South Loop's The 78 Megadevelopment Breaks Ground on Cleanup, Paving Way for Chicago Fire Stadium and a Brand-New Neighborhood

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/South Loop · February 23, 2026

Big things are happening at the southern edge of the South Loop — and residents can finally see it with their own eyes. Environmental remediation work is now officially underway at The 78, the 62-acre megadevelopment site that has long been one of Chicago's most anticipated urban transformation projects. With approval from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, crews have launched Phase 1 cleanup of impacted soil and materials on the northeast corner of the site, a critical first step before any above-ground construction can begin.

The remediation phase is expected to take four to six weeks, after which the real excitement begins: construction on a roughly $750 million privately financed soccer stadium for Chicago Fire FC, designed by Gensler and developed by Related Midwest, with an opening targeted for the 2028 MLS season. The stadium's design is said to draw on Chicago's industrial heritage while delivering state-of-the-art fan amenities. Beyond the stadium, The 78 masterplan envisions a sweeping mix of residential towers, retail, office space, green parkland, and a half-mile Chicago River promenade — essentially building Chicago's 78th neighborhood from scratch.

For South Loop residents who've watched this site sit dormant for years, the hum of cleanup crews signals that the wait is nearly over. Head down to the riverfront and take a look — history is being made right in your backyard.

Sources:
1. https://www.optionpremier.com/blogs/2026/2/17/environmental-remediation-set-to-begin-for-the-78-in-south-loop-chicago
2. https://chicago.urbanize.city/neighborhood/south-loop
3. http://www.sloopin.com/