The 78 Chicago: A New Vibrant District in the Windy City

With 77 community areas and neighborhoods, The 78 Chicago will be the newest addition. Named for the idea of becoming Chicago’s “78th neighborhood,” The 78 will be a new riverfront district with exciting news for locals and visitors alike. As Chicago’s largest real estate development, it’ll bring a more vibrant and bustling district to the Windy City than ever before. 

Learn more about The 78, what it will offer, and its estimated construction schedule below.

 

What is The 78 in Chicago?

The 78 is a planned riverfront district in Chicago. It’s an eight-billion-dollar mixed-use real estate development along the South Branch of the Chicago River across 62 acres.

 

The 78 Chicago Highlights: What to Do & Expect to Come In This New District

 

Chicago Fire FC Stadium: McDonald’s Park

Credit: McDonald’s Corporate

 

One of the biggest confirmed attractions coming to The 78 is McDonald’s Park, the future home of Chicago Fire FC. The privately funded soccer-specific stadium broke ground in March 2026 and is expected to open in 2028.

Located along the Chicago River at The 78, McDonald’s Park will anchor the first phase of the broader master plan. In addition to Chicago Fire FC home games, the venue is planned to host concerts, international sports matches, festivals, community events, and other year-round programming.

The stadium plans include:

•Over 22,000 seats for soccer matches

•Up to 31,000 seats for concerts and special events

•A natural grass playing surface

•Public plazas and activated outdoor spaces

•Connections to future retail, residential, and riverfront areas

•Year-round sports, entertainment, cultural, and community events

McDonald’s Park replaces earlier speculation about a White Sox ballpark at The 78. While previous plans discussed a possible baseball stadium, the confirmed stadium anchor is now Chicago Fire FC’s new home.

 

Chicago Riverwalk Connection

Credit: 78 Chicago

 

The 78 will have a half-mile connection to the Chicago Riverwalk, creating new public transit routes to downtown, Chinatown, and Ping Tom Park. Developers plan to build a 100-foot-wide land space with a new water taxi stop accessing the river edge. This space will be dedicated to all-season recreation for waterfront cultural events, family attractions, and programming.

 

Green & Public Open Spaces

Credit: 78 Chicago

 

Chicago’s 78th neighborhood will devote 40% of its acres to green and public open spaces. In an open campus setting, it’ll have plenty of room for outdoor activities, including walking/biking paths and social spots to meet at fragrant gardens and wide lawns. 

Planned green and public open-space features include:

•A riverfront promenade along the South Branch of the Chicago River
•Publicly accessible open spaces throughout the district
•Walking and biking paths connected to nearby neighborhoods
•Outdoor gathering areas for recreation, dining, and events
•Landscaped spaces near future residential, retail, office, and entertainment areas
•Riverfront access designed to connect The 78 with the broader Chicago Riverwalk experience

These public spaces are a key part of The 78’s long-term vision. Instead of functioning as a single stadium or office district, The 78 is being planned as a mixed-use neighborhood where residents, workers, and visitors can spend time outdoors throughout the year.

 

New Office District

Credit: 78 Chicago

 

The 78 will develop four million square feet of new leasable office space. It’ll feature surrounding green areas and outdoor events for employees throughout the campus. Future office space remains part of The 78’s long-term mixed-use plan. 

The most recent public updates focus on McDonald’s Park, public infrastructure, future residential units, retail, office, and institutional uses.

 

New Residential Properties

Credit: 78 Chicago

 

As a mixed-use real estate development, The 78 will build new residential properties throughout the neighborhood. Future phases are expected to include up to 10,000 residential units, with thousands of new homes and 20% affordable housing planned as part of the broader mixed-use district.

 

New Public Transportation & Infrastructure Options

Credit: 78 Chicago

 

The 78 is expected to improve access by road, rail, river, and trail throughout the South Loop. Located at Roosevelt and the Chicago River, the district is planned to connect nearby areas including the Loop, South Loop, Chinatown, Pilsen, Bronzeville, Bridgeport, and UIC/Little Italy.

Current and planned access points include:

•Nearby CTA “L” access at Roosevelt & State
•CTA bus access along Clark, State, Michigan, Canal, and Roosevelt
•Nearby Metra access through LaSalle Street Station, Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center, and Millennium Station
•Water taxi access at Ping Tom Park, with a future water taxi stop planned for The 78
•New bike and pedestrian connections throughout the district
•A future riverfront promenade connected to the Chicago Riverwalk

The City of Chicago has also approved up to $424.9 million in TIF support for public infrastructure tied to The 78.

These infrastructure plans include improvements to portions of:
•LaSalle, 13th, 14th, 15th, Wells, Clark, and Roosevelt
•Upgrades to on-site Metra tracks
•River wall improvements along the South Branch of the Chicago River
•Publicly accessible open space
•Approximate 1,200-space below-grade parking structure owned and operated by the City of Chicago.

 

What is The 78 Chicago Timeline of Construction?

The 78 has been in planning for several years, with Related Midwest leading the redevelopment of the long-vacant 62-acre site along the South Branch of the Chicago River.

The current estimated timeline based on public updates is:

 

2016

Related Midwest acquired the site and began moving forward with plans for The 78.

 

2019

The City approved an initial public infrastructure agreement for The 78.

 

2022

The infrastructure agreement was amended.

 

September 2025

Chicago City Council approved a revised plan for The 78 that included a privately financed Chicago Fire FC stadium.

 

March 2026

Chicago Fire FC officially broke ground on its new privately funded stadium at The 78.

 

May 2026

Chicago Fire FC and McDonald’s announced the stadium’s official name: McDonald’s Park.

 

July 2026

Chicago City Council approved up to $424.9 million in TIF support for public infrastructure at The 78.

 

2028

McDonald’s Park is expected to open ahead of the 2028 MLS season.

 

Future Phases

Broader residential, retail, office, institutional, open-space, and infrastructure phases are expected to develop over time. However, a single full-completion date for the entire district has not been publicly confirmed.

Because The 78 is a large, multi-phase development, renters should expect the district to evolve over time rather than open all at once. McDonald’s Park is currently the most defined construction milestone, while future residential, retail, office, and public-space phases are still expected to roll out in stages.

 

Live Near The 78 Chicago Hot Spot: Secure Your Apartment While Availability Lasts

Want to live near Chicago’s 78th neighborhood? Search for your apartment near this bustling district with TLC Management Co.

Located north of The 78, our Gramercy Row Apartments in River North offer a convenient downtown Chicago living option with access to shopping, dining, nightlife, CTA stations, and the broader downtown area.

Our community’s sought-after amenities include:

•Charming English rowhouse apartments with Art Deco curved block windows

•High ceilings, kitchen French doors, and ceiling fans

•Close access to Merchandise Mart, shopping, dining, and CTA stations 

•Cat-friendly community and no security deposit required

Browse our Chicago apartment listings or contact us at [email protected] to schedule a tour at Gramercy Row today!

 

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