The main artery along Chicago’s iconic Lakefront area — North Michigan Avenue — is the subject of a new proposal from Gensler that would revitalize a major segment of the street into a major hub of pedestrianization, retail, and hospitality.
The proposal targets a stretch between Chicago Avenue and Oak Street Beach for a series of interventions and innovations that will remake it into the Avenue's northern 'anchor' opposing the existing Chicago Architecture Center, Apple Store, Wrigley Building, and the recently renovated Tribune Tower at its southern edge.
Local developers Bob Wislow and Camille Julmy are said to have worked with Gensler’s team to produce a study for the redevelopment, which puts Chicago squarely on par with many other global high streets in an attempt to recover the staggering economic losses created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This study demonstrates that design truly has the power to transform experience in our cities," Gensler’s Design Principal Benjy Ward says of its findings. "Like many high streets around the globe, Michigan Avenue is a vital economic and cultural engine, and its future as a more accessible, dynamic, vibrant part of Chicago is an exciting prospect worth investing in."
Sidewalks along the avenue will be widened, offering "places for relaxation, respite, and engagement." Meanwhile, the experience of Jane Byrne Park will be reinvigorated with food and beverage offerings and public art installations. Another key area of the study is the Pump Station / Seneca Park / Restaurant Row, which will also be given a public arts and dining-focused makeover.
Beyond that, the Drake Hotel & Park and Water Tower Place will be programmed for a more dynamic flow of human capital that creates connectivity and "pull-through opportunities east" of Michigan Avenue facing the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).
Finally, the key Oak Street Beach component is going to become the final anchor piece to the northern end with an expanded public area, a new restaurant and Beach House, an LED artwork tunnel experience, and a parasailing lodge.
Gensler says connectivity and the desire to improve pedestrian flow will be prioritized throughout. The study will also be included in the Chicago Architecture Center's current exhibition Loop as Lab: Reshaping Downtowns, which opened in April.
Editor's note, July 18, 2024: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Oak Street Beach as Ocean Beach. This has been updated.
4 Comments
Yikes, this is a bad take.
It's like bad student project. I'm so tired of Gensler.
So it obliterates any of the unique history, vibes and grit of Chicago to make it look like every other shopping-and-recreation focused "global city" playground for the rich traveling elites?
Bad take, man. Bad take.
The Oak St Beach ("Ocean Beach" - what is that?) design proposals are terrible. A swooping pedestrian bridge over Lake Shore Drive obliterates the iconic view from the north of the N Michigan Ave and city skyline, as well as of the buildings aligned along Oak St. The other frivolous activities - a "parasailing lodge"???, cheapen and sub-urbanize a unique, iconic urban waterfront.
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