HELP!!!!!!

Sorry to be a pain, but can anyone tell me how to start a Poll, or is this something a Forumer can't do personally?>

Business Aspect

Hello, we are from NY coming to Chicago for a quick visit this summer. Its the bacis "travel to a new city, see tourist attractions, take pics, go home". But, I wanted to know, how does Chicago stand amongst the "Big 5" of the world? (Being NY, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong) Standing in terms of business/finance, company HQ's etc etc. Are there any business website sthat show how diff. cities stack up? Thanks! (Also, anything in Chicago we SHOULD NOT MISS? We'll be in April 11-14) >

How about indoor park for jogging, walking, biking?

I introduced a thread a ways back about incorporating a water park into a private high rise development. Let me try something a little more municipal here: Chicago has great parks, but we can only use them when the weather is right. In the winter and during nasty fall or spring weather, they are not well used. How about Chicago considering an indoor park...glass domed? While, of course, not being nearly the size of our outdoor parks, it would be big enough to incorporate the following (its main purpose being a pleasurable setting for transport-related exerecise): • continuous paths (with turnoffs) for walking and jogging • another (not connected to the one aboe) continuous paths (again with turnoffs) for biking. the whole park could be landscaped with warm weather folliation (like palms) and it could have lagoons and streams (with bridges) throughout. As noted, it would allow for choices as to where to go with turnoffs within both the walking/jogging portion and the biking portion. If the lagoons could be used for swimming, so much the better. A restaurant could give you the opportunity to eat "outdoors" at any time of the year. The only expense that would differ from a traditonal outdoor park would be the dome (but using domes for recreational purposes is becoming more and more common). I would place this park (of course) inland and ideally somewhere west of the Loop where the Circle Line is going to go to make transportation to it easy and to encourage growth along the Circle Line itself. such a structue would be a tremendous tourist attraction and would help make Chicago winters seem shorter to those Chicagoans who use it. It would take advantage of our current ability to make the indoors feel like the outdoors. Good suggestion...or not??????????????????>

AIA Chicago Releases 2005 Design Excellence Awards

AIA Chicago released their 2005 Design Excellence Awards tonight... I'm happy that the Perspectives Charter School at 19th and Archer was one of the winners in the Institutional category. AIA Chicago Now that is architecture with a capital A, right in the South Loop, with brand new condos in the right background. I'm loving the transformation.>

Good idea?: IHSA boy hoops in Evanston?

I don't know if this is a wacky idea or not, but the next time the IHSA requests bids for the IHSA boys b'ball tournment should Evanston/NU consider putting in a bid? A good argument could be made: 1. Major athletic events benefit the communities that hold them, add to their visibility and prestige. Evanston could turn this into an event that showcases the exciting new environment around its downtown and campus areas. 2. Having the IHSA tournament on campus benefits visibility to a university's b'ball program. Illinois was perfectly happy for the exposure it got from the tournament when it was held in Assembly Hall (not that the Illini are suffering in the hoops department these days). NU has made great strides in its b'ball program (just like it did in the 90's with football) and has become much more successful in revenue sports. Personally i find the turnaround remarkable. What a great showcase to attract the phenomenial metro h.s. talent having the tournament would bring. 3. Although far from the geographic center of the state, Evanston is far closer to most of the people in Illinois than are Peoria or Champaign. Total drive time for 8 tournamen teams would be less to Evanston than either of the other cities. 4. Chicagoland contains the majority of the state's population, but has never hosted this event. It's time. 5. Of all area locations, Evanston is best. It offers more of the type of atmosphere of small city that you have in Champaign than any other site. Chicago is too big and overwhelming for the UC or Pavillion to be considered. Rosemont's suburban sprawl isn't the correct setting. And DeKalb is so far out that there is no real advantage to Chicagoland. To me, this makes sense. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this one?>

Engineering an Empire: Chicago

Chicago's UrbanLab Wins "The City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge" FEBRUARY 12, 2007 -- ChicagoÂ's UrbanLab is the national winner of The History Channel competition that challenged the nationÂ's architects to design their city 100 years from now based on lessons found in the series Engineering an Empire. The winning entry envisioned Chicago as an environmentally holistic urban center replenishing Lake Michigan, the largest concentration of fresh water in the nation. In addition to the $10,000 they received for competing against fellow Chicago architects in November for the right to be a national challenger, the firm is now being presented with an additional $10,000 from The History Channel. National competition juror Daniel Libeskind, winner of the world-renowned competition to design the master plan for Ground Zero in Manhattan, announced the winner following an online challenge that allowed the winners of charrettes held in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago to present their vision before a world wide Internet audience. Web visitors then voted for the architectural team they felt offered the most insightful, visionary urban world of tomorrow. Second place went to New York-based Architecture Research Office, which acknowledged that in the year 2106, global warming would put most of ManhattanÂ's streets underwater. In this projection of our future, New York remained a thriving metropolis as canals became corridors of commerce. In Los Angeles, Eric Owen Moss Architects sought to make use of outmoded freeways as a new environment for smart growth and non-polluting industries. As the next phase of this nationwide competition, engineering students in each city will be challenged to take their winning Â"City of the FutureÂ" and bring it to life through innovative engineering concepts and applications. Student team submissions will be reviewed and judged by a panel of engineering experts including representatives from IBM.>

Just how windy is the Windy City?

