CHICAGO | Economic & Business Development

[ardecila]

I've seen some pretty good shows filmed here. The Chi, Shameless, Lovecraft Country, Easy, etc. Definitely not just cop shows. Traditional sitcoms are not highly location-specific, whether single or multi-camera. On-location shoots are rare. Modern Family is really the only big sitcom I can recall off-hand to use a lot of location shoots.

On the film side, I was disappointed that Ma Rainey's Black Bottom didn't shoot any scenes here despite being set in Chicago.

To a large extent though it's a tax credits game, it's not about the studio infrastructure that may or may not exist in Chicago. LA and NY are the only places in the US where filming is not highly contingent on tax credits, and that's because both cities are the permanent residences for industry talent (writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, musicians, etc). You can afford to skip the tax credits if you're not paying travel expenses and lodging for all your cast and crew. Also, Atlanta has become a permanent residence for a lot of Black talent, which is why Tyler Perry was able to feel comfortable building a huge studio complex there, and it's become the hub for animation as well.

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I've seen some pretty good shows filmed here. The Chi, Shameless, Lovecraft Country, Easy, etc. Definitely not just cop shows. Traditional sitcoms are not highly location-specific, whether single or multi-camera. On-location shoots are rare. Modern Family is really the only big sitcom I can recall off-hand to use a lot of location shoots.

On the film side, I was disappointed that Ma Rainey's Black Bottom didn't shoot any scenes here despite being set in Chicago.

To a large extent though it's a tax credits game, it's not about the studio infrastructure that may or may not exist in Chicago. LA and NY are the only places in the US where filming is not highly contingent on tax credits, and that's because both cities are the permanent residences for industry talent (writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, musicians, etc). You can afford to skip the tax credits if you're not paying travel expenses and lodging for all your cast and crew. Also, Atlanta has become a permanent residence for a lot of Black talent, which is why Tyler Perry was able to feel comfortable building a huge studio complex there, and it's become the hub for animation as well.

According to this link, https://www.filmla.com/wp-content/up...ort_v1-WEB.pdf

The square footage for soundstage space available goes:

L.A. 5.2M
U.K. 3.5M
British Columbia: 2.5M
Ontario: 2.3M
Georgia: 2.0M
New York: 1.8M

I think Cinespace is going to be about 500,000 after the addition? So not too shabby, especially for a single location. Definitely nowhere near what's available in the Atlanta area yet.

[the urban politician]

^ Cinespace is not the Chicago area's only studio, though, right?

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Cinespace is not the Chicago area's only studio, though, right?

No. But if this list is accurate, the remainder are fairly small potatoes. It looks like (I am no expert) there are only six or seven soundstages outside of Cinespace that would work for more than shooting a commercial or something.

https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/whyil...undStages.aspx

Cinespace can probably rent you cameras and arrange for catering and everything else in a very turnkey way which makes it attractive in a way that some place with four stages can't be. Similar to how one O'hare is better than three smaller airports. Or a wedding a hotel is easier to setup than one at a random farm.

Pure speculation from me, but with the significant amount of theater talent in Chicago and the demand for streaming content, this sort of space must really be in demand right now. Chicago has a chance to get the ball rolling.

[sentinel]

Including the planned 100K sq ft expansion, Cinespace is about 850-900K gsf of studio/soundstage and production office space. If you add up all of the studios and their sound stages in OrdoSeclorum's link, Chicago has about 1.1 million sq ft of dedicated film production space..Cinespace alone is more than all of the other studio spaces combined. Cinespace is massive, and clearly has a bit of a monopoly on production in Chicago.

I know many many people in film/tv/streaming production in Chicago, and if what I've heard is true, Cinespace will have some steep competition in the next 2-4 years, specifically new production facility, and I'm not referring to the recently approved planned conversion of a multi-story warehouse facility on the north side - what I know of is specifically for a new facility that is somewhat under the radar for now. Regardless, production in Chicago will continue to ramp up, as long as the state tax credit keeps getting extended, because streaming will only increase, along with both traditional film and tv production, especially as the pandemic winds down, so....we shall see.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

It was located on wrightwood in Lincoln Park.

