“The Riverwalk has shown that people aren’t going to fall in, and that we want to have that connection to the water,” said Jen Masengarb, executive director of the American Institute of Architects Chicago, noting that in earlier phases of river development, protective fences were the norm.īut now that centerpiece is mostly done, and the riverfront beautification is expanding up the North Branch and down the South. Things were so bad for so long that the city’s official design guidelines for the river begin by noting its history of being “neglected and abused.” It’s a stark contrast to previous decades of riverfront development, which put cold seawalls and sterile parking lots up against the waterway. The mostly unfenced waterside pathway has become an instant icon, a place to grab a drink with friends or just stroll for blocks without traffic.
The Riverwalk downtown, of course, is the shining example.