Questions/comments about the Orange Line

I still can't get over it. I'll never forget my 1 ride on the orange line, about 1 year ago. Sure, I've ridden the blue, red, and brown lines, and have encountered a highly dense urban environment along the way. But the orange line? Sure, it's not bad through downtown and up till Chinatown, but then.....something changes. I suddenly feel like I'm on a train through Kentucky. Trucking docks, old factories, abandoned praries, and empty, closed-down big box stores with weeded-over parking lots abound as far as the eye can see. Now I'm not trying to attack Chicago. It's a very large, dense, urban city with great things going on for it. But it always disturbs me to see the south/southwest sides. Okay, I know, we've already discussed the south side many times and how it is making a comeback, and how it's racist/not racist, rich/poor, Dampyre gets pissed, and etc. etc. I realize all of that... But, this one seems so simple. First of all, correct me if I'm wrong, but the orange line was a completely new line built in 1993-ish, right? Was it built with existing tracks or built from scratch? Either way, we've got a relatively new rail line connecting downtown and Midway airport, and once you get past Chinatown you're in the middle of nowhere. Why not build some TOD's, or mini-villages along those stops? Yeah, I know, it's hard to get developers to invest in those communities. Oh really? Then how did we get developers to take interest in building 50 three-flats or 100 condos or a 1,700 person mixed-income community in the near west or near south sides, in some of the most poverty-stricken parts of town? And what about the new development going on in Lawndale and other hoods? Certainly the city has given developers TIF subsidies, but I have observed that many of these new developments are, except for bus service and an occasional Metra stop, in relatively transit-poor areas. And therein lies the Orange line stops. Hell, the train is already there--so it's not like you have to build it, or spend more money on it. Why not subsidize some neighborhood development around the friggin thing? Besides, previous real estate patterns have clearly shown that areas near transit are highly attractive places for buyers--already an advantage over those Lawndale, Englewood, Woodlawn developments that somehow get so much press. It seems so easy--am I missing something? Because to me, it appears that the city has essentially very little work to do except to lay down a few standards regarding the layout of development (ie mixed-use, pedestrian oriented) which it is already doing abundantly elsewhere. What am I missing here? Hell, does anybody in this forum work for the City? If so, we need more of those people to pass along our ideas, because some of this stuff is just plain common sense...>

What new transit stations will be built in Chicago?

Leaving out the future Circle Line, the West Loop Transit Station, and the Block 37 megastation, what new stations are in talks of being constructed on Chicago's Metra/CTA system? Which ones do you guys anticipate will be built sooner rather than later? This includes both CTA and Metra, and both the city and those damn burbs. Are there any new stations u/c now? Correct me if I"m wrong, but there are a few suburban Metra stations being built as we speak, right? Any word about new stations along the western or southern branches of the green line? How about a new station at Roosevelt/Clark along the Metra Electric line? I once heard talk about that one. I encourage all of you to become members of Campaign for Better Transit, a website and forum which deals with Chicagoland transportation. I just ran into it today, its website is www.bettertransit.com and has a few dedicated forumers, although there is still a lot of room for growth. Lets show our support--not just for skyscrapers, but for the region's public transportation system. >

Jerry Falwell is a douchebag (re: Gay Games VII)

Before anyone asks: yes, the title is necessary June 20, 2005 Falwell urges boycott of Kraft Driven by companyÂ's Gay Games sponsorship By By Shruti Date Singh A publication backed by Rev. Jerry Falwell is asking readers to tell Kraft Foods Inc. CEO Roger K. Deromedi that they will boycott the companyÂ's products if Kraft doesnÂ't drop its sponsorship of the Gay Games VII. Â"Multiple millions of Americans who loyally purchase Kraft products have a right to express their opinion on the companyÂ's decision to link itself with the Gay Games. These people have a right to say, Â'If Kraft insists on sponsoring the Gay Games, I will be compelled to seek alternative brands at the grocery store,Â'Â" Mr. Falwell writes in the National Liberty Journal, his monthly publication. Â"Please considerately express to him your desire that Kraft Foods withdraw its corporate sponsorship of Gay Games VII.Â" The article includes Mr. DeromediÂ's corporate address and email address as well as KraftÂ's main switchboard number. Kraft contributed $25,000 to Gay Games VII. Harris Bank also is a corporate sponsor of the games. American Family Assn. and the Illinois Family Institute, two conservative organizations, also have decried the sponsorship of the games but havenÂ't organized a boycott yet. Peter LaBarbera, executive director of Illinois Family Institute of Glenn Ellyn, says his group is considering launching a boycott of one product but hasnÂ't finalized a strategy yet. A Kraft Foods spokeswoman would not comment on the article except to say: Â"We are sticking with our sponsorship. We are not pulling out.Â" --------------------------------------------------------------------- Good for Kraft...>

