Armitage (2000N/1000W)
Armitage Street and Sheffield Avenue, Lincoln Park

Service Notes:

	Brown Line: Ravenswood
	Purple Line: Evanston Express

Quick Facts:

Address:	944-46 W. Armitage Avenue (main entrance [CLOSED FOR RENOVATION])
	941 W. Armitage Avenue (temporary entrance)

Established: June 1, 1900
Original Line: Northwestern Elevated Railroad
Previous Names: Center Street

Skip-Stop Type:		Station (1949-1983)
		Station (1983-1995)

Rebuilt: n/a
Status: In Use, Under Renovation

History:

The path of the initial Northwestern Elevated Railroad line, from Lake and Wells Streets to Broadway and Wilson on the what was then the far north side, was cleared in 1895 and erection of the steel was begun January 23, 1896. Several financial difficulties delayed construction several times, a few times necessitating extensions of the company's franchise. All night shifts were eventually required to complete the structure on Christmas Day 1899, days before their deadline to begin service. But Center Street (Armitage's original name) and most of the other stations were incomplete December 31 and, after some finagling, another extension was obtained. Center was completed in early 1900.

Armitage station opened in June 1900 as part of the original stretch of the Northwestern Elevated. The headhouse was one of several stations built from a design by William Gibb on what is now the Brown Line. Architecturally, it is similar to those still at Chicago, Sedgwick, Belmont, Fullerton, and others. Constructed entirely of brick with terra-cotta trim, the Classical Revival design was inspired by the work of the great 16th century Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio¹. The bold modeling of the details, especially the columns and segmented arched windows, is characteristic of Italianate work of the late 19th century. The interior featured plaster walls with extensive wood detailing in the door and window frames, ceiling moldings, and tongue-in groove chair rail paneling. Nearly all of this detail remains today, and was recently stripped of its layers of paint and refinished. The original fare collection booth has been replaced.

The dual side platforms at Armitage are covered in the center by two peaked-roof canopies of steel support with a gently-curved bracket and intricate latticework, covered by a corrugated metal roofing. Originally, these covered about half the platform length, but the platforms were subsequently lengthened multiple times to allow longer trains to berth. Many sections of the original platform area still has original railing, which consisted of tubular railings and posts with panels of decorative, vaguely diamond shaped metalwork inside. The platform extensions have plain wooden railings.

Under the initial Northwestern Elevated configuration, Armitage, whose platforms are on the outer tracks, was a local station, inaccessible by the expresses utilizing the inner tracks. After the State Street Subway opened in 1943 and the route configurations were overhauled in 1949, Armitage became a station on the Ravenswood Line, initially serving only "A" trains under the skip-stop express scheme, but eventually called at by all trains.

An interlocking tower was added over the inbound platform in the early 1940s to observe and control the new crossovers at the entrance to the State Street Subway. Armitage Interlocking is no longer controlled from Armitage Tower, however. Armitage Tower was turned into field offices, first for the North District transportation section and later for the Signal Department.

Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project

This aerial artist's rendering shows the platform-level design for the renovated Armitage station. The original, historic canopies will remain in place and be refurbished, with elevators added next to them. For a larger view, click here. (Image provided courtesy of the Chicago Transit Authority)

By 2004, ridership had exploded on the Brown Line -- an 79% increase since 1979 and a 27% increase since 1998 -- that during peak periods many trains were at crush-loaded, resulting in commuters left standing on platforms unable to board the loaded trains, sometimes waiting as one or two trains passed before they were physically able to board. The problem in large part was that all Brown Line stations could only accommodate six-car trains (with the exception of Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Fullerton and Belmont, which could already hold eight-car trains), which, along with the limitations of the cab signal system, limited the line's capacity.

As a result, the CTA^® decided to plan for the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project, the largest capital improvement project undertaken by the CTA^® at the time (surpassing even the Douglas Renovation Project, which was the largest up to that point). The main objectives of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project are to expand the line's overall ridership capacity by lengthening station platforms to accommodate eight rather than six-car trains, rehabilitate rail infrastructure and stations, provide for station enhancements to meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and upgrade or replace traction power, signal and communication equipment. By far, the largest part of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project was the station renovations. Of the Brown Line's 19 stations, only one (Merchandise Mart) was not touched at all due to its modern construction (1988) and ability to berth eight-car trains.

