CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Things aren’t looking good on South State Street in the Loop, but there are a few proposed solutions in the works.
Michael Edwards, Chicago Loop Alliance CEO, shared some insight with WBBM and responded to criticism focusing in on a two to three block portion of South State Street, just south of Monroe where there are about 20 vacant storefronts at the moment.
"We get it. Downtown looks like hell-that part of town," he acknowledged.
"There are a number of things we are working on. One is with some local digital display folks-mask some of these vacant storefronts with beautiful art and design and advertising that the space is available."
That would address the poor esthetic of South State Street right now, but beyond that Edwards said that the Loop Alliance is partnering with a group called “Zero Empty Spaces”, which is convincing property owners to allow affordable short- term leases to artists, non-profits, and small businesses.
Edwards said they are "essentially temporary spaces, but some of them will turn into real businesses."
"The city, of course is interested in us looking very good when the DNC comes," he added.
The key to a revitalization of this area is a stronger in -person college enrollment and increasing residential opportunities in these buildings. A return of foot traffic would mean a return of street level retail.
Edwards also said that vacant storefronts don’t rightly reflect the fullness of economic opportunity found above in these fairly tall buildings.
"There's more residents on State Street than there's ever been," he explained.
"Those buildings are filled with apartments and condos. There's probably 2,000 people living on State and maybe ten years ago, there was 40 people living on State Street, so that's a big change.
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