The office boom, when?

Someone please educate this ignoramus here.. The downtown residential boom is simply amazing, but I can never stop thinking, will more iconic office skyscrapers follow? Afterall, these people need places to work don't they? With downtown becoming THE spot to do business in the midwest, when will companies realize downtown Chicago is the place to be and move their offices there? Forget the residential, culture, and entertainment.. bring in more companies! What are the current vacancy rates? If they're pretty high, then I understand we'll have to wait before any construction, but seriously.. bring on the employment, expand the skyline south and west (instead of crowding everything around Aon!) Also, what are the chances of having a nice hotel skyline around McCormick place when it's done with its expansion? I find it a bit silly that people stay at far away hotels for these conventions and get bused to the facility. One Hyatt Regency isn't enough, there should be 5 or 6 hotels around McCormick. Just some random thoughts from another random Chicago lover..>

Chicago: beyond comparison?

First, let me promise I will not mention or refer to that other city. Honest. Second, I know I run the risk of being repetitive. Shit, I AM repetitive (you gotta know your own faults. I do). Third, I will take this one in a different and hopefully new direction. And fourth, I'll keep it brief (brevity not being one of my strong suits). So here it is: Generally speaking, when does a city reach a point in its development where it has arrived to the degree that comparisons are totally unnecessary? Specifically, of course, the question obvioiusly is: Hasn't Chicago reached that point where comparisons with other cities is quite....well....pointless? To me, as a native who has seen a great city only grow greater and create a unique and intriguing urban landscape, the answer is a resounding "YES!" I will further support my argument by the knowledge I have of what other Chicagoans think of our city, the feelings of non-Chicagoans that I know have about it, the way the city is spoken of by people in so many prominent fields (entertainment, sports, culture, etc.) in our nation, and also by the work I have done in Chicago tourism. When you see how people are drawn to our city and how the city can continue to grow and thrieve, there is no need to compare it with other places. This is a city busy being itself, not seeking comparisions....and that feeling comes from how its own citizens (as well as people from other places) view it as a special, special place. I can't see myself comparing Chicago to other cities because what we have here is so very special.>

Awesome JHC u/c shot

I was going through google (ironicly searching for some pics of Sears) and I came across this unbelievable pic of the Hancock under construction. Wow. All I can say is #&%!ing wow.>

Are they going to tear down Cabrini Green?

I read in a newspaper a while ago that they were going to tear down Cabrini Green and replace it with high end condos. The land in the are is very valuable and I don't see how these housing projects are going to continue to operate there. Cabrini Green seems like it is sparsly inhabited anyway. It is mostly boarded up. What does the future hold for this property?>

Anyone Know This Site?

I follow the NYC version, called gothamist, which is great for news, talk and anything about the city. I found out Chicago has it's own version too, called the "Chicagoist", it's pretty cool... http://www.chicagoist.com/>

Anyone Know This Site?

