Lawrence is a temporarily closed 'L' station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line. It is an elevated station located at 1117 West Lawrence Avenue in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The adjacent stations are Argyle, located about 1⁄3 mile (0.54 km) to the north, and Wilson, about 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) to the south, serving as alternate stations remaining open while Lawrence is closed for reconstruction. Four tracks pass through the station, though the two western tracks are out of service for reconstruction with all trains passing through without stopping on the two eastern tracks. Prior to demolition in 2021, there was a single island platform in the center of the tracks; Purple Line weekday rush hour express service used the outside tracks and did not stop.

Lawrence station is located in the historic Uptown entertainment district. Nearby attractions include the Aragon Ballroom, the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, the Riviera Theater, and the Uptown Theatre.

History

Lawrence station opened in 1923, shortly after the Northwestern Elevated Railroad was elevated between Wilson and Howard. The original station house was demolished and replaced with a temporary structure in 1995.

Red & Purple Modernization Project

Closure of the Lawrence station (along with Thorndale, and Jarvis on the Red Line and South Boulevard and Foster on the Purple Line) was proposed in three of the CTA's six potential options for the renovation of the Purple Line and northern section of the Red Line. In two plans, the station would be replaced by a new auxiliary entrance at Ainslie from Argyle, while in the third replacement would be by an auxiliary entrance at Winona from a new subterranean station at Foster.

As part of Phase I of the Red & Purple Modernization Project, the station closed for demolition beginning on May 16, 2021, and a newly constructed station will reopen in December 2025. The new station will feature wider platforms, better lighting, and be accessible to passengers with disabilities.

Bus connections

CTA

• 36 Broadway (approximately one half block away on Broadway)
• 81 Lawrence (Owl Service) (Currently re-routed to Wilson during station closure)

Notes and references