A Few Ideas

With Chicago on center stage, I was mulling over what the city could do to really start to distinguish itself from other metropolitan areas and emerge as one of (if not THE) greatest cities of the new American century. Quite simply, capitalize where others have not.

Without a doubt, Chicago is culturally diverse, with all creed and color calling our fair city their home. With that in mind, why not lead the way in immigration reform. Be the city that finds the acceptable solution. What I don't understand is why you hear so many people screaming about building a wall between us and Mexico, when it would be smart of us to find a way to bring people into the system, get them paying taxes and buying/owning land. More people equals more demand for services, food, housing, jobs you name it. No one has capitalized on this yet. Everyone just tries to push these hard working people somewhere else. It's time to think about this differently.

Even though its a state issue, Chicago should really push to pass marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. Don't wait for the whole country to do it, lead the pack! By allowing same sex couples the right to get married, we will undoubtedly be increasing our tax base. Beyond our tax base, we will inherit a flood of cultural and scientific talent that would view a major metropolitan area like Chicago with same sex marriage rights as a safe haven. This will eventually happen, but Chicago should lead the way on this, by the time it's nation wide, the benefits of being early adaptors will be greatly diminished.

Citywide WiFi. This is a no brainer. Several other cities are pushing to make this a reality, but no one has been able to achieve it. Chicago should be the first. No doubt there are large obsitcals in the way, but this will happen and like I said above, we don't want to be behind the curve, we want to define the curve. If we can achieve this, coupled with my next point, will go a long way to establishing Chicago as a technologically advanced new metropolis.

Chicago is in a unique position, we have the ear of the president elect, and if we're smart, and I know we all are, we will use that to the fullest advantage. Barack Obama speaks about creating new jobs in renewable energy and almost just as importantly, opening the floodgates to genetic research. We can ill afford to let such big sectors of commerce pass us by, I don't know any Chicagoan who wouldn't want the next Silicon Vally not to be based very close by. The benefits to local job creation and the tax base would be overwhelming. With that in mind, we should consider lowering the taxes on large businesses as well as start ups, to entice them into moving here. In the past few years, high taxes have drove businesses to financially greener pastures like Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. It's time to get that business back, to look at the future sectors and start making the necessary changes to ensure that we get them.

Last but not least, we have to do something about the advertising industry in this city. Last week, Avenue closed its doors after decades of quality work. Just the latest in a growing list of advertising and post production houses to close up shop. And while 'the biz' has always been a tough one to make it in, at least there was still a market to take that shot. Now with a lot of these houses going away, the talent will have less and less reason to stay here. We cannot forget that the advertising industry and the people it employs is vital to promoting a diverse market place. Talent is not always the top CEO or the highest payed ball-player. Chicago needs to keep an eye on its shrinking markets and make sure they don't dry up.

Great article

Who You Calling Second City?

by Scott Turow

How an Obama win would make Chicago the new world capital.

Chicago, my hometown, and far more significantly, that of Sen. Barack Obama, appears poised with his election as president—pooh, pooh, pooh!—to become the Center of the Known Universe. For a city with a permanent chip on its shoulder, a place that willingly refers to itself as the Second City and which deeply identifies with the perpetual failures of the Cubs, who, as I like to say, teach us to take the bitter with the bad—for that place, becoming in many senses the most important city in America will require some serious attitude adjustment.

But the transformation appears imminent. The president’s home city and state traditionally prosper from added attention and influence, as well as the influx of visitors inspired by curiosity about our nation’s leader. More important, Barack has already signaled that Chicago will also be America’s political center. In June, the candidate-designate merged the Democratic National Committee into his own campaign apparatus and officially moved the DNC to Chicago. The decision produced not only a more efficient and less rivalrous organization, but it also, in some eyes, deepened the political insight. Roland Martin, the esteemed radio host and CNN political commentator, credits Obama’s decision to move the Democratic National Committee to Chicago as one of the key factors in keeping his campaign in touch with the “real” America, by removing campaign officials from the barrage of conventional wisdom absorbed in the media capitals and the beltway. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. As president, Obama’s political apparatus is virtually certain to stay here.