I follow the NYC version, called gothamist, which is great for news, talk and anything about the city. I found out Chicago has it's own version too, called the "Chicagoist", it's pretty cool... http://www.chicagoist.com/>

The Downtown Office Glut

My solution: More commercial-to-residential conversion of east and east-central loop office space. I say office buildings from Clark to State be converted to partially-residential, while everything east of State become almost entirely residential. From Crain's: Downtown office overload Loop vacancies exceed other cities' as construction outstrips job growth By Alby Gallun * How bad is the downtown office leasing market? It's "probably the softest I've seen it since I came here in 1971," John Buck, the dean of Chicago office developers, told a gathering of his peers last week. It's so bad that some landlords are leasing office space at a loss, something they haven't done in a decade. So bad that the owner of the IBM Building, until recently a premier corporate address, is considering selling off some of the skyscraper's space as office condominiums. So bad that some landlords are giving up on the office market and going residential. With more than 26 million square feet of vacant office space, downtown Chicago is among the weakest markets in the nation. Conditions are improving in other big cities, but they are likely to get worse in downtown Chicago before they get better. The most pessimistic observers don't see a recovery until 2007. Why? Downtown Chicago is one of the few markets where developers, Mr. Buck included, have continued to build new skyscrapers, adding supply to a market already suffering from weak demand. Developers have added 9.5 million square feet downtown since 2000, with another 2.4 million on tap. "It's just a recipe for prolonged pain," says George Kohl, Midwest-area director for Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. LURE OF SHINY NEW THINGS After dipping as low as 8.2% in 2000, the downtown Chicago vacancy rate hit a new high of 17.2% in the first quarter, according to CoStar Group Inc., a Maryland-based research firm. That's higher than vacancy rates in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Glittering new skyscrapers like the Hyatt Center and 111 W. Wacker Drive are skimming the cream from the market: top-drawer law and financial services firms willing to pay premium rents for prestigious addresses. Defections are hitting some of the city's most recognizable skyscrapers. Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP plans to move out of Bank One Plaza into a new tower being built next door at 1 S. Dearborn St. Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw LLP recently left a Philip Johnson-designed high-rise at 190 S. LaSalle St. for the Hyatt Center at 71 S. Wacker Drive. At Aon Center overlooking Millennium Park, anchor tenant Kirkland & Ellis LLP plans to leave for yet-to-be-built quarters at 300 N. LaSalle St. And IBM Plaza faces the loss of Jenner & Block LLP, which is talking with developers keen on building Jenner a new home. But unlike previous building booms, this one doesn't coincide with the strong job growth needed to stoke demand for office space. Office employment in the Chicago area dipped as low in 956,000 in 2003 from 986,000 in 2000, though it has scratched its way back to 974,000, according to Economy.com Inc. The anemic job market makes it hard for landlords to fill the space left behind when tenants decamp for new buildings. The leasing slump is great for tenants, who are getting deals not seen since the mid-1990s. At some buildings, rents are so low and concession packages so generous that landlords lose money on leases. Such so-called negative net effective leases have become more prevalent in 1970s- and '80s-vintage buildings in the East Loop and Central Loop, says John J. Goodman, executive vice-president and regional manager at Studley, a broker that represents tenants. LOSING MUCH LESS Yet such money-losing transactions make sense in many cases because landlords stand to lose much more if the space sits empty. They must pay real estate taxes and operating expenses on vacant space, costs that are normally passed on to tenants. So they are often better off leasing the space, even at a loss, because it allows them to lower their carrying costs. "The average 20,000-square-foot space sits vacant for about 20 months," says Todd Mintz, executive vice-president at Equis Corp., a Chicago tenant brokerage. "That's a lot of downtime for the landlord and a lot of extra expense." He says most of the transactions he has completed this year have dipped into negative territory for landlords. That includes a 75,000-square-foot lease that his client, Private Bank & Trust Co., recently signed at 70 W. Madison St. As concessions have soared in recent years, effective rents have plunged, even for downtown Class A buildings. The average Class A effective rent dropped to $4.76 last year after peaking at $14.88 a square foot in 1998, according to recent Studley report.The lousy leasing market has forced some landlords to get creative. Walton Street Capital, which plans to buy the building at 55 E. Monroe St., is considering converting some of the space to residential condos after key tenants departed for other buildings. When will the market bounce back? "Unless we get some job growth and some growth in key industries, this could linger for years," says Trammell Crow's Mr. Kohl. James M. Costello, a senior economist at Boston research firm Torto Wheaton Research, is more optimistic, predicting job growth in the downtown service sector will pick up, and Loop office vacancies will start falling next quarter. Yet developers keep building, making it even harder to predict a recovery. "For three years I've been saying that it's got to happen next year," says Jack McKinney, president of J. F. McKinney & Associates, a Chicago-based brokerage firm. "So my crystal ball is opaque.">