It's since been demolished and replaced by a 3-flat condo building.


original family matters house: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9287...7i13312!8i6656

replacement 3-flat: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9287...7i16384!8i8192

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

According to this link, https://www.filmla.com/wp-content/up...ort_v1-WEB.pdf

The square footage for soundstage space available goes:

L.A. 5.2M
U.K. 3.5M
British Columbia: 2.5M
Ontario: 2.3M
Georgia: 2.0M
New York: 1.8M

I think Cinespace is going to be about 500,000 after the addition? So not too shabby, especially for a single location. Definitely nowhere near what's available in the Atlanta area yet.

Cinespace is quite a bit larger than 500,000 SF. The whole complex between Washtenaw and the tracks in Douglas Park is 1.5 million SF, about 300,000 SF is Lagunitas. At a minimum half of that remaining 1.2 million is stages, the rest being offices, shops (like workshops lol, not retail), and storage.

Their new facility at 31st and Kedzie is also about 500,000 SF so that's at least another 100-200k in stages there.

The demand is there in Chicago, it's just hard to get developers to put money into a project when the selling point is "we are going to take space you could be renting as high cube storage to Amazon for 30 years at $15/SF/YR NNN and then rent it on a Yearly, monthly, or daily basis to Hollywood for $35/SF/YR gross.

Sure you can make a killing, but real estate isn't about making money, it's about making money consistently for a long time and doing so with minimal risk. Cinespace literally just lost their lease on the BNSF freight yards lot to a devleoper that is likely going to put up a distrobution warehouse. Now they need to find parking elsewhere in the neighborhood for up to 4,000 employees at a time. The result has been all those cars that were parking West of Western being shoved backwards into the neighborhood. Literally every vacant lot between Roosevelt and 21st and Western and California is crammed to the gills with cars right now. The neighbors are going to throw a fit...

[galleyfox]

Another suburban company using ‘hot Fulton Market’ district as recruitment tool, opening office for 100 employees

https://www.chicagotribune.com/colum...ik4-story.html

Calamos Investments based in Naperville opening Fulton Market office at 215 N Peoria for 100 employees.

[the urban politician]

Chicago demand for office space nestling pre-pandemic levels

https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/...-pandemic.html

This article is behind a paywall so I can’t read it, but the title says it all.

I don’t want to get too excited too soon, of course, but I really hope that we are really on the cusp of a major rebound

[Tom In Chicago]

[MODERATOR NOTE] Moved all the census talk >>>HERE<<<

. . .

[bnk]

https://abc7chicago.com/target-chica...lage/10561123/


Target hiring for 2K jobs at new Little Village distribution center





By ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Target plans to hire 2,000 people for a distribution center in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.

Multiple career or hiring events will be held in the Little Village community through May, according to Target officials. Local residents can apply for a variety of open positions at these events.


Target committed to offering market-competitive pay and benefits. At the Little Village distribution center, positions start at $18 an hour, Target said.

Additionally, Target will provide training and development for its team members, along with opportunities to build skills to succeed in their jobs and careers. Target said it also offers education benefits such as tuition and GED reimbursement in order to support team members' continuous learning. The investment in the team will allow Target to continue to recruit and retain strong team members, according to Target officials.

...

[the urban politician]

^ Watch the community "activists" be out in full force bitching that the distribution center will lead to truck pollution in 5...4...3...

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Watch the community "activists" be out in full force bitching that the distribution center will lead to truck pollution in 5...4...3...

truck pollution in residential areas is a legitimate concern, however I suspect that won't be a problem here since trucks can get on/off the Stevenson almost directly.

[the urban politician]

Tik Tok hiring 150 in Fulton Market:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...-market-office

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Watch the community "activists" be out in full force bitching that the distribution center will lead to truck pollution in 5...4...3...

