▁long ▁and ▁controvers ial ▁site ▁decision ▁process , ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁Mayor ▁D ale y ▁offered ▁the ▁Harrison ▁and ▁Hal sted ▁Stre ets ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁campus . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁the ▁final ▁decision ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁four - year ▁university ▁in ▁Chicago ▁was ▁made . ▁In ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Professional ▁Colleg es ▁became ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁at ▁the ▁Medical ▁Center ▁( UI MC ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁University ' s ▁new ▁Chicago ▁campus ▁at ▁Harrison ▁and ▁Hal sted ▁Stre ets ▁at ▁the ▁ground ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Gree kt own , ▁Chicago . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁new ▁Chicago ▁campus ▁opened ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁at ▁Congress ▁Circle ▁( U IC C ) ▁referencing ▁the ▁nearby ▁ ▁Circle ▁Inter change ▁of ▁I - 2 9 0 ▁and ▁I - 9 0 / I - 9 4 ). ▁Short ly ▁before ▁opening , ▁the ▁Congress ▁Express way ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁Eisen h ower ▁Express way ▁and ▁the ▁campus ▁was ▁renamed ▁to ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁at ▁Chicago ▁Circle ▁( U IC C ). ▁U IC C ▁was ▁designed ▁in ▁the ▁brut al ist ▁style ▁by ▁Walter ▁Net sch ▁of ▁Sk id more , ▁O w ings ▁and ▁M err ill , ▁a ▁Chicago - based ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁responsible ▁for ▁many ▁of ▁today ' s ▁tall est ▁sk ys c rap ers . ▁Un