Is it bad at times? Often? I've always wondered just how windy it really is out there.>

Which Chicago headline would you most wish to see?

Well, some of you may remember that I started a thread like this long ago. Times have changed, and I thought I'd have a bit of fun and do an updated version. Last time, the winning headline involved the beginning of construction for what was then called the 'Fordham Spire'. Here's a link to that old thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=271623 And now, if you woke up one morning and picked up the paper, which headline would you most wish to read?>

Is Chicago too unipartisan?

Chicago is all Democratic. From the mayor, through the alderman, and through pretty much anything Chicago touches. It oozes Democrat! This is not to be a Republican vs. Democrat kind of thread. But lets face it, 50% of Americans are Republican. Certainly there is some degree of animosity from Republicans both in the suburbs and downstate towards Chicago and its power--and the fact that Democrats are at the helm. This also must not help Chicago in a national sense--meaning that the city may have more difficulty obtaining Federal funds from a national Government currently dominated by the Republican Party, with a staunchly Republican president. Wouldn't Chicago benefit more if it had a greater mix of Republicans among its elected officials? I look at New York City which, although predominantly Democratic, has a Republican Mayor. And even if he's fairly liberal for a Republican, his membership in the Republican Party must certainly afford him connections and benefits that would help his city. In the case of LA, California has a Republican Governor; no big deal, Illinois has also had that. The difference is, Schwartzenegger (I know I butchered the spelling of his name) is also not too conservative, and he certainly has incredibly strong ties to LA, since he was an actor and he made his career there. The same goes for Ronald Reagan, who was also a Republican California Governer. Perhaps Chicago needs some more Republicans in high places? And I'm not talking about Dick Durbin, who cares more about the sprawled-out western suburbs. I'm talking about people to represent the city itself. Has Chicago gone too far to alienate the Republican Party? I'm interested in anyone's thoughts...>

Photo's Chicago ((1))

Pics from my visit to Chicago. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 >

Chicago Auto Show

Even though I am a mass transit lover I attended all but one event during the last 5 years. It's one heck of an automotive showcase that I rarely miss in Feb. every year. ChicagoÂ's Auto Show: The $16 Billion Gorilla Tuesday, January 23, 2007 The murmur generally starts just after Christmas, when the public sees the first glimpses of the Chairman of the Chicago Auto Show on TV, pitching for the wildly successful First Look for Charity. Then, gradually and steadily, the tempo builds for six weeks leading up to the opening of the nationÂ's biggest auto show, this year in its 99th edition in the Windy City. Over each day of its 10-day run, the turnstiles at McCormick Place will process tens of thousands of Midwesterners, all eager to escape the battleship gray mentality of February and to entertain the thought of replacing the current rolling residents of their garages. But why all the hoopla? Why is it that virtually every television station in the market will have its reporters camped out from early morning to late at night? Why will the newspapers print multiple special sections that feature virtually every aspect of what goes on at the show? Why are the displays inside punctuated with radio stations doing remote broadcasts to promote the show and their programming? The answer is simple and youÂ've heard it before: Follow the money. So sure, you can say that with as many people who attend the media preview, the show, and the 1.3 million sq. ft. of display space bedecked with the most astounding displays anywhere in the world, the impact must be huge. And truly, it is. But where is the real impact? ItÂ's certainly not important to the automotive industry how well McCormick Place does or how well-stuffed are the 69,000 hotel rooms that surround it. ItÂ's not a stretch to think that the Â"Dieters, Ricks, Bills, JimsÂ" and their counterparts really donÂ't give a rip about the travel and convention industry. They seem to be as more focused on selling product—and that is the genius and effect of what goes on during these upcoming 10 days on the shores of Lake Michigan. The economic impact those CEOs and their stockholders care about lasts throughout the year. The post-show surge in sales at dealerships across the huge and influential Chicago market is palpable and annually account for more than $16 billion in new-car sales. Think about that number for a moment, would you? $16 billion, put another way, is 16 thousand million dollars. Add to that staggering number the revenues of used vehicles, parts and service and the total swells to nearly $26 billion. Comprehending numbers like that is tough, but it demonstrates the enormity of what might on the surface appear to be just an Â"annual event.Â" The Chicago Auto Show is considered by the industry as the show where all the balloons, confetti and hoo-rah meet the cold reality of a neutral playing field and a sea of consumers who arenÂ't tied to the industry in any way other than which dealership they choose to enter and spend their hard-earned dollars. When the industry blips the consumersÂ' radar screens you can measure the true economic impact of a show. A $16 billion blip is not a blip. ItÂ's big. ItÂ's why 15 manufacturers build the biggest auto show displays they build anywhere in the world right here in Chicago. Simply put, it makes the Chicago Auto Show the place for automotive consumers. Now that is economic impact.>

Indy-Chicago unconnected?

