Everything about Magnificent Mile totally explained
The
Magnificent Mile is the portion of
Michigan Avenue in
Chicago,
Illinois extending from the
Chicago River to
Oak Street in
Near North Side community area. Located one block east of
Rush Street, which is known for its
nightlife, the Magnificent Mile serves as the main thoroughfare between Chicago's
Loop business district and its
Gold Coast.
Real estate developer Arthur Rubloff of
Rubloff Company gave the nickname to one of the city's most prestigious residential and commercial thoroughfares in the 1940s. The convenience of
mass transit including
streetcars and
elevated trains, supported a retail corridor along State Street from
Lake Street to Van Buren Street. The
Rush Street Bridge was the swing bridge for this area. The opening of the Michigan Avenue Bridge in 1920 created a new commercial district.
The Magnificent Mile was actually part of
Daniel Burnham's
Plan of Chicago. Having acquired most of the rights to property along the Magnificent Mile at Depression-level prices, Rubloff and Zeckendorf successfully developed and promoted the area until it became one of the most prestigious addresses of the city. That distinction continues to hold today,
The opening of the 74-story
Water Tower Place in 1975 marked the return of Chicago to retailing prominence. Other hotels such as
Intercontinental,
Westin,
Drake Hotel and Le Meridien Chicago offer convenient luxurious accommodations as well. The seasons each add their own flavor to the Magnificent Mile. Selected hotels are shown below:
The largest banks have branches along the strip including the 3 largest banks in the nation
Bank of America,
Citibank,
JPMorgan Chase's
Chase Bank. Additionally, the largest banks in Chicago are present such as
LaSalle Bank and
Harris Bank, which is technically across the street from the Magnificent Mile.
American Express has a Magnificent Mile address for one of its two Chicago service offices.
Fidelity Investments has an office at the foot of Magnificent Mile.
Historic and landmark presences abound as shown in the table below which lists
Chicago Landmarks,
National Register of Historic Places locations, and
National Historic Landmarks along the Magnificent Mile. At the northern edge of this district on the west one finds the exclusive
One Magnificent Mile building and
Oak Street running to the west. Also, at the northern edge of the district one finds the Chicago Landmark
East Lake Shore Drive District, an extremely expensive and exclusive one-block area of
real estate running east from N. Michigan Ave. and facing directly onto to
Lake Michigan. At the southern edge of the district, the
Michigan Avenue Bridge sits among four majestic 1920s skyscrapers two of which are on the Magnificent Mile (Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building) and two of which are not (
333 North Michigan and
London Guarantee Building).
Four of the 85
tallest buildings in the world are located along the Magnificent Mile. In fact, Four of the 10
Tallest buildings in Chicago, 6 of the top 18, and 8 of the top 50 are located within a few blocks here. These buildings are:
Seasonal events
Each season the ambiance of the Magnificent Mile changes. This change is signalled by the official events:
Median planters were constructed as part of a streetscape improvement project in 1994. In the spring, Tulip Days occurs from mid April until the end of May. Hundreds of thousand of
tulips bloom on The Magnificent Mile. Typically, they bloom between April 16th and May 7th. In 2008, a public art installation of kinetic sculptures designed by international architects will be placed in the garden beds.
During the summer the "Gardens of Magnificent Mile" festival event occurs. It is a self-guided landscape display walking tour. The flora from around the world are identified with horticultural signage in each of the gardens and planters. In 2007 and 2008 fashion dress forms graced the garden beds. The forms were designed by students from the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago and the International Academy of Design and Technology as well as prominent designers located on the Avenue.
The tradition of lighting the trees of the Magnificent Mile to start the holiday season extends for over forty years. Over one million lights are lit and fireworks follow the event. During the event
Mickey Mouse rides a float down The Magnificent Mile from
Wacker Drive to
Oak Street, stopping at each block to light the trees. It is considered the first annual Holiday event of the year in the nation.
Winter brings TOAST on The Magnificent Mile featuring weekly fireworks over the
Chicago River.
Malls
Intersections
| Cross Street Image |
Address |
Intersection Type |
Commerce |
|
1000 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S) Street,
Pedestrian (N,E) Underpass,
Vehicular |
Lighted Intersection (Two-way) |
NW: Harris Bank
NE: Chicago Park District
SW: One Magnificent Mile
SE: Chanel at the Drake Hotel
|
|
932 North |
|
|
NW: LaSalle Bank
NE: Drake Hotel
SW: Gucci at 900 North Michigan
SE: Louis Vuitton
|
|
900 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular southbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Max Mara at 900 North Michigan
NE: Fratelli Rossetti at Westin Hotel
SW: Fourth Presbeterian Church
SE: The North Face at John Hancock Center
|
|
860 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular northbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Westbound) |
NW: Fourth Presbeterian Church
NE: Paul Stuart at John Hancock Center
SW: Water Tower Place
SE: Plaza Escada
|
|
830 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular southbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Borders Books
NE: Macy's at Water Tower Place
SW: Chicago Water Tower
SE: Chicago Avenue Pumping Station
|
|
800 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular northbound and westbound turning lanes
|
Lighted Intersection (Two-Way) |
NW: Chicago Water Tower
NE: Chicago Avenue Pumping Station
SW: Polo Ralph Lauren
SE: Walgreen's
|
|
732 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular southbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Tiffany & Co.
