“Electric atmosphere” doesn’t do justice to the bustling beauty, joy, and iconic status of this one-of-a-kind Chicago landmark. Navy Pier is one of the top tourist destinations in the entire Midwest, drawing over nine million visitors annually. Chicago natives are just as enthusiastic about visiting “their” 3,300-foot pier that originally opened in 1916 and then was renamed to honor our brave WWI United States Navy Veterans. 2016 brought major renovations to the property that would re-energize the area with fresh landscape features designed to complement a vibe found nowhere else in America.
Challenges
Elite commercial properties like this come with high expectations, which 99 percent of commercial properties don’t have attached. The 2016 “face-lift” raised the expectations further and required an updated creative vibrance. And with each year comes the potential for added amenities (like the mini-golf course in 2024), that can impact landscape maintenance planning.
Plant selection is no easy task, either. Each selection is facing the brutal Chicago cold. Not to mention, how fast the temps can drop in this area due to being on the water, which often whips up the already powerful lakefront winds.
Another landscaping challenge is upkeep. With millions of visitors each year, landscapes can take a beating, especially in the highest-traffic areas. Also, those nine million visitors mean there are eyes constantly on every area of this tourist hot-spot that aims to be perfect—always. Add millions more who see the property’s photos piling up on review and travel websites every hour of every day, and that adds to the pressure facing our landscape team.
Results
Here are a few ways Yellowstone Landscape is overcoming the landscaping challenges.
- Having been chosen as the landscape provider on many high-profile Chicago properties gave us insights into expected elite results.
- Such an iconic property brings out the best in Yellowstone Landscape’s designers.
- Properties in the top one percent of the nation like this help attract the best and brightest landscape designers to our company.
- Biophilic design has become a key part of our initiatives and has helped us blend urban design and natural beauty at Navy Pier.
- Our designers carefully planned out landscape elements for the new mini-golf course through in-depth talks with the client about functionality and guest experience.
- Maintaining numerous resort properties gave us a good foundation for understanding how to craft the landscape beds along the mini-golf course area.
- Special attention is paid to areas known for popular first impressions and those needing more frequent repairs due to higher foot traffic.
- Native plants were chosen based on hardiness and exciting colors complementing the bustling venue.
- Coralbells, coneflowers, and salvia stand out as unique eye-catchers for visitors.
- Mulch levels are increased a bit to help protect plant roots from the frigid winter winds.
- Drought-resistant plants are reducing maintenance needs while keeping up standards set by the property’s 2016 SITES Gold certification for sustainability.
- We rolled out a flexible weed management plan that adjusts to Chicago’s drastic weather changes.
- The heat island effect is monitored using historical temperature data and advanced weather tracking.
- Additional Yellowstone staff are available to assist with clearing extra debris from Navy Pier’s most popular events.
What People Say About Navy Pier
“A wonderful place to take a leisurely stroll. Plenty of benches and scenic spots to take in the charming surroundings.”
“Family fun, scenic walks, and relaxing by the water, Navy Pier delivers a vibrant mix of activities.”
“Enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful scenery, especially at sunset.”
A Windy City Treasure
Believe it or not, many landscape companies would decline the opportunity to bid on such a prestigious property. The reason? As we discussed, the expectations are sky-high and pressure-filled. However, there’s more to it because if a landscaping provider makes a misstep, it’ll quickly become obvious to thousands. Mistakes can’t be brushed under the rug.
Properties of this stature require the landscaping partner to be nearly perfect and extra vigilant year-round. Too much is at stake to have average green spaces reduce the enjoyment of visitors who may have waited years to get a glimpse of this world-class venue. Even one day of wilting flowers at one of the main access points would be a letdown for a place filled with countless Chicago natives with pride for over one hundred years.
Every property type Yellowstone has served has prepared us to produce the best possible landscaping for this iconic landmark. Our experience designing and enhancing luxury properties has played a key role. So has maintaining lawns, shrubs, and trees in varied climates along the regions our 70-plus branches serve. Even our ability to keep numerous stakeholders in HOA communities happy by getting involved with community meetings and gatherings helped prepare us for the colossal challenge of maintaining the unmatched beauty people expect at Navy Pier.
Please contact Yellowstone Landscape if you have high standards for your commercial property and want a provider with high standards to match.
