The Pedway

I don't know much about the Chicago pedway. How big is it? How extensive? What purpose does it serve? I heard there are shops down there? Are there a lot--is it like an underground world? That would be awesome! Are they still expanding the pedway? For example, are they going to extend it further towards Streeterville, Lakeshore East, and the South Loop?>

green light on projects

This issue has come up frequently in Chicago discussions and I'd like to know the answer: Bank financing lets you know a project is a "Go". Short of that financing, how are you able to differentiate between a project that is just speculation and one that is seriously on the road to success? What are some of the benchmarks that give it that "Go" sign. I realize that % leased is one, but what are some of the others?>

city people, suburban people

For years only New York has projected a huge difference between city people and suburban people. If you come into Manhattan from the outer boroughs, Long Island, Westchester, Jersey, etc., you are a bridge-and-tunnel person. In that term, a strict line is drawn between those seeking the city life and those beyond the rivers. Do you think that Chicago has evolved into a similiar city today: a huge suburban population and a very large population at the core of Chicago seeking a strong urban life-style. Similiar incomes, in so many cases, but vastly different life-styles. Different breeds of cat. and, if so, do any other cities offer such dynamics (Boston's and San Francisco's small sizes works against such comprisons for me)>

Finally I'm going to Chicago after being absent 14 years

Well I might be leaving tonight driving from LA to Chicago. My brother asked me to go with him to work on a project for the company he works for. Since he doesn't like to fly and needs to be there like Tuesday it will be non stop driving. So now the question is, who wants to meet up? I expect we will be in Chicago about a week and a half. I know you many of you hate us LA forumers, but I think it would be nice to meet some of you guys. I also planned to bring my camera since I should have plently of free time while my brother is working. Anyway we should be in town at least by Thursday. >

Best 2,000 Footer Ever Proposed for Chicago?

Skyneedle 1990 7 South Dearborn 2000 Fordham Spire ~2010 >

Chicago: The Second City

Has anyone ever read the book Chicago: The Second City by A.J. Liebling? It essentially a commentary on Chicago in 1950 by the famous writer. He's a New Yorker who also frequents the cities of London and Paris. In one example, he laments on how in Chicago bars, there is always a live show or music which disable him from being able to carry on a conversation. In contrast, the New York bars were quiet and sophisticated. Well, this is funny because in today's world, most bars around the world are the noisy ones... Also, elitist Chicagoans were a little ashamed of Chicago and did all their shopping and theater going in New York. This has changed quite a bit, I would imagine. Well, now to the point of this thread: He talks about Chicago architecture a little bit. From the Oak Street Beach back then, you could see the Chicago Tribune building. He remarks on how the whole city was basically flat and then suddenly there was this wall of skyscrapers by the lake. This does bring to mind how much Chicago must have changed in the past 55 years. This book was written during that whole building drought that lasted from the depression until the mid-1950s. So, besides for a few Chicago School buildings in the loop and some nice ones by the river, what did Chicago have to offer? Was it seen as an architecture capital back then? Or was the assumption back then that Chicago already had its day... now on to New York? Any historians care to shed some light?>

City Corruption

I know this isn't exactly skyscrapers.... but it is, nonetheless, an urban issue. I had an unfortunate experience today where my car was towed. I had to pay a rather outrageous amount of money to get it back. I just wonder... is this common to cities? It the City of Chicago just strapped for cash and finding "clever" new ways to find it? Is it likely that my money will actually go towards something useful? When I was at the autopound today, I have to say, it seemed like an industry. The customers just kept coming in... except... well, the customer wasn't always right... I think it just presents an interesting contrast. You can walk down the glorious Michigan Avenue with its green trash cans and flower pots and be totally oblivious to this gritty underworld that lurks beneath the concrete on Lower Wacker.... (that's where the autopound was) Well, this post was mostly a rant on an unfortunate day. And now... >

What Downtown Streets Won't You Cross Against the Light?

If native New Yorkers and native Chicagoans have one thing in common, it's the trait to cross the street irrespective of the pedestrian signal. If there's an opening in the traffic, off go we natives, generally to the consternation, amazement, or simple dumbfoundedness of law-abiding Midwestern (or God-forbid Californian) suburbasauran out-of-towners still waiting on the street corners behind us. A curious factor is that transplanted (newbie) Chicagoans rarely seem to clue into this vibe, epsecially the ones who move here from the local hinterland. My question for the brazen, normal jaywalkers among us: what downtown streets will you simply not cross against the light? Where does your jaywalkng comfort zone end? Being from Gotham, where we view pedestrian signals with the derision that Chicagoans view ketchup on a hot dog, I have a very wide comfort zone for jaywalking. The only streets where I always wait for the light are West Wacker and Michigan.>

Daley's "Trees in parking lots" policy. Just not getting it?

Am I the only one who finds Daley's idea to put more trees in parking lots a bit annoying? It seems ironic that you want to green up the city, yet what you're greening up (a parking lot) is ultimately what will (like a red carpet) invite pollution-spewing vehicles into town. Okay, perhaps the parking lots that have already been built are different--they're already there, so you might as well put some trees around there. But it sure as hell doesn't look any prettier to me. And in fact, I think it's kind of too accepting of the parking lot--instead of decorating parking lots, the city should be coming up with ways to get rid of them. And now with some of these annoying shopping centers (Southgate Market, etc) the city thinks they can get away with surface parking by just planting a bunch of trees in the lot? How kooky is that? Oh, and what ever happened to that new Zoning ordinance and strip-mall review board, Chicago103--where were they when Crapgate Market was being planned? Anyway, just blowing a bit of steam--but I really think the city should stop insulting us by building surface parking lots and then trying to make them "friendly" by planting some useless trees. Take that shit back to Schaumburg>