But that is not the only reason that Chicago is about to become a place with formidable political swack. There is a kind of perfect storm brewing that will greatly enhance Chicago as a power center. The Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate, Dick Durbin, the likely Majority Leader if Harry Reid ever steps down, is from Illinois, and on the House side, Rahm Emanuel, a representative from Chicago, is Chair of the Democratic Caucus, the number four position in the Democratic leadership. Jan Schakowsky, a congresswoman whose district includes parts of the North Side of Chicago, is also a member of the House leadership, as a Chief Deputy Whip. All three—Durbin, Emanuel and Schakowsky—have unusually close relations with Obama. Emanuel, a fabled political operative, who was Director of Finance in Bill Clinton’s original presidential campaign and then a senior adviser to the president, has emerged as an important figure in the Obama campaign this fall. Durbin and Schakowsky may be even closer to the man who would be prez. As the private lore goes, it was those two who were the first major elected officials in 2005 to try to convince Obama to take on Hillary Clinton in the primaries. They argued, reportedly, that Sen. Clinton would make a wonderful president, but that she would prove unelectable in November and that Obama was the only figure in the Democratic party who could seize part of Clinton’s base and wrest the nomination from her, thus saving the party—and the nation—for another four years of ruinous Republican rule. Durbin may be the closest of all to Obama, a sage figure with a sharp political wit, who mentored our junior Senator even before his election and who, should he care to leave the Senate, could end up as Attorney General.

Not only is there an unusually strong coterie of congressional leaders from Chicago, but the city is also the home to David Axelrod, Obama’s chief political strategist. Axelrod has been the keeper of the flame from the start. Even in the grim days last October, when Hillary Clinton was blowing Barack away in national polls, Axelrod was sanguine, even in private. He reminded friends that at the same point four years before the “inevitable” Democratic nominee had been—remember him?—Howard Dean. Instead, Axelrod was confident that Obama had been handed a unique advantage that would lead to victory in the Iowa caucuses. The date of the event had been pushed so far forward in the game of leapfrog being played with New Hampshire and other states that the college students, who were Obama’s chief bastion of support, would still be home on Christmas vacation. Axelrod was sure they would arrive in record numbers to caucus for his—and their—man. They did. It is great to be loyal in politics. But it is even better to be right. Axelrod’s crystal ball has been the best in the business this year.

Axelrod is a lifelong Chicagoan—a former reporter for the Chicago Tribune—who is also close to our Mayor, Richard M. Daley. Axelrod claims that he will be staying put in Chicago, but it is hard to believe that the president is going to proceed without the counsel of the man who got him this far. Axelrod can be expected to keep the perspectives and interests of Chicago on President Obama’s screen.

The most obvious consequence of all this power congregating in one city will be not only that Chicago and Illinois will clearly get more than its share of pork, but that the fondest dream of Mayor Daley is suddenly far closer to reality. For a few years, Daley has been ardently pursuing the 2016 Summer Olympics for Chicago; the city has now been short listed along with three other cities—Tokyo, Rio and Madrid—by the International Olympic Committee. Daley has been heard to say in private for months now that the best thing that could happen to Chicago’s chances would be an Obama victory. Even as a mere candidate, Barack Obama is probably the most popular political figure in the world, capable of drawing Pope-sized crowds on every continent he has visited. Even his quiet support is likely to have a huge impact on the IOC selectors, especially since it brings with a tacit promise to lend the prestige, power and even the fundraising prowess of a uniquely magnetic and unifying figure to the games.

The Olympics will provide an extraordinary valedictory for both men. Mayor Daley sees the Olympics as the capstone of what had been almost without dispute the most successful long-running mayoralty in America in the last couple of decades. Chicago has flourished under his leadership in almost every way, far more unified, economically vital, and even boasting an improved public school system, a claim almost no other large city can make.

Obama would probably be happy enough to aid the Mayor, who has emerged as an important political ally, after a rough patch early in Obama’s career. While Obama was a young state senator, Daley persuaded the then Republican Gov. George Ryan to support important gun control legislation. The bill was called in the veto session and Obama was absent, off on his family’s annual holiday pilgrimage to see his grandmother and other relatives in Hawaii. Obama explained that one of his daughters was seriously ill and that he did not feel he could leave her. But Daley, a man of many grudges, was angered when the gun bill went down to defeat by a tiny margin.

That hatchet was buried during Obama’s successful run for the U.S. Senate. And the Mayor was a pivotal and early supporter of Barack’s presidential quest. Nonetheless, Barack’s support for the Olympics in Chicago will serve his own interests as well. The Chicago Olympics in 2016 would fall in what is surely envisaged as the last year of the Obama presidency. The prospect of the world’s leading summer festival, a celebration of world unity, taking place in his hometown cannot help but be appealing to a man who will then be intent on his legacy, especially since not only the athletes, the city and the mayor, but the president will be an implicit object of veneration.

A city that has seen its Cubs snatch defeat from the warm grasp of victory on so many occasions is likely to carefully look all these gift horses in the mouth—and to remain nervous until all the votes are counted. But even the most hard-bitten Chicagoans have to see very good times on the horizon.

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Would it be so bad...

