Current Inventory

STATE STREET GROUP ONE: CURRENT INVENTORY A compilation of research on the existing urban context surrounding the infamous State Street in Chicago.

RESEARCH METHODS FALL 2021

PRESENTED BY: ALICIA JULIE JULIEANNE KARLA NATALIE RUBA SABA URJA

CO NT EN TS FALL 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT...................................... 04-05 RETAIL..................................... 06-11 RESTAURANTS........................ 12-17 TRANSPORTATION.................. 18-25 HOTELS.................................... 26-31 MUSEUMS................................ 32-37 BUSINESSES............................ 38-43 ENTERTAINMENT.................... 44-49 INSTITUTIONS......................... 50-57 PUBLIC SPACES...................... 58-63 RESIDENTIAL........................... 64-67 VACANT SPACES...................... 68-73

RESEARCH METHODS

CURRENT INVENTORY

About EXPLORING THE EXISTING CONTEXT The following dissertation is a compilation of research on the existing urban context surrounding the infamous State Street in Chicago.

Throughout this research, we as a group explored State Street at ground level as well as the two-block radius around it stretching from W Kinzie Street and E Balbo Drive. The categories of spaces that we chose to survey are retail, restaurants, transportation, hotels, museums, businesses, entertainment, government/schools, public spaces, and abandoned/vacant lots and buildings.

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STATE STREET MAP KEY State Street Two Block Radius Chicago River The area that is being researches is located in the Loop, which is also used to refer to downtown Chicago.

This area of the loop is known for attracting people of all ages to its vicinity sporting opportunity for residential living, shopping, restaurants, entertainment and community.

VISITORS Highest levels of seasonal foot traffic are recorded in the summer months of June, July, and August

55-64 years 7%

65+ years 10-17 years 9% 2% 18-24 years 19%

45-54 years 11%

35-44 years 14% 25-34 years 34%

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RETAIL SHOPPING

RE TA IL

EXPLORING GROCERY STORES, CORNER MARTS, CLOTHING STORES, AND ALL SALES OF GOODS TO CONSUMERS

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CURRENT INVENTORY

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Retail AN OVERVIEW OF RETAIL IN THE SOUTH LOOP Chicago’s State Street, located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, has been a famous shopping destination since the 1900s. Locals head here for the modern malls, historic department stores, specialty shops, and bargaining options. This is a one-stop spot for some of the city’s best shopping.

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General Observations From Harrison, it's mainly stores for students: convenient stores/campus stores As you move further down, dynamic changes You see more tourists, business men, people who live in the area The retail spaces also change when you get to Block 37 Block 37 is a mall on Washington & State Goes from more sporty/affordable stores to little more 'high-end' Larger department stores, but still affordable options like Tj-Maxx More traffic in this area shop big-name favorites including Anthropologie, Magnolia Bakery, and the Disney store. This multi-level mall also has an indoor cinema.

A lot of retail spaces available - Could be due to COVID, people moving out of the city Not a lot of ADA entrances, doors were around 26" near Harrison As you get closer to the river, traffic dies down a little Walking south towards campus, you will also hit trendy favorites like Zumiez, with its skater and snowboarding style, and Urban Outfitters, famous for hip home decor and apparel.

There are also many other affordable fast-fashion options and shoe stores Of course, there are upscale options as well. Shop Banana Republic, Sunglass Hut, and Kay Jewelers.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Based on observation, the type of stores change drastically as do the people you see in the area. As you move further up State, the stores get a little more expensive.

There are also malls and department stores, two things that are interesting to tourists. Not a lot of students all the way down State Street. They normally just stick to the area their university is in.

It seems like the goal of State Street is to attract visitors through shopping and pop-up experiences which are super popular. There aren't any permanent exhibits.

There also aren't a lot of places to eat on State unless it's inside the Block37 mall.

If there are places to eat, it's more so quick grab-and-go or dessert places.