help me get PURE PCIx

Hi guys. This is a little unusual, but IÂ'd like to ask you for a little help. IÂ'm participating in this competition with grand prize of ART VPS PURE rendering card (retail value of approximately $5500). I have already answered all the questions, but need to complete the Tie-Breaker: Â"If I won the PURE PCIx render card, IÂ'd use it to renderÂ…Â" (Complete in no more then 20 words). I could end the sentence with Â"Â…all of my projects that turned out to be too complicated for my current PC.Â" Or something along those lines. Only thing is, probably more then few people will enter similar entries, and I would like to send something original, something that will stand out (if thatÂ's possible). Any suggestions will be more then welcome, please help, and if I win it, I promise I will share it with everyone who contributed. Thank you all >

Illinois's best college town?

IMHO, the state of Illinois doesn't offer the same type of super collegiate atmsosphere of college towns in neighboring states (i.e. Madison, Ann Arbor, Iowa City, Bloomington). That said, we do have some nice collegiatge settings. Which is the best? Among the "major college towns", who wins this battle: Evanston vs. Champaign/Urbana? If the battle is extended further, how do these others compare (with some offering an urban type of collegiate experience): • Hyde Park (U of C) • Lincoln Pk (DePaul) • Normal (ISU) • Carbondale (SIU) • DeKalb (NIU) As for me, I like Evanston as a college town a lot more than C/U. The campus actually borders downtown Evanston (while neither downtown Champaign or Urbana are adjacent to the U of I). Evanston offers a much more pleasant and classy college town environment. C/U gets the nod on the basis of sheer numbers of students and how they influenece the place. As for the others, Hyde Park is a perfect fit for the intellectual and architeturally classy U of C. Lincoln Park offers DePaul a wonderful setting for anyone in their 20's. Among the state schools, I can't imagine a worse college town thatn DeKalb...or one that less relates to its university. Northern is a decent enough campus, but once off campus, you're in nowhere's ville. SIU and Carbondale are in a most attractive part of our state and offer a scenery you don't see at other Illinois campuses.>

Favorite downtown approach

What's your favorite view of the skyline from the highways? If you had one hour to show a new visitor the skyline, which way would you take them? Southbound LSD - Awesome dominance by the JHC Northbound LSD - Triple peak postcard view from museum campus I-290 Eastbound - Great shot of the entire skyline after the highway curves left, Sears dominates. I-55 Northbound - My favorite view, with Sears in the middle, Aon right, JHC left, best shot of the Sears Tower with the rest of the skyline, plus it's a very unique angle and makes the skyline less spread out, I prefer this over the triple peak. Kennedy southbound - My second favorite, awesome approach. Dan Ryan northbound - the worst IMO, just makes it look very small.. heck Sears looks as tall as the skyline is wide with this angle.>