...to allow a truly world class casino to be built downtown? Nothing gaudy like Circus Circus, or over themed like the Luxor and its ilk. Something more along the lines of the Wynn or the Belagio. There would have to be stipulations mind you, namely that it would have to be a hotel/resort/casino. Super-tall if possible. And why not? It would be a great source of tax revenue for the city, and if it was a hit, would most assuredly draw in people from the surrounding regions. Also, out of towner's would have yet another attraction to experience. Lastly it would add yet another beautiful, glass clad skyscraper to the mix.

Critics argue that those who can ill afford to gamble with their money would do so anyway, further widening the gap between rich and poor, yet look at Las Vegas. I don't see homeless, destitute gambles by the tens of thousands.

Outdoor Digital Advertising

The market is growing rapidly, and the prices of large LED screens is dropping all the time, yet Chicago seems devoid of outdoor advertising. Why? The most I have seen is print advertising in bus stops. I don't think Chicago needs or wants anything as over saturated as say, Times Square, however, it seems like there is plenty to be made in the way of advertising dollars for the buildings. Not to mention the jobs it would create for motion designers in the city.

Beyond this no brainer of an idea. Think of the multitude of unique places Chicago has that creatively placed, well designed motion advertising can be placed. Chicago has bridges, rivers, the lake front, an elevated train system... I mean come on! Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should cover every surface with LED screens selling us crap we don't need. Nor do I think all advertising is bad. I do think though, that this is a missed opportunity to generate much needed revenue for the city.

Great Chicago Building resource

This link below shows a scale relation of the great buildings of Chicago.

Diagram

The site itself, SkyscraperPage.com is a great resource for any architecture buff. Worth taking a look at in my opinion.

Also worth a look if you have the time is the Berzon Development Database. A great listing of most proposed, approved and under construction buildings in Chicago.

What a fantastic view of Chicago!

Check it out here!

Chicago's Transit System

Chicago has a large, and in my opinion ineffective, transit system. Ranging from buses, to the L to the large commuter Metra trains. In addition to being plentiful and mismanaged, all the elements of the Chicago transit system have something else in common, they are all incredibly dated and in desperate need of a redesign. Where this money comes from is anyones guess. All the news I hear is that the city is broke, but this is all hearsay, and the mayor seems to be doing a well enough job. Regardless, its not my place or interest to debate how the mayor is doing, or where the money is coming from. I like to focus on the design and experience of our city. I'm no bean counter.

Back to the lecture at hand. First lets discuss how desperately Chicago needs more L lines, specifically ones that run not into the city, but around it. The way its set up right now is like spokes on a wheel, with all roads leading to Rome. While getting into the city is easy enough, problems occur when I'm trying to get somewhere parallel to my location. Example: I lived in Evanston for about a year a half, taking the purple line in and out. But if I wanted to get to O'Hare, I had to go all the way into the city and take the blue back out. What we really need is a second "wheel" that circles the city. If these coincided with L stops that would be fantastic. Fat chance since the CTA is cutting transit routs.

One positive thing that the CTA has been doing is updating and modernizing of many their stops, such as the beautiful new Belmont station. In fact most lines along the red/purple/brown seem to be getting a much needed makeover, and from what I have seen, they are fairly modern, although I would have added more screens to generate advertising dollars. The trains however are fugly at best. They are still using faux wood paneling on the inside of the L trains! Who decided this, and why is the company that manufactures these trains still think that we as commuters want to feel like we are in the olden days of wooden trains and horse drawn buggies?? I would love to take a stab at redesigning the L trains. I would make them use less energy, easier to maintain/clean and improve the commuting experience by incorporating larger windows on the sides and top.

The buses need improvements as well, I know that the city bought lots of new hybrid buses from New Flyer, but I don't think I have seen any of them driving around. While the design of them is so so, I think it can be modernized even further. I have not seen what the insides of these look like, but it has to be an improvement over past models. One way to improve revenue and patronage is to improve the experience of the commuter. I'm not saying to make taking the bus glamorous, maybe just enjoyable and modern.

Lastly, the Metra trains. The hulking, two floor, green windowed and often delayed behemoths of the Chicago transit system. While these trains are generally cleaner and often have much more seating than L trains, they still smack of an 80's suburban movie. I feel like my mom should be picking me up in a station wagon with wood paneling. This whole experience needs to be modernized and transformed. This is, for many, THE experience when coming into the city. Example: suburban family lives too far out for the L, goes into the city to catch a Cubs game. Instead of feeling like they are taking an experience into the 3 largest city in America, they could be on any other crappy, 1980's commuter train out there. They should market themselves as an experience, not an alternative to traffic. Oh, and PS Metra... your trains from the suburbs are only marginally faster to get downtown than braving the Chicago rush hour. I was sad to see the alcohol train go. Although I never actually got to go into this train, I wanted to. Although some said that it was $50 just to get inside. I can understand though it being that high, having to pay for insurance and a liquor license, then to have to drop drunk train riders off at their cars, maybe not the best idea. Bu I think something else should go in its place, hell a smoothy bar would be better than nothing.