Chicago & Illinois transportation gets a shot in the arm

We need to thank our legislators in Congress over here in the District of Columbia for pushing a Federal Transportation Bill that will have a LOT of pork for Illinois and the Chicago area. Bolded are the parts that I'm interested in: New transportation bill bumps IL funding 33% By Paul Merrion Federal funding to build a western route into OÂ'Hare International Airport will be enacted as part of the federal transportation bill now awaiting final congressional approval, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Plano) announced Friday. The bill increases the share of federal transportation spending that Illinois gets on an annual basis by 33%, or about $300 million a year, in addition to a slew of special projects earmarked for funding, led by $140 million for the long-sought western access to OÂ'Hare. Â"The projects of national significance are huge,Â" the speaker said in a conference call with reporters. Â"For Illinois, this is a pretty good piece of legislation.Â" Please CLICK HERE to view a complete list of infrastructure projects. The bill also changes how taxes on ethanol are counted in the formula used to calculate the stateÂ's share of federal funds, which will mean an additional $80 million a year for Illinois Â"forever,Â" he noted, because the state is the largest user of the alternative fuel. Another noteworthy Chicago project funded by the bill is $100 million for the so-called CREATE project to reconfigure freight railroad lines and road intersections to reduce bottlenecks. But thatÂ's only a down payment on what is expected to take at least $1.5 in public and private funding to complete. The bill, which is expected to clear the House today and win final Senate approval this weekend, also includes a 28% increase in mass transit funding, which should mean an additional $500 million for Illinois over the five-year life of the bill, according to the speaker. Other local projects include $25 million for continued reconstruction of Wacker Drive in Chicago and $16 million for advanced education of freight industry professionals at Northwestern UniversityÂ's University Transportation Center. The bill also clears the way for two extensions of the Metra commuter railroad and the Chicago Transit AuthorityÂ's Circle line, according to the speaker, who said the amount of funding for transit projects wasnÂ't specified in the bill. In addition, the bill will fund the 33-mile Prairie Parkway project, which runs through his far west suburban Fox Valley district, as well as bridges in St. Charles and Elgin and much larger bridge projects across the Mississippi River at East St. Louis and the Quad Cities. According to an analysis of the bill by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Il.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), Illinois will average $1.24 billion a year in transportation funding, up from $927 million under the previous law. Illinois transit projects are projected to receive a total of $2.1 billion in formula funding over the five-year life of the bill. That compares with $1.9 billion over six years under the previous highway bill. At that level of spending, the bill is expected to create more than 24,000 jobs in Illinois, the senators noted. While Illinois still generates more taxes on gasoline and other fuels than it gets back in transportation spending, getting a fairer share of federal spending has been a top priority of the senators, the speaker and other members of the Illinois congressional delegation this time around. Â"WeÂ've moved from being a huge donor state to much less of one,Â" the speaker noted. Â"IllinoisÂ' share is higher than it ever has been.Â">

Good news for TOD in Chicago

There has been some talk about Chicago doing a bad job in promoting TOD (transit-oriented development). I think there are still areas of improvement, but when I visited www.newcommunities.org I was impressed. I think Chicago has worked very hard with individual communities to come up with a community plan. We all know that downtown and the north side are, for the most part, one giant TOD. But in that website, if you check out the pdf documents of community plans for several south, west, and southwest side communities, there are more TOD's planned. For example, shopping and the Kennedy-King College are planned near the 63rd and Halsted stop of the Green Line. Also, TOD is planned within a quarter to half-mile of the 63rd and Ashland stop of the Green Line. Another TOD with sidewalk improvements and retail are planned, with a prominent corner, on the 63rd and Cottage Grove stop of the Green line. If you look under the development plan for East Garfield Park, you'll see that the California and Kedzie stops are other sites slated for TOD. West Madison St (in East Garfield Park) is also slated to become a retail/mixed-use Main St. I have only touched the tip of the iceberg on that website and have many more neighborhoods' plans to look at, but what I have seen so far is quite impressive. While many of us won't believe it until we see it, I think the fact that there is a development plan in place for these long ago forgotten areas is a HUGE first step. I look forward to seeing what pops up in these and other locations in the future.>

"Life beyond the Hudson"

nytimes.com had an excellent article this morning about an incredible housing boom in the city's four outer boroughs and the effect it is having on the city and its various ethnic groups. It's always great to read about positive urban news in any US city and New York has always generated its fair share of such stories. New York doesn't have to be my city for me to enjoy the way it evolves for a better future or for me to be fascinated by such a multifacted city. well and good. but then I read within the article the following comment by Mayor Bloomberg: "Housing is being built where 20 years ago people would not live," Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said in a telephone interview. "Other cities in other states have just not enjoyed this kind of boom. Each block is much more diverse than people realize. There is a cooperation and a spirit that we are here together and we're going to live together." HELLO!!! Mayor Bloomberg, may I first remind you that there is life beyond the Hudson and then to ask sincerely (since your comment shows no evidence of this) have you ever heard of the city of Chicago? Meanwhile, Your Honor, I have to wonder: could you possibly be any more provencial than you apparently are?>

If you had your choice...

...of five proposed buildings to get built, which would they be? For the sake of keeping this interesting, let's assume Fordham Spire and Waterview would be everyone's 1 and 2, so I'm going to exclude them. For me, in no order: MoMo Legacy at Millennium Park Spertus Institute 300 North LaSalle (to get rid of that awful parking garage) 600 North Fairbanks>

How can Chicago's city population be over 3.5 million again????

Two questions: Can it? If so, how. Of course, this is without changing the current boundaries of Chicago, not landfilling the lake or rivers, or bulldozing any the parks, beaches, and airport. ___________________________ To me, I think Chicago can, by building up way more skyscrapers in the Lakefront and rebuilt the southern and southwestern part of the city. Edit: Poll should say "CAN Chicago's city population be over 3.5 million again????">

Chicago's Fish Hotel

Something fishy about new Chicago hotel CHICAGO (Reuters) - At Chicago's newest downtown "hotel," guests can swim out, but will they ever leave? Friends of the Chicago River, an environmental group, cut the ribbon on Saturday on the city's first "fish hotel," off the Michigan Avenue bridge at the south end of the city's Magnificent Mile shopping district. The hotel is actually a series of small gardens -- some floating and others submerged -- densely planted with wetland vegetation that should be more inviting to urban fish species than the river's bare, steel walls. Some 18 species, including green sunfish and largemouth bass, which live in the Chicago River, could soon be snacking on clasping-leaf pondweed and bristly sedge planted in the new habitat. Even Coho salmon, better known in Lake Michigan or on Chicago menus, could swim by for a snack. The habitat will be equipped with underwater cameras so Chicagoans can get a glimpse of the action. Costs for the project, which was done in partnership with the City of Chicago, were not disclosed but were funded partly by corporate donations. Once tried out and tweaked, the concept could be extended to other urban rivers where fish struggle with a difficult habitat. "It is exciting to know that this project ... could guide other cities faced with similar challenges," said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of the Friends group.>

are Sox & Mets soul mates?

