oh, chicago

How Chicago became so huge.

Transportation! By being so close to Lake Michigan and the Des Plaines River, it became a critical connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi river. Then came the markets. Then came the railroads. Then came the airports. “It ended […]

oh, chicago

City street festivals lie about crowd sizes?

“An analysis of city permit data found many street festival producers are submitting permits for crowd sizes significantly lower than what’s being advertised online — but the estimates are used to make safety plans.” ~ learn more

oh, chicago

Foxtrot reopening soon.

“We can’t make everything right from the past, and we know there’s work to be done. But we also know opening our doors again is the best way to provide the most opportunities for all.” Internet commenters are unhappy. I […]

oh, chicago

Famous Wrigley Field rooftops will be town down.

“City Council on Wednesday approved the rezoning of three iconic properties on Sheffield Avenue — including the Eamus Catuli and Torco buildings — to make way for a single 29-unit apartment building.” The beginning of the end was the 2015 […]

oh, chicago

Chicago’s vanishing water tanks.

“After the Great Fire of 1871, ordinances were passed requiring these tanks on top of warehouses, factories and public buildings. The law spawned a whole industry in water tank construction and maintenance.” ~ learn more

oh, chicago

How debt ate Chicago.

This is a pretty depressing article. I think it’s likely accurate on the fiscal points but also could have been written at any time over the past several decades. What it leaves out of the analysis might be all the […]

oh, chicago

So many Divvy bikes are in Lake Michigan.

“There aren’t many shipwrecks off Chicago’s coast anymore, but the city’s lakeshore has its own kind of ghostly marine curiosity: tons of rideshare bikes submerged in Lake Michigan’s shallow shorelines.” ~ learn more

oh, chicago

2 shot while alderman camps out to stop violence.

“Ald. David Moore vowed to stay on 73rd Street despite having to leave over the weekend after shots rang out. … “Camping out was his “last resort,” Moore said. “I know what I’ve been doing and, evidently, what I’ve been […]