The Lakeside Heritage Walk on Chicago’s southeast side, made possible by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Illinois Coastal Management Program, is now complete. Sprinkled along the recreational walking path of Steelworkers Park at 87th Street and Lake Michigan, the permanent installation of eight educational trail signs brings to life the rich environmental and social history of South Chicago’s first lakefront park and the city’s first steel mill, South Works.
The six-foot tall Lakeside Heritage Walk signs illustrate the site’s cultural and industrial past as well as its redevelopment and emerging biodiversity—from its still-standing ore walls to its future as a thriving green community. The visually-engaging signs provide an opportunity for community members and students to learn about Chicago’s indelible industrial history and the evolution of the Lake Michigan shoreline.
“The Lakeside Heritage Walk will provide the skills, knowledge and inclination to understand what environmental and habitat improvements have been and will be made at the location’s redeveloped brownfields and industrial sites,” explains Benjamin Cox, president of Friends of the Forest Preserves, a collaborator on the project. “The trail will also protect and increase interconnected lakefront open space, which will be invaluable to the surrounding community and help make connections to forest preserve sites nearby.”
The Lakeside Heritage Walk is part of an ongoing initiative to transform the former industrial site into Lakeside—a LEED-certified, mixed-used community that will extend Chicago’s public lakefront corridor. Created through the collaboration of McCaffery Interests, United States Steel Corporation, Friends of the Forest Preserves, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the Lakeside Heritage Walk will be a highlight of the 600-acre Lakeside community, a long-term joint venture between site developer, McCaffery Interests, and property owner, United States Steel Corporation.
For more information about the Lakeside Heritage Walk, visit LakesideHeritageWalk.org
About McCaffery Interests, Inc.:
McCaffery Interests, Inc., is a privately owned, full-service commercial real estate company that has been in the business of investing, developing, leasing and managing real estate for nearly 25 years. The McCaffery Interests portfolio of planned, completed and managed projects exceeds 20 million square feet and includes office, mixed-use, hotel, and residential properties, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. With offices in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC, and controlled assets and completed developments valued in excess of $2 billion, McCaffery Interests is one of the most trusted real estate companies in the nation. For more information, please visit www.mccafferyinterests.com.
About Lakeside:
A joint venture between McCaffery Interests and United States Steel Corporation, Lakeside presents a game-changing urban ideal not just for Chicago’s Southeast lakefront, but for the entire region. With visions for a new dynamic and diverse community, the site that was once America’s largest steel mill will transform into a compelling model for a green 21st century lifestyle. Estimated to be completed in 25 to 45 years, Lakeside’s vision for the nearly 600-acre site includes plans for a connected and accessible community, next generation infrastructure, innovative architecture and lakefront access, all surrounded by a vibrant mix of residential, retail and commercial space, a new high school and a 1,500 slip marina. ChicagoLakesideDevelopment.com