CHICAGO | General Discussions

[Handro]

Originally Posted by left of center

It would be a welcome surprise if this level of migration could continue for an extended period of time. At some point, I fear something will eventually bottle it up. If Biden wins reelection, the GOP will be forced to work with the Dems on a strategy for the border to reduce the amount of asylum seekers coming into the country. If Trump wins in Nov, then we can expect a repeat of 2016-2020, when immigration to the US nearly completely dried up. Obviously, a Dem in office for the next 4 years will benefit Chicago's population growth significantly more, since a deal on the border should hopefully still allow a decent inflow of immigration, as compared to what a Trump presidency could look like.

In either case, the past few years have been a great shot in the arm for Chicago's population numbers. Here is to hoping it continues in some way shape or form going forward!

At a municipal level it's been great, at a human level it's very sad to see seemingly increasing numbers of families with young kids panhandling all over the city. I hope this pace of immigration is met with an increased coordination between city/state/feds to get these potential new Chicago residents housing and jobs.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by Handro

At a municipal level it's been great, at a human level it's very sad to see seemingly increasing numbers of families with young kids panhandling all over the city. I hope this pace of immigration is met with an increased coordination between city/state/feds to get these potential new Chicago residents housing and jobs.

It seems Chicago is doing just as well as any other city in this regard. They've resettled or reunited almost half of the migrants who have landed here.

I'd be interested to know how it compares to large influxes during either of the Great Migrations or large influx of Mexican immigration in the 1990s?

[left of center]

Originally Posted by Handro

At a municipal level it's been great, at a human level it's very sad to see seemingly increasing numbers of families with young kids panhandling all over the city. I hope this pace of immigration is met with an increased coordination between city/state/feds to get these potential new Chicago residents housing and jobs.

The real problem there is work permits/visas, which the feds are dragging their feet on. The immigrants *want* to work and set up their lives, but they can't get employment because of their status. 20+ years ago this was less of a problem, since people would be able to be paid under the table in cash. This is how the huge surge of Mexican immigrants to the city in the 80s-00s got their foot in the door. In today's near cashless economy, informal cash work is much less of an option, thus the panhandling. Unfortunately, I don't see Congress moving on remedying the situation anytime soon, because immigration is so politically polarizing. Very frustrating.

[BrinChi]

Interesting WBEZ piece on history of migrants in Chicago:

https://www.wbez.org/stories/migrant...7-ec93c2a9af34

Fernández said she would be surprised if Chicago is able to retain these thousands of migrants long-term, considering that growing economic inequality has increasingly made the city inaccessible to the working class that once flocked to Chicago in droves in the 20th century.

A 2022 UIC Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy report analyzing population trends found that “as Chicago’s population declines, working class families are leaving the region and are being replaced by a smaller number of residents holding high-paying white collar occupations and with higher levels of education.”

“Rather than a land of opportunity,” Chicago “is increasingly a land for the privileged,” the report said.

To Scarborough, the moment presents an opportunity for Chicago to learn from its past and course-correct for the future.

“Clearly, Chicago has much more to offer than the places that these asylum-seekers are fleeing. But the question that remains is, is Chicago and the city itself going to repeat some of the mistakes that it made in the past that sort of laid this foundation for decades of inequality to continue in Chicago?” he said. “Or is it going to set a different foundation that’s one rooted in support and investment of new residents in the city that can not repeat the past and change things a little bit?”

[Steely Dan]

Anyone know the story with the Sears Tower's western antenna?

How long has it been truncated like this?

[Tom In Chicago]

Looking through the photos on my iPhone it appears as though they started disassembling the antenna sometime in November of 2022 and by March 2023 it was gone. . .

. . .

[Steely Dan]

^ oh, so it's already been roughly a year.

Thanks!


I wonder if they'll ever get more evened up again.

[xzmattzx]

What are some good places to get a gym shoe sandwich?

[Chisouthside]

I see Baba's famous lemonade( a chain) offers it. Ive had other good sandwiches from there but never the jim shoe. The only downside is most of those locations are in the hood so you might have to have it delivered or drive down there.

[SIGSEGV]

I've never had it, but supposedly Stony Sub is the place to go.

[Steely Dan]

Cicada-geddon is turning out to be a total bust in Lincoln Square.

I have yet to see a single one.

My kids are quite bummed after all the hype.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Cicada-geddon is turning out to be a total bust in Lincoln Square.

I have yet to see a single one.

My kids are quite bummed after all the hype.

Nothing in Ukranian Village either. I've been walking & biking in Humboldt Park as well in search of them, but nothing there either. The near western burbs are absolutely buzzing with them though. I was in Oak Park/River Forest/Riverside this past weekend, and they have absolutely taken over

I figure since in the spring the city is typically 3-5 degrees cooler than in the suburbs, we might be a few weeks behind in terms of cicada emergence, since they determine when to come out based on soil temperate. Time will tell I suppose.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Cicada-geddon is turning out to be a total bust in Lincoln Square.

I have yet to see a single one.

My kids are quite bummed after all the hype.

I was walking with my daughter in her stroller when one almost flew in there. I was slightly aghast, until I swatted it away...those suckers are not THAT fast

[SIGSEGV]

No sightings for me yet either in the loop or Hyde Park...

[Steely Dan]

I read somewhere (can't find the link now,) that if your area of Chicagoland doesn't see any cicada emergence by next week, then it's likely not gonna happen at all. Apparently, they never travel more than like 50 feet from where they emerge.

On a hopeful note, a friend who lives over in Jeff park told me they have now taken over in his neighborhood.

Here in Lincoln Square, the days are ticking away......

[twister244]

Umm....... WTF?

https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/...ago-this-year/

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by twister244

Umm....... WTF?

https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/...ago-this-year/

Somehow, I'm sure BJ was involved in this decision

[BrinChi]

I think this is every year. Unless the 4th is on a Wed or Saturday there will not be fireworks on the 4th. I think Rahm even skipped them one year to show some belt tightening as the city began to face fiscal headwinds.

[Steely Dan]

First no cicadas.

Now no fireworks.

Cruel summer.

[Steely Dan]

I moved the posts about the Texas stock exchange to the thread about that topic in city discussions.

Please continue there: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=259124