Are the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets soul mates? Seems to me they have quite a bit in common. Chicago and New York are the only cities with two MLB teams playing within city limits. Both are dominated by cross town rivals. The Cub mystique, Wrigley Field, and the power of the North Side tend to overpower the White Sox. Yankee success, tradition, $$$$, and dominance keep the Mets solidly as second best in NYC. The way I see it, the Sox may have the toughest of all hauls in two team markets: YANKEES/METS: As I said, lots of Cub/Sox parralels here. And some things different: if the Mets had the record the Sox have today, New York would be tuning in big time compared to Chicago's pathetic show of support for the Sox. In Chicago, it would take a WS appearance by the Sox to spike interest and attendance for the 2006 season. DODGERS/ANGELS: Dodgers squandered what should have been a Yankee or Cub type of dominance in LA. With Angel success, they are having no problem packing them in in Anaheim, while the Dodgers have been on the road to nowhere for years, their glory years long before them. GIANTS/ATHLETICS: Bay Area wise, the Giants dominant the A's as much or more so than the Chicago counterpart of Cubs over Sox. The difference? Much of the dominance comes from San Francisco's built in advantages over Oakland. Add to that the glory of the Giants name (from years in NY) and an outstanding new ball park, the Giants are the area's top draw by far. When it comes to talk of leaving town, only the A's are discussed. Big difference in Bay Area vs. Chicago: it is far more acceptable to like the Giants and the A's than it is to like the Cubs and Sox ORIOLES/NATIONALS: Too soon to tell how this one is going to go. DC was dying for a franchise and is supporting it well. The O's have the tradition of success on the field since the Browns moved to Baltimore and Camden Yards is a plus. WIll be interesting to see how new DC will change dynamics. Meanwhile, with two cities that are their own entity far more than SF and Oak, this may not play out on the two team market issue the same way the others do. If I were to summarize, I'd say the White Sox may have the most difficult time with a two team market: geographically, they share one city and have yet been able to prove that they can capture its attention and its support. I think the franchise is more than viable, due to the huge Chicago market; but when it comes to comparison in its own community, nobody suffers to the degree the Sox do.>

are Sox & Mets soul mates?

Are the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets soul mates? Seems to me they have quite a bit in common. Chicago and New York are the only cities with two MLB teams playing within city limits. Both are dominated by cross town rivals. The Cub mystique, Wrigley Field, and the power of the North Side tend to overpower the White Sox. Yankee success, tradition, $$$$, and dominance keep the Mets solidly as second best in NYC. The way I see it, the Sox may have the toughest of all hauls in two team markets: YANKEES/METS: As I said, lots of Cub/Sox parralels here. And some things different: if the Mets had the record the Sox have today, New York would be tuning in big time compared to Chicago's pathetic show of support for the Sox. In Chicago, it would take a WS appearance by the Sox to spike interest and attendance for the 2006 season. DODGERS/ANGELS: Dodgers squandered what should have been a Yankee or Cub type of dominance in LA. With Angel success, they are having no problem packing them in in Anaheim, while the Dodgers have been on the road to nowhere for years, their glory years long before them. GIANTS/ATHLETICS: Bay Area wise, the Giants dominant the A's as much or more so than the Chicago counterpart of Cubs over Sox. The difference? Much of the dominance comes from San Francisco's built in advantages over Oakland. Add to that the glory of the Giants name (from years in NY) and an outstanding new ball park, the Giants are the area's top draw by far. When it comes to talk of leaving town, only the A's are discussed. Big difference in Bay Area vs. Chicago: it is far more acceptable to like the Giants and the A's than it is to like the Cubs and Sox ORIOLES/NATIONALS: Too soon to tell how this one is going to go. DC was dying for a franchise and is supporting it well. The O's have the tradition of success on the field since the Browns moved to Baltimore and Camden Yards is a plus. WIll be interesting to see how new DC will change dynamics. Meanwhile, with two cities that are their own entity far more than SF and Oak, this may not play out on the two team market issue the same way the others do. If I were to summarize, I'd say the White Sox may have the most difficult time with a two team market: geographically, they share one city and have yet been able to prove that they can capture its attention and its support. I think the franchise is more than viable, due to the huge Chicago market; but when it comes to comparison in its own community, nobody suffers to the degree the Sox do.>