On April 13, 2004, the CTA^® announced that it had officially received a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). However, in May 2004, CTA^® received construction bids for the project that substantially exceeded the budget. As such, the Chicago Transit Board voted on June 9, 2004 to reorganize the project into several discrete pieces to help attract more competitive construction bids. Station renovation work was modified and grouped into five separate packages according to location to help reduce the overall cost of station construction. Armitage station was grouped with Sedgwick, and Chicago in a bid package, all of which were designed by the same consultant, Gonzalez Hasbrouck Architects. Station designs were also revised to reduce costs. Most changes concentrated on non-customer areas such as reducing the size of janitor closets, employee restrooms, electrical rooms and communication rooms. Other areas that were studied for cost reduction were standardizing common station elements, the use of less expensive materials, canopy designs and coverage, and temporary station closures to provide contractors better access to the sites.

This artist's rendering shows the street-level design for the renovated Armitage station. The historic station house will be renovated with an addition built behind and next to it. The historic platform canopy is visible at platform level above. The Brown Line-standard railings and modern lights shown here have since been revised to retain and fill-in the historic railings and to use more sympathetic light standards. For a larger view, click here. (Image provided courtesy of the Chicago Transit Authority)

The Armitage/Sedgwick/Chicago contract was the second of the reorganized station packages to be bid out. At the September 14, 2005 board meeting, a $45.5 million contract for the renovation of these stations was awarded to FHP Tectonics Corporation.

The 1900-built historic station house will be preserved and restored in the new facility, but also expanded with a new addition built behind and next to it. The new expanded station houses will be larger, with more turnstiles and farecard vending machines. New, wider stairs and elevators will take customers to the boarding platforms.

The platforms will be renovated with new decking, lighting and signage. The existing original, historic canopies will be retained and refurbished. Historic railing sections will be retained. An auxiliary rotogate exit will be provided on the south side of Armitage Avenue.

Other improvements include new fare equipment, signage, electrical, communications, and HVAC equipment; new shelters, customer heaters and benches on the platforms; and a state-of-the-art announcement system.

During station construction, Armitage, Sedgwick, and Chicago will remain open on weekdays, but may experience up to six weekend closures during the construction period when all three stations will be closed at the same time to allow construction crews unlimited access to station platforms.

Work at Armitage station contract began in autumn 2006. Early work included preparatory work at the station site, as well as work at 939 W. Armitage, a historic building adjacent to Armitage station on the east side of the station on the south side of Armitage Avenue. The masonry building with an ornamental front facade is a contributing structure in the Armitage-Halsted Historic District and thus was required to be at least partially preserved. However, the new, expanded northbound platform must occupy part of the footprint of the building. So, the west half of the building was demolished and the east half preserved, with a new west elevation built to enclose the building and allow it to continue to be used, similar in fashion to how the backs of several buildings were removed for the construction of the State Street Subway incline in the same area during the early 1940s. During autumn, crews demolished the interior of 939 W. Armitage, preparing for the demolition of the west half of the building.

Also during autumn 2006, crews installed the new steel stringers for the extended platforms, beginning at the far south end of the platforms and working north. Only the southernmost hundred feet or so were initially installed, with the wood decking applied to these sections beginning the last week of December 2006.

Diesel locomotive S-503 and three flatcars with dumpsters load up debris from the adjacent 939 W. Armitage building -- being partially demolished to make way for the extended northbound platform -- during the first south-end "linecut" on December 12, 2006. For a larger view, click here. (CTA Photo)

During the first weekend of December 2006, the first south-end "linecut" -- times when Brown Line service was cut back from its normal route, terminating at the south end temporarily at Fullerton station, with service between Fullerton and the Loop provided by free shuttle buses and Red Line trains -- took place, allowing for the weekend closure provided for in the Armitage/Sedgwick/Chicago station contract. The weekend closure allowed crews to perform construction that can only be done when trains are not running. At Armitage, crews demolished the west half of 939 W. Armitage. A special work train consisting of diesel locomotive S-503 and four flatcars with dumpsters hauled the building debris from Armitage to Skokie Shops to be unloaded throughout the weekend.

Installation of additional stringers, joists, and decking for the platform extensions did not resume until spring 2007. By the end of April, the stringers had been installed all the way to the south end of the existing southbound platform, with decking covering most of that length. Steel had also begun to be set for the auxiliary exit stair from the southbound platform to the south side of Armitage Avenue.

