Hyde Park cyclists will soon have a new resource to turn to for bike rentals, storage and tours. The University of Chicago plans to open a bicycle center next to the Metra station at 53rd Street and Lake Park Avenue within the coming weeks.

The new facility will be called the 53rd Street Bicycle Center. Bike and Park, a unit of Chicago-based Bike and Roll, which has locations at Millennium Park, Navy Pier and elsewhere around the country, will run the center.  The company plans to feature a fleet of several dozen bikes for rent and will offer a variety of tours in and around Hyde Park, including food tours by bike.

The bicycle center “will help promote biking among commuters, residents and visitors to Hyde Park, at a time when the whole city is aiming to become more bike-friendly,” said James Hennessy, director of commercial real estate for the University.

The 53rd Street Bicycle Center will fill a 2,000-square-foot space underneath the Metra tracks that has been vacant for 10 years. It is the latest amenity the University is bringing to 53rd Street as part of its efforts to revitalize the area. The bike center will soon join Clarke’s and Five Guys restaurants as recently opened businesses on the street. Other new businesses are coming this fall.

Read more about this on the UChicago News website.