A Red Line L stop on Chicago’s South Side is getting a full overhaul. Artist and community activist Theaster Gates recently unveiled his newest proposal for the 95th Street stop in Roseland, which includes an art installation and radio DJ booth.

Gates joined city officials July 12 at Stony Island Arts Bank to take a look at the installations that nod to the cultural identity and history of the South Side and its communities. 

The 95th Street CTA revitalization is a part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s broader “Red Ahead” program. Designed by architect firm EXP, the 95th Street Station will be transformed into an all-weather terminal with bus bays alongside the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway. The project is being funded by federal, state, and local money, and it’s estimated at about $280 million.

Proposed DJ Booth / Rendering Courtesy of The Chicago Transit Authority

The busy station will have canopies to protect against the elements and an enclosed walkway over 95th Street to connect the north and south buildings.

The art installations from Theaster Gates will include a hanging tapestry piece called “america america” and will feature stitched together bits of decommissioned fire hoses. The project is inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and is a reminder of the times police turned hoses on protesters. Its site at the CTA stop is an ode to the strong role the transit system played in equality.

"None of us wants to spend our lives walking past an eyesore, having to get on an eyesore," Gates told the Chicago Tribune. "When I was asked by the (CTA) to participate in this, I was super excited because it meant there was another way by which we could share beauty in black and brown neighborhoods."

Additionally, the radio DJ booth is expected to be a space in which live artists can mix music and discuss the history of the community with other local residents. Called AESOP, or An Extended Song of Our People, the booth’s programming may expand to include online streaming in the future.

Officials believe the project will be completed by the end of 2018.