Chicago: Image builders

What are some of the "Chicago image builders" that are out there...and if they happen, the city looks a heckuva lot better? A whole long thread here asks will Chicago ever have 3.5 million people again? Is that one an image builder? And, if so, is 3.5 million the correct number? Is population a huge image builder, or does San Francisco prove that a huge population is not necessary? What about the Fordham Spire? How about is that "WTB" title? If we keep Marshall Field's Marshall Field's, how big is that? Does that show clout that other cities don't have? How big an image builder is McCormick Place's expansion, putting back in first place among the world's convention/exhibition centers? How much of an image builder would gettng the 2016 Olympics be...just be gettng them (not even waiting for construction to start!) Would a blockbuster bank HQ'd in Chicago's Loop, one of the largest and most important in the world be a huge image maker for a city rich in all aspects of global economy save for a bank like the one described? How about the Circle Line and futher CTA expansion...does that project Chicago's interconnectively and accessible transit to the nation and the world? How important is an expanded O'Hare and moving forward in Peotone to Chicago's image building? If UIC became a public university in the mode of other public urban powerhouses (i.e. UCLA, Univ of Minn, Univ of Wash, Ga Tech), what effect would that have on Chicago's status? Would WGN attempting to expand its already impressive service into another CNN have an enormous effect on the city's status, in the same way that CNN aided Atlanta? Should the high profile clothing industry in Chicago take a step up to the competition in places like NYC, LA, Dallas...and thus provide another image builder? Chicago is totally impressive in the area of theatre, shopping, and restaurants...but can the image be tweaked even here? How important is it for the Chicago Tribune to be talked about in the terms of, let's say, the NY Times, Wash Post, perhaps even its own LA Times, for Chicago's image Have public works....i.e. Navy Pier, Millennium Pk, Museum Campus...given Chgo a leg up on other cities...and would more be warranted to clearly define the city as place where the public sector pushes the amenities of life? In an age when people love baseball parks, would a Cell replacement that created two ball park gems in Chicago be considered an image booster? and while on sports, how about a second NFL team (AFC, of course) doing the same job? And what other "Chicago image builders" do you see out there?>

Ideas to fix Dearborn Park

Eventually downtown growth will swallow up the south loop, and the only liability in that area will be the inward-oriented fortress of suburbia right in the middle--Dearborn Park I & II, with its impenetrable walls of brick. The only east-west connections will be Roosevelt Road. Not good. The South loop has enormous potential to be a successful neighborhood--but we may eventually have two prongs of great development--west of Clark and east of State--isolated from eachother. With intense NIMBYism in mind, especially the huge resistance to pulling out the wrecking ball and starting over, what can/should/will the city do about this? Does anybody have an idea how this problem should be addressed/solved in the future? How can we remake Dearborn Park in a way that it will interact more with the future south loop, and will perform a better function as a gateway between the two prongs of development, as opposed to as a giant wall. Can we facelift this development in some way? Does anybody have any thoughts, ideas, plans they'd like to share?>

How high is too high

I following are basically true about skyscrapers: • they can reach a height where they are impractical and dysfunctional • engineering skills today can take them a lot higher than the current world's tallest But what about aestetics? If you disregard how high you can go (engineering) and how high you should go, and consider only how skycrapers look and how they relate to their skylines: what would be the maximum number of feet you think a building should go while still be an attractive structure and fitting in to its surroundings? (I realize this thread can come up with crazy, off the wall numbers, but I am seriously asking here what you folks think)>

Public-tranist social stigma?

In the Toronto transit vs Chicago transit thread, one Chicago visitor mentioned a certain kind of social stigma that he felt when riding transit. Is riding public transit for purposes other than the daily commute expected of only poorer people? Is there any shame in taking the bus instead of driving?>

Regional Insecurity

I would say that Chicago, moreso than any other big city, is just sitting in the wrong place. New Yorkers, Bostonians, Philadelphians don't mind being labeled as "East Coast". Los Angelites, San Franciscoans are very content with being "Californians". I think Seattle likes that it's in the "Pacific Northwest". I'm not sure about Southern Cities, but I'd imagine they like to capitalize on "southern charm". What is it, though, about the midwest that is so embarrassing to Chicagoans? Would Chicago benefit if it were to "capitalize" on its midwest regionality? (what I mean is for Chicago to encorporate "midwest" more into its image) It seems that when Chicago was founded, it was in the "western frontier". As the country matured, however, what had been the great northwest evolved into the middle west. As it became the midwest, it became a symbol for middle america. So what about the midwest is unappealing, and what would enhance its image?>

a Sox "what if...."

This is not prediction, anticipation, expectaction. No, it's just a simple question: If the White Sox were the win the 2005 World Series, what effect, if any, would that victory have on the Cub/Sox balance of power in Chicago? Simply stated, how would baseball in Chicago change if the Sox were to win it all this year....short and long term? Ideas?????????>

Could Field's stand alone?

I'll ask this question, even though my knowledge of how American business works today makes me realize the answer is "NO!" Could Marshall Field's stand on its own as its own retail chain, either composed of: • stores in the Chicago area -or- • stores in the Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Twin Cities, and other current midwesern locations ???? The answer, as I said, would appear to be "no". Federated's desire to consolidate under the Macy's name allows the type of volume selling that a store structured like I suggested for Field's would not be able to underprice. Is there a scenerio out there a that I am missing that says Field's could have made it on its own? How about a subsidiary of a larger corporation with no retail division of its own (such as when the British tobacco company, BATUS, owned the store)? (I'm by no means suggesting that Federated would sell the property)>

IC's Whirlwind Tour of the American Midwest: Chicago

I went on a long trip cros several states and through many cities this summer. Chicago was by far my favorite of the cities to visit. I took soooo many pics of Chicago, so enjoy. Around Chicago The Skyline from the Shedd Aquarium The Shedd Aquarium Me With the Bob Newhart Statue --This statue was installed by TV Land to commemorate the famous "Bob Newhart Show". Lake Point Tower from the Navy Pier The Smufit-Stone Building --Smurfin' LOL This building was such an interesting sight that I just had to capture it on camera. The Hancock Center The Building North Beach --Navy Pier --The Skyline The Architecture Tour --These photos were taken from a boat tour along the Chicago River. The Sears Tower A Bridge Along the Chicago River The Tribune Tower The Marina City Towers The Sears Tower The Tower From a Distance The Skyline From the Observatory The Fork in the Chicago River The Aon Center and Two Prudential Plaza Millenium and Grant Park Millenium Park The Fountain in Millenium Park Buckingham Fountain The Skyline from Buckingham Fountain What do you guys think? >

chicago subway

how is the chicago subway system differs from the new york subway in terms of design,operation,fare control and etc>

