The new entrance to the Chicago Avenue station opened September 21, 2008.

The new stationhouse is located at platform level at 301 W. Chicago Avenue, and can be accessed at street level by stairs or a newly-installed elevator.

Two elevators have been installed allowing access to the northbound and southbound platforms, making the station newly accessible to customers with disabilities. Chicago is the twelfth of 18 stations to be completed as part of the Brown Line capacity expansion project. With the reopening of the new Chicago stationhouse, a total of 85 out of 144 CTA rail stations are accessible.

The renovated Chicago Brown Line station has two auxiliary entrances/exits for added customer convenience located approximately one block south of the main entrance. These entrances/exits served as the temporary entrances during construction.

CTA reconfigured the inbound and outbound platforms to make them wider, and relocated the platform which is now south of the curve. Other amenities include accessible turnstiles, brighter lighting, new signs – including Braille signs – and two bike racks.

On Friday, July 18, 2008, customers may begin using the new auxiliary exit stairs located at the north end of each platform and exit at the south side of Chicago Avenue.

The auxiliary stairs for the Chicago station that exit along Superior Street will be closed permanently.

The entrance to the Chicago Avenue Brown Line station was temporarily relocated one block south of the existing entrance to Superior and Franklin on Monday, October 15, 2007 as CTA continues work to rebuild the Chicago Avenue station and extend platforms as part of the Brown Line capacity expansion project.

Customers use new stairways to the elevated platforms at the temporary entrance to access Purple Line Express and Brown Line trains. The temporary entrance provides the same amenities as the existing entrance, including farecard vending machines. The temporary entrance is expected to be in place through spring 2008.

Plans for renovating Chicago Avenue station include restoring the existing historic stationhouse which will serve as an operations support room and relocating the main entrance of the station to the south side of Chicago at Franklin.