Construction has been completed on a $3.2 million beautification project of Christiana Street in front of Sohlberg Hall, a spruce-up that includes a walking path, new lighting, and landscaping. The project was funded by the Strategic Reserve Fund, which was established during the construction of the Brandel Library in the late 1990s and has been augmented throughout the years via various fundraising campaigns.
The fund is used for major renovations, critical maintenance, and new program startup costs, says Vice President for Finance and Administration Scott Stenmark.
Sohlberg, once a residence hall, was recently renovated into an office space, and currently houses programs representing North Park’s three distinctives: Crux, North Park’s residential Christian discipleship program; Catalyst 606 and the Office of Diversity.
The new space will be used for large gatherings such as homecoming events, concerts, and rallies. North Park purchased the land from the City of Chicago in 2015 under an agreement whereby the city would vacate the street if North Park beautified the space.