The Lawrence station on the Red Line. Photo: moonrat42 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Lawrence Red Line station reopened on July 20, 2025, after years of reconstruction under the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization program. The project also rebuilt the Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations to the north, replacing century-old embankments and platforms with new structures, elevators and wider platforms.
For businesses near Broadway and Lawrence, the closure was long and costly. Riders were rerouted, and some customers simply found other habits.
The return of the commute
With the station open again, morning and evening rushes have returned to the corner. Coffee shops and convenience stores near the station entrance say commuter traffic is the most immediate change. Fast-casual restaurants note more lunchtime and after-work customers.
The station also serves concertgoers. Aragon shows and Riviera nights can push thousands of people through the stop in a single evening, which helps late-night food businesses on Broadway.
What has not changed
A new station does not automatically fill empty storefronts. Some owners say the corridor still struggles with vacancies, high rents in certain buildings and the cost of permits and buildouts for new tenants. Transit access is an advantage, but landlords and tenants still have to agree on terms.
Accessibility
One of the clearest improvements is accessibility. The old Lawrence station had no elevator. The rebuilt station is fully accessible, which matters to seniors, people with disabilities and parents with strollers. Several service agencies near the station say clients now have an easier time reaching appointments.
Looking ahead
The Wilson station a few blocks south was rebuilt earlier, with work completed in February 2018. Together, the two stations give Uptown some of the most modern transit infrastructure on the Red Line. The challenge now is to use that investment to bring more businesses and jobs to the blocks around them.
Marcus Hadley covers business, transit and real estate in Uptown.
