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Block 37 refers to a city block in downtown Chicago which has encountered a seemingly endless array of development problems. Block 37 has recently been under construction to house a new CTA super-station which would connect the Red and Blue Lines, as well as possible express service to O’Hare and Midway Airports. Due to the rising cost of construction, the future of this project is now in peril.

The CTA has secured only enough funding to “… continue constructing underground tunnels to connect the Red and Blue Lines to the new station. It will also continue to work with Joseph Freed & Associates, the Block 37 master developer, to finish the shell of a station that would serve both lines. Scheduled work on both is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.”

Quite frankly, I am confused over exactly what the source of the problem is. Some people say that the CTA is seeking private investors to help fund the Airport Express service – while others say that the CTA shelved the $1.5 billion Airport project a long time ago. Whatever the issue, the Block 37 station will not be finished anytime this decade.

This is a major blow for CTA riders. Block 37 has caused major inconveniences and re-routes, promising easy transfers between the Red and Blue ‘EL’ Lines, but now we will get nothing more than a “shell of a station” – with no hint about when service might be restored to normal.

With transit already an issue, I has to wonder how this setback will effect Chicago’s Olympic Bid. The Mayor Daley claims that there is no connection, but it sure would be nice to show the voting committee a shiny new super-station when they come to visit Chicago next May.

For more information about the history of Block 37, visit the History of Block 37 page on ChicagoHistory.org .

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