More than a mere marina, the $85-million 31st Street Harbor is both a destination within the Chicago's park system and an extension of the neighboring community. One of the largest harbors constructed in Chicago in 50 years, it is intended to transform an underused portion of shoreline into a public amenity.
A green roof atop a parking structure and harbor services building also serves as a park, affording visitors views of both city and lakefront amid forms reminiscent of dune landscapes. A nearby playground, one of the harbor's signature components, features both fixed and flexible space, including rubber dune mounds, a water play area and a custom climbing wall.