduced so that the sidewalk could be widened for new landscaping and benches. Higher environmental standards and green amenities include bird-friendly glass and rooftop solar panels that will decrease energy use by more than 10%.

Throughout the community engagement process, one of the main issues has been the planned demolition of the existing structures which include four 1890s rowhomes and a 1925 courtyard building. As a result of negotiations, DePaul will invest in the formal landmarking of the exteriors of Byrne Hall and Cortelyou Commons. Additionally, DePaul has also committed to preserving O’Connell Hall for future generations with an investment of several million dollars in maintaining its historic facade and other necessary upgrades.

For the community, DePaul has reignited its ongoing commitment to engage with its neighbors. The Plan of Operation for the Proposed DePaul Facility includes a re-commitment by DePaul to community benefits they have provided for years, such as hosting public services like the post office and library, free neighborhood parking, discounted memberships to the Ray Meyer fitness center, and direct financial support to local nonprofits. In addition, this proposal outlines new community benefits such as expanded use of DePaul-owned facilities for youth sports leagues and community stakeholders and additional direct financial support to local nonprofits. 

Expanding their commitment to community organizations, DePaul has agreed to provide use of McGrath-Phillips Arena or Wish Field for an annual event to each of seven Community Stakeholders. In addition to their investment in making an environmentally sound building, I am proud to share that DePaul has agreed to my office’s request that they install a significant number of electric vehicle charging stations on campus. These stations will be accessible to the public and operated by a vendor selected by the university.

With approval from Alderman Timmy Knudsen secured, the $60 million project can seek city approvals from the Chicago Plan Commission, Committee on Zoning, and City Council. If approved, the demolition of buildings on site would not begin until Summer 2025 at the earliest. Construction of the new facility would begin after demolition is done and is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.