The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) celebrated the grand opening of a new, six-story parking garage serving the recently renovated and expanded Terminal 5, the latest milestone achieved by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration toward the modernization of O’Hare International Airport. The new parking structure — the first-ever to serve Terminal 5 — more than doubles the amount of available parking at the terminal, which handles both domestic and international passengers. The $191 million garage features a parking guidance system that provides real-time availability of parking spaces, as well as 48 electric vehicle charging stations. It connects to Terminal 5 by way of an enclosed pedestrian bridge on the first level. The garage replaces a portion of the adjacent Lot D surface parking lot and offers both short- and long-term parking options. The adjacent surface lot will still offer about 650 spaces. In addition to addressing the need for convenient parking, the garage makes a strong architectural statement. Designed by SCB, its ornamental metal cladding and subtle curves soften the scale of the structure and give it a sense of lightness. The Terminal 5 garage project was led by joint venture AECOM Hunt Clayco BOWA as Construction Manager at-Risk and supported by 189 participating contractors, including 47 minority-owned firms and 39 women-owned firms.

Photo Credit: Chicago Department of Aviation