Gensler reimagines North Michigan Ave corridor

In a time where Michigan Avenue’s status as a key anchor for the city is in flux post-COVID, global architecture firm Gensler has developed a vision for the corridor in collaboration with veteran real estate investors and brokers Bob Wislow and Camille Julmy of Parkside Realty.

The COVID era undoubtedly damaged high streets across the world. North Michigan Avenue saw 6.5 million fewer visits per year, accompanied by a 74% increase in crime; 25-35% decrease in property tax value; massive losses of sales, hotel, and entertainment taxes; and over 2,000 jobs lost. Despite these challenges, the district continues to employ and entertain residents from all 50 city wards while still generating 18% of citywide hospitality spending, hosting visitors from around the world.  

North Michigan Avenue was ready for its next evolution prior to COVID, having not seen major transformation since the 1990s, but today – given the changes in consumer habits, expectations, and lifestyles resulting from the pandemic – it is urgently poised for reinvention. Chicago’s economy, job market, global reputation, and culture depend on it.  

"Michigan Avenue is a vital engine of commerce, tourism, and culture in Chicago, and it's worth investing in its evolution to ensure it is an accessible, dynamic, vibrant part of our city for years to come," said Benjy Ward, Design Principal at Gensler. 

By researching the shared components of global high streets and the current situation on Michigan Avenue, the team identified the northern end of North Michigan Avenue, between Chicago Avenue and Oak Street Beach, as the area with the greatest potential to elevate the North Michigan Avenue experience. 

At Jane Byrne Park, the vision includes a road diet along N. Michigan Ave creates more pedestrian space, bench planters that create a canopy over the park, cafe kiosk to offer food and beverage, an interactive water feature, projection art, and colorful bistro tables to offer seating. 

Along the entire streetscape, the corridor’s envisioned road diet would make way for improvements that include art, seating, planters, cafe kiosks, lighting, performance platforms, smart pavers, and safety concierge and cameras. 

At the northern end of N. Michigan Ave, the vision looks to reimagine Oak Street Beach and better connect it to the corridor with a large sweeping pedestrian bridge over Lake Shore Drive. The park will be extended down N. Michigan Ave along the Drake Hotel and redesigned north of E. Oak St. 

While the visionary images have been shared with the city, there is currently no specific timeline for implementing the concept.