Also during spring 2007, crews began erecting a temporary entrance on the south side of Armitage Avenue, in the location of what will ultimately be an auxiliary exit, to allow the main entrance at Armitage to close for renovation. During March 2007, a temporary wooden station house was constructed, consisting of a simple wood frame structure with plywood walls and a flat, slanted roof. Inside, a Customer Assistant booth was built-in as a room with windows and a door to interact with customers occupying the southeast corner of the interior. The building sat dormant for several months as other work continued.

A second linecut was performed at the south end of the Brown Line during the first weekend of May 2007. However, unlike the first south-end linecut in December 2006, trains were allowed to service Armitage station, terminating at the southbound platform, changing ends, and then returning back to Kimball. Trains were crossed back to the northbound track through Armitage Interlocking. With no rail service to Sedgwick, Chicago, and Merchandise Mart stations from Friday night, May 4 through the end of the Sunday, May 6 service day, bus shuttles operated from Fullerton to Clark/Lake. During the May linecut, crews erected the steel frame for the northbound platform elevator tower, removed the old, narrow wooden platform at the south end of the northbound platform and installed new steel stringers and joists to connect the new platform extension already built south of the station to the existing full-width platform over Armitage Avenue. When the station reopened Monday morning, May 7, the north end of the southbound platform utilized part of the newly-built full-width platform.

One of several pre-assembled stair sections -- this one being the top flight of stairs of the auxiliary exit from the northbound platform -- is being lowered into place by crane on May 21, 2007. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

During May 2007, personnel continued installing wood decking and began installing permanent back railings on the new sections at the south ends of both platforms. The new railings have thick tubular top and bottom horizontal members with rectangular panels with a grid pattern cut out. The railings and light poles, as well as the other new metalwork, are hot-dipped galvanized, giving them an industrial look. On May 21, the stairway from the northbound platform to the south side of Armitage Avenue -- ultimately leading to an auxiliary exit, but more immediately for use at the temporary entrance -- was set in place. The stairway was pre-assembled, with the treads and riders, handrails, and canopy frame already installed. The stair sections -- three in all -- were lowered into place with a crane set in the middle of the street. Contractor crews began installing the canopy framing and roofing on the platform over the stairway in the following weeks. On June 11, the pre-assembled sections of the southbound stairs to the south side of Armitage Avenue were installed by crane.

In late May, crews began installing masonry walls around the steel elevator tower frame that had been erected during the linecut a few weeks earlier. First cinder block was installed, then the surfaces were clad in black tiles. Masonry work continued into mid-June.

During June, work accelerated to prepare the new platforms and the temporary entrance for service. During mid-June through July, work continued to install new permanent railings at south ends of the new platform extensions and around the new auxiliary stairs. Crews installed the canopy over southbound auxiliary stairway and continued to install railings, grilles, windbreaks, and other platform fittings. In late June, the sidewalks for temporary station entrance were poured.

The temporary entrance to Armitage station, a simple wood-frame structure on the south side of Armitage Avenue opposite the main entry, is seen looking southeast on opening day, July 23, 2007. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)

During a one week period in mid-July the new platforms and temporary entrance were brought into service. On Monday, July 16, 2007, the platform extensions were brought into use and all trains are re-berthed to south ends of the northbound and southbound platforms. At the same time, the north 100 feet or so of both platforms were blocked off and removed from service for demolition. Signage and other items were relocated from the closed sections of platform to the new platforms. The new, permanent platform lights had not yet been installed on the light poles, so temporary lights were installed.

A week later, on Sunday, July 22, the fare equipment from the old Armitage station house was relocated to the temporary station house across the street. Bus fareboxes were temporary used while the turnstiles were disconnected and moved. At 5am, Monday, July 23, 2007, the temporary station entrance on the south side of Armitage Avenue came into use. Passengers access the platforms via the new auxiliary stairways installed during the previous two months. The old station house was fenced off and the stairs down from the platforms to old station house were barricaded. A new barrier was placed between the stairs on the old section of platform, taking another 100 feet or so of the old platform pout of service. Additional signage and platform furniture was relocated to the new platform. The temporary entrance is expected to be in place through early 2008.

With passengers relocated to the new platforms and temporary entrance, work accelerated on the new facilities on the north side of Armitage Avenue. In mid-July, crews begin selective demolition of the historic station house and demolition of the north- and southbound platforms north of canopies. In early August, the new, permanent station name signs were installed on the newly-opened south platform extensions, replacing the old KDR station name signs that the contractor had temporarily mounted on the new backer plates with a temporary wooden mounting bracket .

