Chicago

Chicago Puts Thousands of Vacant Lots on the Market for $1
Chicago continues to lose population from parts of the city, so vacant properties are multiplying. The city's "Large Lots" program aims to return vacant properties back to control by residents of the neighborhoods.

Two Skyscrapers Will Finally Rise Above the Failed Location of the Chicago Spire
Two towers, one reaching 1,100 feet and the other 850 feet, will take their place in the Chicago skyline.

Chicago Zoning Standing in the Way of Some Urban Gardens
It can be easier for Chicago's urban gardeners to grow produce than to sell it.

Dense Development Generates More Property Taxes Than Big Box Stores in Chicago
After examining property taxes for Target, Family Dollar, and Liberty Bank in Chicago, Steven Vance found that nearby dense development paid more per square foot than the big box developments.

Chicago's Metra Will Try One-Day Pass
Along with a scheme to simplify fares, Metra will roll out a one-day pass and a set of federally mandated safety updates.

Millennials Moving to Mid-Size Cities
Jobs and cheap housing give some small cities a big appeal for folks in their 20s and 30s.

Another EPA Rollback, Tailor-Made for Gov. Walker and Southeast Wisconsin
Politics and economics win over public health in Racine County as the EPA exempted the area around the Foxconn's massive facility from meeting stricter ozone pollution standards, saving the company from investing in smog-reducing equipment.

Hit-and-Run Traffic Fatalities Reach Record High
Over 2,000 people died from hit-and-run collisions on American roads in 2016, the highest since 2009, claiming a disproportionate amount of pedestrian and cyclist lives. One solution: more protected bike lanes.

DUI Arrests in Chicago Continue to Decline. Did Ride Hailing Do That?
Some credit a drop in DUI arrests in the city of Chicago to drunks using ride hailing services.

Chicago Coach Houses, Legalize 'Em
Coach houses could provide affordable housing and revenue for home owners if they were more widely permitted in the city.

Bus Lane Proposed for Chicago's Famous Lake Shore Drive
Chicago's buses are getting slower. Putting dedicated bus lanes on the drive could speed buses up, and a growing coalition supports the idea of dedicated bus lanes on one of Chicago's busiest thoroughfares.

Free Public Transit for Chicago?
The CTA just raised fares, but some think if the service were truly committed to equity it should be made free.

Mayor Emanuel Wants to Open More of the Chicago River to the Public
Plans to double the length of publicly accessible riverfront will be included in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's State of the City address tonight.

Risk and Reward in Play With Wrigleyville Developments
A wave of investments is visiting one of the most famous, and notorious, neighborhoods in the city of Chicago. The question is whether the final product will be worth the expense.

Sunday Fun: Vote for the Best Buildings in Illinois History
Voting is open until April 13.

Resurrecting the Classic American Main Street
In an interview, urbanism scholar Emily Talen discusses what it would take to restore "main street principles" to American towns and cities. Understandably, small retailers play a big role.

Elon Musk Company Closes in on Chicago's Airport Express
The announcement of the finalists to build the O'Hare Express has critics even more concerned about the project's viability.

Surface Parking Lots Making Way for Higher Uses
Are the urban revival and the future of mobility already rendering parking lots obsolete? Chicago provides a case study of a new generation of skyscrapers rising were cars once parked.

More Homes Underwater in Chicago Than Other U.S. Cities
One in ten Chicago homes is currently underwater, more than double the national average.

Demolition Starts for CTA's Controversial Flyover Project
The Chicago Transit Authority's Red-Purple Bypass Project will add an additional track to speed up trains passing through the Belmont Station. The project requires the demolition of several neighborhood buildings.
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