Chicago Loop Alliance
With seven MRI counters along State Street and multiple count-lines monitored, the Chicago Loop Alliance has the highest concentration of MRI visitor count lines in one location.
Our approach
Formed in 1997, the Chicago Loop Alliance is a full-service Business Improvement District (BID) special service area in Chicago, and the team has over 80 years of experience working with property owners, retailers and contractors.
The Chicago Loop Alliance uses the data MRI provides to build business relationships and better understand the performance of merchants and pedestrians in the district.
The key areas of focus for Chicago are:
- Enhanced services such as the ‘clean, safe and beautiful’ initiatives
- Advocacy for the district
- Planning and research
- Placemaking and economic development
The Chicago Loop Alliance has been collecting data with MRI since 2016 for pedestrian and vehicle traffic along the mile-long State Street. The counters overlook eighteen block faces along both sides of the street, covering nine blocks. Both vehicles and pedestrians are monitored from all possible directions entering and leaving State Street.
We chose MRI Software over other suppliers because of the advanced technology, counting accuracy, and the team understood what we were trying to accomplish.
Michael Edwards, President & CEO,
Chicago Loop Alliance
Safe services are deployed quickly and efficiently with the live data shown in the MRI OnLocation Analyser, meaning the impact of road repairs and disruptions on pedestrians is minimized. The data also indicates whether an area is safe, as trends have shown that a sharp reduction in pedestrian counts indicates if an area isn’t as safe.
MRI reports are sent out weekly and monthly and distributed to over 70 property owners and investors. The reporting covers pedestrian counts on the street and those through the door, allowing merchants to plot their capture and conversion rates to analyse their performance over time.
The value of MRI continues to get richer the longer you’re with [them]. The first year of data is how it’s working on the street, but second-year data you can see at the time how it’s working YoY.
Michael Edwards, President & CEO,
Chicago Loop Alliance
MRI Software understood the counting complexity and detailed reporting that the Chicago Loop Alliance required, and presented a flexible, robust and cost-effective solution. The MRI team has worked closely with the Chicago Loop Alliance to refine reporting and maintain a great relationship with its account manager.
MRI’s counting and reporting, and customer service is fantastic. But we find it becomes richer every year as we are able to compare 2021 with a pandemic year, and also with 2019; new stores open, new restaurants open, new hotels open, and we can see progress.
President & CEO, Chicago Loop Alliance
