On Tuesday, Aug. 6, developer Related Midwest hosted a grand opening celebration for Bennett Park in Chicago’s downtown Streeterville neighborhood. Developed by Related Midwest and designed by the award-winning landscape architectural firm of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), creator of Chicago’s Maggie Daley Park and The 606 trail, the 2-acre public park is adjacent to the developer’s new 70-story One Bennett Park residential tower, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA).
“We are proud to have worked closely with Alderman Brendan Reilly, the Streeterville community and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates on the development and design of Bennett Park, which has transformed 2 acres of the neighborhood into a beautifully designed, dynamic public green space for all generations,” said Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest. “Bennett Park is a point of pride for Streeterville and a gift for Chicagoans. We look forward to the community enjoying this stunning park for many decades to come.”
Bennett Park features abundant native landscaping; a central lawn bowl; a children’s playground that serves a range of ages with a play garden, large sandbox with bridges, swings and slides, a timber-climbing forest, winding trails, bench seating, stroller parking and more; two dog runs that function as play and social gathering areas for pets and pet owners; meandering pathways; and a shady grove with seating.
Alderman Brendan Reilly, the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR), community groups and neighbors joined Related Midwest on Tuesday morning for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting before an evening event that was attended by an estimated 600 guests. The celebration included performances by Grammy-nominated children’s singer-songwriter Justin Roberts and critically acclaimed musical street theater artists Mucca Pazza, as well as a children’s balloon artist, lawn games, snacks, refreshments and welcome bags featuring promotions from local businesses.
The newly completed Bennett Park, like the high-rise that sits just east of it, was named for Edward H. Bennett, a notable Chicago architect who co-authored the transformative 1909 Plan of Chicago with Daniel Burnham.
“We share Related Midwest’s enthusiasm and that of the Streeterville community for the opening of Bennett Park, which is designed for all age groups to enjoy both during their day-to-day lives and at neighborhood events,” said Laura Solano, principal at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. “Each space within the park functions as its own room yet connects seamlessly through the landscape, providing a variety of welcoming spaces and ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons. It truly will be an escape within the city.”
Located at 436 E. Illinois St., Bennett Park will be open daily from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
About Related Midwest:
Related Midwest, the Chicago office of Related Companies, is the preeminent developer of luxury condominium and rental homes, affordable housing communities and mixed-use properties in Chicago. Known for its architecturally significant, market-defining projects, including 500 Lake Shore Drive, OneEleven and Landmark West Loop, Related Midwest is also recognized for its progressive leadership in five-star property management, historic preservation, environmental sustainability and community hiring.
The company’s current projects include One Bennett Park, a Robert A.M. Stern Architects-designed ultra-luxury residential tower in Streeterville, with an adjacent park by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates; Lathrop, a historic mixed-income riverfront community on the North Side; and Roosevelt Square, a multi-phase, mixed-income community on the Near West Side. Related Midwest is also planning two of Chicago’s most anticipated developments: 400 Lake Shore Drive, located on the site of the former Chicago Spire project in Streeterville, where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan; and The 78, a 62-acre, mixed-use neighborhood development — one of the largest real estate projects ever conceived in Chicago — that includes a half-mile of river frontage between the Loop and Chinatown. In the West Loop, the firm has proposed a luxury condominium tower at 900 W. Randolph St., in the neighborhood’s Fulton Market District, as well as a mixed-use tower at 725 W. Randolph St. that will include luxury residences, an Equinox health club and the Midwest’s first Equinox Hotel. To learn more, visit www.relatedmidwest.com.
About Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates:
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates is one of the most celebrated landscape architects working today. The firm has helped transform Chicago with the designs of Maggie Daley Park at Millennium Park and The 606 trail. Van Valkenburgh’s lifelong dedication to landscape and its expression is evident in his diverse body of work, which includes gardens, museums, parks and campuses. More than any landscape architect, he works in all scales, from the expansive Brooklyn Bridge Park to the intimate Monk’s Garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Van Valkenburgh is the Charles Eliot Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and was honored with the Smithsonian Institution’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in Environmental Design, the industry’s highest honor. For more information, visit www.mvvainc.com.
Located in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, Bennett Park, a 2-acre green space designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and developed by Related Midwest, is now open to the public.