Park Art North of Chicago River and West Along Michigan Avenue

A Fractional Timeline of Chicago's Magnificent Mile

Northward Michigan Avenue, likewise known every bit The Magnificent Mile, is one of the bully avenues of the world. The heart of downtown Chicago and an international tourism destination, The Magnificent Mile is i of the most vibrant and successful commercial, residential, cultural and tourist areas in the globe.

Its infectious big city energy springs from its unique mixture of offerings. The Magnificent Mile district, every bit identified in the association'south charter, encompasses a large area bordered by Randolph Street to the south, North Avenue to the northward, Lake Michigan to the east, and the Chicago River to the west. It touches five neighborhoods including New Eastward Side, Streeterville, Gold Coast, One-time Town, and River North in improver to the unremarkably known 13-block stretch of Due north Michigan Avenue that runs from the banks of the Chicago River on the south, to Oak Street on the north. The Magnificent Mile district includes cute residences, premier retailers, trendy boutiques, distinctive restaurants, famous museums, luxurious hotels, landmark architecture and prestigious educational and medical facilities.

The economic and cultural capital letter of the Midwest, the city of Chicago is a global city offering world-grade tourist attractions and cultural events. Nestled among the skyscrapers and inside blocks of the metropolis's beautiful lakefront, Northward Michigan Avenue is where residents, business people, shoppers and visitors come to feel magnificent.

Key events in the history of Chicago's Magnificent Mile

1867-1869

Chicago'southward Historic Water Belfry and Pumping Station were built past William Boyington at Michigan Avenue (Pine Street at that time) and Chicago Artery. Dominic Pacyga, Chicago historian notes, "Because it was 1 of the but buildings to survive the Slap-up Fire of 1871, the Water Tower has get synonymous with Chicago's momentous rebirth after the fire. Throughout the years, various groups take tried to tear it downward in hopes of introducing a more modern prototype for the city. Because it has endured, the Water Tower has become known equally a symbol of Midwestern strength and resilience, for which Chicago has get synonymous.

1909

The 'Chicago Programme' was devised by local planners to transform Michigan Avenue from an Indian trading mail service into a major commercial boulevard. After widening the street and constructing a bridge, the developers envisioned an Artery similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris which seemingly stretched to infinity. The Lake Michigan shoreline, originally located just a block abroad from what is now Michigan Artery, would undergo a series of landfills amounting to 125 acres to stabilize the shoreline and avert flooding.

1912

The Magnificent Mile Association, formerly the Greater North Michigan Artery Association (GNMAA), and originally the North Fundamental Concern District Association, was founded to plan and promote the development and beautification of Michigan Avenue. Because of its unwavering commitment, The Greater North Michigan Artery Clan has helped transform the boulevard from a simple thoroughfare to a world-class destination.

1913

After much political fence, the idea of the Michigan Avenue Span was born with the hopes of connecting the "onetime" South with the "new" North and creating a gateway to the city's new commercial district. The program involved razing three blocks of buildings south of the river and cutting threescore feet off each cake on the w side of the street to widen the proposed boulevard northward to the H2o Tower.

1920-1929

The opening of the double-decked Michigan Avenue Bridge, now known as the DuSable Span, sparked a building boom within the district. . London has Large Ben, New York has the Empire State Building and Chicago has the Wrigley Edifice. Emblematic of the spirit of Chicago, the Wrigley Building was built with the purpose of drawing shoppers and businesses over the new bridge to the due north side of the Chicago River. The north section of the edifice is equivalent to 21 stories and the s section, which includes a tower and a 2-story clock, totals 30 stories. The architectural shape of the building is patterned later the Seville Cathedral's Giralda Tower in Espana. Architect Charles Beersman specified half dozen shades of tiles for Wrigley's exterior, from off-white tiles at the lesser to bluish-white at the top, then that the brightness of the building would increment as it rises.

One of Michigan Avenue's outset skyscrapers, the Tribune Tower, was commissioned during this time period with due pomp and circumstance. "An architectural contest was held by the owners of the Tribune to create a monument that would commemorate 75 years of achievement and get an inspiration to further building," recounts Chicago historian Ellen Skerrett. John Meade Howells and Raymond Hood won the international contest with their Gothic tower construction modeled after the Tour de Beurre in Rouen, France. Embedded in the façade of the building are stones from famous sites around the globe including the Great Wall of People's republic of china, the Taj Mahal and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The stones were all gifts to the Tribune's publisher, Colonel Robert McCormick.

