Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
I think the current owners don't even see access from the north as an issue. In their world everyone drives in from Roosevelt Road, or if they're really down and out (or employees) they walk up from the Red Line station at Roosevelt & State.
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What morons, if this is truly what they think (and all observational evidence suggests this and backs you up here that they in fact likely do think this way). In fact (I have no data at hand to back up, but this is my theory), I actually believe that you have a decidedly more affluent demographic on average that would be walking to RC (or at least part of time walking to RC) than those who only arrive by auto. Walking to RC - coming from any direction, with the N/NE being a major source....obviously for many, walking does mean the quickest route is in fact the Roosevelt entrance, but for an also sizeable proportion it does not.
Now, this is just the 'business' perspective here - my point is that I think the center is attracting sizeable numbers of lower/lower-middle income south and west siders, for the simple reason that there is very little in the way of proximate comparable (more or less 'urban lifestyle center/entertainment' retail) options for a very large population covering an also very large geographic area. And, arrival for this demographic I believe - despite numerous transit options - is likely largely by auto.
Again, this is just the 'smart' business perspective - but, on the other hand, if it were the case that the frequent/sometimes overall 'walk-to center' demographic - and just to the N/NE in particular - were not a 'target demographic', ie lower/lower-middle income profile, they should
still have great pedestrian access north from RC - because, well, that's just how good cities work, and it's the right thing to do. The city should (should have) mandated that this was the case if the developer/current owner seemed disinclined to ensure this on their own (actually it should have been mandated, period - sometimes it is actually nothing that nudges one in the desired direction than a good 'ole mandate)....
At any rate, time and time again we come back to a core recurring theme: Dan 'McHackeffery' and little Clayton are not your sharpest real estate tools in this town........but, perhaps they'll do better at US Steel? (jk, of course!).....
And, before someone else mentions it, yes, as reported in Crain's this morning RC has landed Container Store, Banana Republic and Lululemon - and, no, this does not in any way vindicate 'McHackeffery' for its exceptionally awful overall observable performance at the center since buying it (but it is certainly good news nonetheless).....