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RESTAURANTS

RES TAUR ANTS EXPLORING LOCAL EATERIES FROM FAST FOOD TO FINE DINING

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Restaurants AN OVERVIEW OF RESTAURANTS IN THE SOUTH LOOP Observations: A lot of vacant restaurants were affected by the pandemic.

Coffee shops were super busy.

Most restaurants were closed because it was 8 am.

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RECOVERY LAGS FOR SOUTH LOOP RESTAURANTS WITHOUT WORKERS BACK IN OFFICES

by Samantha Nelson Amy Le cut back hours at two locations of her Asian-Latin fusion restaurant to make it through the pandemic.

She took more of the work herself, to not pay more employees and waste money.

She goes home and applies for grants.

Grants are what has been keeping her business afloat.

Her restaurant in Hyde Park has recovered 90% of its business.

Her south loop location is still bringing in half of her customers.

Office buildings continue to sit empty and employees are still mostly working from home.

“We figured out a way to pivot during COVID, but we’re now rethinking how the downtown business will look”.

South Loop restaurants and bars have catered to office workers and business travelers - but have felt the impacts of COVID-19 longer than those in other neighborhoods and have found ways to adapt.

So many South Loop spots have shuttered for good or still haven’t reopened.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-food-south-loop-business-lunch-20211019-n2yvrhjurjcfvnkwpwprta2ray-story.html

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Based on our observations, the Loop has a lot of food and drink options for people in this area of the city. It ranges from bars/pubs, fast food, fine dining, and coffee shops. They cater to a wide group, those being - all ethnicities, ages, religions, and sexes. The restaurants located in the Loop have had a huge following, but since the pandemic hit things have been difficult for these restaurants.

Some potential when it comes to design in finding people to come back to the Loop is renovating restaurants, reaching out to customers via social media, offering specials for students, allowing carry out, providing outdoor seating, and making sure the restaurant is following safe protocols for people to dine in. Now that many people are vaccinated, there is a huge number of people wanting to get together with friends and family at restaurants. If people know these restaurants are worried about their customer's health and are following safety protocols, it will help lure people in. It is uncertain what restaurants and people will face as we still struggle with a global pandemic, but we are all in this together and hope to move past this difficult time.

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TRANSPORTATION

TRANS PORT ATION SURVEYING WAYS TO GET AROUND THE CITY. THIS INCLUDES BUS STOPS, SUBWAYS, THE L STOPS, AND PARKING LOTS,

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CURRENT INVENTORY

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Transportation All eight CTA train lines offer service in the Loop. Blue Line and Red Line run underground. The Purple Line Express makes a full circuit in the clockwise direction while the Brown Line makes a full circuit traveling counterclockwise. The Orange and Green Lines enter from the south at the southeastern corner and the Pink Line enters from the west at the northwestern corner; both making a full clockwise circuit.

Midwest, Amtrak offers non-stop service. The South Shore Line operates commuter rail service between Northwest Indiana and Chicago. Loop stations include Millennium and Van Buren Street stations, both located in the Loop in Millennium and Grant Parks.

Divvy Bike Docking stations are located all throughout the loop offering both regular and electric bike options.

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CHICAGO'S E-SCOOTER PROGRAM IS NOW PERMANENT. BUT WILL IT BE EQUITABLE?

by HALEY ZHAO After two pilot programs, the City Council Transportation Committee passed the ordinance on October 13 to allow three companies to deploy 12,500 e-scooters as part of the city's public transportation system.

The highlights of the pilot program were to improve the equity of public transportation in especially black and brown communities who typically have fewer transportation choices and longest commutes The Chicago Department of Health introduced the "Equity Priority Area" where each of the scooter companies was required to distribute 45% of their scooters in these areas.

Despite the new order not including this Equity Priority Area, companies are expecting the final regulations to include it as well and activists are pushing for its inclusion.

Along with this program, improved street safety and maintenance is getting pushed for these communities.

