As part of the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) commitment to invest in the transit and the communities it serves, the agency is accepting proposals for the sale of land in the Lakeview neighborhood as the Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project nears completion.

CTA has issued three Requests for Proposals to redevelop three parcels of land in the Lakeview neighborhood that the CTA acquired to build new track structures and stage construction during the RPM project. 

The construction included a new rail bypass north of the Belmont station, replacing a crowded, 107-year-old rail junction where the Red, Purple, and Brown lines intersect. The project also rebuilt the elevated track structures on the Red and Purple lines between the Belmont and Addison stations, which were more than a century old.

Now that construction in this area is substantially complete, CTA is following through on its commitment to pursue development proposals for the land.

"After successfully delivering modern stations and improved service for CTA riders, we are honoring our promise to the Lakeview community to redevelop land used during construction," said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. "We are excited to work with the community and serve as a catalyst for development that will enhance the vibrant Lakeview neighborhood."

CTA’s TOD Plan

The redevelopment of these parcels is part of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plan, created in 2018 by CTA in partnership with the community, following extensive meetings and engagement with residents and other community stakeholders. 

The Plan established a shared vision and redevelopment strategies to bring lasting benefits to residents, businesses, and transit riders.

The guiding principles of the Plan, based on the community’s vision, include:

• Promote cultural, generational, economic, and family composition diversity.

• Seek commercial, retail, and civic uses that encourage vitality.

• Capitalize on transit proximity.

• Focus on the quality and scale of future neighborhood development.

• Pursue environmentally sustainable and economically viable development.

• Improve the public realm.

• Seek to provide affordable housing options.

Proposals are due by Feb. 25, 2026.

CTA in 2018 also published a separate Transit Oriented Development Plan for parcels in the RPM Project’s Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization area in the Uptown and Edgewater communities. CTA expects to issue RFPs for those parcels in 2026. 

RPM Phase One 

RPM Phase One included three major components:

Reconstruction of the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr Red Line stations into larger, fully accessible stations, and replacement of track structure totaling six track-miles.

Construction of a Red-Purple Bypass north of Belmont station and the reconstruction of Red and Purple Line track structure between Belmont and Newport/Cornelia.

Installation of a new signal system on 23 track miles between Howard and Belmont, similar to roadway traffic signals, to improve train flow and service reliability.

The Red Line and RPM

The CTA’s Red Line is the CTA’s busiest rail line, providing nearly 40 million rides in 2024. 

CTA is completing Phase One of the multi-phase RPM Program, which is rebuilding the 9.6-mile stretch of Red and Purple Line track structure and stations on the North Side that were a century old. 

RPM replaces aging infrastructure, increases CTA’s capacity to expand train service as needed, and improves customer service with more reliable, comfortable service.