Proposed ComEd Substation In Lincoln Park Has Neighbors Concerned About Size, Safety

LINCOLN PARK — ComEd has proposed building a large substation on the site of a former COVID-19 testing facility in Lincoln Park, a project the utility company says would address growing electricity demand on the North Side.

But neighbors are concerned about the proposed substation’s size, safety and potential impact on nearby homes, schools and a day care, with many leaving a recent community meeting saying they were frustrated by a lack of clear answers from ComEd.

ComEd bought the property at 1111 W. Diversey Parkway in 2021 and is now moving forward with plans for a substation that could take up most of the site. A building across the alley behind the empty testing facility was an active substation until 2006.

Company officials said the project is still in its early stages, with details like noise levels, electromagnetic field impacts and the facility’s exact footprint still being developed.

Neighbors at a community meeting with ComEd last week said those unknowns are exactly what worries them, citing concerns about safety, effects on property values and general aesthetic issues that come with living next to a massive substation.

Residents pressed for answers and called for more transparency as the proposal moves forward. ComEd officials described the meeting as the first of several planned discussions.

The proposed substation is intended to help meet rising electricity demand across the North Side and reduce the risk of outages as more homes and buildings rely on electric power year-round.

“We’re seeing increased demand for electricity, not just in this neighborhood but across the city,” Omar Martinez, external affairs manager at ComEd, said during the meeting. “This is about making sure we can continue to provide safe and reliable service into the future.”

The facility would function as part of a broader network of substations distributing power across nearby neighborhoods. The Diversey site was bought years ago after it was identified as a strategically viable location to support that growing system, Martinez said.

But when residents asked for specifics — particularly around electromagnetic field exposure, potential noise and structural concerns — ComEd representatives said much of that data is not yet available.

“We don’t have those exact numbers today,” Tayler Forester, principal project manager for ComEd, said during the meeting. “As we get further along in the process, we’ll be able to share more specifics.”

Questions about the substation’s size and appearance also went unanswered, with no renderings or final designs available.

Forester said the facility would be fully enclosed and designed to blend in with the neighborhood, similar to other ComEd substations.

Still, some residents said they’re concerned about what a multi-story utility structure could look like and how it might change the character of the area.

Some of the most urgent concerns were about the substation’s proximity to the Kensington School of Lincoln Park, a day care at 2745 N. Lincoln Ave., which borders the ComEd site.

Several attendees emphasized how close the facility could be to children and raised broader concerns about safety. Others questioned how the project could affect property values and quality of life, arguing the neighborhood could be left shouldering the downsides of infrastructure designed to serve a much larger portion of the North Side.

Martinez said ComEd is aware of the day care and has reached out to the Kensington School to talk about concerns.

“Substations like this are commonly built in dense urban neighborhoods, and they’re designed with multiple layers of safety protections,” Martinez said. “We take those responsibilities seriously, especially when they’re located near places like schools and day cares.”

The substation would require approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission, with construction not expected to be completed until around 2030.

No demolition permits have been issued yet, but ComEd did confirm that it plans to run power lines underground as opposed to above ground.

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