Arts plaza proposed for Lincoln Avenue

October 11, 2020 – An $87,000 arts plaza would replace an underutilized half-block stretch of Lincoln Avenue under a proposal by Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Stretching from Gunnison Street to Ainslie Street, the Ainslie Arts Plaza would have a festival tent, storage shed, food truck parking, planters, fencing, picnic tables, murals, movable seating, hammocks, landscaping, signage, and lighting.

$57,000 of the cost would be paid from Open Space Impact Fees generated by new residential development projects. The rest would come from the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, which would maintain the site.

The proposal was introduced to the Chicago City Council on October 7.

Steven Dahlman is the editor and publisher of Loop North News. With over 40 years of experience as a journalist and 20 years as a commercial photographer, his career includes work as a radio news director, reporter, and anchor. He is the co-author of three books on Chicago’s evolution, including Chicago’s River: At Work And At Play and Changing Chicago: A Portrait in Postcards and Photos. His first solo book, Marina City: The Definitive History of a Chicago Landmark, is scheduled for publication by Trope Publishing Co. on October 28, 2026.