Another barrier was the cost of the rides during the pilot program, and as a reaction companies introduced 50% off for the Equity Priority Area and free rides for those who receive government assistance. Free rides were also offered to healthcare workers and teachers. Companies are moving forward with the aim to continue with these low-income programs

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DOZENS OF CTA BUS LINES OFFER DIRECT SERVICE (147, 151, 157, 20, 6,7,19,3,26) The loop link transitway runs between Washington, Madison, Clinton and Canal Streets. All CTA buses that use these streets benefit from dedicated bus lanes and bus-only traffic signals at some intersections to help keep buses separate from general traffic and on schedule. Longer boarding platforms with more seating, shelter, and Bus Tracker screens improve the CTA customer experience. This transitway helps improve connections between the business district and major attractions located in the loop.

COMMUTING VIA CAR IN CHICAGO'S LOOP A network of major interstates and highways, and Chicago's grid system, make the state street easily accessible by car. Travelers entering Chicago from each direction will connect to the Dan Ryan, Eisenhower, or Kennedy expressways and should exit at Congress Parkway, which leads into the Loop from the south.

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CHICAGO'S PARKING GARAGES AND LOTS Chicago has a multitude of Parking Garages and Lots throughout the city. Also available is hourly street parking for those people who are on the go.

Loop foot traffic up in September (Oct. 2021) Loop parking garage occupancy rates also increased to 62% of 2019 levels, with digital parking bookings surpassing 100% of normal levels for an 11-week period. Preliminary CTA data shows that ridership was also up, hitting 57% of normal levels.

AVERAGE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS WHO ENTER THE CHICAGO RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM ON A WEEKDAY FROM 2015 TO 2020

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Based on observation, a large population uses the public transportation lines in Chicago. However, since the pandemic, there has been more traffic coming from cars and rideshare amenities like Uber and Lyft. There has also been more usage of the parking Garages downtown, but there seems to be a sufficient amount of space already dedicated to this aspect of transportation.

The Chicago Loop is one of the city's most walkable neighborhoods, with a Walk Score of 93 out of 100. The diverse variety of transportation options connects the vast majority of the city making it a readily accessible location. Chicago's Water Taxi is a unique option for Chicago and can potentially spark interest in making limited-time transportation experieces. An example is Chicago's Christmas Bus and Train Installations.

Some potential when it comes to design is finding an experience that can bring people back to using public transportation. This not only will help the environment by reducing the amount of pollution but bring the community back to the heart of Chicago. The transportation systems themselves and the spaces they currently occupy are already developed to fit the needs of today. Even with the pandemic, increased efforts to sanitize and encourage social distancing showed the transit system is capable of adapting.

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HO TE LS FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN, EXPLORING THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR.

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A DEEPER LOOK AT HOTELS IN THE SOUTH LOOP The South Loop, focusing on State Street from Harrison to Wacker, have multiple hotels in the area, many of which are rated 4 and above stars out of 5. It has been acknowledged by our research that most of the hotels start from Monroe, up to Wacker, moving towards the more residential areas on State. Although the signage is often small and or not always visible, the area reconnects the with the hotels or residential spaces by the architecture. This is also emphasized by the modern aesthetic and glass front facades, looking into elegantly designed lobby spaces.

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TIMELINE FROM 2018 TO 2020 "Chicago’s hotel industry has never been more exciting in terms of aligning with consumer needs and our continued growth. A strong year in 2018 means we not only welcomed a record amount of visitors, but we also provided tens of thousands of quality jobs to Chicagoans. As a key economic driver in our city, the hotel industry is vital to supporting tourism and we are looking forward to an equally, if not more, positive outcome in 2019," -Michael Jacobson, president, and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA)

The hotel demand and occupancy in Chicago suffered a severe plummet in 2020—numbers this low have not been seen in the past five years. The hotel demand in 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic decreased by 73.7% in comparison to 2019.

