Background

We are a group of concerned community members and organizations that came together to have a serious conversation about The 78 that is being developed in Chicago.

Who Are We ?

Timeline

Since 2018, the development rights for the 78 was sold to Related Midwest and their plans were announced, coalition members have been advocating for community involvement.

In 2021, coalition members came together to oppose the 78's proposal to develop a predatory casino as an anchor site.

In June 2025, the coalition was formally created in response to Related Midwest's sudden announcement of plans to build Chicago Fire's $750 million dollar soccer stadium at the 78, without meaningful community input.

About Our Concerns

The 78 is a large-scale, billion-dollar development that will significantly reshape nearby neighborhoods. Without strong community protections, its impacts will include:

• Housing, Displacement & Gentrification
  Rising rents, property taxes, and real estate speculation threaten long-term residents—especially in historic communities like Chinatown, Bronzeville, and Pilsen.

• Traffic & Public Safety Risks
  Increased congestion, parking shortages, and unsafe streets that raise the risk of pedestrian injuries, particularly for children and elders.

• Strain on Infrastructure
  Increased cost and pressure on public transit, streets, schools, and other public services without guaranteed upgrades or investment.

• Economic Exclusion
  New jobs and retail that may push out and be inaccessible to local residents and small businesses

• Quality of Life Impact
  Environmental pollution from construction, reduced walkability, privatized public space, and loss of neighborhood character and soul.

• Unequal Decision-Making
  Development decisions made without meaningful community involvement or enforceable accountability.

What We Want

Community Land Trust

We want a community land trust, in which Related Midwest gives the community a parcel of land on The 78 that can be used for housing, small business support, and other services and infrastructure that will mitigate the negative impacts that The 78 development will have on our communities.

Lessen Traffic Impact

We want to ensure that despite the inevitable displacement and harm that happens due to a multi-billion dollar development such as The 78, our low-income, historic neighborhoods will still remain where they are, with culture and community intact, for many years to come.

This includes a city ordinance that requires Related Midwest to build public housing on site, support tax abatement policies, and do other measures to mitigate displacement.

Currently the 78's traffic plans have many alarming concerns that have been addressed, such as dangerously high congestion on surrounding streets, and added pressure to existing public transportation such as buses, L train, and the Metra.

We want to ensure that our public transportation and streets are safe in the long-term and are not harmed but improved.

The city should work with Related Midwest to build an orange line L stop on site to connect the two stops that are the furthest from each other among all CTA subway lines, between Halsted and Roosevelt stops on the orange line.

Make Our Communities Sustainable