The first Morgan station was one of the 29 stations along the Lake Street Elevated Railroad when the line opened in 1893. Service to Morgan operated continuously until April 4, 1948, when the newly created CTA closed the station, due to low ridership and an attempt to speed up and simplify rail service along the line. Soon afterward, the station was demolished. The neighborhood continued to receive elevated service at the Halsted Street station, two blocks to the east.
Former services
continued to serve the neighborhood until January 9, 1994, when the CTA closed the Green Line for a renovation and rehabilitation project. This project included the closure of six stations, and among them was the Halsted station. With the closure of Halsted, no Green Line stations remained in the West Loop or Fulton Market areas, leaving a gap of between the Ashland and Clinton stations. The closure of Halsted was unpopular, and since that date, community residents, businesses, and local organizations have argued that this area needs a new "infill station" to restore rail service. Heightening the need for a new station, significant amounts of growth have occurred near the line in the last 15 years, including large residential buildings and many popular restaurants and nightclubs.
New station
Morgan was a logical location for a new station, as it is located halfway between Ashland and Clinton, and the intersection of Morgan/Lake is close to much of the new development in the area. It also sits near many art galleries that have opened recently, as well as Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios, a major tourist attraction. In the early 2000s, the CTA began to work with local groups and city officials to plan and identify funding sources for the new station. Initially, the neighborhood planned to cover the entire cost with funding from a local tax increment financing district. Later, however, the ChicagoDepartment of Transportation decided to seek federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program funding to cover $8 million of the cost, allowing some of the TIF money to be used for other purposes. The final cost of building the station was $38 million. Construction began in Summer 2010. TranSystems led the design team,, in conjunction with Ross Barney Architects. Like most currently active Green Line and Pink Line stations, Morgan is ADA-accessible, with an elevator on either side of the tracks. The station will also have bike storage. The new Morgan station officially opened on May 18, 2012, and grand opening ceremonies were held on May 24.
