Mayor Brandon Johnson touts increasing visitors, dropping crime on Magnificent Mile

Chicago city leaders are celebrating an increasing number of visitors and lower crime numbers on the Magnificent Mile, the city's most prominent shopping district.

While Mayor Brandon Johnson hasn't announced if he will run for re-election next year, he's boasting about lower vacancy rates for Mag Mile buildings and taking credit for the positive changes.

"There is no mayor in modern history that has overseen our city at a time in which economic development is going up and crime is going down, and I'm very proud of that work," Johnson said. "This is just one example of how the resurgence of our city is really taking shape." 

The Magnificent Mile is not the area of Chicago Johnson prioritized during his original mayoral campaign or his early days as mayor, so CBS News Chicago asked him how he's balanced a repeated focus on the city's neighborhoods, especially the South and West sides, with the bottom line need for a thriving downtown area. 

If you measure success by foot traffic, Chicago's Mag Mile is back, but we've measured the post-pandemic return by vacant store fronts, and Johnson said they're doing much better in recent years.

"I want to highlight how the revival or the resurgence of the Magnificent Mile, the Loop, and our downtown corridors are responding to the investments that we're making," he said. "And I want to make sure that the people of Chicago know that the investments that we're making, and being hard at work, we're seeing the benefit."

At one point, CBS News Chicago tracked nearly 30% vacancy rate on the mile as recently as 2023. That vacancy rate has dropped to just under 17%, according to the commercial real estate group CoStar. 

Crime, including retail crime once plaguing the area, is down as well.

"We have been working. This isn't an overnight sensation, an overnight success," said Kimberly Bares, president of The Magnificent Mile Association. "We're so proud of the progress that we've made. We're not done yet, there's still work to do, but the number of leases we've signed, the positive momentum, the number of people that are out on Michigan Avenue, it's such a great story."

The mayor's invitation for CBS News Chicago to tour the Mag Mile with a group of tourism, business, and retail leaders was something new.

Asked if the invitation for a tour of the Mag Mile was a precursor to announcing a re-election campaign, Johnson laughed.

"It's the continuation of my work to build safe and affordable communities and the way we do that is by investing in our neighborhoods," Johnson said. "I want Chicago to come out and participate and get back out. Summertime Chi, there's no place like it."

When pointed out he hadn't answered the question about running for re-election, Johnson laughed again, saying only, "I am grateful to have had this opportunity to serve as mayor," but would not say if he plans to run for another term.

During his original mayoral campaign and early days as mayor, Johnson often talked about the need to prioritize neighborhoods over the downtown area, namely the city's South and West sides and the need for resources there. 

Johnson discussed how he's balancing those priorities with improving the Mag Mile.

"Over the course of these 3 ½ years, we've invested over $2.6 billion on the South Side of Chicago. On the West Side of Chicago, we've invested over $2 billion. In our downtown corridors, we've invested $1.8 billion. So, we're certainly balancing the investments across the city, because we are only as strong as our most challenging neighborhood," he said.

Hotel revenue for the city is up in June, with demand up and overall occupancy at 89% in Chicago. 

The Loop also has seen a boost in the first half of the year. The Chicago Loop Alliance has tracked more than 3 million visitors and event attendees, a crowd generating $880 million in economic impact, according to them, up 35% from this time last year. 

"While the Loop's foundation as a central business district continues to thrive, we are heartened by the neighborhood's progress transitioning to a fully activated, multi-use district – filled with vibrant arts and culture, bustling retail activity, and engaged residents," said Dr. Suzet McKinney, President & CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance. "The previous quarter's data reveals that Chicagoans and visitors alike are exploring the Loop in a variety of ways, cementing our city as a world-class destination for unique experiences and innovative opportunities that champion us as a district to model successful downtowns."

And, again, overall, crime is down. In the Chicago Police Department's 18th District, which encompasses the Mag Mile, there has been a slight decrease in theft; and batteries, burglaries and robberies are all down too.

But it's not just police. The Cook County Sheriff's office moved units to the area in 2023. So far this year, they've made 27 arrests; both felony and misdemeanor cases. Those teams recovered just under $17,000 this year. 

"They're also doing a wonderful job with the CTA, and we know that there are things that we certainly don't control, but impact how people experience Chicago," Bares said.

Johnson discussed the impact additional law enforcement cooperation has had on the Mag Mile.

"It's the full force of government. It's policing and investing in our young people. I talk an awful lot about ensuring that we're hiring more young people. Over the past couple of summers, I've hired more young people than any other administration, and then businesses are responding to that. The number of young people working in these businesses along the Magnificent Mile, it's a testament to how corporations and government can partner together," he said.