Quote:
Originally Posted by Via Chicago
look at how much commerce a strip like 26th street does. its second only to Michigan Ave. theyre small individual sales, but a LOT of them sure do add up. in fact id argue its far more vibrant that any area of the south loop despite being largely comprised of 2-3 flats and SFHs.
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Yeah, but the density of the neighborhood (or relative lack of density) has nothing to do with the success of 26th Street. It's a destination for Mexicans across Chicagoland and the Midwest, just as Michigan Avenue is a destination for wealthier tourists and suburbanites. There's constantly outsiders cycling through that business district and bringing in money. Hell, I'm one of them - I have to go there to pay my rent even though I live 4 miles east in Pilsen, and I usually eat a taco or pick up some beer at Moreno's.
It's not possible to have that level of economic activity if you're only serving local neighborhood demand, whether that neighborhood is lowrise Little Village or skyscraping Lakeshore East. Likewise, it's not possible for every neighborhood to be a destination. That gives people a choice, they can live in the center of the bustle at a place like Marina City, or they can live in the quiet environs of Lakeshore East. Having that range of choices makes downtown living more appealing for everybody.