CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Plans are being made to close State Street in the Loop to vehicle traffic this summer.
The Chicago Loop Alliance's idea "Sundays on State" is an open streets project that will see State Street closed to vehicle traffic from Lake to Madison for up to 12 Sundays throughout the summer, making room for arts and culture activations, active recreation, retail and outdoor dining.
The idea is one of many to hopefully bring back foot traffic that drives retail and restaurants. Additionally, the group hopes to have some programmed events for Sundays on State.
Loop Alliance CEO Michael Edwards said they’ll encourage businesses to move into the street and they'll also “highlight local art and culture, which has been devastated by the pandemic and give them an opportunity to shin."
"There just seems to be a new sense of hope, and as the vaccines take hold and we come out of some of these lockdowns, we are hopeful and optimistic that retail will come back to State Street," he said.
He even said there is talk of bringing the Walnut Room down to State Street, "which would be a really unique experience.”
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“Last year was incredibly challenging for the Loop community, which relies so heavily on the 370,000 workers and millions of visitors it normally sees,” Edwards said in a statement. “This month, we noticed a 35 percent increase in pedestrian activity on State Street, which has really improved the atmosphere and energy downtown—we’re all starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As vaccine distribution continues to ramp up, and as the weather warms, we see many opportunities to attract people back to the Loop in 2021.”
In addition to Sundays on State, the Chicago Loop Alliance is also looking into a self-guided mural walk, taking participants on an urban adventure through alleys and other Loop locations off the beaten path; and pop-up activations in vacant storefronts, strengthening connections with the artistic community across the city and drawing attention to available commercial real estate.
The Chicago Loop Alliance is also coming together with the city’s cultural community to explore an evening spectacle on the Chicago River, using the river and skyline as the stage for a live performance later in the year.