So I have kind of noticed that Chicago feels very connected to cities like Milwaukee, Madison, St. Louis but for some reason Indianapolis does not feel as connected to Chicago as those other cities. I mean I don't know how it feels on the other side in Indianapolis, but for some reason you hear so much more from St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Madison than you do from Indy, which is the second largest city from the cities that I have mentioned after Chicago. Now with the SuperBowl they feel closer, but other than that, I always felt that Indianapolis was like as far as Columbus or Cleveland. It doesn't feel like it's in the three hour drive radius that Milwaukee and Madison are in. I don't know, does anybody ever feel this? There seems to be no relationship at all with Chicago and Indianapolis, yet Indy is fairly large and very close to Chicago? If you agree what do you think are some factors that cause it? Is it that there is barely any urbanization between Indy and Chicago, as opposed to the density that fills the gap Milwaukee and Chicago?>

Awesome 3D "tour" movie of Chicago

I'm not sure if other people have seen this or not, but it was in one of Chi_Coruscant's links: Animation movie (flash): http://www.visualizedconcepts.com/Projects/3DC02MX.html QuicktimeVR: http://www.visualizedconcepts.com/Projects/3DCQT01.html Seems rather new as well, since it includes Millennium Park and the Heritage.>

MoCA

Kind of a pointless thread... Do you like the Musuem of Contemprary Art building, or should they have gone with something more bold like the guggenheim in New York or the Centre Pompidu in Paris?>

I'm sick of being broke, let's just sell everything

Hello all, been a while since I posted here, but the recent news of Midway airport being up for sale got my head churning. I'm tired of Chicago having a third world transportation system. I want CTA to double its lines and capacity and speed them up, I want airport express trains, midwest high speed rail, a domed stadium, more parks, better schools, crime fighting initiatives, a few 2,000 footers would be nice, and a whole bunch of other stuff that would make Chicago great. So how do we get the $100 Billion or so we would need? Sell the shit out of everything for advertisements, or direct ownership. Here goes nothing.. First, all highways.. Eisenhower expressway -> the Walgreens freeway, for $500 million dollars naming rights Stevenson -> the Allstate highway, another $500 million, cha ching and so on and name the hell out of every major road and you've got $10 Billion right there.. Next.. CTA and metra lines. They can keep their colors so people don't get confused, but name the hell out of them, I don't care what they're called, as long as they go fast than 20 mph and are competitve with cars.. Blue line -> United Airlines line, for $250 million Red line -> US Cellular line.. and so on Next, counties, that's right, I have no personal reverance for Cook County or any artificial division of our metro area.. Welcome to... Exelon County, and Dupage can be called McDonalds county because I equally loathe both entities. O'Hare.. yeah I know this is pushing it, but it's named after some random WWII Pilot who shot down some germans, hell if I care.. Call it Chicago Boeing International Airport for $1 billion for the next 50 years, best advertisement Boeing could ever buy considering their product. OK you guys get my drift, let's try to add on to this list, and soon we can get our $100 billion.. Of course republicans could stop starting wars and murdering people and we'd have some, but we all know that's a lost cause. Anyone have Daley's and Blago's number? I really think this is the last chance for this broke ass state. People might resist change, as all people do, but eventually we'll get used to it, it's all a name.. our most iconic tower is named after the lamest department store in the world, and it doesn't change the fact that the Sears Tower is the most bad ass thing on Earth. >

Hyde Park: Chicago's next restaurant zone?

