The First Division Museum at Catigny will have its first major update since the current building opened in 1992. A new gallery will highlight the history of the “Big Red One” since Vietnam, including the Army unit’s current missions around the globe. (Cantigny photo)

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Cantigny Park have unveiled plans for Project New Leaf, a five-year, multi-million dollar revitalization effort to serve the facility’s nearly 400,000 annual visitors and ensure the park’s vitality for future generations.

“Our purpose is clear and simple: to make this special place even better for current visitors, their children and their grandchildren,” said David Hiller, President and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, which oversees operations at Cantigny Park. “This project is transformational, and a long-term investment in the community.”

The Park will remain open during the multi-million-dollar project. A full calendar of events is planned for 2017 as well as weddings, banquets and other private functions.

Sasaki Associates, an award-winning landscape design firm based in Boston and Shanghai, is leading the design aspects of Project New Leaf, planning for which began in 2014. The Park will select a general contractor in March and break ground on the project in April. Construction will be in phases with completion expected in 2021.

“We’ve done our homework, including trips to other public gardens across America,” said Matt LaFond, Executive Director of Cantigny Park. “Now comes the fun part. We’re putting years of strategic thinking into action, implementing the best ideas and building a bright future for the park.”

The Park’s revitalization includes some of the most dramatic landscape changes since Cantigny Park opened in 1958. New display gardens will be created and existing gardens renewed. Some will even be relocated. Enhanced vistas and sightlines will “open up” Cantigny and unify its elements.

The project calls for new pathways for easier and safer navigation around the Park. Directional signage will be improved and outdoor lighting added.

An expanded south parking lot will accommodate more visitors on busy days. In that same area, near the First Division Museum, an orientation pavilion with restrooms is planned.

Improvements to the picnic grove, playground and Visitors Center are slated as well. Outside the Visitors Center, a spacious arrival plaza with perimeter seating and park information will provide a central gathering place for guests.

A key feature, scheduled for 2018, is the Red Oak Colonnade—parallel rows of trees extending from the front of the Visitors Center all the way south to the First Division Museum. The civic-scale Colonnade will offer a dramatic and unifying landscape element for the park.

Work inside Cantigny’s renowned military museum is well underway—the First Division Museum’s first major update since the current building opened in 1992. A new gallery will highlight the history of the “Big Red One” since Vietnam, including the Army unit’s current missions around the globe. Interactive exhibits with cutting-edge storytelling techniques will provide a powerful multimedia experience for visitors.

The First Division Museum plans a Grand Reopening for August 26, 2017, coinciding with the 1st Infantry Division’s centennial.

Exhibits in the main gallery are being updated and refreshed with more artifacts, better lighting and added digital technology. The main lobby will have a completely new design and floor plan.

Luci Creative from Lincolnwood, Illinois, is designing the new and re-conceptualized exhibits. Pepper Construction is the general contractor.

Outside the museum, the iconic U.S. Army tanks are getting a refresh too. Each of the 11 tanks will be cleaned and painted with historically correct colors and markings.

Changes inside Robert R. McCormick’s and Joseph Medill’s former residence so far include new exhibits and self-guided tour options. Greater emphasis is on making Colonel McCormick’s legacy relevant to today’s visitor, including the thousands of students who visit the mansion on field trips every year.

Structural work on the historic home, built in 1896, will accelerate under Project New Leaf. The newly renovated staircase on the north portico is just one example of Cantigny’s commitment to preserving one of Wheaton’s most significant historic landmarks.

Longer term, Cantigny envisions McCormick House being more than a historic home museum. Ideas under review include spaces for meetings and receptions, and creating opportunities for civic learning and social engagement. All are in keeping with the McCormick Foundation’s mission of fostering communities of informed, educated and engaged citizens.