Michael Edwards has only been in town for a few months, but the new executive director of the Chicago Loop Alliance says the warm reception he's getting makes him feel part of something distinctly Chicago.
There's the strong handshake upon meeting. Direct eye contact. A hearty "Welcome to Chicago," he notes. "It's really a dynamic thing," Edwards says with a laugh. "I get it all the time."
A Buffalo, N.Y., native who took the role in November, Edwards arrived at a crucial time for the alliance, which is charged with representing downtown businesses and promoting the area as a destination to live, work and play. On the rebound from the Great Recession, the Loop is aiming to solidify its place as a hub for businesses, retail and residents — from college students to urban professionals to empty nesters who seek easy access to transportation, Millennium Park and museums.
But the return hasn't been easy. During the economic downturn, vacancies shot up, but a rash of new apartments are under construction in downtown Chicago. Target Corp. filled the long-empty Carson Pirie Scott & Co. storefront with its new urban format on State Street in July, and a few blocks up The Gap will open a new store in the spring. State Street's crown jewel, Block 37, is still trying to land a big tenant to drive more foot traffic to the mall.
Now that vacancies are declining and rents are climbing, Edwards and other civic leaders are aiming to figure out what's next for the business district and State Street retail corridor.
At its annual meeting Tuesday, Edwards and the Chicago Loop Alliance announced development of a five-year strategic plan aimed at clarifying the organization's role in economic development, housing, transportation, tourism, culture and services in the Loop. It's the first ever in the organization's history.
The process will tap input from business owners, elected officials, civic leaders and alliance board members, said Edwards, who held similar positions in Pittsburgh and Spokane, Wash. He replaced executive director Ty Tabing, who left in the summer to head up an economic development organization in Singapore.
The strategic planning process is under way, and a draft is due in June. Oakland, Calif.- based MIG Inc. was hired to assist in developing the new strategy.
With the Loop moving in the right direction, it's time to shift gears and ask residents and business owners what they think of its opportunities and challenges, as well as the role of the alliance, Edwards says.
The need for a new plan is driven in part by Edwards' arrival, but also by the fact that the State Street special service area, one of 44 local tax districts that fund expanded services and programs with a property tax levy, is up for renewal in 2016. The State Street SSA collects about $2.5 million annually.
Part of the planning process will include determining whether the SSA, which is administered by the Chicago Loop Alliance and pays for such services as public way maintenance and district marketing, security and economic development, should be expanded to encompass all of the Loop's business and retail districts, including Dearborn Street and Wabash Avenue as well as North Michigan Avenue, he said.
No decisions have been yet, Edwards said. "We're pretty focused on State Street, but can we provide that level of service to other areas?" he said.
Edwards said the new strategy will also determine whether the alliance, which has an annual budget of about $3.4 million, should take on a larger role as an advocate for the Loop.
"We have a website that's all about our members that gets about 10,000 hits a year, and we need about 2 million hits a year. And we need to control the narrative about what's going on downtown," he said.
With other local organizations such as Choose Chicago and World Business Chicago tasked with touting the region, "Is there a role for us to amplify this notion that we're an authentic American city that's an economic engine for the region?" asked Edwards. "Is there a role for the CLA to help promote that or not?"
If the new focus of the alliance has yet to be determined, Edwards has few opinions. Any new partnerships with other local groups, he said, will have to be formed "organically."
And he predicts the alliance's focus will likely shift to "typical downtown management duties — keeping the area safe and clean," coupled with "a little more economic development sensibility as opposed to an arts sensibility," he said.
For years, the Chicago Loop Alliance has run the PopUp Art Loop program in which public art was showcased in vacant storefronts. But the number of empty retail spaces along State Street has been cut in half, to about six, Edwards said.
Now that State Street has evolved, it's time the alliance's role evolved too, according to officials.
"We're seeing a lot of tremendous opportunities for growth in the Loop, whether it's in retail, new companies coming downtown, new residents or tourism," said Martin Stern, executive vice president and managing director at US Equities Realty and board chairman of the Chicago Loop Alliance.
Added Edwards: "There's a sort of feeling that we need to be more focused, provide more value, provide more leadership."
crshropshire@tribune.com
Twitter @corilyns
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