CAN THIS MAN HEAT UP HYDE PARK? His restaurants have revitalized other neighborhoods, and the arrival of Jerry Kleiner gives new hope to the underserved U. of C. enclave By Phil Vettel Tribune restaurant critic Published September 8, 2005 Where is Chicago's next hot restaurant zone? We've already seen the Miracle on Randolph Street, West Division's dining surge, the South Loop's gradual buildup. What's next? Would you believe ... Hyde Park? Don't scoff. Or, go ahead and scoff. No one saw Randolph Street coming either. But Hyde Park, a largely well-to-do neighborhood (bounded by 44th Street, 60th Street, Cottage Grove Avenue and the lake) that for years has been underserved by the restaurant community, is poised to become, within a year or three, a legitimate dining destination. "I love that area," says restaurateur Jerry Kleiner. "There are 50,000 people here [44,700, according to the neighborhood's Web site], you've got the university and the hospital, and the city has been fixing up Lake Shore Drive. I thought this would be a good opportunity." And so in spring 2006, Kleiner is opening a 160-seat, 4,000-square-foot restaurant in the heart of Hyde Park. What has the dining community giddy with anticipation is the fact that Kleiner is regarded as something of a culinary pied piper. Where he goes, other restaurateurs quickly follow. More to the point, Kleiner has a track record of launching successful restaurants in neighborhoods others regard as "iffy." It was Kleiner, with partners Howard Davis and Dan Krasny, who launched the Randolph Street Renaissance with the opening of Vivo. Kleiner and Davis got the fine-dining ball rolling in the South Loop by opening Gioco and Opera. And now Johnny Restaurantseed is coming to Hyde Park. Kleiner got an attractive lease from his landlord--the University of Chicago--and a great location at 5201 S. Harper Court. Next door to the Kleiner concept--actually sharing the same address--will be The Checkerboard Lounge, a legendary blues club that is moving from its location on East 43rd Street. The Checkerboard Lounge will have a liquor license but will not serve food. Hank Webber, vice president of development for the University of Chicago (Hyde Park's largest employer at 12,000), was instrumental in luring Kleiner to Hyde Park. "One of our real hopes," he says, "is that this new restaurant and the Checkerboard Lounge will continue the momentum that I think has been developing over the years." Hyde Park isn't exactly restaurant-deprived. There are many small, neighborhood-style eateries in the area, including an impressive assortment of ethnic restaurants. Storefront Korean spots, Middle Eastern restaurants, pizzerias, coffee shops--the neighborhood has a little of everything. But Kleiner's arrival adds legitimacy and name recognition to a neighborhood whose restaurant scene is hungry for both. "What we've lacked, traditionally, is upper-end dining," says Webber, "although Mary is clearly an exception." "Mary" refers to Mary Mastricola who, with her husband, Michael, owns La Petite Folie, an upscale, white-tablecloth French restaurant in the Hyde Park Shopping Center at 55th Street and Lake Park Avenue. It is arguably Hyde Park's sole destination restaurant. But even La Petite Folie's name, which means "my little foolishness," is a self-deprecating jab by the Mastricolas at their decision to locate a fine-dining restaurant here. "I thought I knew the neighborhood better than most," Mary Mastricola says. "My husband thought we should locate somewhere else. We're trying to hang on long enough to see who was right." Though it has been a struggle, Mastricola says she's happy with her decision. "The market share for a restaurant like ours is not enormous," Mary Mastricola says, "but the neighborhood has been incredibly supportive. And more people from outside are discovering that the neighborhood is a deal. I'm four blocks from the lake, in a shopping center with a 400-car free parking lot." But Mastricola says she has encountered her share of obstacles, from suppliers who will only venture to Hyde Park on certain days to her inability to lure any convention trade from McCormick Place, which is only five minutes away. "The one shocker was not being able to find kitchen employees," she says. "You can get students to work in the dining room, but we ran ads looking for kitchen workers and we had kids responding who wanted $2 an hour extra because we're south. They'd rather work in higher-visibility places." For the small, lower-priced restaurants, it's a different story. Steve Soble, who owns Seven Ten Lanes bowling alleys (previously known as Lucky Strike) in Lincoln Park and Elmhurst, says his Hyde Park location is the biggest-grossing location of the three. "It's been great," he says. "There's definitely a captive audience here; this neighborhood is totally underserved. "I've lived here since 1997," Soble says. "I love the neighborhood, but I wondered for years why there was no place to go to grab a drink and a burger. I talked to the owner of Pizza Capri, and he said his Hyde Park location was his best store. The Leona's people said their Hyde Park location did great. It started me thinking, `If these two are doing well . . . .'" A year or so later Soble had his bowling alley/restaurant up and running in a parking-garage building the university owned. "It's been a fabulous place for me." On paper, Hyde Park looks like it can't miss. Factors in its favor include a well-heeled residential base (25 percent of households with annual income greater than $75,000) and easy access to downtown Chicago (via a picturesque stretch of Lake Shore Drive). There's also an influx of wealth arriving in the adjacent, gentrifying neighborhoods of Bronzeville and South Kenwood, and leadership that's committed to growth, including the heads of the University of Chicago and Ald. Toni Preckwinkle. Negatives include a lack of parking, and the fact that Hyde Park's concentration of wealth is surrounded by neighborhoods with a conspicuous lack of wealth (which, as noted before, is changing) and attendant crime issues. And many of the available storefronts in Hyde Park have not been home to restaurants before; bringing such places up to code is much more expensive than converting a previous restaurant space into a new concept. But these are issues that have been resolved in other neighborhoods, among them Lincoln Park and Wicker Park. Perhaps Hyde Park is next in line. "The thing about pioneers," Soble says, "is that a lot of them are found dead on the trail. Restaurant people are risk-takers by nature, but they're prudent risk-takers. It's all about the margins, and where you take that marginal risk." Which is why Soble not only is thrilled with Kleiner's arrival, but also hopes the new venture is a hit. "When [they] become a destination area, it'll expose people to other restaurants." With the arrival of Kleiner and Checkerboard Lounge, the hub of Hyde Park's dining scene will indisputably be Harper Court, a short stretch tucked in between Lake Park and Harper Avenues at 52nd Street, an area already home to boutiques and restaurants such as Mellow Yellow, C'est Si Bon, Calypso Cafe and Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop. "I feel good about the space," Kleiner says. "It'll be an American-style restaurant, popular prices, but a sophisticated casual environment. "There's a tremendous need for something like this. I think there are enough people here. Look what happened in Evanston; it's just exploding there." As Checkerboard Lounge and Kleiner's restaurant are expected to keep later hours, they may increase pedestrian traffic in an area where most restaurants are closed by 11 p.m. There's evidence that the market will support that. Roger Greenfield established a Bar Louie location in Hyde Park a year ago, serving food until 1 a.m. "There was some trepidation at first, but it has been amazing," Greenfield says. "We're really happy with the neighborhood and the neighborhood is happy with us." And quite possibly its happiest days are just ahead. http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...l=chi-news-hed>

U.S. Cellular Field: What does it do better?