The project's Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government requires that the CTA^® complete the project by the end of 2009.

Armitage station, seen looking north from the south end of the outbound platform on May 10, 2003, is a well-preserved example of the Northwestern Elevated's local stations. Both canopies and much of the railing system remains intact and in good condition. The station fits in well with the historic district in which it's located. An inbound Brown Line train is pulling into the station, past the interlocking tower that was added in 1943. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

	armitage01.jpg (50k) A 4000-series train passes Armitage. The control tower above the canopy was added later, early in the 1940s when the subway was built. Note the old-style station sign on the left. The destination sign on the front of the train is for the Evanston Express. (Photo by Joe Testagrose)
	cta6158.jpg (118k) A southbound 8-car Jackson Park-Howard "B" train is led by 6158 as it passes Armitage on August 20, 1970. (Photo by Joe Testagrose)
	cta53c.jpg (127k) Car 53 leads a fan trip celebrating CERA's 35th Anniversary of Mint Green and Alpine White PCC "L" cars (followed, out of frame, by cars 50 and 6101-6102) at Armitage on May 28, 1973. (Photo by Art Peterson, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta2401.jpg (127k) During their first months on the system, cars 2401-2402 (the prototypes for the 2400-series) spent time on almost every line "stretching their legs" so to speak. Here, car 2401 brings up the rear of a 4-car train of 2400s at Armitage on October 31, 1976. (Photo by Art Peterson, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	armitage02.jpg (133k) Car 2160 leads a six-car train of North-South Route 2000s painted in the platinum and black scheme past Armitage in 1982. (Photo by Leon Kay)
	tour99b.jpg 1999 Historic Station Tour co-leader John Craib-Cox points out an architecturally interesting building in the neighborhood next to the Armitage station on the Brown Line. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	tour01@Armitage01.jpg (129k) The participants of the 2001 Historic Station Tour look at the historic Italianate facade of the Brown Line station at Armitage on November 4, 2001. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	tour01@Armitage02.jpg (38k) Guide John Craib-Cox of the Chicago Design Consortium discusses the architecture of the station and community in front of Armitage station during the 2001 Historic Station Tour on November 4, 2001. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	cta2611b.jpg (100k) Rocketing past the "local" station at Armitage, a southbound Red Line train led by car 2611 heads toward the State Street Subway portal on track 2 on June 10, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta2829.jpg (102k) Passing the Brown Line stop at Armitage, a Red Line train led by car 2829 heads to downtown on the inside express track, looking northwest on June 10, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta3324.jpg (123k) Car 3324 leads a two-car Brown Line train -- a typical Sunday consist -- stopped at Armitage station on June 10, 2001. Armitage Tower is now an office for a signal supervisor, the tower controls for Armitage Interlocking having been transferred to the new Webster Tower. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	armitage03.jpg (187k) The old Armitage Tower is seen on the right in this view looking south from the Armitage station southbound platform on June 21, 2001. In later years, the old tower has housed offices of the CTA® Signal Department. For many years, signal foreman Peter Vesic kept "L" car destination sign boxes with mylar roller curtains in the north windows, setting them to a different (often unusual) reading each day. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage14.jpg (168k) On its last day before closing, CTA® personnel moved the fare equipment from the old station house to the temporary entrance across the street. Signs on the windows, seen on July 22 2007, warn passengers that they will enter across the street starting the next day. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage15.jpg (212k) This view of Armitage looking north on the outbound platform on July 23, 2007 shows the old platforms in their final hours before being blocked off for renovation. On this sunny Monday, the station is crowded with people enjoying the shops and restaurants around the station. Note the barricade near the tower on the inbound platform, closing off the far north end. Later that day, the barricade would be moved further south, closing off more off the platform for demolition and renovation. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage16.jpg (200k) The riveted steel supports and brackets and latticed back panel of Armitage station's original 1900-built canopy on the inbound platform is seen on July 23, 2007. The structure's later modifications and need for refurbishment are also evident. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage17.jpg (169k) Armitage station's turn-of-the-century inbound side platform, with its hipped roof canopy and steel supports, is seen looking northwest on July 23, 2007 with the historic buildings of the Armitage-Halsted Historic District in the background. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)

