Quote:
Originally Posted by wierdaaron
I think Block37 is screwed due to State Street's shift toward discount retailers rather than upmarket fanciness it wants to cater to. On Michigan it'd probably have no problems filling up, but "let's go shopping on State Street" hasn't been a thing for a long time.
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State Street has been improving for quite some time now. It is not the premium shopping district in Chicago, but it caters to a very large consumer base, with products much more accessible to the average Joe. The 0-100 block of South State Street is a perfect example. Target, DSW, American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, and Blick Art Supply all seem to do very well.
Im not sure that B37 would do well on Michigan Ave either. It is an outdated design with a very poorly executed interior. Water Tower Place and North Bridge are both firmly entrenched as the premier urban shopping malls on Michigan Ave, both offer attractive interior spaces, very strong collections of brands, and they occupy opposite ends of the Mag Mile. I can't imagine another such space being able to compete.
The only way to save B37 will be to infuse it with a high traffic use. A movie theatre on the top two floors along with a residential tower and a hotel tower could turn things around very quickly.