Esthetic improvements to our fair city

For a time, I lived in Denver CO. One thing I was always impressed with was their attention to detail when it came to how their streets looked. Take the fact that the city is basically in the middle of a barren plain, yet at most of their intersections (especially in the affluent suburbs) there is a menagerie of rocks and plants, carefully maintained by an irrigation system. This is at their intersections... in each corner. Add to this their good looking street signs. Now I know what your thinking, street signs, but as a designer I notice these things, and the Denver area street signs are spectacular to say the least. Not only do they look like they could withstand a hurricane, but they are modern and the street names are backlit. Yes, yes, yes, and they probably cost a fortune.

Here in Chicago and her surrounding suburbs, we have nothing like this. Even our newest street signs and lamps look like they came from the discount bin of an 80's move rummage sale. Even downtown, they street signs are dismal. I know the mayor has done lots and spent plenty of taxpayer dollars to beautify Chicago, but still more must be done I say! Get those backlit street signs and continue to transform downtown into a modern marvel.

Illinois does have something that I have not seen anywhere else, in fact it’s in Arlington Heights. On Algonquin road at the intersection of Golf I believe, when turning left, lights in the road illuminate to guide drivers to stay in their lanes. At first I was taken back at how nice this looked, but when I actually had to use it, I was impressed at how efficiently it kept us in our lanes. I feel these should be added to the streets as well.

Next up, pay-phones. Where did all the pay-phones go?? People don't use them because everyone has a mobile now. Apparently they are being phased out. Regardless of this, I think it’s a shame that we don't have more pay phones around the city; I would go so far as to say it’s a hazard not to have more, especially in case of emergencies. Take these beautiful German phones for example. Now those are some good looking phones! These happen to be own and operated by T-Mobile. So why not let the big cellular companies get in on some pay phone action around the city, to hell with AT&T anyway. The phones should be able to take credit card/phone cards as well as provide internet access, for a price of course.

Finally, we need some new bridges downtown. This I'm very adamant on. I know the big bulbous riveted bridges are an iconic part of Chicago, but I think its time for those ugly things to go. And when you think of what happened last year in Minnesota, we can’t afford to have ill designed or maintained bridges. I say commission an architect to design new, modern ones, maybe with lights underneath or if you want to get crazy, video footage on large screen that can display design patterns on the water. Just some ideas.

When the mayor cleaned up downtown and added the flowers in the center of Michigan Ave, as well as many other esthetic improvements on the city, look what happened! Many more people moved to downtown, we even stole Boeing from Seattle! Let’s keep improving Chicago and we will surely grow and prosper.

Hello New Chicago

After living in this city for almost 5 years, I have found that I have become incredibly proud to be a Chicagoan and also very interested in the direction my new home is headed. I think that right now is a very exciting time to be in this city. I think there are a lot of changes going on, as well as a lot that can still be done.

Some of the more impressive events on the horizon are all of the upcoming architectural advancements. There were quite a few more than I originally knew about. The Trump (96 floors, 2009) of course, will be completed first. Say what you will about the man and his hair, the building is beautiful, large and a welcome improvement over the old sun times building. The Chicago Spire (150 floors!! 2011), which recently broke ground, is probably one of the more controversial buildings, due to its size and design. I encourage you to view some of the interior renders, simply stunning!

There is also a slew of buildings going up that have received far less publicity but are none the less breathtaking. Waterview Tower (89 floors 2009) is a great looking building going up on Wacker. Aqua (82 floors 2009) love it or hate it, is looking at architecture in a whole new light. The Legacy (73 floors 2009) is one of my favorite looking buildings, and literally builds upon the past. One Museum Park (62 floors 2008) is absolutely beautiful, and what a location! And these buildings are the ones just under construction.

There are also approved buildings that haven't started construction but are highly anticipated none the less. Mandarin Oriental Tower Chicago (78 floors 2010) looks to be amazing, as well as Canyon Ranch (64 floors 2009).

Two buildings defiantly worth mentioning that are proposed but haven't been fully approved are the towering Waldorf Astoria (109 floors 2012) and 375 East Wacker Drive (76 floors 2010).

By 2010, only two short years from now, the skyline of Chicago will be completely different. How exciting! I hope by then I have enough money to get a condo in one of these amazing buildings. I also hope that with all these new architectural developments, Chicago will continue to be a leading Alpha city of culture and style. If we are lucky, this will pave the way for more great buildings.

I'm sure there are plenty that I left out so please fill in the gaps!