Chicago Leads the Way for Other major Cities

Chicago’s urban vitality is undeniable and a sound “business model” for other cities to follow.  Chicago is the third largest city in the country and has been undergoing massive redevelopment, infill development and revitalization over the past 10 to 15 years.  Chicago condos and urban retail development combined have set up a perfect frame work for the true urban center for the downtown area.  Much like many other cities where downtown has primarily been composed of office developments, Chicago in the past would shut down after dark.  Once more retail, residential components such as high-rise condos, and infrastructure is set in place...a world of opportunity opens up.

Chicago’s downtown neighborhoods are now among the liveliest in the country because of the sound mixture of office, retails, infrastructure, new condos and residential developments, and transportation.  Other cities in the country are trying to follow the lead and set up a similar model.  What happens especially during a high-rise condo boom is that there is a massive influx of residential inventory flooding the market but not enough infrastructure to support it.  It doesn’t necessarily matter what comes first but one usually is meant to support the other especially when trying to create a real urban environment.  Miami is one of those cities that is trying to incorporate the “Chicago model”.

Miami, much like Chicago did to support their ongoing condos under construction, is calling for city approval to build waterfront parks, more transit systems, a new ballpark, and more downtown amenities to ensure the future of the area and help regain interest in the high rise condos.  Moving people back to the urban core is essential for the growth of any downtown area, but there has to be the proper support structure for residents to want to live there.  You must make urban living easy and convenient so you can eliminate the assumptions that it would be too hectic and inconvenient.  Will Brickell and Biscayne Avenues become the next Michigan Avenue?  Could be, but it will take time.

There are some problems to following the lead of a city like Chicago.  The Chicago model is based on a population of 2.9 million.  Miami’s population and transit system pale in comparison to that of Chicago.  This growth model needs to scale both ways if other cities are to follow the lead.  Major redevelopment and infill development causes its own problems and can often push lower income residents to the cities edges creating new blighted areas.  This was the case when creating new developments for Chicago condos and holds true for many cities.  The bottom line though is that a city must get people interested in moving back to the core if a downtown area desires to be anything more than a place to go to work.