It’s been three years since a chunk of Ivanhoe Place between Hooligan’s and the former Crossroads Collective on the city’s East Side was closed to vehicular traffic and designated as a pedestrian plaza. Today, the so-called Ivanhoe Plaza stands as a relatively bare-bones summertime gathering spot, highlighted by picnic tables, planters, and a road mural:
But a project from the East Side Business Improvement District (BID) aims to redesign Ivanhoe Plaza into a “flexible gathering space that supports both everyday neighborhood life and larger East Side events.” On Friday, weeks after a public input meeting, the BID shared a short update on the previously announced and long-planned project.
“We’re excited to share that the Ivanhoe Plaza project is moving forward with a vision to transform the space into a permanent, thoughtfully designed public plaza for year-round community use,” the BID wrote in a newsletter. “Led by the East Side Business Improvement District with design by Korb Architecture, and with support from Alderman Alex Brower, community partners, and city leaders, the project aims to create a flexible gathering space that supports both everyday neighborhood life and larger East Side events.”
According to the newsletter, the redesign will include a leaf canopy and an outdoor stage:
• Leaf Canopy – A 500-square-foot structure providing shade and shelter while creating a distinctive visual identity through colorful elements that cast shifting patterns of light throughout the day.
• Community Stage – A flexible platform designed for live music, film screenings, performances, and civic events, while also serving as informal seating when programming is not taking place.
• Flexible Plaza Space – An open, adaptable area designed to host markets, outdoor concerts, and seasonal programming while remaining welcoming for casual daily gathering.
“In the coming months, we will begin launching sponsorship and fundraising efforts to help bring this vision to life,” the BID writes. “A construction timeline and opening date will depend on the success of those efforts.”
Also, remember when the woman who runs the cat cafe got all bent out of shape about Ivanhoe Plaza and eventually moved her business to Brady Street? Oh, memories.
2023
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