MILLER, BEN. “CHICAGO HOTEL INDUSTRY ENJOYS A GOOD 2018.” BIZJOURNALS.COM, CHICAGO BUSINESS JOURNAL, 23 JAN. 2019, HTTPS://WWW.BIZJOURNALS.COM/CHICAGO/NEWS/2019/01/23/CHICAGO-HOTEL-INDUSTRY-ENJOYS-A-GOOD-2018.HTML. NGUYEN, LINH, AND JAVIER PENA. “THE FALL AND RECOVERY OF CHICAGO TOURISM DURING COVID-19.” THE RED LINE PROJECT, RED LINE PROJECT, 7 MAY 2021, HTTPS://WWW.REDLINEPROJECT.ORG/TOURISM2021.PHP.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES With the impact of COVID, many hotels were forced to close down temporarily or give up rooms to supply other services. Having a severe plummet changed not only the dynamic of the hotel industry but affected other areas such as economic revenue. With the steady reopening of Illinois and Chicago, we have seen an increase of tourists come into our city as well as locals take advantage of low prices. It would be amazing to see the development of other hostels across State Street and the city. Having accessible amenities for tourists and even homeless people can help change the environment of the city.

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MUSEUMS

MUS EU MS SURVEYING DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSEUMS IN THE AREA.

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Museums AN OVERVIEW OF MUSEUMS IN THE SOUTH LOOP A few museums are surrounding State Street but not many are on State A few galleries and exhibitions Further down the river, there is a medieval torture museum opening-up

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CHICAGO MUSEUM STATISTICS There is a combined total of over 150 museums in the Greater Chicago metro area. Combined, these museums employ over 7,000 people, earn more than $643 million in revenue each year, and have assets of around $3 billion.

TYPES OF MUSEUMS

SIZES OF MUSEUMS

The majority of revenues among nonprofits in Chicago museums go to: Art Institute of Chicago Field Museum of Natural History Museum of Science and Industry Museum of Contemporary Art The Adler Planetarium “CHICAGO MUSEUMS.” CHICAGO MUSEUMS | CAUSE IQ, CAUSE IQ, MAY 2014, HTTPS://WWW.CAUSEIQ.COM/DIRECTORY/MUSEUMSLIST/CHICAGO-NAPERVILLE-ELGIN-IL-IN-WI-METRO/.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Based on observation, there aren't many museums located on State Street.

State Street itself is centered around retail.

It doesn't allow a user to create their own experience. However, there have been popup experiences opening up. These experiences seem to be the perfect photoop for social media. They're normally interactive experiences that combine the digital and physical realms.

There aren't any actual, permanent museums on State probably because there are a few already on Michigan Ave. State Street has a history of being a central tourist attraction for Chicago. State Street has a lot of room for growth and including museums can generate new revenue and foot traffic at all hours of the day. It would be nice to have museums open 'after hours'; many people who work a 9-5 don't have the luxury of being able to experience certain amenities during the day.

Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous city in North America. Having spaces where residents and tourists can come and learn about our city that are easily accessible is very important for growth. Not only does Chicago have the opportunity to become a better city but the people who live here and visit have the opportunity to interact with one another and learn new things.

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BUISNESSES

BUSI NES SES

EXPLORING STATE STREET'S SECOND LEVEL AND BEYOND

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With their sometimes tiny entrances tucked between hundreds of first floor retail storefronts, the office skyscrapers densely pack the loop and are a main factor to the areas economic health.

LOOP FOOT TRAFFIC UP IN SEPTEMBER (OCT 2021)

OFFICE BUILDINGS

CLA's President and CEO Michael Edwards stated “Businesses continue to show interest in and sign leases for Loop office space."

There’s evidence that businesses are also still looking in the Loop for office space.

Freight tech firm Loadsmart leased nearly 35,000 square feet at 175 W. Jackson Blvd. this month, where it plans to house 200 employees by the end of the year.

WHY STARTUPS ARE KEY TO CHICAGO'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY (DEC 2020) chicago is a desirable destination for startups due to it being a desirable place to live, boasting an existing talent pool and maintaining a dominance as a HQ city. The time is now for entrepeneurship.

