The 1901 Project skirting Chicago United Center kicks off

Image: United Center

Construction is underway on the first phase of a $7 billion mixed-use development surrounding the United Center in Chicago, Illinois (US) formally kicking off a mega project that stands to dramatically reshape a swath of the Near West Side.

The Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson has termed The 1901 Project as an “economic engine”.

The Coliseum Summit US will be held at the Wrigley Field in Chicago from August 26^th-27^th, 2026.

‘wgntv.com’ stated that developers broke ground on the new The 1901 Project on June 3^rd as work now rolls full speed ahead.

The project will transform more than 55 acres of surface parking lots around the United Center into residences, retail, entertainment and community spaces, and a hotel. It will also include a 6,000-seat music hall.

It’s a move that could transform the neighborhood surrounding the United Center on the city’s West Side.

The 23,500-seat United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois (US). It is home to the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Chicago Bulls and the National Hockey League (NHL) team Chicago Blackhawks.
 

The 1901 Project

‘wgntv.com’ further stated that with golden shovels in hand the June 3^rd groundbreaking for The 1901 Project, a $7 billion United Center area massive development that aims to transform the parking lot into a destination place of its own and includes the top brass of two Chicago teams who call the United Center home.
 

‘Spectacular Project’

The Chicago Blackhawks Chairman and head honcho Danny Wirtz believes that when all is said and done the project will be nothing short of spectacular – “The neighbors who stayed and invested in this area long before anybody else was paying attention. Who built block by block, year by year, even when the land around them sat empty? This project is an acknowledgment of that, a commitment to the people who’ve been here all along. That energy and investment flowing into this campus now flows through the neighborhood and not just around it.”
 

‘Fulfilling Promise’

Mayor Johnson believes the affordable housing aspect of the development will definitely be a positive for working-class Chicagoans who will one day call it home. Today (June 3^rd) is not simply about breaking ground on a development project. It’s about fulfilling the promise that every neighborhood deserves investment, every family deserves opportunity and no community should ever be left behind.”
 

‘Special Moment’

Michael Reindorf, representing the Chicago Bulls, called the groundbreaking a special moment – “This is more than a new development. It’s a realization of a vision our families have been talking about for many years. The United Center has been part of our lives for decades. We’ve watched this campus evolve over the years and we’ve had the privilege of helping shape that evolution. That’s what makes today so special and meaningful.”

The multiphase project will create an estimated 2,400 construction jobs and thousands of permanent jobs over its lifetime.
 

United Center

For years, the United Center has been surrounded by surface parking lots that leaders said are only about half-full on a normal day. More than 55 acres of vacant parking lots will become a mixed-use district with restaurants, retail, entertainment, and community space, 1,309 total hotel rooms, as well as residences – including 1,900 affordable units.
 

Phase One

Phase One will be anchored by a 6,000-seat music hall that will annually host 150 events. There also will be a 180-key hotel, retail space and two parking garages with rooftop green space. The infrastructure improvements such as bike lanes and enhanced pedestrian walkways also are planned.
 

Project Timeline

Despite its size the project’s timeline has moved relatively fast compared to the other sports-centered projects in Chicago. The United Center’s leaders unveiled The 1901 Project in July 2024 and in February 2025 and it was unanimously approved by the City Council.
 

Property Tax Break

In May, the Council approved a $54.7 million property tax break for the project’s first phase.

Under the Cook County’s Class 7b special assessment the project’s property tax rate for Phase One will be 10 percent for the first 10 years, 15 percent for Year 11 and then 20 percent for Year 12.

The 1901 Project’s first phase is valued at $500 million. The projects must be valued at $2 million or more to be eligible for Class 7b incentives.
 

Economic Engine

Mayor Johnson has defended the United Center subsidy and is a strong supporter of the project. He said on June 3^rd that The 1901 Project’s emphasis on arts, culture and community will help the site become an economic engine for the city – and the nearby residents – “This is an investment that will create jobs and housing, attract new businesses, generate economic activity, and help ensure that the benefits of growth reach the residents and the families who call the West Side home.”
 

‘Inclusionary Approach’

The Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright said it’s an “inclusionary approach” to development. The United Center’s owners have emphasized hiring locally for the construction jobs. The nonprofit 1901 Community Implementation Committee was created to bring the community members into the fold and give them the skills needed to eventually become subcontractors on the project.
 

Master Plan

The master plan for the land around the United Center emerged after five years of planning, Terry Savarise, United Center’s Executive Vice-President and head honcho, previously said. It was stewarded by the Major League Baseball (MLB) team Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and the late Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, who died in 2023.
 

‘Energy-Investment’

The Blackhawks Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Danny Wirtz said the energy inside the United Center is “unlike anything we see in the city” but it has been confined inside the arena’s walls. The 1901 Project will remove that vacuum and bring more energy and investment to the West Side, he said.

Concluded Wirtz, “This project is … a commitment to the people who’ve been here all along. That energy and investment flowing into this campus now flows through the neighborhood and not just around it. We are building with this community and not just near it.”

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