DePaul University has secured a full building permit for a $42.4 million basketball practice facility that will rise at the northwest corner of West Belden Avenue and North Sheffield Avenue, just steps from the campus’s existing Sullivan Athletic Center.
A site that honors the past while reaching for the future
The project will demolish four 1890s row houses and a 1925 courtyard building to make way for a 72‑foot‑tall structure. The design, led by HNTB in collaboration with Antunovich Associates, draws on Lincoln Park’s architectural vocabulary with a brick façade and a pitched roof that echoes the historic Alumni Hall.
Sustainability is woven into every layer of the building. Bird‑friendly glass and rooftop solar panels are expected to cut energy consumption by more than 10 percent, while floor‑to‑ceiling glazing offers transparent views that blend the new facility into the surrounding neighborhood.
Spaces that serve every athlete
The ground floor will house locker rooms, strength‑and‑conditioning areas, sports‑medicine treatment rooms and therapy spaces for all of DePaul’s athletic programs. Upstairs, dedicated offices for basketball coaches and a mezzanine lounge provide both work and relaxation zones. The second floor will accommodate the men’s and women’s practice courts, each paired with adjacent sports‑medicine and meeting areas, while the top level will feature the two full‑size practice courts themselves.
Demolition permits have been issued, allowing Henegahn Wrecking & Excavating to begin site preparation. General contractor Bulley & Andrews is now poised to move forward with caisson work and construction, aiming to complete the project on schedule.