Park at Lakeshore East
By Chris • Updated Oct 31st, 2007 • Category: Features
Wander a block north out of the heart of Grant Park, and you might find yourself in an urban oasis. The Park at Lakeshore East is nestled between Lakeshore Drive and Michigan Avenue, surrounded by shiny new high-rise condos. The lawns are well manicured and flowing fountains line the walkways of this hidden jewel. We stumbled across the park much by accident one evening and I have since become curious about why The Park at Lakeshore East seems to be something of a secret in Chicago.
After descending the two stories of staircases between N. Harbor Drive and the park grounds, we thought we had stumbled upon a privately owned property. The Park at Lakeshore East is well groomed and protected from the outside world. There are very few indication that this park is public property, but it is in fact owned by the Chicago Park District.
Walk up N. Field Drive to E Randolph Street, past the high rise buildings, and the only thing to indicate the existence of a park are two signs that look more like an entranceway to a private community. These signs do not say “The Park at Lakeshore East” but rather indicate the entrance to the “Lakeshore East” community and are fashioned to resemble sailboats - nothing like your standard Chicago Park District signage.
Perhaps even more curious is the absence of The Park at Lakeshore East on the Chicago Park District’s website and on Wikipedia. You would think that the City of Chicago would be eager to talk about a park that won several national awards for design and architecture in 2005 and 2006 - yet they seem content to keep it a secret.
The Park at Lakeshore East was built to encourage the development of upper-class condos in the area, and now that the City of Chicago is getting revenue from the property taxes, they’re happy to keep the park a secret for those residents who live in the immediate area. Keep the tax-payers happy and they will stay in the area. You won’t find any undesirables here.
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