Columbus Park

Hitchcock Design Group has designed a wide variety of athletic fields, both artificial and natural turf throughout the history of the firm. Because of its unique history, Columbus Park is considered a signature park that combines both history and the latest in field technology. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Columbus Park is considered the masterpiece of Jens Jensen’s, the dean of Prairie-style landscape architecture, portfolio of work. Located in the park’s southeast corner, the athletic fields were once part of the park’s lagoon, but filled in during construction of the Eisenhower Expressway. Prior to construction, the area drained poorly, and was subject to frequent flooding and turf damage. Hitchcock Design Group led a team to renovate the heavily programmed athletic fields, while keeping consistent with the existing park’s character. Improvements included an artificial turf baseball diamond (with 300-foot outfield fence), an artificial turf soccer/football/lacrosse field with sports lighting, improved ADA accessibility, upgraded player/spectator furnishings, and landscape improvements. The southern athletic fields were enhanced to deter further flooding. At its completion, the artificial turf fields are the largest within the City of Chicago.

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Jim Basala

“Hitchcock thinks beyond straight lines and 90-degree angles.”

Jim Basala
COO, Lake County Parks & Recreation Dept.

Cee Cee Hodgson

“Their work comes with a level of empathy with the user to say ‘it’s more than plants. How can this be an uplifting space? How can this invigorate someone?’ That’s different. That’s unique.”

Cee Cee Hodgson
Lead Architect–C.C. Hodgson Architectural Group

Steve Gulden

“Some architects will just say ‘how dare you!’ but Hitchcock encourages changes. Relationships and creativity is what it boils down to—it’s why I like them the best and what sets them apart from others.”

Steve Gulden
Village Manager, Village of Romeoville

Jonathan Kubow

“Hitchcock goes out of their way to make sure they’re responsive, helpful, and doing things that aren’t necessarily their responsibility. They’re just all-around quality. Any project that I do going forward they will always, always be included in my RFP, whether it’s city or suburban.”

Jonathan Kubow
Development Manager, Lennar Multifamily Communities

Ann Ziegelmaier

“Communication, creativity, meeting timeliness, meeting institutional expectations; we’re not an easy client. Hitchcock goes out of their way to work with us.”

Ann Ziegelmaier
Landscape Architect-Northwestern University

Mike DeRouin

“With Hitchcock, I felt like they really went above and beyond, and they’re extremely responsive. They take more of a leadership role, which is helpful, especially with a complicated project.”

Mike DeRouin
President, FitzGerald Associates

Doug Sampson

“They’ve earned our trust. They listen to us and come back with solutions that really meet our needs. They let you start to dream …”

Doug Sampson
University Architect/Director-Missouri State University

Craig Phillips

“One of Hitchcock’s strengths is the amount of work they put in when they’re getting to know a community. They show you they really understand the issues your community is considering. They’re very thorough in their approach. It’s clear they’ve done their homework.”

Craig Phillips
Town Manager, City of St. John

Tim Brennan

“What keeps coming back to me is their willingness, their ability, and their responsiveness to help manage the situation at hand.”

Tim Brennan
Senior Associate/Retail Practice Area Leader, Gensler

Patrick Lyons

“They work in a very collaborative manner in discussions and presentations. They make sure you fully understand it. If there are any questions at all, they can help you with it.”

Patrick Lyons
Director of Construction-Advocate Healthcare