Chicago Tribune

High hopes for city change are attached to Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Even if the city wins the bid this Friday, the impact is likely to be modest, according to Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin.

Blair Kamin reviews the futuristic showcase, "Big. Bold. Visionary. Chicago Architects Consider the Next Century," curated by architect, Edward Keegan, on the anniversary of Burnham and Bennett's Plan of Chicago.

Transportation officials in Chicago are enlisting the ideas of area residents as they attempt to draft a plan that will guide development and transportation in the region through 2040.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that will bring about $31 billion worth of road, transit and school construction projects.

The 1909 Plan of Chicago is widely credited to Daniel Burnham. But Burnham's right-hand-man, Edward Bennett not only played a big role in writing the plan, he also helped put it into action.

High speed rail advocates in Chicago have released a study that says building a 220-m.p.h. train between Chicago and St. Louis is an achievable goal.

Chicago's river has often played second fiddle to its lakefront. A new riverwalk hopes to change that.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) says service cuts are imminent, and invites the public to weigh in on how the cuts will play out.

DuPage County may let developers bypass the County Board for project approval if they develop low- to moderate-income housing projects.

After the Postal Service moved to a new building on Harrison Street, the 14-story, 77-year-old building has been vacant since 1995. Now it is to be auctioned.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is showing a scale model of the Loop and nearby areas on Michigan Avenue.

Chicago's historic landmarks ordinance is being challenged in the courts and is expected to be ruled unconstitutional. Blair Kamin discusses the impact the rule change could have on historic preservation in Chicago and beyond.

The rowhouse, a style of housing that began in 17th century Europe, is gaining in popularity in the U.S.

According to this article, community gardens can reinvent struggling neighborhoods by causing its residents to "band together."

A memorial to famed planner Daniel Burnham will be built on the lakefront in Chicago, and three finalists were recently chosen to design it. The designs haven't been made public yet, to the frustration of some locals.

The Chicago Tribune formed its own panel of international judges -- made up of tourists -- to tour and evaluate the city's proposed venues for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The site of the Chicago Spire, now an undeveloped eyesore, may soon see progress, as its developer and AFL-CIO negotiate for funding.

The author of this article expresses their concern for a potential Daniel Burnham memorial that does little to represent his ideas--or good planning.

An organization in Chicago's Little Village gives tours to educate its Mexican-American residents on how they can improve their notoriously polluted community. Grassroots efforts like this are being lauded by environmental justice groups.

Columnist Blair Kamin says that the Obama presidency puts a nail in the coffin of starchitecture, and introduces an age of sustainable buildings and an emphasis on infrastructure.