Chicago officials said Thursday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has signed on to develop Northerly Island into an urban camping center.

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The officials said a $2.8 million federal grant and $1.5 million in Park District revenues from the concert venue at Northerly Island will allow the Army Corps to restore shoreline habitats, coastal wetlands and plant communities to make the island a haven of camping, kayaking and sailing as envisioned by former Mayor Richard Daley nearly a decade ago, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Work on the project, which would add 60 camping spots to the current 40 and would make camping available more times a year, is expected to start in November with an aim of finishing by spring 2014, officials said.