Cubs, Sox and Equity

I'm one of those rare Chicagoans who really is a Cub and a Sox fan, with a slight edge to the Cubs (but a soft spot for the Sox as being the underdog). Nobody who knows MLB would translate the Sox fantastic start this season into a championship season of any sort. Reality check: this is still mid-May. That said, the Sox start got me thinking about the relative position of the two franchises. The Sox rise has been spiked by the Cubs lack of success this season. This weekend, more than any other, we're getting a glimpse of what type of support the Sox will have this season: 100,000+ advanced sales went in for the 4 game Sox-O's series. That was pretty impressive. What effect would a most successful Sox season have in closing the preceived gap between the two teams? Could the playing field literally be leveled? And a related issue: Many people view the North Side as the dominant, power side of town. Chicago gentrification, rampant on the North Side for an eternity, has spread to the South and West. The South Side is redeveloping in a way similiar to the North and the area around the Cell will probably be more like the area around Wrigley. I think people downplay the degree of North Side/South Side on the Cubs/Sox relationship. The growth of the South Side, the increase in disposable income, could affect relative popularity. Do you think that a South Side developing along the lines of the North, with more young folks, larger disposable incomes, etc., could create a new fan base for the Sox and make it more like the Cubs in time One disclaimer here: I am not, in any way, suggesting that the South Side renovation is going the way it should. I don't want to see the South Side become a clone of the North. Meanwhile, Chicago still graples with issues of race and, even more so, economic diversity, often with a noted lack of success. I don't have to be happy with the direction of South Side gentrification to be aware that it could have a positive effect on Sox attendance and support.>

Will Chicagoland rail ridership increase by much?

Does anybody have statistics about Chicagoland (both CTA and Metra combined) total rail (not bus) ridership in the past few decades? I know that rail ridership declined significantly since 1950, but began to rise again in the late 90's, and is continuing to rise. What I wonder, though, is whether the current gains will continue to be very small (20-30 million additional rides/year) or whether we will ever see huge gains again. Frank Kruesi, in a recent press statement in response to the RTA giving the CTA all 54 million dollars, said that "there are huge increases in ridership" expected in the future. What role are the current developments on the north side (near the ubiquitous CTA and Metra stations) playing in this? What role will future development on the south side play in increasing transit ridership? Does anybody have any ideas about this?>

Batman Begins

So, I definitely saw the midnight showing of this. Amazing film. Totally saves the franchise, I had faith in Christopher Nolan, but he totally exceeded my expectations. Added so much depth to the characters, weaved an amazing world, and brought to life my favorite villain (Scarecrow), who, as in the old animated series, proceeded to scare the bejeezus out of me. HOWEVER, this is a Chicago forum. It was mentioned back that there was filming in Chicago done for this movie. As the movie began playing, I thought it would be, at best, just a minor backdrop. But holy crap! You get to see so much of the city, and eventually, significant aspects of the city (Lower Wacker, the Chicago River, the many Bridges) play roles in the movie. Without Chicago, the movie just wouldn't be the same. I definitely had some fun pointing out as many buildings as I could. (It was a nice surprise to see buildings like the Donnely building soar by in the opening monorail scene.) Ah, Gotham has gone from being NYC to Chicago. Yay second city!>

Does Chicago have a neighborhood or area of rowhouses?

Every time I go to Philadelphia I am amazed at the amount of rowhouses there are there. I have been to Chicago many times but I never really looked for rowhouses there. It just wasn't on my mind back then. I have seen a few rowhouses in Chicago, but I was wondering if there is a neighborhood or decently large area filled with rowhouses in the city?>

Night Views from Marina City Roof Deck!

Hangin with my bf last night, I shoot these images from the roof deck at Marina City. Enjoy!!! West Tower: Looking Northwest: Looking south down State Street: Looking across the roof deck towards the Hancock: Da Mayr's Rooftop Garden: The Jewelers Building: Carbon and Carbide (Hard Rock Hotel): Mouth of the Chicago River at dusk: Upper floors of the IBM Building: Looking across at west tower: Sears Tower, RR Donnelly, Leo Burnett, and many more...: Looking west over the Quaker building and Riverbend (blue lighting): Leo Burnett and State Street: Aon Building: Jewelers Building (again): Mag Mile: New Retro McDonalds: Looking northwest again: Looking down at River North: Chicago River with water cannon: Close up of water cannon: Loop with Red, White, and Blue lighting: Hope you enjoyed!!!>

What is the political bent of Chicago's newspapers?