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TYPES OF BUISNESSES

OBSERVATIONS While this search was conducted at ground level, we noticed a lot of people walking around at 12:00 pm on a Monday dressed in business suits and business casual fall attire. This was an indication that this must have been a lunch break for many people, but looking around, there were not any clear indications of groundfloor businesses. Instead, there were only entries where people would walk in and out of carrying briefcases and computer bags.

In this observation, we gathered information on the businesses that reside on the upper floors surrounding state street.

SOME BIG NAMES JP Morgan Chase Grant Thornton ADM Leo Burnett Accenture Morningstar Gensler wework Winston & Strawn Wintrust Sidley Austin LLP Walgreens Corporate

IMPORTANCE

Insurance Finance Architecture

By acknowledging the types of corporate work areas that reside in the area, it tells us a little bit more about the types of people who pass through and/or by State Street to get to work.

Law Marketing Tech Corporate Retail Security Energy 0

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LEARNING OUTCOMES With the surge of the Delta variant and the oncoming worry of the new Omicron strain, it looks like the return to offices may continue to be put on hold. As we learned from Mike Edwards, commuting Loop workers contribute about 355k of the daily Loop population, making this yet another tough blow for the hard hit area.

Edward McClelland, of Chicago Magazine, believs one reason the Loop has boomed over the past decade is the city’s success in attracting corporate headquarters. Walgreens and Wilson Sporting Goods moved in from the suburbs because young tech talent wanted to live and work downtown.

In office towers, sublease availability is at an all-time high, as businesses such as Uber and the restaurant software startup Toast shrink working space. It doesn't look like deman is on the rise in the near future either, which may result in no new construction in the 2020s. Future post-covid offices will definitely have to redistribute square footage. We may see fewer offices, larger break areas, and a “town hall” where execs and workers can mingle (Chicago Magazine).

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ENTERTAINMENT

ENTE RTAIN MENT FROM MUSICALS, PLAYS, PARTIES, COMEDY AND THEATRE EXPERIENCES

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Central to the busy street of Chicago, one of the main entertainment places on State Street is the AMC theatre with a dine in to enjoy a meal with the movie. This is surrounded with large and popular retail stores all around, impacting and encouraging people to come in. From our observations, for a Monday afternoon, the streets were surprisingly still busy with people walking around. With the showtimes at evening and night, their customer footprint would increase at a later time, compared to earlier on in the day. However, there was a wide variety of demographics, ranging from college students to middle aged people in the area.

THEATRES Chicago is a home to many entertainment platforms such as dance, film, music and theatre. As there are more than 250 theatres in total, Chicago is hitting the highest number, making it the “Theatre Capital of America”.

Many are grouped in the “Theatre district” which is part of our site.

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THEATRES Chicago has many theatres in the area, all with a common factor of large, bright lights on the signage attached to the buildings. Many of which are found just off State Street, near the tourist areas and high traffic areas, where people are bound to see the signs.

With the iconic landmark emphasized by their lite up signage, The Chicago Theatre is located on State Street in the middle of a tourist area. The Chicago Theatre was the first large movie palace in America, later being used as a prototype for all others. With its Neoclassical, Baroque Revival and French Baroque architectural style, the iconic landmark building stands out on the street.

AFTER MONTHS OF DARK THEATERS, BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BOUNCING BACK (OCT 2021) Theaters in Chicago have been dark since the start of the Covid pandemic, but one by one, they’re turning their lights back on.

“On Tuesday, people packed Broadway Playhouse for the first time in 18 months for “What the Constitution Means to Me.” Masked up with vax cards in hand, theater-goers were eager to see a show again, in person. “The difficult part is that this is a business, like all others, that never expected to close,” Raizin said. “So we’re restarting a machine that has never been closed before and that’s an experience all in itself.”

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Looking over our research and observations, State Streets main entertainment is related to theatres. This is evident by the number of them in the area. Due to the pandemic, it certainly did affect its success rates, dealing with capacity requirements for safety.

However, we are seeing theatres opening up again at this time of the year, where people are excited to be able to go back and enjoy shows. The AMC theatre is also a popular entertainment located in the Loop that is within walking distance.