 

	armitage07.jpg (179k) The first new steel for the platform extensions has been set in place in this view looking north at Armitage station on November 30, 2006. The southernmost 50 feet or so of steel stringers and joists were installed in autumn 2006, then little platform work was done for another several months. The existing station in the background show how far south the longer platforms extended. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage09.jpg (243k) Contractor crews are hard at work behind the historic Armitage station house on February 23, 2007 rebuilding the foundations under the elevated structure columns. This area would eventually be enveloped by the expanded station house built behind the historic headhouse to expand and enlarge the facility. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage10.jpg (200k) By spring 2007, installation of steel stringers and joists for the new, expanded platforms at Armitage had resumed. By the time of this April 30, 2007 view looking south as a Red Line train descends into the State Street Subway wood decking had begun to be installed as well. The steel extending out to the right will support the landing of the auxiliary exit stairs. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage11.jpg (198k) During the second linecut at the south end of the Brown Line during the first weekend of May 2007 the new platform extensions and the old platforms were finally connected. The steel and decking needed to be added while no trains were passing the station. This view looking southeast on May 5, 2007 shows FHP contractors on the out-of-service Track 4 working on the new northbound platform decking. The "Motormen Stop here" sign in the lower right corner indicates to operators where to pull their train to on the southbound platform -- Armitage was the terminal during the linecut and trains used the southbound platform as a singe-track stub terminal -- before shutting down and changing ends to head back north. Note the new exterior wall built on the west elevation of 939 W. Armitage, a building adjacent to the station that had its west half removed to make room for the platform extension. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage12.jpg (170k) The northbound Armitage platform is seen looking northwest on May 5, 2007 during the second south end linecut. One of the tasks accomplished during the showdown was the installation of the steel frame for the elevator to the northbound platform, visible above the historic canopy. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	armitage18.jpg (184k) A new months later, the south platform extension was open and the new replicated press metal bays, cornices and ornamentation had been installed on the adjacent 939 W. Armitage building. Although many temporary elements, such as the lights and wooden railings with orange plastic construction fencing, are visible in this July 23, 2007 view looking southeast, the permanent decking, tactile edging, and most of the galvanized steel railings and grilles have been installed on the new platform. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage19.jpg (159k) This July 23, 2007 view looking northeast at the outbound platform at Armitage shows the historic canopy with the new elevator tower behind it. The tower has now been clad in cinderblock with a black tile facing. Later that day, the barricade seen on the left was moved further south to the middle of the canopy where the timetables are, blocking off more of the platform for renovation work to progress. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage20.jpg (180k) The new, extended south end of the Armitage inbound platform is seen looking southwest o July 23, 2007. The permanent decking, blue tactile edging, galvanized steel railings, and stainless steel benches/sandboxes are all in place. The permanent light poles -- an integrated part of the railing system -- are in, but the luminaires haven't been installed yet, leading to the use of temporarily lights on wooden posts. The old KDR station name signs have been temporarily reused until the new, permanent signs were installed a few weeks later. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage21.jpg (159k) The design and pattern of the hot-dripped galvanized steel railing system, with tubular horizontal members and rectangular grilles with a checkerboard pattern cut out, is seen looking east at the outbound platform at Armitage on July 23, 2007. Until the permanent signs were installed, the contractor took the old KDR station name signs and mounted them on the new backer plates, although they constructed a wooden mounting bracket so that they didn't puncture the frame until the permanent signs were installed. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	939armitage01.jpg (126k) The historic building at 939 W Armitage, a contributing structure in the Armitage-Halsted Historic District, is seen looking south on July 23, 2007. Because of its protected status, the CTA® could not demolish the building but instead simply shaved off the several feet on the west half that were needed for the extended platform. By this time, the new reproduction pressed metal bays, cornices, and other ornamentation have been applied to the truncated building. The original ground-floor facade that extended under the new platform belays the building's original width. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	armitage23.jpg (164k) A customer places his farecard in the turnstile on the first day the temporary Armitage station house was in service, looking south on July 23, 2007. The station house, while small and simple, provides all of the necessary functions -- fare control, farecard vending machines, Customer Assistant booth -- while the historic station is refurbished and expanded. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)

• 6000s2.mov (1.6MB): A six-car train of Ravenswood 6000s pulls into Armitage on its way southbound to the Loop. The first four cars are painted mint green and alpine white. Although its tough to see, the last two cars are the 1950s-painted historic cars 6101-6102. (Movie from Chicago's "L"/Subway System: Rolling Stock '94)

Notes:

1. Bach and Wolfson, A Guide to Chicago's Train Stations, 222.