Lakefront vs. Riverfront: Do we now have two blockbuster waterfronts? (Chicago: hotel, neighborhoods)

[edsg25]

Once Chicago was famed for one waterfront. And what a waterfront, obviously along Lake Michigan, it was and still is. A crown jewel.

But in the last twenty years or so, the ugly duckling and working waterway that is the Chicago River has been emerged, sprucing up and becoming more and more inviting. Already reaching critical mass, it now in the process of expanding outward from the central core into neighborhoods on both the North and South Sides.

So the question I ask here is this:

With the river's emergence and development, do you now see Chicago as having two magnificent, magnetically attractive waterfronts or do you only see the lakefront as worthy of that describtion?

In the survey I'm including, I'll ask a different but related question.

[chet everett]

Superlatives aside there are very different kinds of activities and development opportunities along the river than the lakefront. The lakefront is protected by regulations that are mostly designed to ensure that everyone has access to it shore / litoral zone. The broader issues, such as the near unbroken ribbon of parkland that runs along Chicago's border with Lake Michigan is a unique plus for the city, though due to climate the value of it is constrained.

Chicago's riverfront around the Loop has never been as nasty / neglected as waterways in other cities with an industrial heritage. That can be traced back to the awareness of the value of keeping the sewage from flowing into Lake Michigan...

Going back to the 70s when shows like the Bob Newhart Show was able to capture the scenic potential of the river developers have been fairly active in angling buildings to both give tenants nice views as well as leveraging the relative "clear space" created by the river to give visual prominence to the river-faced sides the buildings.

The more recent efforts to create a more walkable promenade along the river got a boost when the E-W portion of Wacker Drive was rebuilt and when the Water Reclamation District added features to their site in Streeterville. The limitations of climate and private property owners having reservations about open access to their sites are always going to mean that the potential is different than if the area was completely under publc ownership...

[Vlajos]

I love what is happening on the river, but the Lake still wins this.

[OyCrumbler]

The riverfronts have a long way to go before they really challenge the lakefront. The riverfront will probably lean far more heavily on their integration with the surrounding neighborhoods and will ultimately be a very different kind of attraction.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

The riverfronts have a long way to go before they really challenge the lakefront. The riverfront will probably lean far more heavily on their integration with the surrounding neighborhoods and will ultimately be a very different kind of attraction.

I agree. The river walk downtown has been a huge success. It will be great to build on that.

[ChiGuy2.5]

It's hard to beat the lakefront in any location. Nobody would prefer a somewhat smelly river over the beautiful blue waters that exist in the lakefront. Especially when that particular lake is the size of a small ocean and one of the most famous lakes in the world.

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I agree. The river walk downtown has been a huge success. It will be great to build on that.

I don't know if it is a HUGE success. If it was a huge success Trump tower wouldn't have all that retail space just sitting vacant. (Pun intended)

[Alacran]

I think Chicago could in the future have a river sub culture born. Shops and restaurants that extend throughout the river up to the north where the trails already exist.

Imagine a river full of water taxis going up and down. Bustling.

[Chicago60614]

The lake is the big focal point, but at the moment all the energy and focus is on the river which is great.

I moved here 16 years ago and the river was an afterthought. Now you have all the water taxis, kayakers all day long, the amazing riverwalk going all the way to the lake, the new park in Chinatown, more and more river cruises and tour boats.

Now with the new riverfront trail to extend from Montrose down to Belmont, along with a new section around Diversey and all the activity going on from Webster down to North ave, the Tribune sparking a lot of interest in the sections around Chicago ave down to Grand and the sections by the old main post office and Riverline directly to the south....there's a ton of activity.

Wait 10 years if all that gets built and you're going to have major pieces in place to have a solid river trail full of parks, activities and energy from Montrose all the way through downtown.

I think there would be major momentum to start piecing all those sections together.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ChiGuy2.5

It's hard to beat the lakefront in any location. Nobody would prefer a somewhat smelly river over the beautiful blue waters that exist in the lakefront. Especially when that particular lake is the size of a small ocean and one of the most famous lakes in the world.



I don't know if it is a HUGE success. If it was a huge success Trump tower wouldn't have all that retail space just sitting vacant. (Pun intended)

Trump Tower is not on the River Walk. And it's Trump so it sucks.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Trump Tower is not on the River Walk. And it's Trump so it sucks.

Oh come on now ..... despite Trumps row in building it and his company operating the hotel portion. It IS A ICONIC Big building of Chicago. It has a location that has view od the building in all angles. Still stunning especially in the skyline.

This view is one of my favorites. It might still be impressive without the Trump building in center ....
But it is Spectacular with it.