I don't think I have read the Chicago newspapers enough to really tell what political bent they have. Also, what newspaper do you read? Do you like Chicago's newspapers? What are the most progressive/liberal newspapers (daily,weekly)? What is the politcal bent of the suburban newspapers like the Daily Herald etc.? So far here is my opinion: Chicago Tribune (moderate) both liberal and conservative voices are greatly apparent in this newspaper. Some days it seems like a liberal newspaper and other days it seems more conservative. That is why I call it moderate. I think by staying moderate the newspaper keeps it Chicago liberal base while still appealing to the conservative suburbs. I think this newspaper will continue to be pretty moderate, but could possibly become more liberal in the future as Chicago and its inner-ring suburbs become more liberal. Chicago Sun-Times (moderate to liberal) This newspaper endorsed John Kerry plus it has a lot of articles in it that are from a liberal viewpoint. Many headlines in the Sun-Times are harshly against President Bush a good portion of the time too. It also talks about issues that are important to liberals and not conservatives. Since Conrad Black (a conservative) who used to run Hollinger International, who owned the Sun-Times, has since been dumped by the company in 2003 for mass fraud the newspaper has gotten more liberal. Also many readers boycotted the Sun-Times in 2000 after the newspaper endorsed Bush. I think the paper will stay pretty liberal from now on to keep its reader base.>

What is the political bent of Chicago's newspapers?

I don't think I have read the Chicago newspapers enough to really tell what political bent they have. Also, what newspaper do you read? Do you like Chicago's newspapers? What are the most progressive/liberal newspapers (daily,weekly)? What is the politcal bent of the suburban newspapers like the Daily Herald etc.? So far here is my opinion: Chicago Tribune (moderate) both liberal and conservative voices are greatly apparent in this newspaper. Some days it seems like a liberal newspaper and other days it seems more conservative. That is why I call it moderate. I think by staying moderate the newspaper keeps it Chicago liberal base while still appealing to the conservative suburbs. I think this newspaper will continue to be pretty moderate, but could possibly become more liberal in the future as Chicago and its inner-ring suburbs become more liberal. Chicago Sun-Times (moderate to liberal) This newspaper endorsed John Kerry plus it has a lot of articles in it that are from a liberal viewpoint. Many headlines in the Sun-Times are harshly against President Bush a good portion of the time too. It also talks about issues that are important to liberals and not conservatives. Since Conrad Black (a conservative) who used to run Hollinger International, who owned the Sun-Times, has since been dumped by the company in 2003 for mass fraud the newspaper has gotten more liberal. Also many readers boycotted the Sun-Times in 2000 after the newspaper endorsed Bush. I think the paper will stay pretty liberal from now on to keep its reader base.>

Why isn't Hyde Park booming?

All of Chicago's relatively "good" neighborhoods are undergoing a real estate and construction boom--in fact, I can scarcely think of one that isn't--except Hyde Park. Certainly it isn't a south side thing, as hoods like Bronzeville, Kenwood, Woodlawn, even South Shore have a lot of construction going on. And it can't be just because Hyde Park is already built out--after all, so is Lincoln Park, Lakeview--etc., but there is still plenty of condo construction going on. So what gives with Hyde Park? This issue is mentioned in this article about converting the historic Doctor's Hospital into condos: Doctor’s Hospital for sale at 6/28 auction By MIKE STEVENS After months of delay, auctioneers are set to sell off one of the largest pieces of available Hyde Park real estate on June 28 at the Daley Center. At least two developers expressed interest last week in buying the former Doctor’s Hospital, 5800 S. Stony Island Ave., which has stood vacant for five years and is currently entangled in bankruptcy proceedings. “We’ve been tracking that property for 12 months,” said Fernando Leal, Managing Partner at L3 Development. “It took quite a bit of investigation and perseverance to find out what the skinny was on the property.“ L3 and Mid-Continental Corporation both confirmed plans to bid on the historic three-story brick building and offered similar outlooks of how they would transform the troubled property into high-end condominiums. Although both expressed interest in preserving aspects of the 91-year-old brick facade they said that building additional stories of condominiums would access the site’s strongest selling point: superb views of Lake Michigan and neighboring Jackson Park. “It’s a prime location for a tower or large building ... [but] there would have to be a lot of discussion with the local community [first],” Mid-Continental’s Eamonn McCauley said. With construction nearly two years off no matter who wins the auction, Leal said L3 has no plans per se but allowed that new construction is possible. “We try to restore buildings when possible but that sometimes becomes a very, very expensive process,” Leal said. In comparison to the rest of Chicago, Hyde Park has seen much less new development, which often boosts housing demand, Leal said. “You don’t see the cranes flying in Hyde Park and it really limits the housing stock for people interested in buying,” Leal said. “Even if the rest of the market slows we think there is a pent-up demand for housing in Hyde Park.” The sellable views and the historic nature of the building has kept Mid-Continental interested in the property despite difficulties in tracking the legal status of the property or getting information on the sale, McCauley said. Rumors that Draper and Kramer, arguably one of the biggest players in South Side real estate, was interested in the property for a brand new high-rise are unfounded, Draper and Kramer’s Assistant Vice-President Mel Jackson said. Jackson is the receiver for the property as it awaits sale. Real estate insiders said that more developers will likely make themselves known come auction day. “We’ve had people calling here for years [about the property],” said Bob Mason, executive director the South East Chicago Commission, a University of Chicago-funded development and crime tracking group. “I can’t imagine that there isn’t still a great deal of interest.” The Hyde Park Historical Society included the former hospital on a list of 10 South Side sites it presented to the city’s landmark commission for landmark consideration. The protective status would prohibit the building’s demolition and limit the way the property could be developed. L3 Development recently purchased a strip of commercial building on 53rd Street east of the Metra tracks>