The Wrigley v. Fenway thread in the US forum got me thinking about how great Wrigley really is. The nostalgia, location, tradition, neighborhood, etc. mak perhaps the best atmosphere for any pro sports venue in the country. But what, if anything, do you think "The Cell" does better? The many phases of rennovations over the past few years have it much more fan friendly, but they have also reduced its capacity to a few hundred less seats than Wrigley. And while Wrigley is surrounded by high density flats and mid-rises, The Cell is surrounded by parking lots. So again, what do you think The Cell does better than Wrigley Field? (And no... winning the World Series doesn' count here )>

Mexican Equivalent of Devon?

Hey guys! I have some friends in town and want to show them some good cheap authentic Mexican food. We went up to Devon and they were very impressed with that street for Indian. I was wondering is there any street just like Devon, but for Mexican food? I know a couple good places on 18th street but that is very sparse compared to Devon. There has to be a street where it is like stepping into Mexico, complete with restaurants, et al, kind of like the Mexican equivalent of Devon Street. Also if you have any good recommendations it would be appreciated. Thanks for your advice!>

John Hancock Bldg more iconic?

I've always wondered, despite the Sears Tower being the tallest building, why is the John Hancock building the most iconic building in Chicago? I see the JH building far more, or far more prominently on TV shows, magazines, postcards...even Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid logo prominently displays the building depicted in the torch flame. Is there some copyright rule that restricts the Sears Tower from being depicted more often? The two buildings aren't that far apart in age so it's not like the Empire State Building's icon status in NYC (Pre-9/11), having stood for so long.>

Battle of the

Lincoln Park Albany Park Humboldt Park Hyde Park Rogers Park Wicker Park West Rogers Park Fuller Park Norwood Park Oriole Park North Park Hollywood Park Stony Island Park Kelvyn Park Pulaski Park Morgan Park West Morgan Park Hanson Park Princeton Park Kennedy Park Jefferson Park Groveland Park Portage Park Brighton Park McKinley Park Gage Park Hamilton Park Garfield Park Irving Park Old Irving Park Kilbourn Park Peterson Park Buena Park Jackson Park Hanson Park Sheridan Park West Garfield Park Gladstone Park Dearborn Park Marquette Park Avalon Park Washington Park Edison Park Vittum Park>

Your feelings toward Illinois Chicagoers...

Having lived all over the State, metro East side of St. Louis, Springfield, Chicago, Des Plaines, now Aurora, I have a lot of state pride. I grew up in the metro east side of St. Louis in Illinois and would have to say had no affiliation with Chicago, it was all St. Louis. Kinda how Gary, northwest Indiana to Chicago, not Indy. While in Springfield the connection did get bigger and there are a great mix of Cubs/Cardinal fans down there. Springfield is what I consider the ideal Middle American 100K city. It really is. Now when I came up to Chicago, those who live up here seem to have little in touch with whatever you want to consider "downstate." I call it the "New York attitude." I have been to NYC many times and many do feel they are the center of the world, that cities like Chicago are small. Well that is obviosly flase being there are about 9 million in the metro area. But a lot of people think Springfield or any other place downstate is just a farm. The funny part is that many from the northern and western suburbs feel those from Springfield, Peoria, Bloomingtion, etc. are not as "cultured as them." When in reality there is a hell of a lot more diversty down there with integration of blacks and whites then in Naperville or Northbrook. So Chicagoans, do you have state pride? Do you enjoy other Illinois cities? How do you view them and people from other cities south of I-80?>

Has Evanston left Oak Park behind?

The Skyscrapper Page forum had an interesting thread, Favorite/Worst Chicago Suburbs, that seems to have gotten more traffic (43 posts) than suburban threads usually do here. I was surprised to see how many people felt Evanston was the ultimate suburb and how the "new Evanston" affords an uban/suburban environment unparralled in suburban Chicago. A number of posts discussed the extraordinary change Evanston has experienced in recent years. Many of you probably know that Evanston and Oak Park had (have?) a spirited rivalry that goes back to the 19th c. They share so much in common: dowager suburbs, the first north and west of Chicago, with similiar grand old homes, similiar downtowns (they used to have identical Marshall Field's), similiar in size, similiar in how they related to their North Shore and west suburban bases, walkable tree-lined streets, mix of homes and apratments, sense of community, similiar CTA/Metra connections, and alot more. Evanston has acquired more of the feel of a thrieving North Side lakefront neighborhood in the city than Oak Park has (perhaps because Evanston shares the lakefront with those Chgo neighborhoods). Sure Evanston has the lake and NU and Oak Park has all that grand FLW architecture, but there were far more similiarities than differences. Or are they? Have the two become more different than alike today? Both have had more than their fair share of gentrification, cashing in on their close-in to the city locations and excellent public transportation connections. But Evanston appears to have developed far more. Downtown Oak Park is a mere fraction of dowtown Evanston's size. Evanston is having a downtown building boom with condos and high end stores that just isn't happening to the same degree in Oak Park; downtown Evanston has no obscene bottle neckes like Harlme Ave. Evanston's building boom also is taking place in other transit oriented areas (i.e. Chicago Ave) that again Oak Park cannot parrallel. Evanston's restauratns have become legandary and exceed even the excellent selection that Oak Park has. Northwestern continues to thrieve and build. Have we reached a point where Evanston has left Oak Park in the dust, or are the two really still quite competitive?>

Should Chicago go after companies?

