{"id":2953,"date":"2015-10-04T08:00:16","date_gmt":"2015-10-04T13:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbanmatter.com\/chicago\/?p=2953"},"modified":"2016-09-22T17:27:10","modified_gmt":"2016-09-22T22:27:10","slug":"millennium-park-named-one-of-americas-best-public-spaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanmatter.com\/chicago\/millennium-park-named-one-of-americas-best-public-spaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Millennium Park Named One of America\u2019s Best Public Spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Covering almost 25 acres of what was once an industrial wasteland, the construction of Millennium Park<\/a> turned one of Chicago\u2019s biggest eyesores into one of the largest tourist attractions in the entire United States.<\/p>\n

While native Chicagoans know and love Millennium Park for its beauty, diverse event schedule, and iconic sculptures (we\u2019re looking at you, Bean), the park has now been recognized as one of America\u2019s Best Public Spaces<\/a> by the American Planning Association. \u201cChicago\u2019s Front Lawn\u201d was rated highly for its planning excellence, events, and increased economic value.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what they had to say:<\/p>\n

\u201cArguably one of the most recognizable parks in the world, Millennium Park is without question one of the most spectacular places in downtown Chicago. For many years, two-thirds of the site that is now home to Millennium Park was controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad. Today, the 24.5-acre modern park is the centerpiece of the city, featuring performance facilities, public artwork, and majestic gardens. Once an industrial wasteland, Millennium Park’s remarkable transformation can be properly attributed to careful planning and thoughtful design.\u201d<\/p>\n

While there was no clear-cut number one destination, only five other places around the U.S. made the list:<\/p>\n