Blackout chicago 2005...and fill me in on what I miss

As you know.... I was in Toronto last week... How big was the blackout... I saw a news article... and I want to know what happen... Also... what did I miss... while gone for the week.. (went to the Taste today... its got hotter(temperature wise) and much more expensiver, at least all of my friends brought all of the tickets... for $5.50 at dominicks last week, compare to $7 for 11 tickets...)>

I Need Your Opinions

In light of the recent re-release of the Freedom Tower renderings, I thought I would share a proposal that I came up with last year amid all the Libeskind-Childs controversey. This is the first time that I've shown this to anyone, so, I would love some honest feedback. I know this isn't necessarily appropriate for the Chicago forum, but, you guys are the people that I know - not anyone in the NY forums. Lemme know. >

Dixie Square Mall

Why does in Dixie Square Mall went shut down in 1979? (It seems like first dead mall in US) Dixie Square Mall was built in 1966 and went shut down in 1979, that about 12 years to shut down after built. I'm not surprised about it. Have you visited Harvey before? Is it's like decline of neigborhood and went changed into bad repulation.>

Will Pilsen eventually gentrify?

Reading this article in the Chicago Journal suddenly struck me. Is the city ever-so-slowly kicking into survival mode and saying "Hey! We're losing residents, manufacturing jobs will never come back, and we need to stop holding out and redevelop our land to suit our changing needs--ie housing for professionals." Pilsen residents rightly want to prevent this from occurring in their neighborhood, but the forces they are fighting against may be too great. Perhaps Chicago needs to give up on (much of) its manufacturing base to survive the next few decades, even if that means screwing over some of its immigrant workers. Besides, the recent Census Bureau article stated that many of Chicagolands newer immigrants are bypassing the city and heading straight for the suburbs. Here's the article. I'm particularly interested in how Pilsen's community group was so harshly treated by the city. Tell me what you guys think: Chantico Lofts approved Pilsen Alliance is kicked off 25th Ward zoning advisory board By LAURA PUTRE, Editor Near West A controversial Pilsen condo project received approval last week from the cityÂ's Zoning Commission, and is expected to win approval from the full City Council. Chantico Lofts, a 42-unit condo conversion proposed for an industrial warehouse at 16th and Carpenter, has met with loud opposition from the Pilsen Alliance residentsÂ' advocacy group in recent months. The development by Bucktown-based Lipe Properties required a zoning variance to allow for more than 20 units. Alejandra Ibanez, head of the Pilsen Alliance, said she was disappointed by 25th Ward Alderman Daniel SolisÂ' decision to approve the zoning change after several neighborhood meetings on the matter. The Pilsen Alliance had rallied to try and get the building zoned industrial, in the hopes that a manufacturing business could be lured there and bring more jobs to the area. Â"We did everything we could as a community,Â" Ibanez said. Â"But we donÂ't have the political clout with the old-boy network thatÂ's worked a certain way for decades.Â" On Wednesday, about 25 members of the Alliance descended on City Council chambers to present Solis with a mock check Â"for selling out the community.Â" Solis managed to evade demonstrators, however, before they could actually hand him the check. Solis said in a phone interview that he supported Chantico Lofts because of 11 affordable housing units it would bring to the neighborhood were Â"better than what the city would require.