Illinois

Proposed Mega-Development Would Expand Chicago's Skyline
The One Central development would transform 34 acres over Metro tracks near Soldier Field.

Black Residents Have to Travel Farther for Trauma Care in Chicago
The opening of a new trauma center at the University of Chicago Hospital means many South Siders are closer to care, but there’s still a wide disparity between the distance white and black Chicagoans must travel for emergency care.

What a Different Approach to ADUs Could Mean for Chicago
Architect Larry Kearns argues that re-legalizing accessory dwelling units in Chicago could do a lot to promote affordable housing and economic diversity.

Comic Reveals the Difficulties of Navigating the World With Special Needs
A comic strip called "Spinning Our Wheels' explores the difficulties of navigating Chicago with a special needs child.

350-Mile Underground Electricity Transmission Line Would Connect Iowa to Chicago
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Jingoli Power, and Siemens Financial Services are pitching underground electricity transmission infrastructure for the midwest.

Mapped: Chicago's Shrinking Middle Class
In 1970, half of the city's census tracts were middle-income. Now, only 16 percent of them remain so. Polarization between the well-off and the poor essentially splits the city in two.

Dog Parks and Gentrification
When is a dog park more than just a park for dogs?

Tribune Megasite Could Transform Downtown Chicago
A huge piece of real estate along the Chicago River is primed to host a new mixed-use campus.

Chicago's Largest-Ever Tax Increment Financing District Approved for Lincoln Yards Development
The new TIF is expected to generate $900 million. Opponents wanted to wait until a new mayor is elected to decide on the TIF.

Obama Presidential Center Dealt Legal Setback
There are more than a few reasons to think that the Obama Presidential Center won't go the way of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which gave up and decamped for Los Angeles.

Sale of Illinois Tollway Considered to Pay Pension Debt
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has a $134 billion problem in unfunded pension liabilities. Along with several other measures, his administration is considering selling state assets, including the Illinois Tollway, to fill the hole.

Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance Proposed in Oak Park, Illinois
The suburb made famous by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway is considering an inclusionary zoning ordinance in the hopes of enabling more affordable housing development.

Daniel Burnham: Appearing Soon on Television Screens
Make no unbingeable television, or something like that.

Legislation Would Require Bird-Safe Designs for New Buildings
Chicago is the home of a political movement to protect birds from the hazards presented by glass-sheathed modern buildings.

Friday Eye Candy: A Polar Vortex and an Atmospheric River Leave a Mark
The cities of Chicago and Los Angeles were in rare form after winter storms passed through in recent days.

When Red States Turn Blue
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has followed the path laid by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in joining the U.S. Climate Alliance. All three are new Democratic governors replacing Republican predecessors.

Polar Vortex Shuts Down Detroit's Q-Line Streetcar
Other polar vortex-related transit news included fire on the tracks in Chicago.

Land Use Regulation's Legacy of Racial Segregation
An investigative feature by Governing magazine blames the history of land use regulations like zoning and redlining for the racial segregation of contemporary communities all over the state of Illinois and the country.

Public Engagement and Bike Share Planning
New York and Chicago asked residents to suggest sites for new docking stations. Most were not put at those locations, but that doesn’t mean collecting public input is not a useful and important part of the planning process, say researchers.

Lincoln Park and the Complicated History of Gentrification in Chicago
The following excerpt, written by Daniel Kay Hertz in the introduction to The Battle of Lincoln Park, challenges assumptions about the forces of gentrification in Chicago, with lessons for communities around the country.
Pagination
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