State Street That Great Street

What makes a street great?

If you don’t like Lake Michigan, well, pick another Great Lake.

Just ask local news-gathering organizations.

“People like to eat. Why can’t you buy food right off the street like you can in New York?”

Thinking broadly about such a renewed commitment to food vendors, one can imagine that this would also present a new opportunity for minority- and women-owned businesses to participate in this heavily trafficked area. If there are concerns about space, I’ll suggest taking out a few of those Faux Lloyd Wright-inspired planters. It strikes me that offering visitors to State Street a year round Taste of Chicago right there on the street is a fabulous way to showcase the city’s diverse foodways.

While it is difficult to plan for increased serendipity along any major street, it is possible to give a helping hand to encourage such wonderful encounters. These and other ideas could be part of this way forward.