"I can honestly say they’ve never explored a park so comfortably as they have this new park in Evanston. It’s been so much fun to just watch them take off and explore and hit every single corner of the park and feel like they’re at home.”
– EVANSTON RESIDENT AND BMX RIDER, PATRICK HAGEMAN · INTERVIEWED BY THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
The Big Picture
This narrow street was once an alleyway. Now it supports a major destination (Writers Theatre) and great local businesses. Although limited on space, the design found opportunities to carve out placemaking, such as benches mounted to retaining curbs, integrated LED lighting and access to power. Other key features include closing a street connection to make way for a plaza and enhancing connections to surrounding areas.
Alleyway Turned People-Focused Street
Historically an alleyway serving the backs of businesses, Glencoe’s Tudor Court has ‘grown up’ to a full-fledged street, providing access to local businesses, parks, and Writers Theatre, a 350-seat live performance venue within downtown Glencoe.
When presented with a need to improve the roadway, the Village turned to the community for inspiration. Early planning and outreach activities included workshops with a steering committee, walking tours, community surveys, public meetings, and presentations.
The result was a collaboratively authored design plan that prioritizes public placemaking, connectivity, and community gathering along Tudor Court.
MANAGING AGENCY:
Village of Glencoe
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Transportation, Less than $5 Million
ENGINEER:
Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, Inc. (HLR)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:
Teska Associates, Inc.
CONTRACTOR:
Alliance Contractors, Inc.
Project Priorities:
- Terminate Glencoe Drive at the north side of Tudor Court and reallocate the public right of way to diagonal parking and an expanded seating and gathering area.
- Define a drop-off area at Writers Theatre.
- Improve connectivity along and across Tudor Court via enhanced sidewalks and crosswalks.
- Maintain on-street parking.
- Preserve existing and add new trees.
- Incorporate LED lighting at light poles, bollards, planters, and crosswalks.
- Provide for clustered seating throughout.
- Incorporate additional power for community events and group gatherings.
Project Awards:
2023 Public Works Project of the Year in the Transportation category less than $5 million by American Public Works Association (Chicago Metro).
2023 Engineering Excellence Award in the Merit Award for Small Projects category by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois.
"Congratulations to you folks and all others involved for the APWA Award for the Tudor Court project. It is well-deserved recognition for an effort which dramatically transformed the streetscape of this sometimes overlooked but always vital segment of the Glencoe transportation infrastructure. Perseverance, competence, and vision demonstrated. Well done."
- Ed Goodale | Architect
Cheers to the Village of Glencoe, with whom Teska worked directly on the planning and outreach phases, and to our engineering partners at Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick (HLR)!