Politics
$25M Announced for New Ogden Park Fieldhouse in Englewood, a Long-Awaited Dream Fulfilled
The existing Ogden Park fieldhouse in Englewood at 6500 S. Racine Ave. will be demolished and replaced with a new building. (Google streetview)
In his first day on the job as CEO and general superintendent of the Chicago Park District, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa went to Ogden Park, where he met with members of the community and Ald. David Moore (17th Ward) to talk about Moore’s pet project: securing a new fieldhouse for park users.
“I think he thought it was an April Fool’s joke,” said Ramirez-Rosa, whose start date happened to be April 1.
But the Park District was serious about investing in the Englewood park and on Wednesday, officials announced that $25 million in funding had been secured to demolish Ogden’s existing fieldhouse and replace it with a new building.
As the first step in realizing what Ramirez-Rosa called “a long-awaited dream,” the Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $1.6 million contract for the fieldhouse’s design on Wednesday morning. The chosen firm, Booth Hansen, will work hand in hand with the community on the final design, with meetings expected to kick off in spring 2026, Ramirez-Rosa said.
Preliminary drawings are just that, the superintendent emphasized, though the fieldhouse is expected to encompass a gymnasium, a dedicated boxing gym, fitness room, dance room, teen room and clubroom in addition to support facilities including restrooms, storage, offices and utility rooms.
A speculative rendering of Ogden Park’s new fieldhouse. (Courtesy of the Chicago Park District)
Moore has been lobbying for a new fieldhouse since he took office 10 years ago, but funding was a significant obstacle.
Last week, City Council helped partially clear that hurdle, allocating $12 million in TIF money for the project, and the Park District kicked in $10 million from its capital bond fund.
That’s when Ramirez-Rosa called state Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago), who grew up playing in the park, and told him the fieldhouse was $3 million short.
“I called him back in less than an hour,” Preston said.
The state of Illinois found the money.
“This is about fighting for a community so deserving,” Preston said.
“It took all of these partners,” an emotional Moore said at an afternoon news conference. In addition to his fellow elected officials, he credited the victory to Ogden’s Park Advisory Council; organizations such as Teamwork Englewood, R.A.G.E, Imagine Englewood If; and the children in the community who had asked him to make the fieldhouse a priority.
“We are here today to witness the fruits of your ask,” said state Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago).
Earlier in the day, Moore had appeared before the Park District board and described those same youngsters as thriving despite being stuck with a fieldhouse that was “truly like a prison.”
He humbly asked commissioners to vote for the design contract telling them, “I hope we can get it over the finish line.”
Now construction is at the starting line.
“We look forward to engaging the residents and other stakeholders to ensure this investment makes a positive impact for generations to come,” Ramirez-Rosa said.
From Oldest to Newest
Top: The original Ogden Park fieldhouse, seen in an undated photo, was designed by Daniel Burnham. Bottom: It was significantly altered in 1972, as seen in this image. (Chicago Park District / Chicago Public Library Digital Collections)
Ogden Park is about to become the home of one of the Park District’s newest fieldhouses, having originally boasted one of its oldest.
The park, named for Chicago’s first mayor, William Ogden, opened in 1905, around the time the city was essentially inventing the concept of the fieldhouse.
Daniel Burnham, the man behind the 1893 World’s Fair and the famed Plan of Chicago, designed many of those early buildings, including Ogden Park’s fieldhouse at 6500 S. Racine Ave.
Burnham’s classical structure underwent a major remodel in 1972, resulting in the modernist facade visitors see today.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