Some potential when it comes to design is to add spaces that allow for entertainment in terms of sports, something which the street lacks in. Apart from the gyms, there isn’t much of an opportunity to play sports in the area. Therefore, a place such as a leisure center could be very beneficial to the residences living downtown but also the thousands of students who are in the city that don’t have the opportunity to take part in any sport activities through school.

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INSTITUTIONS

INSTI TUTI ONS EXAMINING GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, AND SAFTEY STATIONS

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Government Buildings AN OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC BUILDING PRESERVATION.

Monday, November 8 11:30 AM Weather: Sunny and 58° Pretty close to lunchtime but the only people visible were Amazon, UPS, and FedEx workers College students appear to walk past the area People can be seen hanging around the Flamingo at the Federal Center Tuesday, November 9 8:10 AM Government buildings were empty The only people inside the buildings were security.

Many government buildings were closed because of the time.

More car traffic than foot traffic.

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CHICAGO FEDERAL CENTER In the late 1950s, Mayor Richard J. Daley saw the opportunity to take advantage of a U.S. government plan to update and replace federal facilities nationwide. His plan called for the GSA to replace the 1905 federal building.

Architect Mies van der Rohe was later commissioned to design a new complex that would serve as an integral part of the Loop's revitalization. " Modernism is the style that changed our visual world in the 20th century, and Chicago’s Federal Center is among the world’s most important modernist sites. These structures display the features that make great works of modernism so compelling : dramatic profiles, spatial energy, and striking visual contrasts and harmonies."

-Bill Shapiro, CAF Docent Class of 2000

“CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE CENTER.” BUILDINGS OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE CENTER, HTTPS://WWW.ARCHITECTURE.ORG/LEARN/RESOURCES/BUILDINGS-OF-CHICAGO/BUILDING/FEDERAL-CENTER/.

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Schools AN OVERVIEW OF SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD OF CHICAGO The South Loop is home to Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, East-West University, Jones College Prep, Roosevelt University, SAIC, and some UIC buildings. This brings a lot of foot traffic all year long, but heavier foot traffic is recorded during the fall months when the fall semester starts.

This is a one-stop spot for many students.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS Tuesday, November 9 8:10 AM

Most schools were empty because it was early in the morning.

Gets busier as the day goes on - especially during lunchtime!

A lot of students walk nearby school buildings, not many professionals.

More car traffic than foot traffic.

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Monday, November 8 11:30 AM Weather: Sunny and 58° At this time many people were not outside, very few people were walking on Wabash Ave. Walking further east towards Michigan, there appear to be more people walking up north or in the green spaces across. After passing by the MoCP, I made my way around Roosevelt University to go towards State Street. A bit more people appeared whether they were coming out of restaurants, the L’, or the library. Walking further up north, more people were coming out of class or work, most likely preparing for lunch.

GENERAL FACTS From persistent poverty and stubbornly high homicide rates to residential segregation and gangs, each of these issues often finds its way into classrooms to negatively impact student behavior and performance.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the stress level of many students and families, making their needs for wrap-around support services more acute than perhaps ever before.

“FACTS & FIGURES.” COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF CHICAGO, 1 OCT. 2021, HTTPS://WWW.CISOFCHICAGO.ORG/IMPACT/FACTSFIGURES/.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES Government and school buildings are two of the largest sectors in and surrounding State Street. Due to the high number of students in the area, the most populated times during the year are at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Having colleges and high schools near public transportation is essential for students to easily commute to any desired location in the city. It is also a bonus for college students to be centralized in a busy city such as Chicago. Students have the opportunity to interact with and learn due to the endless amounts of events throughout the city.

Some potential when it comes to design is adding a centralized student hub in the center of the Loop. Students in the Loop often don't come in contact with each other because their schools don't have a place to merge, but building a central hub would be extremely beneficial to the schools and to the students. Another option to help out government buildings, school buildings, and institutions in the Loop is providing safety pandemic protocols, so people feel safe walking into these buildings. This would bring in a lot of people to the Loop.