OfficeMax is One of Four Companies to Consolidate in the Area

From today's Sun-Times... OfficeMax to create HQ here August 16, 2005 BY ERIC HERMAN Business Reporter Advertisement OfficeMax plans to create a new, 1,500-employee headquarters in the Chicago area, merging its Itasca corporate functions with retail offices to be relocated from Ohio, the company said Monday. The nation's No. 3 office supply chain will close a retail command center in Shaker Heights, Ohio, that was once its corporate headquarters. Meanwhile, OfficeMax plans to add 700 jobs to existing operations in Illinois, where it already employs about 800. It will receive $20 million worth of incentives from the state for doing so. "It really comes down to overall cost savings, and where we can have the best overall access to talent and retention," said Tom Russell, OfficeMax's senior director of marketing. Russell said the streamlining seemed logical after the July 2003 deal that created OfficeMax in its current form. In that deal, paper products giant Boise Cascade bought Ohio-based OfficeMax for $1.1 billion. Boise later sold its paper business, changed the remaining company's name to OfficeMax and relocated to Itasca. Since then, OfficeMax's senior corporate staff has worked from its headquarters in the suburbs, while retail operations remained based just outside Cleveland. About 600 retail managers and other staffers work at the Shaker Heights facility. Most will be offered the chance to relocate to Chicago, Russell said. According to Russell, OfficeMax considered moving the headquarters to Ohio. The search for a consolidated headquarters "got serious" in the second fiscal quarter this year, he said. The state incentive package, administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, includes $17.5 million in corporate income tax credits through a program called Economic Development for a Growing Economy. The program gives tax credits of 3 percent of the total pay for newly created positions, and 1-1/2 percent of the payroll for retained jobs. If OfficeMax brings less than 700 jobs here, it will not receive credit for them, said DCEO spokesman Brendan Moore. The state also promised OfficeMax a $1.5 million large-business development grant and $775,000 in job training funds. "We've been working with them over the past three or four months, talking about Illinois versus Ohio," said DCEO director Jack Lavin. OfficeMax's commitment makes it the fourth Fortune 250 company to consolidate its headquarters in Illinois in the last year, he said. "This is a good example of what we're doing, and Gov. Blagojevich's strategy to bring jobs to Illinois," Lavin said. While activists often deride incentives as "corporate welfare," Jeff McCourt of Good Jobs First-Illinois, which has criticized such deals, said the OfficeMax package did not seem overly lavish. "We think tax credits are in general harder to monitor. But at least the EDGE credit is directly tied to the number of jobs being created," he said. OfficeMax executives and state officials said the company had not picked a site for its consolidated headquarters. The company has hired the real estate firm Staubach Co. to help it find a location. The past year has been difficult for OfficeMax, whose shares are near their two-year low. Earlier this year, the company revealed employees had falsified $3.3 million worth of rebates allegedly owed by suppliers. OfficeMax shares rose seven cents in Monday's trading, closing at $27.44. The FOURTH company to consolidate HQ operations here in the past year!!! That is awesome. What does that list include aside from Sara Lee? I imagine OfficeMax is committed to the suburbs... Damnit, a 1,500 employee operation needs about 400,000 square feet, which could do wonders to rescue 190 South LaSalle, the Aon Center, or the IBM Building from their low occupancy rates. (I'm assuming Kirkland and Ellis is moving from Aon to 300 North LaSalle.) OfficeMax could anchor the IBM Building and have it renamed in its 'honor.'>

Will ridership on the Green Line grow the fastest in the next 30 yrs?

Okay, so the Blue and Red Lines are the top dogs. OHare service will probably always give the blue line the edge, while the Red Line's coveted route under State st downtown is much to envy. The Orange Line goes through a bunch of Kentucky before getting to Midway--some potential there, but so far not much on the drawing board. That leaves the Green Line. And I see some hefty growth there, if all goes well. When I visited www.newcommunities.org and read the plans for many communities, I saw at least 6 TOD's planned in otherwise dead areas. Here is what is going on: a few of the 63rd street stops will get more commercial/housing, not to mention the Kennedy-King College's relocation to 63rd/Halsted (right next to a green line station). 63rd and King, as well as 63rd Ashland and 63rd/(can't remember the street) are all planned for a bunch of renewal, if the market allows. Pedestrian-oriented retail is also planned for a few blocks east and west of the Green Line/55th stop near Washington Park. What else? A giant technology-job center is planned for an area just adjacent to the 35th st stop of the Green Line. This includes using already existent buildings of IIT and refitting them for technology-related use, as well as constructing new buildings along State St just north of 35th (replacing a giant parking lot I have always hated). How do I know? I friggin already saw the plans. If implemented, this will certainly bring thousands of high-tech jobs right next to a green line station. More? You bet. All along the western branch of the Green Line, TOD's are planned (Kedzie, California, and ???Ashland), not to mention the fact that merchants along Randolph st in the west loop have been asking for another L station along the Green Line between Clinton st. and Ashland. Finally--the Central Area Plan calls for a new L station on Cermak Rd along the Green Line. That, along with a housing boom that is almost guaranteed in Bronzeville (along with McCormick Place and commercial development along Cermak Rd) probably means a lot of ridership there. I also predict that another L station will be built along the Green Line between Cermak and 35th (28th st, anybody?) as the housing growth continues--but this last one is just my speculation. Among all of the community plans, I have observed growth plans mainly around Green Line Stations. I saw almost nothing planned around Orange LIne stations (although there is a housing development planned around Orange Line at Western/35th). There are also preliminary plans for a high-density mixed-use TOD around a Blue line station in Little Village (can't remember where, though). Either way, this is an exciting time and I look forward to (hopefully) seeing the Green Line make a HUGE comeback.>

Columbian Exposition

What buildings from the 1893 World's Fair still exist? Also, does anyone have a map of Chicago during that time with all the Fair buildings labeled?>

