Fulton Market in the West Loop is host to a slew of new developments from the new McDonald’s headquarters to numerous office towers. So many new buildings means the neighborhood is well on its way from a meatpacking district to high-density commercial and residential hotspot.

With the growing popularity of the area in mind, developer Related Midwest is working on a plan to convert some of Randolph Street’s inner lanes into open space for people, according to the Chicago Tribune. Randolph Street, the main thoroughfare of Fulton Market, was designed for horse drawn-deliveries in the 1800s, and today its inner lanes are still used as service drives for cars, according to the report.

Rendering courtesy of  Related Midwest

Related Midwest, the developer behind several proposed high-rises in the neighborhood, hopes to close off portions of those inner lanes and create walkways, bike lanes, and outdoor cafes, according to the report. The developer is working with community organizations, like the West Loop Community Organization, on the project.

The project would create more greenspace in an increasingly dense and development-heavy neighborhood and improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, but there are some concerns. The boulevard defines much of neighborhood’s character, and the street redesign could mean big changes in the way Randolph Street looks. Cutting off parts of the inner lanes to cars also raises traffic concerns, according to the report.

Related Midwest hopes to make a pedestrian-friendly change to Randolph Street a part of its proposal for a 58-story hotel and apartment tower at 725 W. Randolph St., according to the report. This change would affect Haymarket Pub & Brewery.

While Related Midwest is working on its footprint in Fulton Market, other new developments include a new trendy food hall and a multi-screen movie theater. Developer Sterling Bay is also bringing two office towers to the neighborhood, one at 333 N. Green St. and one at 330 N. Green St. 

It’s no surprise that this many developments in the neighborhood are causing property values to rise. The owner of the building at 1100-1114 W. Randolph St. is capitalizing on the boom and putting the vacant property up for sale instead of leasing it, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. 

Located across the street from McDonald’s new headquarters, the building might look familiar. It was used on a season of the MTV reality show “The Real World.” While selling the property could be quite profitable, it may be a challenge because of the surplus of other available retail space in Fulton Market, according to the report.