Apple Renovating Chicago Subway Station
Apple has come to an agreement with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in which they will spend 4 million dollars to renovate the run-down Red Line subway station on North and Clybourn in the city. This particular site just so happens to be across the street from the future Apple retail store on Halsted Street.
In return for the renovations, Apple is receiving first dibs on naming rights, first crack at advertising rights within the station, and a free long-term lease on an unused bus lane that is between the subway station and the Apple store that will be turned into a landscaped public park. All of this should be taking place no later than September 30th of 2010.
That being said, those of us here in the Chicago area should have a beautiful new Apple store in the area a little less than a year from now.
[Via Chicago Business]
October 27th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Gee. I wonder if I could get Apple to paint my house, mow my lawn and put an Apple store on the vacant lot across the street.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Good job Apple. Fix a cra.ppy subway station in an affluent neighborhood and area (Lincoln Park and North Ave.) (sarcasm)
If you want to impress me head down to the South or West side and start fixing those areas. Those places really need the help.
October 27th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Noooo!! leave the red line the way it is. It gives it charecter. I dont want a 4 million dollar subway system. If they renew anything, they should definetly renew the tracks o.0
October 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I’m a big fan of companies chipping into help councils/communities in this type of way. Happens quite often in Australia, ie… a new supermarket here built a new library, community centre, and various improvements to the main street (bins, tree’s, etc…)
October 27th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
The place is pretty run down: http://tinyurl.com/yjxec9d
But the above ground facility sits on a wedge of land that would make a prime location if it were spiffed up a bit.
There is a Verizon store across the street.!? Subway, Bus lines and L station all converge here.
Im sure this is a deal for Apple to get that wedge of land looking like an urban park plaza rather than pretty much abandoned.
I’m not sure its wise to renovate a building like this. To me it looks like it needs a fresh coat of bulldozer.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
When are we getting underground service! Tmobile was testing theirs the other day and US Cellular already has it too!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Brilliant move. I’ve seen that in our area where it dominos to help everyone. Yeah, it’s selfish, but in the end, everyone wins. Good deal. For you old farts like me – you remember that the music band “Chicago” was originally named “CTA” and was sued by the Chicago Transit Authority. They lost, hence, Chicago.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
@ Tom,
Go out with Jimmy Carter and so something yourself, you libtard. If Apple did just that, it would be two days before the place was a shithole again and ruined by all the punks. Go do it yourself and see. I have.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
@Tom, last time I checked, Apple was a publicly traded company. Like it or not, they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. It doesn’t make any business sense to build a store in the areas you mentioned. While I’m all for improving depressed areas of the city, that’s not Apple’s job and that’s not why I invested in Apple.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:15 am
@scottb…..thanks for that one, you a*hole!! (wink, wink) I was feeling great, and you had to bring up CTA. I remember, and now feel soooo old!! LOL!! Hey, Apple can do what they want. It always stikes me as funny when a company does something like this, and the Libs STILL find something wrong. If there was a demand for it in those areas, don’t you think someone would have done it??
October 30th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Scottb get out!
November 6th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I hate Apple, but I like this. Starbucks saved an old train station in Skokie that was designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s students, and although I also hate Starbucks – I hated them a little less the day after that building reopened:)