Approved also was an ordinance that finances the construction of an athletic field house in Ping Tom Park on the City’s Near South Side.
Funds for the $10 million proposal will be allocated from the River South TIF district.
The field house will include a main gym, club rooms and community meeting areas for nearby Chinatown residents and other users. Specific design details are anticipated to be completed in 2011. Construction is expected
to start the following year.
The park is located on a 12-acre site adjacent to the South Branch of the Chicago River at 300 W. 19th St. Initially featuring a children's
playground, community gathering areas and Chinese landscape design elements, the park was later expanded north of 18th Street to include ball fields, play areas
and a variety of river edge improvements that are currently under construction.
We remember seeing some renderings of a field house (click here), but haven't heard much about the project until we read the article above. It's a great piece of land, so hopefully this comes to fruition.
(Image from Site Design Group)