The Uptown Station building at Broadway and Wilson. Photo: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
When the CTA finished rebuilding the Wilson Red Line station in February 2018, local officials described the project as a turning point for Broadway and Wilson. The station, once known for its crumbling structure, became a modern transfer point for the Red and Purple lines with new entrances on both sides of Wilson Avenue.
Eight years on, the station is busy. The storefronts around it have changed more slowly.
The landmark next door
The station’s neighbor, the old Uptown Station building at Broadway and Wilson, is one of the landmarks of the intersection. Its terra cotta details date to the early 20th century, when the corner was a commercial hub. The building’s ground-floor storefronts have hosted a rotating cast of tenants.
Who has moved in
The corner now has a mix of fast food, convenience stores, cell phone shops, salons and social service offices. Some newer businesses, including restaurants and fitness studios, have opened nearby in recent years, drawn by the transit access and residential growth in the area.
Owners say the biggest challenge is not traffic but conversion. Thousands of riders pass through the station daily, but many go straight to the train or bus without stopping.
The residential factor
New apartment buildings in Uptown have added residents within walking distance of the station. That has helped grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants that depend on repeat local customers more than on commuters.
What owners want
Business owners near the station point to a few priorities: cleaner sidewalks, better lighting at night, faster permits for new tenants and help with the cost of storefront improvements. Programs such as the Small Business Improvement Fund, tied to tax increment financing districts, have helped some owners with renovations.
The station did its part. The rest depends on landlords, tenants and the city working together to fill the blocks around it.
Marcus Hadley covers business, transit and real estate in Uptown.