Do you guys think it would appear desperate (but lets face it, all cities are desperate for prestige and greatness) for Chicago to hire a team of say, 15 people, with exquisite credentials and connections, and have them research companies and their needs, and then go after them? In other words, get a few people with a lot of charisma and who know the intricacies of companies very well through research or connections; then, go around the country (or the globe) and pitch presentations to them suggesting that they move their corporate headquarters to Chicago. They can prioritize: first and foremost, pitch downtown Chicago. Secondly, pitch the city; thirdly, pitch the Chicago region. I'm guessing that if there were a good handful of people paid well to do this job full-time, Chicago would be able to land at least a few good HQ per year. Plus, Chicago is lucky to have the money to easily afford this. Is it far-fetched? Is it stupid? Is it brilliant? Is it desperate? Most importantly, do you guys think it would be effective?>

Chicagos Street Gang Problems?

how bad is it really out there?>

Who's the most annoying NIMBY group?

If you could whip out your bare hand and just start slapping people, which group of NIMBY's would you slap the most?>

Chicago's Biggest Problem: Relative Lack of Entrepreneurship

Growth in jobs and incomes comes most from small innovative start-up firms, and Chicagoland simply has a paucity of them compared to 'peer' metros. This is, in my view, Chicago's most serious problem. I think the next governor needs to make this his/her focus. Knowledge economy should know no bounds January 30, 2006 BY MICHAEL KRAUSS Advertisement Leaders of Chicago's tech community convened recently to debate the direction of Chicago's knowledge economy. The discussion was intense. No obvious solutions resulted, but several key issues and themes emerged. With the restructuring of the nation's automotive industry and Ford's announcement of 14 plant closings and 30,000 job cuts (though none in Chicago), the debate over Chicago's knowledge economy takes on greater meaning. According to estimates by McKinsey & Co., Chicago is the nation's sixth largest knowledge economy with $38 billion in annual gross metropolitan product. McKinsey estimates knowledge economy GMP across the top 50 metropolitan areas grew at 4.2 percent annually from 2000 to 2005. Chicago grew at about 2.4 percent. McKinsey anticipates Chicago will grow at 3.5 percent from 2005 to 2020. If Chicago can boost that growth to the expected U.S. average of 5.4 percent, our region will score an incremental $21 billion in annual GMP by 2020. That's the opportunity. Searching for a roadmap How to get there is the reason for the debate, which was convened by TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) a leading tech entrepreneurship group. "Entrepreneurship is a critical driver of wealth in this country," says TiE President Adarsh Arora, the debate organizer. "Our key advantage is innovation, which needs continued nourishment." There was no disagreement on that point from the panel, which included Ellen Carnahan of Wm. Blair Capital Partners; Tom Churchwell, Arch Development Partners; Jerry Mitchell, Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum; David Weinstein, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, and Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. A shortage of early stage investment capital and too few experienced entrepreneurs were recurring themes. "There are not enough folks with early stage bets," Arch's Churchwell said, suggesting more VC's put money into developing companies. But Carnahan observed it's not just a Chicago phenomenon. The percentage of dollars invested in early stage ventures totaled 43 percent of all private equity investments in 1995, and fell to 22 percent in 2005. It's a national issue, which could harm our global competitiveness. "We have a venture capital gap," DCEO's Lavin agreed. The Blagojevich administration sought to close the gap with a $200 million Illinois Opportunity Fund that has not passed the General Assembly. Lavin said he came to "listen and learn," and suggested the state's budget situation creates challenges. Lavin referenced the importance of the state's efforts backing BIO2006 and the new technology park in Skokie. Talent is a key factor in multiple ways. "I don't see enough serial entrepreneurs," said the CEC's Weinstein, while the MEF's Mitchell lamented, "I don't see enough business plans." Matt McCall, managing director of Northfield-based Draper Fisher Jurvetson Portage, pointed out that Chicago-based FeedBurner, a local startup "growing at 10 percent a week," is having difficulty finding skilled technology talent. Weinstein pointed to Chicago's financial exchanges and the successful startups emerging from them. He urged greater focus on the financial services sector as an area of opportunity, and the educational efforts that would transform wealthy exchange traders into angel investors. The panel agreed it's the responsibility of the private sector to help Chicago organize and capture the growth opportunity. The panel didn't name names or propose structures for organizing private sector initiatives to catalyze the effort. Harold Lucas, who is president of BronzevilleOnline (www.bron-zevilleonline.com) pointed to the need for African-American representation in the dialogue. Lucas asked, "What are we going to do collaboratively about the lack of African-American involvement in entrepreneurship in Chicago?" Entrepreneurial Center One new proposal gaining momentum is the idea of creating a large scale "Entrepreneur Center of Excellence." While still just a concept, the center would be regional and staffed by successful entrepreneurs providing deeper expertise than the current ITECs. The ITEC model was seen as too diffused and unable to deliver. TiE's Arora said, "The glass is half-full. It will take major rethinking and commitment by our civic leaders to make a dent in the current situation. A lack of action will result in serious losses for our state." Michael Krauss is a Chicago area tech writer and consultant.>

Is Chgo's dominance of IL greatest such US relationship?

