It's Official: Downtowns Are Booming, from Atlantic Cities
tmdean via flickr
People want to be where people are
What do you do when your downtown is booming? Create more places for all those new people to go, that’s what you do. In "It’s Official: Downtowns are Booming" in Atlantic Cities, we learn that Chicago’s downtown topped the list by jumping 36 percent over the past 10 years. That’s 48,288 people. 48,288 more lunches being eaten, errands being run, coffee being quaffed, and dinners being served. 96,576 more feet are pounding the pavement, and they want places to go when they're not working.
Dare we suggest a Chicago landmark that is a perfect canvas, just awaiting its da Vinci? Chicago Union Station has it all: West Loop location, transit hub, iconic architecture, and plenty of room to build out places to gather, shop, dine, and—as I've advocated before—hang out on the Porch.
48,288 people seem to be saying it's go time, Chicago. Let's deliver.