College of Medicine Facility and Space Planning
The Facilities and Space Planning team oversees capital projects, strategic space planning, and facilities management across one million square feet in 22 buildings for the College of Medicine. This includes coordinating both small and capital projects, maintaining shared research space, wet lab (BSL2 and 3) space, providing appropriate space for educational and extracurricular activities, collaborating with internal and external partners, and providing specialized guidance to faculty, staff and students.
Our inventory includes 40 conference rooms and classrooms varying in size from 12-40 seats and five auditoria and event spaces seating 130-225 people. All spaces include state of the art AV systems allowing for hybrid meetings. The Faculty Alumni Lounge, located in College of Medicine West, serves as an ideal space for receptions, seated meals and awards ceremonies and offers adjacent kitchen facilities. As a team, we are dedicated to supporting the facility and operational needs of the UI College of Medicine.
With over $200M in research funding, maintaining state of the art research facilities for our faculty remains a top priority. The age of our buildings and years of deferred maintenance provides significant challenges to this goal but FSP continues to work collaboratively with departments to provide updated wet and dry lab space.
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Directions to College of Medicine Heading link
All of our buildings are easily accessible by public transportation or by car. For more information on how to get to the College of Medicine, please click below.
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By Public Transit (CTA)
From Downtown Chicago (The Loop):
- Train Option 1 (Blue Line):
- Take the Blue Line (Chicago ‘L’) heading westbound toward Forest Park.
- Get off at the Illinois Medical District Station.
- Walk west along Polk Street for approximately 7 minutes (0.3 miles).
- Train Option 2 (Pink Line):
- Take the Pink Line (Chicago ‘L’) heading west toward 54th/Cermak.
- Get off at the Polk Station.
- Walk approximately 10 minutes west along Polk Street.
- Bus Option (CTA Route 7):
- Board the CTA Route 7 bus at Harrison & Franklin or other downtown stops.
- Get off at Polk Street near Damen Avenue and walk east along Polk to the address.
From O’Hare International Airport:
- Train Option (Blue Line):
- Take the Blue Line (Chicago ‘L’) heading toward Forest Park.
- Get off at the Illinois Medical District Station.
- Walk west on Polk Street (about 7 minutes).
From Midway International Airport:
- Train Option (Orange Line + Pink Line):
- Take the Orange Line (Chicago ‘L’) from Midway toward downtown.
- Transfer to the Pink Line at the Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren Station.
- Get off at the Polk Station and walk west.
- Bus Option:
- Take the CTA Route 55 bus to Ashland & 35th Street.
- Transfer to the Route 9 bus heading north.
- Get off near Polk Street and walk to the destination.
By Car
From O’Hare International Airport (ORD):
- Exit the airport and follow signs to I-190 East.
- Merge onto I-90 East/I-94 East (Kennedy Expressway) toward downtown Chicago.
- Continue for about 13 miles.
- Take the exit for Ogden Avenue.
- Turn right onto Ogden Avenue and proceed west.
- Turn left onto Polk Street and continue to 1853 W. Polk Street.
From Midway International Airport (MDW):
- Exit the airport and follow signs to Cicero Avenue (IL-50).
- Turn left to head north on Cicero Avenue.
- Merge onto I-55 North (Stevenson Expressway) toward downtown Chicago.
- Take the exit for Damen Avenue and head north.
- Turn right onto Polk Street and continue to 1853 W. Polk Street.
From the North (Evanston, North Chicago):
- Take I-94 Southbound (Edens Expressway).
- Merge onto I-90/I-94 (Kennedy Expressway) toward downtown.
- Exit at Ogden Avenue and turn west.
- Continue to Polk Street, and turn west to 1853 W. Polk.
From the South (South Chicago, Hyde Park):
- Take I-94 Northbound (Dan Ryan Expressway).
- Exit at 18th Street, and turn west.
- Continue to Damen Avenue, turn north, and then head east on Polk Street.
From the West (Oak Park, Cicero):
- Take I-290 Eastbound (Eisenhower Expressway).
- Exit at Damen Avenue, turn south, then east on Polk Street.
From Downtown (The Loop):
- Drive west on Ogden Avenue or Harrison Street.
- Turn onto Polk Street heading west to reach 1853 W. Polk.
Parking Options Near 1853 W. Polk Street
- Lot B2:
- Address: 900 South Wolcott Avenue.
- A short walk to 1853 W. Polk Street, suitable for visitors to the area. Has a limited number of spots and can fill up.
- Lot E:
- Address: 860 South Paulina Street.
- Convenient and close for quick access to Polk Street. Has a limited number of spots and can fill up.
- Wood Street Parking:
- Address: 1100 South Wood Street.
- Located slightly further south, but still within walking distance.
For a detailed map of parking structures in the area, click here.
- Train Option 1 (Blue Line):