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🏘 Chicago's Downtown Resurgence

🏘 Chicago's Downtown Resurgence

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Landon Campbell
April 29, 2024

56th Edition

📍 This Week’s Lineup:

🏘 Chicago's Downtown Resurgence

📊 Chart of the Week

📆 Events Around the City

🔙 Previous Editions of the Driver’s Seat

This is Chicago’s renaissance period. Across the board.
— Landon (@landon20s)
12:28 AM • Apr 26, 2024

🏘 Chicago's Downtown Resurgence

While cities around the globe are working to regain their pre-pandemic spirit, Chicago is surging ahead.

Let’s examine a few data points that illustrate this:

Activity is Booming

Chicago has witnessed a 35.5% increase in downtown visitor activity, signaling a strong post-pandemic recovery that outpaces many other large US cities.

Chicago’s Walkability

Chicago’s walkability has a lot to do with the increase in downtown activity. The city was recently ranked as the most walkable city in the US, represented by the 1.2-mile average distance covering most of our city’s main attractions.

RTO Boost

Chicago’s office occupancy, the highest in the Midwest with a 60% peak rate in 2023 and an 8.2% increase in visits last March, is boosting downtown activity and ranks third among major US metros.

📊 Chart of the Week

Silicon Valley is seeing an exodus of tech talent, as professionals seek opportunities beyond the Bay Area. Meanwhile, Chicago and other major hubs between the coasts are capitalizing on this trend, emerging as a compelling destinations.

Outranking other cities, Chicago is fourth on the list for growth in tech employment among VC-backed startups, showing over 15% more tech employees since 2019.

And when it comes to headcount at big tech companies, Chicago has seen a 34% positive change since 2019.