>>> CITY OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN.

OUR PRODUCERS SPEND TIME DOWNTOWN TO ASK ABOUT POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.

OUR PRODUCER AMANDA JOINS US FROM OUTSIDE THE WATER TOWER.

AMANDA?

>> Reporter: YES, BRANDIS.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS SET OUT ON ITS VISION PLAN FOR 2023 TWO PREPARE IT'S DOWNTOWN FOR THE 21st CENTURY.

DECADES AFTER THE PLAN FOR THAT WAS RELEASED, CHICAGO IS REVISITING IT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CURRENT CHICAGOANS.

THE CENTRAL AREA PLAN WAS A VISION FOR HOW TO DEVELOP DOWNTOWN TRANSIT AND GREEN SPACES AND TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

AMONG THE PLANS WRITTEN IN BLACK AND WHITE, THIS IS NO LITTLE PLAN.

THIS IS A PLAN FOR AN URBAN GREAT.

TWO DECADES OF PAST, AND NOW THE CITY WANTS TO REVISIT THE DESIGN.

KIANA IS A MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WITH CHICAGO ROAD ALLIANCE.

SHE SAYS THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO MORE INPUT.

>> THE WAY LITTLE OTHER PEOPLE ARE USING THESE AREAS IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE CITY, THE '03 PLAN WAS THE FIRST SINCE THE LATE 1960s.

IT AIMS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ALL OF DOWNTOWN CHICAGO, FROM ADDING TRANSIT STOPS TO CREATING MORE PARKS.

SOME OF THE VISIONS CAME TO BE, LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PART ON NORTHERLY ISLAND.

AFTER BEING USED AS THE SITE OF CHICAGO'S SECOND WORLD FAIR, THEN AN AIRPORT, THE MAYOR ORDERED THE AIRPORT TO BE DESTROYED UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

OTHER GREEN SPACE ASPIRATIONS STILL HAVEN'T COME TO FRUITION, SUCH AS THE CHICAGO RIVER, WHICH HAS GONE THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.

THE CREATION OF THE THEATER DISTRICT IS A MAJOR BENEFIT THAT CAME OUT OF THE LAST CENTRAL AREA PLAN.

>> THE THEATER DISTRICT IS A HUGE ASSET TO CHICAGO .

WITH THIS ASSET IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, WE HAVE OVER 30,000 PEOPLE WHO CAN FILL THOSE THEATERS THAT HAVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OVER $2 BILLION.

>> Reporter: BUT WHAT PLAN DRAFTERS WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT IN 2003 WAS DOWNTOWN AND THE GROWING RESIDENTIAL AREA.

>> IT IS BECOMING A BOOMING RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FASTEST-GROWING DOWNTOWN IN THE UNITED STATES.

DESPITE THE FEARS THAT PEOPLE WERE SIDING DURING THE PANDEMIC, THINGS GREW BY 10%.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS THAT ACCESS NEEDS TO BE INCREASED TO GROCERY STORES.

ALSO, TRANSIT RELIABILITY AND SAFETY NEEDS TO IMPROVE.

>> WE HAVE SEEN BUSES PLUMMET IN TERMS OF RELIABILITY AND ON-TIME PERFORMANCE OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.

>> Reporter: THE ALLIANCE RECENTLY STARTED PROVIDING FEEDBACK OVER WHAT THE UPDATED CENTRAL PLANS COULD LOOK LIKE.

>> THIS WOULD INCLUDE SAFER WANES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, CONCRETE-PROTECTED LANES , AND INCREASED SPACE FOR CARS ALL ACROSS THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

>> Reporter: ON THURSDAY THE CITY IS HOSTING A WEBINAR FOR RESIDENTS TO LEARN HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.

>> THERE IS SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR CENTRAL AREA IS ACCESSIBLE AND EQUITABLE FOR ALL CHICAGOANS.

>> Reporter: NOW FOR MORE ON THE CENTRAL AREA PLAN AND THE FUTURE, I SPOKE WITH THE CITY DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

HE SAYS THE PLAN IS TO MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE EQUITABLE.

LATELY YOU HAVE HAD CITY LEADERS FOCUSING ON CHICAGO'S NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY NEGLECTED.

YOU CAN'T SAY THAT DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN IN THE SHADOWS.

SO I ASKED HER, WHY IS THE FOCUS ON WHAT HAS BEEN OUTLINED AS CHICAGO CENTRAL AREA?

>> MY COMMISSIONER MAURICE COX, HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT DOWNTOWN AS THE HEART OF THE CITY.

I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.

WE REALLY NEED A GROWING DOWNTOWN, SO THAT IS WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY AS A WHOLE FUNCTIONS WELL.

WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WELCOMING AND INVITING TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.

>> WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF A FUTURE?

REMOTE WORK IS HERE TO STAY.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT REALITY.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT REMOTE WORK ON THE IMPACTS THAT IT HAS HAD ON DOWNTOWN, AND VACANT RETAIL SPACE AS WELL.

WE ARE LOOKING TO ACTIVATE THOSE USES AND MAKE IT A MORE LIVELY NEIGHBORHOOD JUST LIKE WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY AND IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.

THAT IS BRINGING IN NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS AS WELL, SHOWING THOSE UP, CREATING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND HELPING TO FINANCE THINGS.

>> WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?

WE THINK ABOUT A CHANGING WORLD, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES PEOPLE SHOPPING ONLINE VERSUS DOWN THE MAG MILE.

>> THAT'S TRUE, ALTHOUGH I THINK WE FOCUS ON GROWING SECTORS LIKE THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, DESTINATIONS, ENTERTAINMENT AREAS AND ALSO TOURISM AS A GROWING INDUSTRY AS WELL.

IF WE CAN GET BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS WHICH WE ARE ON TRACK TO DO, THAT WILL HELP TO GROW DOWNTOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

>> WHEN YOU SAY PANDEMIC NUMBERS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT VISITORS OR TOURISTS?

>> I THINK VISITORS AND TOURISTS.

ALSO RESIDENTS WHO WILL COME TO DOWNTOWN AND STAY FOR A THEATER AND DINING EXPERIENCE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE AND THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING RIGHT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN, WHERE YOU CAN LIVE AND WORK IN THE SAME AREA.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE LaSALLE INITIATIVE IN CREATING A PIPELINE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT OPTION TO OUR RESIDENTS.

I KNOW THERE ARE CONCERNS OUT THERE, BUT WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF GROWTH IN TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL POPULATION IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO.

THE FASTEST GROWING DOWNTOWN IN THE COUNTRY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT.

WE HAVE EVEN GROWN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I THINK THERE IS LITTLE BIT OF A MYTH OUT THERE THAT DOWNTOWN IS EMPTY, BUT THE DOWNTOWN POPULATION HAS GROWN BY 4000 PEOPLE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

ALSO, TOURISM IS BACK UP AS WELL.

WE HAVE SEEN HOTEL INDUSTRY HAS ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH LEVELS, PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.

>> SHE SAYS THE GOAL IS TO KEEP UP THAT TRAJECTORY AND MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE VIBRANT, SHE SAYS BY SHORING UP RETAIL ALONG CITY STREETS.

AGAIN, CHICAGO IS LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.

RESIDENTS WHO HAVE IT ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH AUGUST.

THERE IS THE ZOOM MEETING A WEEK FROM TONIGHT, THEN THERE WILL BE MORE WEBINARS AS WELL AS POP-UP EVENTS AND TOWN HALLS.

THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK IN PLACE, LIKE I SAID, BY THE END