Chicago and foreign business

I wish to continue the Global Chicago discussion on this thread (hence the somewhat different name), untampered-with by the frustrated LA crowd. Below is an article that exemplifies why Chicago is a global city. This is why it always stays on top. It's mayor and civic community think ahead and reach out aggressively to attract business. Daley has made similar trips to other places, such as India, sometimes bringing William Daley, Gov Blagojevich, and even CEO's of major companies (such as Motorola and Boeing) to tout Chicago. Hell, Daley even promised to teach Mandarin in Chicago schools! Hilarious In China, Daley touts Chicago to investors By Michael A. Lev Tribune foreign correspondent Published October 19, 2004 SHANGHAI -- During a luncheon here Monday for Mayor Richard Daley and a visiting business delegation from Chicago, Jack Sandner of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange turned to a Chinese financial industry executive and said, "So, you're in the futures business. ..." While no more than a conversation starter, business deals have to start somewhere--in this case, a VIP reception at an elegant restaurant overlooking the harbor and skyline of this booming commercial capital. Chicago's business and civic leaders know that if they don't start cultivating stronger ties with China now, they will risk missing out on the next crucial stage of China's development: investments in America by Chinese companies. That's why Daley was in Shanghai giving a speech about Chicago called "The Global City," in which he made a pitch to the Chinese for Chicago's business environment, its central location, its lakefront attractions and architecture--everything but the weather in February. This was Mayor Daley's first visit to China, but he was following in the well-worn footsteps of his brother. As commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton, William Daley played a big part in China's boom by helping to negotiate its accession to the World Trade Organization and giving it most-favored nation trading status. Years before Mayor Daley was introduced to the mayor of Shanghai, William Daley was holding meetings with Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. The idea that Chinese companies will join the ranks of Japanese and Europeans as investors who will set up stateside factories and buy American companies is new, and it is almost certainly inevitable. China's enormous economy is still based at home and export-driven. It is the world's biggest recipient of foreign investment, having surpassed the United States last year when it attracted $53 billion from overseas. But already Chinese companies are beginning to compete with foreign companies, and they are looking to go global. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., one of China's biggest car companies, has signed a deal to buy South Korea's struggling No. 4 vehicle manufacturer, Ssangyong, while giant China Minmetals is in talks to buy Noranda, a Canadian mining company, for about $5 billion. Marshall Bouton, president of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, who organized the Chicago trip to Shanghai, said that when Chinese companies come to the U.S. to set up offices and factories, "Chicago should be on their short list." Few Chinese firms in U.S. Just a few Chinese companies have made the move to the U.S., including Haier, the appliance and consumer electronics company, which makes refrigerators in South Carolina. There is at least one smaller Chinese company in the Chicago area, a Shanghai Automotive parts distributor in Rockford. The Chinese investment boom is still a prospect because most big companies here are struggling to transform themselves from cogs in the communist system to profit-driven enterprises. But William Best of the Chicago-based consulting firm A.T. Kearney Inc., who has spent much of his career in Asia, said his firm was stunned to see how quickly the Chinese can adapt. When he opened Kearney's China office in 1992, Best assumed the client list would be exclusively foreign firms and that it would take 15 or 20 years to start working for Chinese companies. "It's 12 years later," Best said, "and over half of our work is with Chinese companies." On the question of how soon the Chinese will open up shop in the U.S. or start buying American competitors, he said, "I wouldn't be surprised to be surprised again." The challenge will be diverting the attention of the Chinese away from the New York-Washington corridor, which they know from government circles, and the West Coast, which they know from immigration patterns. During the early phase of the Japanese investment boom of the 1980s, Chicago was overlooked. "In this era of globalization, there is going to be consolidation in the business world and also in cities," said William Daley, now the Midwest chairman of JP Morgan Chase, who also was along on the China trip. Bouton organized the trip to Shanghai for Mayor Daley and several dozen Chicago-based executives, and he arranged for participating corporations such as Motorola, Material Service Corp. and Boeing to pick up the tab. Establishing ties takes time Under the name "Chicago-Shanghai Dialogue," business and government leaders of the two cities met for two days with the goal of using business ties to broaden their relationship. Daley met Shanghai's mayor Sunday; Shanghai's mayor agreed to visit Chicago. Daley wasn't starting from scratch in trying to sell Chicago. In China's sophisticated business community at least, Chicago's reputation has finally reached beyond vague references to Michael Jordan or Al Capone. Most dealmakers here have been to Chicago. But in Chinese culture, it takes time to get to know people and build ties. Also Monday, Daley signed an agreement with China's Education Ministry to receive support for the teaching of Mandarin in Chicago's public schools. Chicago in the last few years has built a Chinese language program that now covers 3,500 children in 15 schools. The Chinese government agreed to help set up a teacher training resource center in Chicago and donate 2,000 books a year, said Robert Davis Jr., the Chicago Public School system's Chinese language coordinator. "They promise to send delegations over throughout the year with experts in teaching Chinese so they can train our teachers with newer methods of learning," Davis said. It's good for business on the Chicago side, Davis said, because speaking Chinese will become more important for Chicago-based companies. Mayor Daley agreed. "It's extremely important in this century to learn English and Chinese," he said. "It is imperative that our city lead the effort, which we are.">

Global Chicago!