Additional buildings constructed during this fourth dimension period include The Allerton Hotel Magnificent Mile Chicago at 701 N. Michigan Avenue, InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile at 505 N. Michigan Artery and the famous Drake Hotel located at 140 E. Walton Place. Other well-known buildings include the Woman's Athletic Club at 626 N. Michigan Avenue and the beautiful Fourth Presbyterian Church at 190 Eastward. Delaware Place.

1929

The Neat Stock Market Crash concluded the boggling expansion of Michigan Artery. The Low hitting Chicago difficult, bringing hopes and dreams of a great Avenue to a halt.

1947

As a leader of The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, Chicago real estate developer Arthur Rubloff launched an all-encompassing promotional plan to revitalize the district. Rubloff's plan involved the renovation of existing buildings complemented by a series of new development. Rubloff coined the phrase "The Magnificent Mile" as the thoroughfare began to transform itself into a world-renowned center of retail, dining and civilization.

1959

Small Italian twinkle lights starting time appear in the elm copse in front of Saks 5th Avenue equally role of their holiday display. It is the first fourth dimension the warm amber glow of these lights are seen in the United states. An iconic holiday image is built-in.

1970

The John Hancock Center opened on Michigan Artery and at 100 stories was the tallest building in the world. The John Hancock Common Life Insurance Company invested $100 million to construct this multi-use building, which contains residential units congenital on tiptop of commercial space.

1975

The structure of Water Belfry Place, led by Phillip Yard. Klutznick, represented a revolutionary shift in architecture along the Avenue. As the country's first urban vertical mall, Water Tower Place introduced a multi-purpose utilize of space containing retail, dining, entertainment, hotel and residential units, a trend at present highly popular within the district. In an attempt to avoid a coulee-similar upshot, this monumental structure was built with graduated setbacks that allow calorie-free to peek over the edifice tops and preserve the flowers and trees on the Avenue.

1988-2001

This 13-year bridge marked the commencement of a second cracking edifice boom on Michigan Avenue with the completion of the 900 Northward. Michigan Avenue building, Chicago Place, Crate & Butt, 676 N. Michigan Avenue building and the 600 North. Michigan Avenue building. Supporting properties on the Artery were extensively renovated and upgraded to run across the design demands of modern urban environments.

1992

The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is born as a pocket-sized motorcade.

1997

Vision 2012, a plan providing policies to guide new evolution and evolution for the future success of Michigan Artery, was created. Vision 2012 was the culmination of two years of community consensus building on the time to come of Michigan Avenue and its environs. The Greater North Michigan Artery Clan and corporate citizens worked together to ensure that The Magnificent Mile retained its grapheme as a cute, vibrant, architecturally-pregnant, economically-thriving and diverse community through the year 2012 and across. Initiated past The Greater Northward Michigan Avenue Association's Planning, Preservation and Urban Pattern Committee (PPUD), chaired past Jacqueline Hayes, president of Jacqueline C. Hayes and Associates, the project was chaired by Ralph Weber, vice president of planning for Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

2000

The construction of The North Bridge District, a 9-block, mixed-apply amusement evolution, followed on the heels of the second great building nail. . The Northward Span District includes a 4-level upscale shopping center featuring Nordstrom and other pinnacle retail shops.

2001

The Greater Northward Michigan Avenue Association secured incontestable trademark registrations for THE MAGNIFICENT MILE®.

2009

Trump International Hotel & Tower is completed. It is the 2d tallest building in Chicago at 1,389 feet (423m).

2014

The association officially changes its name to The Magnificent Mile Association to reflect the force of the brand identification it has earned over the years.

TODAY

The district is enjoying the benefits of pregnant reinvestment from belongings owners including The Wrigley Building, London House, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Nike, Burberry, and many others. New tenants on The Avenue go on the temper lively and fresh, Successful marketing campaigns and consequence initiatives, such every bit The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® provide infrequent experiences for millions of consumers annually.

Transformed over the course of its history into ane of the globe's premier shopping districts, Chicago's Magnificent Mile is internationally recognized as a world-renowned destination.

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Source: https://www.themagnificentmile.com/neighborhood/history/