Mag Mile retail complex getting new entrance, LED ceiling art, and food hall

Shopping centers across the country are looking for ways to reinvent themselves and stay competitive. Work on one such rejuvenation project continues at the north end of Chicago's Magnificent Mile at the 900 North Michigan Shops. In the midst of a major three-year architectural refresh, the seven-story retail complex will soon roll out a number of upgrades including a 184-linear-foot-long, largest-of-its-kind LED canopy.

Slated for the ceilings of the mall’s six-story atrium, the high-tech multimedia installation will be joined by a revamped “entry portal” along Michigan Avenue to replace a dark and somewhat cramped vestibule. Other aesthetic improvements include new greenery, lighting elements, and seating.

900 North Michigan Shops

Perhaps the most notable change to the 465,000-square-foot property is the addition of a new two-story food hall curated by Brendan Sodikoff’s Hogsalt Hospitality—the group behind restaurants such as Au Cheval, Maude’s Liquor Bar, and Green Street Smoked Meats. Sodikoff tells Eater Chicago that his team is looking forward to creating “a completely new concept from the ground up.”

While the current phase of renovations—which includes the new dining complex—are expected to be completed by fall of 2018, the new LED canopy is on track to make its debut ahead of the 2017 holiday shopping season. JMB Realty, owners of the 900 North Michigan Shops, enlisted the services of AvroKO, ESI Design, and OKW Architects for the makeover.

• Au Cheval Owners to Collaborate on a New Michigan Avenue Food Hall [Eater Chicago]
• The 900 North Michigan Avenue Shops rushing to stay relevant in mall-challenged America [Chicago Business Journal]
• Sodikoff working on Mag Mile food hall [Chicago Tribune]
• Reimagine 900 [900 North Michigan Shops]