21ST-CENTURY CHICAGO Transformed Windy City has a truly global reach By Richard C. Longworth Published October 17, 2004 Picture the confusion of Rip van Winkle, waking in Chicago's City Hall after a 25-year snooze. The mayor's name is still Richard Daley, and he's a tough Irish politician, given to bluster and malapropisms and a fierce devotion to city and family. The City Council is still largely a civic joke. The Democratic Party still rules politics, and the Republican Party barely exists. Poor Rip could be forgiven for asking: Has anything changed here? The answer is a loud and certain yes. In the quarter-century since Richard J. Daley died, and even in the 15 years since Richard M. Daley became mayor, everything has changed. Chicago, once the smoky, broad-shouldered industrial behemoth and Midwestern capital, has become a global city, competing more with Frankfurt and Shanghai than with Detroit or St. Louis. A new book titled "Global Chicago" celebrates, explains and chronicles this metamorphosis. Published by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the book describes what a global city is--there are only 12 to 15 of them at the top of the worldwide list--and tells why Chicago, with New York and possibly Los Angeles, is an American city that truly belongs. As the book makes clear, globalization has changed everything about the city--its economic life, of course, but also its arts, education, people and even politics. "Global Chicago" is the first book-length attempt to describe this rebirth. Written by leading Chicago academics, practitioners and journalists, it aims to change forever the way Chicagoans look at their town. Some of the changes are well known; others less so. Chicago workers today labor at computer terminals, not blast furnaces. Bistros and three-star restaurants have replaced diners and pizzerias at the center of Chicago cuisine. Neighborhoods long abandoned to street gangs and drug runners are drawing new housing and new residents. The grandchildren of the Chicagoans who fled the city for the suburbs are returning, transforming neighborhoods from the South Loop to Lincoln Square to Woodlawn. The icon of residential architecture is no longer the bungalow, but the loft--or the rehabbed bungalow. A city once famed for grit and gangsters boasts miles of flowering planters and a spectacular new park that is rivaled only by the Tuileries of Paris as a civic magnet, drawing Chicago's mix of nationalities and colors to promenade, laugh and play. Creation of global city All this, as the book explains, is the work of globalization, and the creation of a global city. A global city is as different from industrial cities as the factory towns were from the trading posts that preceded them. In an industrial city, much of what a company did--manufacturing, sales, accounting--took place in one city, often in one building. Now the global economy scatters all those functions and jobs across the world. But this activity has to be coordinated and guided somewhere, and that somewhere is the global city. Such cities have corporate headquarters, of course. But more important, they have the high-powered services that corporations need: law firms, accountants, financial markets, consultants. Theoretically, global citizens can live anywhere, linked by instant modern communications. In fact, they are clustering in great cities--New York and London first, but also Shanghai, Singapore, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo and Chicago--because face-to-face contact is so important. What these global citizens want is information--call it the latest tip, call it gossip--that you can't get on CNBC or Bloomberg. The only place you get it is in global cities, where the action is. And that's where global citizens come to work and, increasingly, to live--in the lofts and townhouses going up south and west of the Loop. They say that people are what they do. Cities, too. The way Chicago earns its living has changed utterly. So it makes sense that almost everything else has also changed. Certainly the people have. Once dominated by Irish, Poles and other European immigrants, Chicago has been invaded and revitalized by waves of Latino, Asian and African immigrants--Mexicans, especially, but also Koreans, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Nigerians, Indians, Pakistanis and Iraqis. The city has 130 non-English newspapers. The 911 center can respond to emergency calls in 150 languages. Many new immigrants arrive with education: The city's health system, schools, arts, electronics industry, graduate schools would collapse without them. Twenty-two percent of the city's residents are foreign-born. Some immigrants cluster in tight neighborhoods; others sprawl; half of the area's Mexicans live in the suburbs. Nigerians, Indians and Iraqis hold top jobs at Chicago's universities, hospitals and museums. Scientists from around the world staff the Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. More than half the graduate students in engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago are foreign-born, and the post-9/11 crackdown on visas has sent shock waves through schools that rely on foreign students for tuition and for the brainpower that keep them vibrant. Links to homelands Earlier immigrants came looking for industrial jobs, settled in, married and spent their lives here. New immigrants are in touch with their homelands daily, through the Internet and phone cards. (One shop on Lawrence Avenue stocks cut-rate cards for immigrants from 200 countries.) The world impacts on Chicago in a million ways. And vice versa: $1.8 billion in remittances go from Chicago to Mexico every year, and Mexican candidates come here to campaign. Chicago's law firms fight cases in courts around the globe. Its doctors fight AIDS on every continent. Its architects design buildings in Angola, China, India and everywhere in between. Its scholars pretty much invented the International Criminal Court. Globalization even has revolutionized Chicago's most time-hardened institution: politics. Chicago politics--the Daleys, the Machine, the deal-making--look the same. But looks deceive. The Machine of Daley I delivered jobs. The Machine of Daley II delivers amenities. And that makes all the difference. Once, people came to Chicago to take jobs that were already here, in the mills or stockyards. City government delivered some of those jobs, from park workers to school bureaucrats. All the jobs, in big factories and big bureaucracies, were in one place and were easy to organize politically. This was the original Machine: jobs for votes. There were plenty of campaign workers, and politics was a mass affair, with lots of rallies and ringing of doorbells. Almost none of this exists anymore. The mills and stockyards are gone. So is most of the patronage system. So is the politics that all this supported. Instead, Chicago has to compete in a global marketplace for companies and people who can live anywhere. If Chicago is to survive in a globalized world, it must attract those people and companies. And so the politics of jobs has become the politics of amenities. The goal of Daley II is to make Chicago more attractive than Denver or Toronto. That's what the flowers down the middle of the street are all about. Ditto with Millennium Park, and Navy Pier, and the revitalized and de-politicized Park District. That's why schools top Daley's agenda: Global citizens will not move to Chicago if they think they will sacrifice their kids to the public schools that the first Mayor Daley bequeathed to the city. The effort is beginning to pay off. Chicago, once "Beirut on the Lake," is getting good ink around the world. The Guardian of London called the city "exhilaratingly beautiful." This month, the International Herald Tribune in Paris said that "there may be no city so expressive of modernity and energy." The elder Daley ran his campaigns on the cheap, with some help from big retailers and the steel and power companies that dominated the city's economy. His son spends big money on television campaigns and gets funding from the lawyers, bankers, stock traders and construction firms that depend on city contracts. Is this all due to globalization? Executive recruitment A lot of it is. Local political guru Don Rose noted that Daley I ruled an empire of $3,000-a-year postmen and steelworkers. Daley II will fail or succeed on his ability to pull in seven-figure global lawyers and consultants and the companies that employ them. Great cities are organic, growing and changing. Those that thrive must constantly reinvent themselves, finding new ways to prosper. So Chicago is not home free. Unless the revival of the schools continues, the influx of middle-class professionals will wither. Chicago's role as a transport hub depends on the growth of O'Hare International Airport. Traffic congestion could throttle the city's charms: Other global cities such as London have installed high-speed trains from airports to city centers. Keeping headquarters is important, but keeping the big firms that service global companies is more important. Six of these services are crucial--accounting, advertising, banking, insurance, law and management consulting. Chicago ranks in the top dozen cities in the world in five of them. The sixth is banking, where Chicago is barely in the top 70, and sinking fast. The global economy is a cutthroat place. Chicago must solve these challenges to stay at the top. Can its school system be reformed thoroughly? Can the new immigrants working at the bottom of the economic ladder find a place in this economy? Can it keep drawing in the people it needs to compete? The answer reached in this book is--so far, yes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^ what a great article. I think I will go and read that book.>

