Northcenter Town Square transforms an existing plaza, adjacent road and cul-de-sac into a neighborhood hub that includes a new play area, a large raised lawn, and a covered performance stage.

In the summer of 2017 PORT was commissioned by the steering committee, funded by the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce and Special Service Area, to develop a concept design that transforms the Neighborhood Town Square from a state of disrepair into a year-around hub for the neighborhood. The steering committee was composed of neighbors, business owners, members of the Alderman’s Office, the Northcenter Neighborhood Association, and the Chamber of Commerce.

The existing urban plaza at Northcenter Town Square was little more than a grid of dying trees and worn-down paving adjacent to an underutilized road terminating in a cul-de-sac. Outside of occasional programmed activities—street festivals, farmer’s markets, neighborhood concerts—the space generally sat empty. Northcenter Town Square opened in the summer of 2020 and has become a destination for the neighborhood to gather, relax, eat, and play.