Is Chicago's (and metropolitan Chicago's) domination of its own state, Illinois, the greatest such city-dominating-state relationship in the United States? I would think the answer is "yes". Why? • New York City, for all its size, is part of New York State...with its sizable Buffalo metro and cities such as Syracuse, Rochester, Albany,etc. In addition, such natural scenery as Niagara, the Catskills, Hudson River Valley, Adorondacks are a huge part of the state. • Meanwhile, in comparison, downstate IL has no major cities and is evocative of little other than corn country (may I note that in a fairer world, it would be noted for more). • Other huge cities (LA, Houston, Philly) are in states with other major metros (i.e. SF, Dallas, Pgh) • Cities like Baltimore, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Seattle, etc., may be the only major metros in their states, but they are not the dominating global city that Chicago is. Meanwhile, as downstate loses population and metro Chicago continues to see an immigrant based growth in population, power in this state more and more becomes centered in the big city and its suburbs. There may be similiar relationships in the US, but IMHO, Chicago's domination of Illinois would have to #1 if such a ranking were able to be ascertained.>

Why Do You Love Chicago?

Is it becuase of its beauty? The People? What makes Chicago so great in your eyes?>

Why Do You Love Chicago?

Is it becuase of its beauty? The People? What makes Chicago so great in your eyes?>

How does experience affect how you view a place?

To what degree do you think where you grew up within the Chicago area affects how you view the city? Two extreme extremes: Person A grows up in a posh north shore suburb, relatively close to the city, serviced by rapid transit, and is raised frequently taking advantage of Chicago's many cultural institutions as well as shopping at the finest of stores, and eating at the finest restaurants. Person B grows up in a poverty stricken neighborhood of the city, and is quite accustomed with the non-friendliness of the city. Gangs are part of the way of life where this person is raised. Would one person inevitably love Chicago more? Would it be the same? What are your experiences? Do you find that people who have had a relatively 'easy' Chicago experience love it more? Or is it the same? Is your admiration for Chicago tarnished at all by its 'dirty laundry'? Would you love Chicago more if it had even more cultural offerings?>

Theories on Why Chicago is Friendly

A common comment on Chicago is "wow! for a big city, the people are very friendly!" Of course you can also run into a very unfriendly person in Chicago as well. But as an overall generalization, Chicago is considered perhaps the most friendly big city in the world. Okay... well, at least in the United States... Anyway... do you have a theory (or theories) as to why Chicago is so dang friendly?>

??? associated press list chicago as 35th most expensive?

Study Says Oslo Is World's Priciest City By SUE LEEMAN, Associated Press Writer 57 minutes ago LONDON - Oslo has overtaken Tokyo as the world's most expensive city, according to a survey published Tuesday. Tokyo had held the top spot for 14 years in the Economist Intelligence Unit's biannual survey. Of 17 U.S. cities featured in the survey, the most expensive were New York (27th), Chicago and Los Angeles (tied for 35th), and San Francisco (40th). Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, saw the largest proportional rise in the cost of living in 2005, moving above another Japanese city, Osaka, into third place, the survey showed. Paris was in fifth place, followed by Copenhagen, London, Zurich, Geneva and Helsinki. The emergence of Oslo, Norway's capital, at No. 1 "highlights a much wider increase in the relative cost of living across Europe, driven by the long-term underperformance of the dollar," the Economist Intelligence Unit said. The survey found that cities in developing countries are recording advances in the relative cost of living, some of them buoyed by entry into the European Union or accession talks. Belgrade (107th), Bucharest (95th), Kiev (82nd), Warsaw (63rd), Prague (58th) and Istanbul (48th) all saw a relative jump of more than 5 percent in the cost of living, the study showed. In many Asian cities, economic growth has pushed up the cost of living up, the report said. Seoul, at No. 13, overtook Hong Kong (14th) as the most expensive city in the region after Tokyo and Osaka. However, despite the appreciation of the yuan since it freed itself from a fixed rate from the U.S. dollar in July, Chinese cities have experienced a relative fall in the rankings as increased investment opens up pricing competition and lowers tariffs on branded goods in larger urban centers. Shanghai, the most expensive Chinese city on the list, is still only at No. 51, up five places from last year. Among cities in sub-Saharan Africa, costs rose largely because of high inflation, the report said. Lagos in Nigeria (63rd), the Zambian capital Lusaka (91st) and Nairobi, Kenya (93rd) all experienced double-digit inflation. This had the greatest impact for Lusaka, Zambia, which rose 18 places in the ranking to No. 91. In North America, Canadian cities are now more expensive than all but the largest cities surveyed in the United States. Montreal and Vancouver shared 43rd place. In Latin America, the sharpest rise in the rankings was shown by the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, which each jumped 22 places to tie for 87th amid rising consumer prices.>

Casino On Block 37?

