The 78

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

The vision for Chicago’s 78th neighborhood reimagines 62 acres of vacant riverfront as a new mixed-use neighborhood shaped by public space, recreation, and community.

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Client

Related Midwest

Expertise

Mixed Use & Retail Centers Cities & Urban Design Sports Retail & Consumer Experience

Opportunity

Sixty-two undeveloped acres along the Chicago River offered an extraordinary opportunity to expand downtown while reconnecting communities to the riverfront.

One of Chicago’s largest undeveloped riverfront sites presented the opportunity to create an entirely new piece of the city. Related Midwest envisioned The 78 as a neighborhood where people could live, work, and gather throughout the year. The challenge was to translate that scale into a walkable, welcoming urban environment — creating meaningful public access to the river, strengthening connections to surrounding communities, and integrating a major sports venue without allowing it to define the district solely around event days.

Why This Matters

01
A New Neighborhood
The 78 transforms one of downtown Chicago’s largest undeveloped sites into a new neighborhood, extending the city’s urban fabric and creating room for long-term vitality.
02
Riverfront Reconnected
A half-mile riverwalk and new open spaces create meaningful public access to the Chicago River while strengthening connections among downtown, Chinatown, and nearby communities.
03
Beyond Game Day
Combining a major sports venue with housing, workplaces, retail, recreation, and civic spaces creates the foundation for activity that extends well beyond scheduled events.

With this stadium, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to catalyze investment that transcends The 78, benefiting area residents while drawing visitors to this vast expanse of downtown riverfront. Our plan gives us the flexibility to consider every aspect of the fan experience — not only before, during, and after matches, but throughout the year.

Solution

Rather than planning a stadium district, Gensler and Related Midwest developed the vision for an interconnected neighborhood where sports, public space, and the riverfront reinforce one another.

The master plan organizes The 78 around a network of public spaces, anchored by Chicago Fire FC’s McDonald’s Park and a half-mile riverwalk. Residential, workplace, hospitality, retail, and entertainment uses extend activity beyond event days, while Fire Community Plaza, The Wilds, and River Common create a connected public realm. Pedestrian and bicycle routes, transit connections, water taxi access, and roadway improvements knit the district into the surrounding city, making mobility and public access fundamental to the neighborhood’s structure.

From brief to build: shaping a new Chicago neighborhood through integrated planning, public access, and infrastructure designed for long-term growth.

Planning The 78 began with the question of how 62 undeveloped acres could become a neighborhood that feels connected to the city around it. The team studied movement, river access, open space, development patterns, and long-term growth cohesively, rather than as separate systems. As plans for McDonald’s Park advanced, the stadium was integrated into that larger framework, allowing plazas, commercial uses, and public spaces to serve both event-day crowds and daily neighborhood life.

A Neighborhood Framework

Integrated planning coordinated river access, mobility, open space, and development to transform 62 acres into a connected neighborhood.

Impact

The 78 establishes a framework for economic growth, public access, and year-round community life along Chicago’s riverfront.

As the district takes shape, its mix of uses and public spaces is designed to strengthen connections among downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

What Changed Because of This

01
Riverfront Access
A planned half-mile riverwalk, parks, and pedestrian connections will open more of the Chicago River to public use and connect surrounding communities.
02
Economic Opportunity
A 12-million-square-foot development framework creates capacity for new housing and workplaces alongside hospitality, retail, and entertainment, laying the foundation for long-term investment on Chicago’s South Side.
03
Civic Activation
A network of parks, plazas, and riverfront destinations anchors mixed-use development around McDonald’s Park, creating a district designed to remain active beyond major events.

The opportunity at The 78 is bigger than any single building. It’s about creating a neighborhood that becomes part of Chicago’s everyday life.

Recognition

01

Chicago Sun-TImes

Gensler Chicago Managing Director Brian Vitale weighs in on Chicago’s downtown development plan, emphasizing waterfront access and mixed-use districts as key to activating neighborhoods.

02

Crain’s Chicago Business

Gensler was ranked Chicago’s largest architecture firm in 2025, highlighting its work with leading local clients including Related Midwest, McDonald’s Park, the City of Chicago, and the University of Illinois.

03

Forbes

Gensler’s master plan for The 78 and design of McDonald’s park envision the stadium as an anchor for a broader mixed-use riverfront neighborhood.

Team

Project Leadership

[FPO] Brett Taylor

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[FPO] Andrew Obendorf

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[FPO] Anthony Dombrowski

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[FPO] Tian Ouyang

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FAQ

01

What makes The 78 different from other mixed-use developments?

The 78 is planned as an entirely new neighborhood that combines housing, workplaces, entertainment, public space, and riverfront access within a connected district.

02

How does the development strengthen Chicago’s riverfront?

The project adds a half-mile riverwalk, expands public access, introduces open space, and improves connections between surrounding neighborhoods.

03

How will the district remain active beyond stadium events?

Retail, housing, workplaces, public parks, plazas, and year-round programming create activity throughout the week and across seasons.

04

How does the project improve transportation and accessibility?

The plan incorporates CTA access, Metra connections, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian routes, rideshare zones, and a new water taxi stop.

05

What economic benefits will the project bring to Chicago?

The 78 creates capacity for new development, workplaces, businesses, housing, hospitality, and entertainment, supporting long-term investment and economic activity.

06

What can other cities learn from The 78?

The 78 offers a model for integrating sports venues with mixed-use development, public space, transportation, and infrastructure as part of a larger neighborhood strategy.

Related Work

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Northside Forward

Northside Forward is a 10-year roadmap created with North Minneapolis residents to shape inclusive growth, strengthen community prosperity, and guide future investment.

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Avon Lake Renewable Master Plan

A retired coal-fired power plant is reimagined as a national model for turning obsolete energy infrastructure into a resilient waterfront district.

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Wichita State University Campus Master Plan

Gensler’s 10-year master plan with Wichita State University (WSU) connects the University’s academic and Innovation campuses, creating a more walkable environment for learning, research, and community.

Related Expertise

Mixed Use & Retail Centers Cities & Urban Design Sports Retail & Consumer Experience

The vision for Chicago’s 78th neighborhood reimagines 62 acres of vacant riverfront as a new mixed-use neighborhood shaped by public space, recreation, and community.

Sixty-two undeveloped acres along the Chicago River offered an extraordinary opportunity to expand downtown while reconnecting communities to the riverfront.

Why This Matters

Rather than planning a stadium district, Gensler and Related Midwest developed the vision for an interconnected neighborhood where sports, public space, and the riverfront reinforce one another.

From brief to build: shaping a new Chicago neighborhood through integrated planning, public access, and infrastructure designed for long-term growth.

The 78 establishes a framework for economic growth, public access, and year-round community life along Chicago’s riverfront.

What Changed Because of This