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FREE PUBLIC SPACES

PUB LIC SPA CES

EXPLORING PARKS, GREEN SPACES, OUTDOOR COMMUNAL SPACES, AND PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS,

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Public Spaces A TOUR OF OPEN SPACES, PARKS, AND SPOTS THAT ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC Maggie Daley Park: Scale the climbing wall, cruise along with the Skating Ribbon, play a round of mini-golf, and so much more at this lakefront green space.

The Bean: Also known as Cloud Gate, is a sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor. it is located in Millennium Park and is an iconic giant, a shiny alien legume that works as a huge funhouse mirror Jay Pritzker Pavillion is one of the premier outdoor Amphitheatres in Chicago. Located centrally in Millennium Park, It hosts several outdoor concerts.

Lurie Garden: A 2.5-acre garden located at the southern end of Millennium Park.

Also known as the loop's secret garden, it combines naturalistic plantings and ecologically sensitive maintenance practices to create an urban oasis.

MAP KEY Green / Outdoor Spaces Sculptures

Chicago Riverwalk: A multi-use public space located on the south bank of the main branch of the Chicago River. Offers spaces to eat, drink, play, and rest.

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GREEN SPACES + PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS

Pritzker Park (Next to Harold Washington Lib)

Lush curbside sidewalk plant life OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE As a pedestrian strolling down the sidewalk, the air smelled cool and crisp with a hint of urine in some areas. However, no urine was to be found throughout my journey.

The sidewalks that follow the stretch of State Street are extremely wide (at least 12-14ft) and are built to hold a lot of people.

The large square tiles are rigid which creates a great grip for shoes.

There wasn't any public seating or benches on the sidewalk, which would be nice to have on long walks like today.

In addition to that, I realized that both sides of State Street were getting significant levels of sunlight 61

LEARNING OUTCOMES After having explored the great Chicago outdoors, examining free public spaces, and walking up and down State Street, we found that there weren't many places for people to sit and relax. Given that Chicago is a big "walking city", one would think that it would be necessary to have several rest points such as benches for people with disabilities, or even just as a standard courtesy.

Having looked into this finding more, we came to realize that the lack of benches is most likely due to "hostile design". Hostile design is an urban design strategy that uses elements of the built environment to purposefully guide or restrict behavior. In this case, the lack of benches targets people who use or rely on Chicago public spaces more than others such as poor and homeless people, by restricting them from the physical behavior of rest.

With the application of more open seating areas, this would benefit everyone in the community. This would give people in business a place to eat their lunch or have a meeting. Students, could sit, sketch, or read.

Most importantly, this would give people all equal opportunity to rest when needed.

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RESIDENTIAL

RESI DEN TIAL RECORDING ALL THE SKYCRAPERS AND BUILDINGS THAT SERVE AS SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.

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Although they are sparsely scattered, luxury condos and apartments continue to go up, as the city pushes to revitalize State Street and its status as a livable destination.

LOOP CONDO MARKET CONSIDERED WORST SINCE MID-2000S CRASH (DEC. 2020) There were enough condos on the market in the Loop to support 24 months of sales. Four to six months of inventory is considered healthy. This dip directly correlates with two major 2020 crises: the covid shutdowns and spasms of social unrest.

RESIDENTIAL

THE DOWNTOWN CONDO MARKET IS BACK (AUG. 2021) Through the first seven months of 2021, 654 condos have been sold in the Loop.

According to the Midwest Real Estate Data and Showing Time, it indicates there was an increase of 51% over the number of condos sold in the same period in 2019.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES The Loop residential market is on the up and here to stay. With an already estimated 30k people living in the area, I believe we will see the number continue to grow post-pandemic.

Even with the hit the Loop residential market took during the pandemic, it has bounced back and then some. There has already been a 51% increase over the number of condos sold in the same period in 2019.

