The Catalyst: April 2023

From the CEO

This spring, good developments are blooming all around us

The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter, and the snow is (hopefully) behind us, which can only mean one thing: spring is here! Everywhere we look, good things are beginning to grow, including here in the District.

Since our last issue, we capped Black History Month by hosting a Racism in Medicine panel discussion moderated by Jesse Brown for Black Lives (#JB4BL) and attended by almost a hundred physicians. Panelists from UIC/UI Health, RUSH, Jesse Brown VA, and Cook County Health enlightened attendees about their firsthand experiences creating cross-campus strategies for more equity in healthcare. Also in February, I stopped by the podcast studio to discuss the IMD and issues affecting our communities. March was Women’s History Month, and we honored the hard-working and talented women that keep our District running day in and day out. Across the District, female leaders are stepping up to enrich their workplaces and deliver results for their patients and community in impactful ways, so let me take this opportunity to wish you all an early Happy Mother’s Day!

Our team has been working on important initiatives close to home. The District’s bike and pedestrian safety planning is now picking up steam, and this past week our staff, along with teams from Sam Schwartz and Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH), walked the streets of the District to identify areas of improvement that don’t show up on maps or street view. We’ve also planned multiple community events in the next couple weeks to engage directly with commuters that frequently travel through the District, so keep an eye on our social media and events calendar to learn how to become involved, we hope to see you there!

We’re just beginning on our next big forward-looking project for wayfinding and signage, creating standards for directional signage, gateways, community gathering spaces and IMD-owned buildings. Last month, requests for proposals closed and two firms were shortlisted, with a finalist to be named in the coming weeks. Improved wayfinding and signage will enhance the experience for IMD visitors, make navigating around our 560 acres more efficient, and help create a sense of place as the District distinguishes itself as a distinct Chicago neighborhood with its own unique identity.

This week, we begin accepting applications for our summer paid internship position, and I encourage all interested young minds to apply. Interning at the IMD is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for an enthusiastic local college student to work directly with our staff and gain valuable firsthand experience learning how our diverse urban healthcare hub operates from the inside.

We are so thankful to you for your continued readership, and I can’t wait to share more in June about the developments our team has been working hard to make a reality.

Sincerely,

Allyson Hansen

CEO and Executive Director

In The District

Ready for liftoff: United Airlines and Vertiport

United Airlines has entered into an agreement with Archer Aviation to begin offering a point-to-point route from O’Hare to Vertiport in the Illinois Medical District. United Airlines will utilize Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVOTL) air taxis, with flights scheduled to begin in 2025. 

The IMD was selected as the takeoff and landing site for this airport to city center route because of our premier location, offering unparalleled convenience and access for passengers. From here, passengers will be able to travel to and from O’Hare in approximately 10 minutes. With construction on the Kennedy just beginning and expected to last years, a similar trip by car could take upwards of two hours or more during peak traffic.

Read more about the announcement here and learn more about the low-noise green electric aircraft here.

Welcome Home: Living in the IMD

With Match Day having just passed, and a new academic year on the horizon, many future workers and students are beginning to look for housing, and where better to live than right here in the District. With our proximity to public transportation, highways, some of the best hospitals and universities in the world, a growing list of retail, restaurant, and hospitality options, it’s never been a better or more enjoyable time to call the IMD home. Learn more about the three developments now leasing below.

Cadence

Cadence, located at 2050 W Ogden, is part of the Gateway development and features 161 units each with their own private balcony and all the dining and convenience options in the Gateway right outside your front door.

• Phone: 312-874-6662
• Email: cadence@luxurylivingchicago.com
• Website

 

The Lydian

The Lydian, located at 513 S Damen, features 279 units with floor to ceiling windows, a pool, luxury finishes, 24/7 security with concierge and so much more.

• Phone: 872-216-3950
• Email: thelydian@marqnet.com
• Website

 

Atrio

Atrio, located at 1922 W Ogden, features 272 units, shared workspaces with quiet rooms, options for short-term rentals and furnishing options available.

• Phone: 833-612-1178
• Email: atrio@marqnet.com
• Website

 

If you work or study in the IMD, remember to ask about special employer and IMD discounts when you contact them. All three also have units designated for affordable housing, with co-signer and guarantor options available.

For more detailed pricing and other information, click here.

New public art in the IMD

Chicago-Style Graffiti: 4 Seasons

The IMD Arts Council, in collaboration with S.H.E. Gallery, unveiled a new series of pieces titled “Chicago-Style Graffiti: 4 Seasons” at 2023 W. Ogden in the Illinois Medical District.

Chicago-style graffiti writing got its start in the late 1970s and early 1980s and has its own unique style of lettering that derives from the first-generation writers’ close study of calligraphy and how letters connect when forming words. In Chicago-style writing, each letter can stand on its own, yet also is part of a longer legible word. While each writer has their own style, Chicago-style writers share some elements in common, such as balance, symmetry, flow, use of contrast or outlining of letters and usage of serifs or directional arrows.

This artwork, created by Chicago first-generation graffiti writers, celebrates the four seasons as experienced in Chicago. The artists featured are: B-BOY B, DEBS, EMTE, FLEX, DULCE37, LIKE, MR. FESS, NEEN, STEF SKILLS, TRIXTER and WERM. For more information on each artist and the history of Chicago-style graffiti writing please visit the S.H.E. Gallery website.

CAN TV Mural

Last October CAN TV unveiled their outdoor mural in anticipation of this year’s 40th Anniversary. The mural was recently registered with the City of Chicago’s DCASE Mural Registry under the title, “Stay Tuned”, located at 1309 S. Wood St. The CAN TV staff and board was proud to collaborate with Cyd Smillie, the founder and current president of ARTS ALIVE CHICAGO, an arts non-profit that seeks to promote public art and artists in partnerships with business and community.

As lead designer and lead artist, with assistance by Wes Daniels, Ms. Smillie designed the mural to be seen from the Pink Line train and to tell the story of CAN TV. The concept was inspired by a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities and the stories told by staff and the community shows. The TV monitors inside CAN TV broadcast the past, capture the present, and open windows to the future. The composition and subjects on the mural are intended to make anyone feel welcome and that they can be the star – or producer – of their own show.

New IMD Events Calendar

The IMD has a new events calendar that is the perfect way to discover new and upcoming events in and around the District. We encourage you to bookmark the page and check back regularly to stay in the loop!

There’s also a form at the bottom that makes it easy to submit your own events for inclusion, so if you have an upcoming job fair, fundraiser, charity event, townhall or any event you think would be relevant to IMD visitors and residents, please share it with us and we’ll ensure it’s added.

To find out about new and upcoming IMD events, click here.