Transit-oriented-development in Chicago

Last time I was in Chicago, I drived (sorry, guys) by Western Ave in the NW side and its intersection with the blue line in Lincoln Square. I noticed several new 2-3 flats and buildings going up with ground-level retail. I was impressed with the TOD. Another good example of new TOD is the area of the CTA and Jefferson Tower/Place along the green line. I, as you guys know, am a hard-core urbanist. For those of you living in Chicago, are there any other areas (outside of downtown) where a lot of transit-oriented development is occurring?>

Forumer Get Together-Saturday, Oct 16th

Hello fellow Chicago Forumers, I was just wondering who plans to be at the forumer get together on Saturday, October 16th. Jada will be in town along with a huge group from ssp (perhaps 20 or more?) including several from out of state. The plan is to meet at "The Bean" at Millenium Park at noon. And later that night to get together and do some drinking.... More details on this thread... http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=129178 I will be there.... Who else?....>

frank gehry designs polish vodka bottle

click here Architect Gehry designs vodka bottle WEB EXCLUSIVE: Renowned architect Frank Gehry, Gehry Partners, was the designer of a new glass bottle for Wyborova Single Estate vodka, a super-premium brand thatÂ's a division of Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, NY. Arnie Orloski, Executive Editor Made by one estate team in Turew, Poland, the new vodka is a single-rye product of two distillation steps. The first bottles were presented as gifts to attendees at the 2004 Academy Awards, in a special wooden crate, also designed by the architect who is best known for the Bilbao, Spain Guggenheim Museum, and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Gehry was enlisted to do the bottle design by his son, Alejandro, an illustrator. "I am always attracted to things that are a challenge," Gehry told Newsweek magazine, when asked about the bottle. "ItÂ's a quick fix. Architecture takes so long." He went on to explain that the twist design came from an office building he had designed in Germany, "and this was the design that [the company] liked. When you look through the bottle, it plays with the light and creates an illusory image," Gehry said. "I am looking for a sense of movement, which I got in the vodka bottle with the glass. "My mother was born in Poland, and sometimes she spoke Polish in the house. So I found there was an emotional hook as well, which I didnÂ't expect," Gehry added. Launched into the United States this spring, Wyborova Single Estate is available only in selected markets. It retails for about $30. "Frank Gehry, one of AmericaÂ's greatest living architects, was the only person we considered to design the bottle," says Jeffrey Agdern, brand director at Pernod Ricard USA. "Based on his impressive work, we knew that he could craft a bottle that truly reflected the extraordinary vodka inside." Agdern tells Packaging World that the initial response to the new product and package has been "very strong." Further details on the bottlemaker and decorating were not available at press time. ·Gehry Partners, LLP ·Phone: 310/482-3000>

No Go Aones, a Few Do's and Don'ts, New Zoning Laws

No-go zones: A few dos and don'ts Builders get set to live by new city rules that ban a host of eyesores October 18, 2004 By Alby Gallun Real estate developers beware: Armed with a new zoning code, Chicago and its famously picky mayor are out to ban building styles seen as a blight on the city. The new zoning codes, which take effect Nov. 1, update rules that were last rewritten when Eisenhower was president. continued below Advertisement The city is conferring endangered-species status on many features of the urban landscape that planners have come to hate, like street-facing garages in residential neighborhoods. Or billboards, which will be tougher to put up in some areas. More green space, more windows. Less concrete, less visual clutter. "There were a lot of people who said you'll never get (the zoning rewrite) done because of Chicago politics," says Edward J. Kus, former executive director of the mayor's Zoning Reform Commission. "I guess the biggest surprise is that we actually accomplished it." Yet what's already been done can't be undone. Here's a sampling of some design "features" that become don'ts under the new zoning rules. No more blank walls It could pass for a medium-security prison, but this building is actually part of the Dearborn Park residential development in the South Loop. Too much brick and not enough windows, say planning experts. "As a pedestrian, you have a great sense of isolation," says Peter Skosey, vice-president for external relations of the Chicago-based regional advisory group Metropolitan Planning Council. He cites studies showing that many pedestrians won't walk along blank walls of 100 feet or more. Under the new code, windows or doors must cover a minimum of 17.5% of a building's walls that face a sidewalk. Patio pits? The pits City officials have always had it in for sunken terraces like these. You see them all over Lincoln Park and Bucktown. Developers like them because they add more living space to ground-floor units, boosting bottom lines. Some pits are tastefully landscaped, but a lot of them are "just concrete boxes that became receptacles for trash," says Edward J. Kus, who helped rewrite the zoning code. The solution: You can still build them, but only behind a property's required front-yard setback. Blacktop isn't open space A building plunked down in a sea of pavement: a skateboarder's heaven, but an urban planner's hell. "That's a doozy," says planning consultant Kirk R. Bishop, of this property along the Kennedy Expressway near Augusta Boulevard on the Near North Side. It wouldn't make it under the new zoning code, which requires developers to include open space with their projects according to a sliding scale. A building the size of the one above, for instance, would need 65 square feet of open space per unit. Parking doesn't count; the open space must include greenery or patios. Parking eyesores City officials and architecture critics alike rail against huge, overbearing parking structures like this one at Illinois Street and Lake Shore Drive. To discourage the "tower on a podium" style, the new zoning code caps the number of parking spaces a condo developer can build: for instance, only 1.1 parking spaces for every unit smaller than 1,600 square feet. Anything more than that and the developer must take space off the top of the building, a restriction city officials hope will cause developers to think twice about putting up 10-story-plus parking structures.>

4: Chicago from a Boat, 5/4/04

If the pics aren't showing, go here. http://mcc.fotopic.net/c174937.html This guy had no idea what the hell he was talking about. >