Remember the Highline Park in NYC? I just learned that Chicago has something similar in the works – the Bloomingdale Line. This abandoned elevated rail line runs west along Bloomingdale (between Armitage & North Ave) from Ashland Avenue for 2 ¾ miles out to Ridgeway Avenue. It runs through parts of Bucktown, Wicker Park, Humboldt Park and Logan Square. The difference between this and the Highline? The Bloomingdale Line would be more than just an elevated park…from Inhabitat: Co-designed by Gensler and 4240 Architecture, the proposal for revamping the Bloomingdale Rail Line centers around making the disused section into something more useful for the entire city and nearby Chicago schools. They’re proposing the HYDROGENerator, which would use the old aqueduct below to generate hydrogen. This hydrogen would then be used to power nearby schools, and the extra hydrogen would be sold to alternative fuel vehicles at depots throughout the line. A supply of cheaper fuel for the public schools, plus revenue from the sale of hydrogen to the public would help the school system offset rising utility bills and reverse its budget shortfall.
On top of the rail line, a greenhouse would be built to grow organic produce for local sale. This 10 acre urban farm could produce food year round, which could then be sold in markets located adjacent to the rail line. Other benefits of the project would be a fresh supply of oxygen generated while producing hydrogen, which could then pumped back into the air improving local air quality.
~ Inhabitat
What a great idea – the only drawback is timing. Per the City, we are just entering Phase I of design and there is no timetable yet for construction. Maybe someone should tell the Mayor that he can sell naming rights to stretches of the park…Learn more about the proposed plan at Bloomingdale Trail and The Trust for Public Land.
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