Damen is a Chicago "L" station that is planned to open on the Green Line in 2021. There was formerly a station at the same location from 1893 to 1948. The removal of the old station created a gap between the remaining stations. As the surrounding neighborhood gentrified, the need for a replacement station grew. The station will also provide closer access to the United Centersports arena.
New station
The Damen Green Line station will be located in Chicago's Near West Side neighborhood. The new station was announced by the Chicago Transit Authority on February 9, 2017, as an infill station located at Damen Avenue and Lake Street. At the time of the announcement, design and engineering was planned to commence in 2017, construction of the new station was expected to begin in spring 2019 and be completed in 2020. Groundbreaking of the new station actually began in May 2019, with construction of the new station to begin in late 2019 and is expected to be completed in 2021. It will fill the distance between the California and Ashland stations on the Green line. The most recently constructed "in-fill" station had been the Green Line Cermak–McCormick Place station near Wintrust Arena and McCormick Place completed in 2015, and this marks the third new CTA station announced during Rahm Emanuel's tenure as Mayor of Chicago. It will become the closest "L" station to the United Center, with public transportation service to an emerging business corridor and residential neighborhood. At the time of the announcement, the estimate cost was $50 million, but no designs for the station were announced. State and federal agencies were being lobbied for funding for the station by 27th ward alderman Walter Burnett Jr. although tax increment funding was planned if no other funding is received. TIF funds are local property tax allotments from an area designated as being in need of development financing for necessary projects that are not likely to have sufficient funding from other sources. On April 25, 2018, the city began the Lake Street reconstruction project, which includes the Damen Station. On July 9, 2018, the design for the new station was revealed. A glass-covered pedestrian bridge will enable foot traffic between the inbound and outbound platforms, and provide a view of the city's skyline. The station was designed by the architecture firmPerkins and Will.
Former station
A station had been previously opened at this location on November 6, 1893. On April 4, 1948, the station closed when the CTA closed 10 stations along the Lake Street line to speed up its flow.