The Loop also has some new residential projects in the works. Studio Gang's proposed Assemble Chicago won the C40 Reinventing Cities Competition. The competition site states:

Assemble Chicago Proposed Ariel, Studio Gang

The NeighborHub at Assemble Chicago, Studio Gang

"Assemble Chicago unites an aspirational program of workforce apartments and community- collaborative spaces with innovative, yet pragmatic building technologies to bring much-needed resiliency and equity to post-COVID Downtown Chicago. The inspiring carbon-neutral building leverages systems and partnerships to reduce our reliance on carbon, promote urban gardening and biodiversity, and minimize waste, providing a new model for sustainable development for Chicago and the world."

In the past 20 years, we have seen old manufacturing and meat packing buildings along the Chicago River and West side flipped to luxury apartments and lofts.

As residential demand grows and the need for physical office space decreases, I do not think it is that far fetched to see office buildings converted to residential units.

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VACANT & ABANDONED

NOT IN USE INVESTIGATING GROUND LEVEL SPACES THAT ARE VACANT LOTS, NOT IN USE, AND/OR ABANDONED AND LEFT UNKEPT.

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If seeing Spirit Halloween on State St is not scary enough, I don't know what is. It is very apparent the Loop is both visually and economically hurting. Once filled with bustling crowds of tourists and professionals, I easily maintained my 6 feet distance with the few out and about.

HOW DELTA COULD DELAY A RECOVERY FOR THE LOOP RETAIL MARKET (AUG. 2021) More than a quarter of all Loop retail spaces lie vacant. While companies postpone their return to the office, the outlook for Loop stores and restaurants is flat lining.

Per a Stone report, the Loop retail vacancy rate has jumped from 14.9% in 2019 to a staggering 26.3% this year.

With so many professionals working from home, sales at Loop stores, restaurants and bars fell so far fast that a lot of them just shut down. John Vance, a principle of Stone Real Estate, reminds us that, "the loop exists because of density."

VACANCIES

Retailers seem to be favoring State Street over the Magnificent Mile, he said. Sales aren’t as strong as they are on North Michigan Avenue, but the economics on State Street can be more attractive because rents there are lower than they are in Gold Coast, Streeterville and River North.

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CLA TRANSFORMS VACANT WABASH STOREFRONTS THROUGH ART (NOV. 2019) The “Wabash Windows” project was a strategic placemaking initiative that activated four vacant storefronts on Wabash Avenue with murals.

CLA member, Ian Zeitlin, stated, “A lot of the economic development work Chicago Loop Alliance does is centered on the idea that if we make the Loop a vibrant destination, business will come.” It not only brightens up the streets for onlookers, but also makes the area more attractive to potential businesses.

LOOP FOOT TRAFFIC UP IN SEPTEMBER (OCT. 2021) Loop activity has bounced back from an August decline due to surging delta covid cases.

September showed activity at more than 50% of pre-pandemic levels and even higher over Labor Day weekend.

Kastle Systems data shows that an average of 36% of the workforce in 10 major cities returned to offices the week that ended Oct. 8, a pandemic-era high.

CLA also believes a few other factors may have contributed to this rise in activity: - people returning from end-of-summer vacations - the opening of Urbanspace food hall - Sundays on State

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LEARNING OUTCOMES After hearing from Lou Raizin, some of our best options to revitalize the Loop may lie with the arts. We have seen a rise in pop-up museums and experiences like the Medieval Torture museum directly next to the Chicago Theatre and Woman-ish, a showcase of female and gender non-confirming artists made up of multiple rooms and installations that explore womanhood from various perspectives.

Many of these vacant building also feature large floorplate plans. This may be appealing as we see Chicago continue to draw in HQ offices for national tech firms and start ups. Fulton Market has definitely been the epicenter for this movement, but the Loop may be able to offer existing spaces for better prices.

Woman-ish Experience, State Street

As we discussed during Anijo's presentation, we are also seeing the integration of technology in all different facets of life. With the opening of teh Amazon Go markets in and around the loop, it only makes us wonder what other spaces this may include and how this may impact the development of State Street.

John Deere Office, Fulton Market

Amazon Go, Chicago Loop

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