Â" He added that the Pilsen AllianceÂ's desire to reserve the site for industry Â"doesnÂ't make any senseÂ" with a nearby Planned Manufacturing District already set aside for light industrial purposes. Pilsen Alliance members protested the development at neighborhood zoning advisory board meetings, saying it would pave the way for gentrification in the community that would displace the neighborhoodÂ's working-class residents. A few Latino residents of Pilsen have also made public statements in terms of race, saying that they feel the development would specifically displace working-class Latinos. Solis said heÂ's baffled by such comments, and mentioned that Pilsen Alliance protestors are supported by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, which is not based in the neighborhood. Â"IÂ'm not going to have the JCUA tell me what IÂ'm doing in my neighborhood,Â" Solis said, adding that the protestors Â"have accused me of selling out the community. All those accusations are ridiculous.Â" Â"IÂ've been working in Pilsen since 1974, before some of those people were born. IÂ've been involved in building schools, helping people become homeowners. Some of their people have lived only two, three years in the neighborhood, yet they present themselves as saviors of Mexicans in their community. I think theyÂ're wrong. I respectfully disagree with them. We donÂ't need to be saved by young white guys.Â" For their vehement objections about the project at meetings, members of the Pilsen Alliance were recently kicked off the 25th Ward zoning advisory board that it was instrumental in helping create. Solis said he has started his own zoning advisory board in recent weeks, which includes members of the Resurrection Project, Alivio Medical Center, and the 18th Street Development Council. More than half the members of the previous 21-member zoning advisory board were affiliated with the Pilsen Alliance. The AllianceÂ's legwork on a referendum last year, after frustrations with residents not having a say in zoning variances, brought about the 25th Ward zoning advisory board. The referendum passed with 95 percent approval from Pilsen residents. Solis said he and the Pilsen Alliance differ on class issues. Â"My main problem with Pilsen Alliance is that I believe a mixed-income community in Pilsen is important,Â" he said. Â"They seem to believe that the only people who can live in Pilsen are working class. I think that is an insult to the average working class individual who wants to progress in this city or this country. If youÂ're a waitress or youÂ're a factory worker, you progress and do better and want to stay in housing stock in your own community. In Chinatown, for example, we see this. We can do the same thing in Pilsen.Â" Ibanez said the median income of Pilsen residents comes to $27,000 a year, which would qualify a resident for a mortgage up to $93,000. Â"When theyÂ're talking about affordability and set-asides, they need to look at the community theyÂ're building in,Â" she said. Developer Steve Lipe said about half the units in Chantico Lofts are on reserve with deposits. About 35 percent of people reserving units hail from Pilsen, with another 30 percent from surrounding neighborhoods like Brigeport, Lipe said. Full construction is expected to start in August, with move-in dates projected for next spring or early summer of 2006. Â"We have lost some buyers who didnÂ't believe it was going to happen,Â" Lipe said. Â"I think that unfortunately because of groups like Pilsen Alliance, itÂ's causing good projects not to be done.Â" Despite the controversy, Lipe said he would continue to consider sites in Pilsen for possible future devlopments>

Baby Don't Ya Wanna Go? (Shedd & others)

Back to that same ol place, Sweet Home Chicago! Pictures from the Shedd (Shedd Aquarium) & some others from the area. Enjoy! >