Make Michigan Avenue magnificent again
It’s still striking, that mile or so stretch of shops, restaurants and hotels along Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, fromthe stately Drake at Oak Street across the river to The Bean in Millennium Park.
But it has become less magnificent in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic and a summer of unrest have thinned the usual bustle of Boul Mich down to a trickle of foot traffic, as tourists stay away and officeworkers have shifted to their dining roomtables.
On a recentweekday, the plazaswere empty. The storefronts — the ones still open— carried signage about mask requirements and customer limits that made each door feel like a risky proposition. To shop is to feel “normal,” but at what cost? The clerks inside looked lonely.
Normally, thiswould be the height of the holiday shopping season with crowds, cars, lights, music.
But with the absence of shoppers overloaded with holiday bags, sharp-dressed theatergoers and the thousands of professionals running out for coffee between meetings, the sidewalks were scattered only with the people who had to be there— medical and pharmacyworkers, security guards and the homeless who rely on spare change dropped into a paper cup.
And Chicago police. Long after August, when opportunistic looters turned downtown into a free buffet of sneakers and handbags, blue lights still punctuate each intersection with cops keeping the peace— but adding an apocalyptic touch to the holiday atmosphere.
This is 2020, and it’s been tough.
Nearly 300,000 Americans— almost 15,000 in Illinois— have died fromCOVID-19-related illnesses. We are determined to stay safe, but pandemic fatigue is hitting us hard. We miss the holiday shows, the rush of parties, the family dinners. The music, the singing, the crowds, the …
Yes, we know: As cases surge in Illinois, Chicago and Cook County remain under “stay-athome” advisories, and the directive is clear:
Residents are advised to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up food, or receiving deliveries. If you do leave home, you must always wear a face covering and practice social distancing by staying six feet away from others.
We support state and local mitigation efforts to keep the coronavirus in check. Butwe also suggest it can be done alongside efforts to save our downtown.
On a recentwalk down the Mag Mile, we counted 34 of 108 storefronts closed, most permanently and many boarded up. Peoplewe spoke to said it’s “dangerous” to stay after dark, and almost all of the shops nowclose by 6 p.m. After decades of investment and development in Chicago’s Streeterville, RiverNorth and Loop neighborhoods, it would be devastating— to Chicago’s economy and its image— to let Michigan Avenue and the downtown district turn into the Meh Mile.
Are there steps Chicago, its residents and fans can take now to fight the isolation and support businesses? In that spirit, we offer a few pandemic-safe suggestions now, even before a vaccine is widely available, to keep up mor
ale and ensure Chicago stays invested in its city center.
Well-ventilated outdoor events where people are masked and distanced can be part of the solution. Michigan Avenue, State Street, Millennium Park and the lakefront offer expansive sidewalks, plazas and acres of open fields for managed— darewe say fun— programs. Open them.
Neighborhood groups, local business associations and nonprofits across the region are already leading theway, filling their streets and sidewalks with attractions that help residents stay safe and entertained near home. Restaurants and bars have gotten creative inways that could inspire other parts of Chicagoland.
FitzGerald’sNightclub in
Berwyn turned a flatbed pickup truck into a roving concert stage for local musicians.
Rock Island PublicHouse in Blue Island turned old shipping containers into outdoor seating venues and is offering drive-in movies on theweekends.
My BlockMyHoodMy City has been decorating homes and streetlight poles for the holidays around the South Side to lift spirits and brighten the streets.
Restaurants in about a dozen neighborhoods across the city have embraced a temporary program that closes streets to car traffic and allows tented outdoor seating.
Imagine scaling these ideas and applying them downtown. Short term and longer term, May
or Lori Lightfoot can recharge the city center with safe attractions that encourage people to come back.
Use the beautiful newriverfront space—
or even a barge anchored in the river— as a platform for concerts for the high-rise dwellers up and downthe Chicago River. They could safely enjoy some entertainment fromtheir balconies. Too cold for others to join in? It’s Chicago. Wear a hat.
Open theNavy Pier Ferris wheel for aweekend at a discounted rate. Encourage awalking tour of hotel lobbies. Other ideas:
Launch a high-rise holiday window-decorating contest for downtown residents— it’d be an
Instagram sensation for Chicago tourism. Too late to get it started? HowaboutNew Year’s Eve? Valentine’sDay? St. Patrick’sDay?
Install dining bubbles along the wide Michigan Avenue sidewalks for people to enjoy carryout from nearby restaurants that have been desolate and are struggling. Waive regulations temporarily so cafes can set up safely spaced rows of outdoor chairs and tables, Parisstyle.
Bring back the “Cows on Parade” one last time— with masks. Offer discounted parking orMetra rides (with safely spaced seating) so families can more easily make theirway downtown. Offer a hotel deal (with a pool) and suddenly vacation-starved kids and families will have an incentive to make a reservation and get out of the house.
Business owners have been trying every safe idea they can think of to stay afloat through this devastating year. But they can’t pull this off alone. Our downtown thrives because it’s an ecosystem. The restaurants need the theaters and hotels. The shops need the tourists. The residents need the grocery stores, etc. Ultimately, CityHall needs all of them for the tax revenue that keeps the rest of the city humming.
Chicagoans also need a break from the monotony.
Formost of a year, Lightfoot
and PublicHealth Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady have made public health messaging priority No. 1. Chicago’s leaders can multitask, though, and it’s time to remember what makes a street like Michigan Avenue so special. It’s the people. The energy. The sounds and the lights.
This is an easy call, Mayor Lightfoot. Give people a reason to come downtown again, safely. It will help businesses, residents and the city. And thatwould be Magnificent.