Casino could find home on Block 37 By ALBY GALLUN * Denise CasalinoCity officials are discussing a plan to put a casino in the proposed mixed-used development at Block 37, the long-vacant block in the Loop. Marking a major shift in the cityÂ's position, Denise M. Casalino, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, said a casino could be included in the $508-million project Â"if itÂ's done correctlyÂ" and if it lawmakers in Springfield sign off on a Chicago casino. City officials have been discussing the idea with Mills Corp., the projectÂ's master developer, she said. A casino most likely would be included as part of a 200- to 300-room hotel planned for the northwester corner of the site, which sits just across State Street from Marshall FieldÂ's flagship store. Â"We agreed to agree that there might be a casino on the site,Â" Ms. Casalino said. Â"This is just one of the sites under consideration.Â" Ms. Casalino spoke after the Community Development Commission unanimously approved the sale of the 2.8-acre property to Arlington, Va.-based Mills. The company will pay the city $12.3 million for site, with payments spread out as the project is developed. P> The city also will receive additional payments on top of the $12.3 million as the hotel and residential components of the project are developed, but city officials declined to say how big the payout could be. Still, $12.3 million is significantly less than the $32.5 million the city agreed to pay to take back the site from its previous owner, a development joint venture led by Chicago-based JMB Realty Corp. Yet Ms. Casalino explained that the discount is really only about $925,000, because the site was recently appraised at $13.2 million based on the city-mandated specifications that will make the project more expensive. Mills expects to begin construction on the project next spring, with the retail space ready by late 2007. The city estimates the project, when complete, will create more than 2,660 full-time jobs and generate more than $17.5 million in annual property, sales, hotel, income and other taxes. Mills is Â"in final negotiationsÂ" with WBBM/Channel 2, which would lease about 100,000-square-feet for offices and a street-level studio at the siteÂ's southwest corner, said Mills Executive Vice-president Steven J. Jacobsen. The developer has not signed any other tenants for the development, which could comprise as much as 2 million square feet or more, including the hotel and condo towers. Mills and city officials have long said that want a strong entertainment component in the project, but they didnÂ't publicly discuss the idea of a casino until now. Mayor Richard M. Daley is pushing legislators to authorize a 3,000 position gambling casino in their fall veto session shortly after the Nov. 2 election. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has traditionally opposed the concept of casino gaming in the city but recently has made comments some legislators have interpreted as a sign that willing to change his position. Chicagobusiness.com ******** Even though i believe casinos are a vice for low income families and minorities, the flow of traffic and pedestrians it will create can't be matched.>

Future Downtown Chicago Parameters

How do you see downtown Chicago growing in the years to come? And you can suggest both what you'd like and what is more realistic. Due to the built environment already being rather complete, there isn't a terrible amount of growth opportunity for the skyline, unless we decide to start tearing down some great historic architecture. So, what do you think is a realistic prediction for the growth of downtown/the skyline? Here's what I'd like to see : Perhaps more realistic: (here's the original photo if you want to play around on photoshop: ) (you can use whatever pictures you want of course)>

Chicago Mayor more powerful.......

I've heard alot in my life that the Mayor of Chicago is more powerful then the president, (Not just the Daleys but any Mayor of Chicago) most noteably by my father whom is a life-long Chicagoan, but I was reading an article on Senator Obama and he proposed this idea as well and it got me thinking if such an obsurd statement might actually hold water. Now that I'm thinking about it, I remember hearing it on a couple different Chicago based documentaries. I just want to know what you guys think about it and (or) any instances where you think these statements might have originated. I'm interested to know why people would say that, personally, I don't understand it and nobody has gone in to the hows and whys of it.>

2 questions...for the price of one!

Two questions for you fellow Chicagoans to ponder on this fine winter day. No heavy thinking required: ************************************ 1. Imagine they will be building an 80 story condominium in Chicago. You will be buying a condo on the 80th floor. You're buying for the skyline view. And you have only one exposure: north, south, east, or west. Strictly on the basis of skyline view (no other cosiderations allowed), what location in Chicago would your building be and what direction would you face? Restrictions: you don't have to be downtown if you think a north, west, or south side site could allow you to see the entire sweep of the skyline. you can't build on parkland or in Lake Michigan. ******************************************* 2. Good news. You're still moving into a condo. You'll still be on the 80th floor. But this time, we'll choose a location for you: somewhere in the heart of downtown. Now we'll throw in some special (and incredible) technology for you: the entire residential section of this circularly-shapred tower revolves. Make that one rotation every 1.5 hours. Assuming all works well with the technology, how do you feel about the rotation concept...something you'd like or dislike...and why?>

Favorite buildings/houses/architecture in your neighborhood.

What are your favorite buildings/houses/architecture in your neighborhood? For Uptown in no particular order: Uptown Broadway Building St. Thomas of Canterbury Sheridan Plaza. Pensacola Place. The Parvenu Chelsea hotel. Bridgeview Bank Uptown Uptown theatre: (currently under major renovation.) The Aragon Borders >

South Indiana Avenue

Does anyone else think that the portion of Indiana Avenue running through Central Station could have used a lot more density? The boulevard is so wide, yet in many places is lined by puny townhomes. I wonder if it would have been better to line taller buildings along Indiana and place townhomes along the east-west running side streets.>