Not sure why activists is in quotes when many residents have expressed not wanting additional air pollution in an already highly polluted neighborhood. It would be kinda nice for the riverfront to transition from industry to a mixed-use community at some point

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Tik Tok hiring 150 in Fulton Market:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...-market-office

Fulton Market has been attracting a lot of jobs the past couple of weeks. I can imagine many more announcements the next couple of months as vaccinations continue to go up, cases go down, and the city can start to reopen

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Not sure why activists is in quotes when many residents have expressed not wanting additional air pollution in an already highly polluted neighborhood. It would be kinda nice for the riverfront to transition from industry to a mixed-use community at some point

In order to build “mixed income communities”, don’t those people need jobs?

Not everybody can have a WFH techy managerial job where they go to Zoom meetings and add pretend value to society. Some people really have to go out and work. Lift things, move things, etc. Is Chicago not allowed to have spaces like that anymore without the snowflake brigade coming out and bitching? What happened to the City of Big Shoulders that everybody touts so sentimentally?

Distribution centers in parts of the city where land values are cheap and transportation access is abundant makes sense. It pays wages and generates tax revenue. People who don’t like that should pay the city it’s lost tax revenue out of their own pockets while they find a better solution.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by bnk

https://abc7chicago.com/target-chica...lage/10561123/


Target hiring for 2K jobs at new Little Village distribution center

2K jobs..$18/hr starting. Won't get rich off that but for 2 people making that it's good. Good for a diversified economy to get an influx of 2k jobs that start at around $35K. 2 person household of that is I think above the median for household, though probably below for a "family"

This plus the Discover jobs will do a bit of good for these areas, which is really what they need. Middle class (broadly) paying jobs. I think these areas over the years had lost jobs due to manufacturing heading overseas,, and thus people also left.. Hope more of these kinds of jobs come to these areas whether OK paying distribution center jobs or call centers, or whatever else. Good for those to make a livable wage especially who did not go to college to land some high paying job.

I know this thread champions tech jobs, vc funding, etc but really these types of jobs are just as important if not moreso as far as stabilizing and growing again. 3K new jobs in these areas..even if they aren't 6 figure jobs, it's great news.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Tik Tok hiring 150 in Fulton Market:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...-market-office

Interesting... it's behind a paywall, did Tik Tok have much of a presence in Chicago before this announcement?

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Not everybody can have a WFH techy managerial job where they go to Zoom meetings and add pretend value to society. Some people really have to go out and work. Lift things, move things, etc. Is Chicago not allowed to have spaces like that anymore without the snowflake brigade coming out and bitching? What happened to the City of Big Shoulders that everybody touts so sentimentally?

Lmao

[bnk]

Originally Posted by marothisu

2K jobs..$18/hr starting. Won't get rich off that but for 2 people making that it's good. Good for a diversified economy to get an influx of 2k jobs that start at around $35K. 2 person household of that is I think above the median for household, though probably below for a "family"

...


I know this thread champions tech jobs, vc funding, etc but really these types of jobs are just as important if not moreso as far as stabilizing and growing again. 3K new jobs in these areas..even if they aren't 6 figure jobs, it's great news.

Thanks for the reply. There are other ok jobs too out there if you look for them. This was posted yesterday.




https://chicago.suntimes.com/columni...vice-mail-jobs

The U.S. Postal Service desperately needs a few good men and women. Maybe you?

The post office’s ongoing delivery problems could open a window of opportunity for people now that it’s looking to hire. Here’s what you need to know.

By Mary Mitchell Apr 30, 2021, 5:10pm CDT



...

The Postal Service is hiring.

“This is an opportunity for those who want to work for the post office because they are hiring up to 500 city letter carriers, and these are jobs that can change lives,” Julion says.

The union representative tells potential employees these jobs could help them become homeowners and be able to afford that new automobile.

“These are good union jobs,” he says.

Prospective mail carriers will have to pass drug tests and background checks and have a clean driving record for at least two years.