NE: Neiman-Marcus
SW: Chicago Place (Saks Fifth Avenue for women)
SE: Saks Fifth Avenue for men
|
|
700 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular northbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Westbound) |
NW: Talbot @ Chicago Place
NE: Nine West @ Allerton Hotel
SW: Express
SE: Apple Computer
|
|
658 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular southbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Hanig's Footware
NE: Garmin
SW: Crate & Barrel
SE: Ferragamo
|
|
628 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular northbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Westbound) |
NW: Cartier
NE: Burberry
SW: Ann Taylor
SE: Coach
|
|
600 North |
Pedestrian (E,W,S,N) Street
Vehicular southbound turning lane
|
Lighted Intersection (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Eddie Bauer
NE: 605 N. Michigan (Guess also:American Express, Chase Bank)
SW: Virgin Records
SE: Gap
|
|
530 North |
Pedestrian (N) Street, (E,W) Sidewalk |
Lighted Intersection / Vehicular Underpass (One-Way Westbound) |
NW: Kenneth Cole
NE: Westfield North Bridge
SW: Atlas Galleries
SE: Intercontinental Hotel
|
|
500 North |
Pedestrian (N,E) Street, (W) Sidewalk |
Lighted Intersection (Eastbound sidestreet) / Vehicular Underpass (One-Way Eastbound) |
NW: Bank of America @ 500 N. Michigan Avenue
NE: Intercontinental Hotel
SW: 444 N. Michigan Avenue
SE: McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum
|
|
430 North |
Pedestrian (N,S) Street, (E,W) Sidewalk |
Lighted Intersection / Vehicular Underpass |
W: Walgreens @ 430 N. Michigan Avenue (Realtor Building)
E: Tribune Tower
|
|
410 North (upper)/400 North (lower) |
Pedestrian (N) Street, (E,W) Sidewalk |
Double Jughandle U-Turn lanes |
NW: Wrigley Building
NE: DuSable Homesite @ 401 N. Michigan Avenue
SW: Michigan Aveneue Bridge
SE: Michigan Aveneue Bridge
|
|
|
|
|
NW:
NE:
SW:
SE:
|
Gallery
Image:20070513 401 North Michigan Plaques.JPG
Image:20070513 DuSable Homesite NHL plaque.JPG
Image:20070513 Fourth Presbyterian Church Plaque.JPG
Image:20070513 Kinzie Mansion Plaque.JPG
Image:20070513 Marquette Plaque.JPG
Image:20070513 McGraw-Hill Building Plaque.JPG
Image:20070513 Tribune Tower.JPG
Image:20070509 South Side of Tribune Tower.JPG
Image:20070509 Eddie Bauer - Loews.JPG
Image:20070509 Ann Taylor.JPG
Image:20070509 WGN Studio.JPG
Image:20070509 Vehicular Underpass.JPG
Image:20070509 Tulip Days - Virgin Records - Eddie Bauer.JPG
Image:20070509 Tribune Tower Wall.JPG
Image:20070509 Stairwell to underpass level.JPG
Image:20070509 Salvatore Ferragamo.JPG
Image:20070509 Polo Ralph Lauren.JPG
Image:20070509 Neiman Marcus - Saks.JPG
Image:20070509 Moose - Chicago Tribune.JPG
Image:20070509 McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum.JPG
Image:20070509 Intercontinental.JPG
Image:20070509 Gap.JPG
Image:20070509 Coach.JPG
Image:20070509 Citibank.JPG
Image:20070509 Cartier - Van Cleef & Arpels.JPG
Image:20070509 Chase (605).JPG
Image:20070509 Burberry.JPG
Image:20070509 Brooks Brothers.JPG
Image:20060819 Moose (W-02-03) (1).JPG
Image:20070513 Water Tower Water Landmark Plaque.JPG|Chicago Water Tower plaque
Image:20070513 Water Tower Historical Society Plaque.JPG|Chicago Water Tower plaque
Image:20070513 Site of Fort Dearborn Landmark Plaque.JPG|Site of Fort Dearborn
Image:20070513 Michigan Avenue Bridge Landmark Plaque.JPG|Michigan Avenue Bridge landmark plaque
Image:20070513 Fort Dearborn Sidewalk Marker.JPG|Fort Dearborn sidewalk marker
Image:20070513 Dewitt Clinton Cregier Plaque.JPG|DeWitt Clinton Cregier plaque at Chicago Water Tower
Image:20070509 Niketown.JPG|Niketown
Image:20070509 Jack Brickhouse.JPG|Jack Brickhouse
Image:20070509 401 North Michigan.JPG|401 N. Michigan Avenue
Image:20070513 Upper Magnificent Mile.JPG|Magnificent Mile
Image:20070513 Magnificent Mile POVers.JPG|Magnificent Mile POV pushers
Image:20070513 Hancock Center Lower Concourse.JPG|John Hancock Center
Image:20070513 Hancock Center Logo.JPG|John Hancock Center
Image:20070513 Drake Hotel Entrance.JPG|Drake Hotel (Chicago)
Image:20070513 Allerton Hotel and Michigan Ave.JPG|Allerton Hotel
Image:20070513 Allerton Hotel Entrance.JPG|Allerton Hotel
Image:20070513 Allerton Hotel.JPG|Allerton Hotel
Further Information
Get more info on 'Magnificent Mile'.
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