Evaluating Options for Navy Pier

The Midwest’s top leisure destination, Navy Pier attracts roughly 8 million visitors each year.  Since it was first developed in 1995, it has become one of the iconic images of Chicago’s lakefront.  Yet by 2007 when the Mayor’s Office reached out to Civic Consulting Alliance and asked us to generate new options to revitalize it, the Pier was struggling to accommodate the summer crowds, slow winters, and overall need for a refreshed experience for visitors.

Together Civic Consulting and A.T. Kearney looked at sites around the world to identify innovative approaches and concepts; conducted more than 100 interviews and focus groups; and analyzed more than 200 ideas and use scenarios.

Very quickly, it became clear that two big ideas could transform the Pier experience and nearly double the available space for attractions:  moving the parking (37% of the Pier’s usable square footage) off the Pier to an underground facility and shrinking the exhibition space. We saw that making these few but substantial changes would then open the door to unlimited possibilities for the Pier that would provide families more reasons to visit, especially during the day, and adults without children to visit during later hours. 

Specifically, we recommended upgraded family dining; more year-round arts and cultural destinations; a cultural nightlife district on the North Dock, featuring Chicago cultural traditions such as improv comedy and blues; “Chicago’s best” retail; year-round, indoor/outdoor amusement rides; destination attractions that would draw people to the Pier’s east end; and better basic amenities.  We also looked at options to improve public access to the Pier via new transit, biking, and walking improvements, as well as along the length of the Pier.