“The post office has been posting jobs like mad,” Julion says. “With people retiring, there is going to be a constant flow of jobs.”

Information about what’s available and how to apply can be found online at https://about.usps.com/careers/ — the Postal Service’s jobs page.

...












Also Metra Rail is hiring again.



https://abc7chicago.com/metra-hiring...ions/10553405/

Metra hiring over 100 workers ahead of expected post-COVID ridership increase

By ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team
Tuesday, April 27, 2021 6:17PM

Metra announced it will hire more than 100 workers to prepare for an expected increase in ridership in the coming months.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Metra announced it will hire more than 100 workers to prepare for an expected increase in ridership in the coming months.

The positions will be posted and open to online applicants starting May 3, according to a Metra release.


SEE ALSO: Metra to expand 3 commuter rail schedules as ridership increases
Some of the positions were left vacant during the pandemic, Metra said.

"We want to make sure we are properly staffed to meet the needs of our riders as more and more of them begin returning to our trains," said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski.

The commuter rail agency said it's seeking to fill a variety of positions including extra list clerks, assistant signalmen, assistant building and bridge mechanics, trackmen, substation electricians, electrician apprentices, carmen and coach cleaners.

Applications will only be accepted through Metra website. Anyone applying will be directed to the careers page. https://metrarail.com/about-metra/careers

There are some higher paying jobs in there too



Category: Professionals

Planning Analyst
Cost Analyst
Manager, PTC Testing
Project Mgr Industrial Hygiene
Safety Compliance Analyst
Attorney 1
Attorney 2
Sr Construction Project Engineer
Sr Signal Engineer
Director, Civil & Structural Engineering
...

[bnk]

Things are really heating up.


https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ch...83-11619791438

Chicago business activity index leaps in April to highest level since late 1983

Last Updated: April 30, 2021 at 10:06 a.m. ET

By Greg Robb



The Chicago business barometer, also known as the PMI, climbed to 72.1 this month from 66.3 in March, according to MNI. Readings above 50 indicate an expanding economy and anything above 60 is considered exceptional. Readings over 70 are extremely rare. The level in April was the highest since December 1983.

Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal expected a slight drop to 65 in April.

Other regional manufacturing surveys have been strong in April. The Institute for Supply Management will release its closely watched ISM manufacturing report for April on Monday.

In Chicago, new orders rose 9.9 points in April to a near 7-year high. Anecdotal reports suggests firms are overbuying due to raw material shortages, MNI said.

Inflation pressures were evident.

Prices paid jumped a 41-year high. Raw material shortages and transportation problems continue to weigh on companies costs.

Employment edged higher in April by 1.7 points, marking the highest level since August 2018 and the second successive reading in expansion territory.

...

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by bnk

Things are really heating up.


https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ch...83-11619791438

Chicago business activity index leaps in April to highest level since late 1983

Last Updated: April 30, 2021 at 10:06 a.m. ET

By Greg Robb



The Chicago business barometer, also known as the PMI, climbed to 72.1 this month from 66.3 in March, according to MNI. Readings above 50 indicate an expanding economy and anything above 60 is considered exceptional. Readings over 70 are extremely rare. The level in April was the highest since December 1983.

Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal expected a slight drop to 65 in April.

Other regional manufacturing surveys have been strong in April. The Institute for Supply Management will release its closely watched ISM manufacturing report for April on Monday.

In Chicago, new orders rose 9.9 points in April to a near 7-year high. Anecdotal reports suggests firms are overbuying due to raw material shortages, MNI said.

Inflation pressures were evident.

Prices paid jumped a 41-year high. Raw material shortages and transportation problems continue to weigh on companies costs.

Employment edged higher in April by 1.7 points, marking the highest level since August 2018 and the second successive reading in expansion territory.

...

Excellent news and great to see the rebound continuing. The CBB has been over 50 since June 2020, but still great to see it leaping ahead so quickly

https://www.ism-chicago.org/insidepa...rtsonbusiness/