CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events - Page 44

Halsted & Villagio · #**861** Posted **Apr 3, 2018, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

^It's easy to tell who knows the city and who doesn't based on their impressions of the south and/or west sides. There are some bombed out areas on both the south and west sides, but it's far from the totality. Beverly is beautiful. Reminds me a bit of Edgebrook.

I'd be curious to see the number of renovation permits if you find yourself with the time and curiosity

. I'm surprised by the amount of new construction, but it'd make sense with all the TODs and downtown high rises that have been built since the crash. I'd like to see more renovations that aren't deconversions (3 flats -> SFH). I'd also like to see the housing stock in Austin, Englewood, and the Garfield Park's see some reinvestment. Those are some beautiful neighborhoods and we're losing them.

I grew up just outside of Beverly... some considered it Beverly but it really wasn't. It was more East. When my mother opened her family practice clinic with 2 other Doctors on Stony Island (long since closed) we strongly considered moving to Pill Hill but ultimately decided to stay put. That is another really nice area on the South Side that is often overlooked. Pill Hill is filled with Doctors, Lawyers, Police Officers, Teachers, etc. Some homes have swimming pools inside of them, etc.

Halsted & Villagio · #**862** Posted **Apr 3, 2018, 5:37 PM**

I will add that Pill Hill is also the area where that Judge was killed outside of his home last year. So a lot has changed over the years. Still solidly middle to upper middle class but it is way more mixed up now. As for the homes with pools, I never saw them but then again, I have not gone into all of the homes over there either. But when I was coming up, that was the rumor... pools, etc. Could have been all talk though.

marothisu · #**863** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 1:31 AM**

Here's my renovations map so far from June 10, 2017 to yesterday (April 2, 2018). Again, this is mostly dealing with more major renovations whether it's a single family home renovation/rehab or an office remodel downtown. I have tried to not include things that were more minor renovations (i.e. a small bathroom or powder room renovation or just a normal kitchen renovation). I also did not include many, many, many renovation permits that aren't anywhere close to a renovation/rehab/remodel of anything (i.e. putting some wiring in a wall for a few new power outlets).

The legend is on the map itself. Since the language in the permits is not at all standardized, it takes a bit of time to do this. Hoping to have back to January 1, 2017 finished in the near future.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=13a...5D&usp=sharing

the urban politician · #**864** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu

Here's my renovations map so far from June 10, 2017 to yesterday (April 2, 2018). Again, this is mostly dealing with more major renovations whether it's a single family home renovation/rehab or an office remodel downtown. I have tried to not include things that were more minor renovations (i.e. a small bathroom or powder room renovation or just a normal kitchen renovation). I also did not include many, many, many renovation permits that aren't anywhere close to a renovation/rehab/remodel of anything (i.e. putting some wiring in a wall for a few new power outlets).

The legend is on the map itself. Since the language in the permits is not at all standardized, it takes a bit of time to do this. Hoping to have back to January 1, 2017 finished in the near future.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=13a...5D&usp=sharing

About what you’d expect. A lot going on in Pilsen/West Pilsen/Lawndale as well as around Hyde Park/Washington Park/Woodlawn area.

Decent activity in Bridgeport as well.

I can’t see the legend on that map, though. What do the different colored dots represent?

sentinel · #**865** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

About what you’d expect. A lot going on in Pilsen/West Pilsen/Lawndale as well as around Hyde Park/Washington Park/Woodlawn area.

Decent activity in Bridgeport as well.

I can’t see the legend on that map, though. What do the different colored dots represent?

Just click on the first item on the upper left where it says '* Red = Multi Unit Building' and the legend expands.

marothisu · #**866** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 4:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

About what you’d expect. A lot going on in Pilsen/West Pilsen/Lawndale as well as around Hyde Park/Washington Park/Woodlawn area.

Decent activity in Bridgeport as well.

I can’t see the legend on that map, though. What do the different colored dots represent?

Some areas with a decent amount of new construction, like Ukrainian Village, have a pretty light amount of these types of renovation. Interesting ..

Interesting you can't see the legend. Blue is for single family home. Red is for multi unit. Gray is mixed use. Green is retail/commercial. Yellow is hotel. Orange is medical/dental. Brown is industrial/warehouse/etc. Black is office. Purple is pretty much everything else or unknown type.

rgolch · #**867** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 5:25 PM**

Thank you so much for your data mariothisu. It’s great to put everything in perspective.

So basically, it sounds like all the great aspects of the city are still getting even better (high income residents, urban redevelopment, etc). Unfortunately, like the recent Atlantic article pointed out, that prosperity is not being spread evenly throughout the metro area. And I don’t think much can be done about that; it basically has to evolve and play itself out.

It seems like mostof the people leaving are non-college graduates seeking better opportunities elsewhere. Do you happen to have any data as to how expats fare elsewhere? I’d love to know. Although manufacturing has drastically shrunk in the Chicago area, I can’t think there’s that many more jobs or opportunities elsewhere. Admittedly, the cost of living is cheaper in places like GA, TN, TX, etc... but are there really that many more middle income type jobs? Is Chicago really that much worse for blue collar type jobs?

moorhosj · #**868** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 7:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgolch

Admittedly, the cost of living is cheaper in places like GA, TN, TX, etc... but are there really that many more middle income type jobs? Is Chicago really that much worse for blue collar type jobs?

Call centers are pretty big employers in a lot of these areas.

IrishIllini · #**869** Posted **Apr 4, 2018, 10:47 PM**

Blue collar employment, at least in the sense that we're thinking (Midwest/Northeast manufacturing heyday), does not exist anymore. Go to Vegas and tell one of the service people you're from Illinois. They'll probably be able to point to 4 coworkers who moved there from Illinois. These people aren't moving from Illinois and suddenly making $70,000 a year gluing Part 145A to part 146B. Those jobs are gone. They're likely making just above minimum wage and deluding themselves into believing life is somehow better. It very well could be, but I find it hard to believe it truly is for most.

ChiMIchael · #**870** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 12:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Blue collar employment, at least in the sense that we're thinking (Midwest/Northeast manufacturing heyday), does not exist anymore. Go to Vegas and tell one of the service people you're from Illinois. They'll probably be able to point to 4 coworkers who moved there from Illinois. These people aren't moving from Illinois and suddenly making $70,000 a year gluing Part 145A to part 146B. Those jobs are gone. They're likely making just above minimum wage and deluding themselves into believing life is somehow better. It very well could be, but I find it hard to believe it truly is for most.

For a lot of people it's true. Even if the wages aren't great, if they can have warmer climates and be away from the crime culture, that's enough of a win.

It's not so much that Chicago can't provide a high quality of life, but access to it is very limited.

IrishIllini · #**871** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 12:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiMIchael

For a lot of people it's true. Even if the wages aren't great, if they can have warmer climates and be away from the crime culture, that's enough of a win.

I don't know what Vegas' violent crime rate is off hand, but I'm going to guess it's not remarkably better (if it's even better) than Chicago.

Most people (outside of retirees) don't move for weather, they move for jobs. Your job is probably the single greatest influence on your QOL, not that it was 75 degrees and you haven't seen snow in 5 years.

the urban politician · #**872** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 1:01 AM**

^ When mentioning crime, my guess is he's talking about the experience of black people who are leaving.

The exposure to crime and crime culture for a black family leaving the west side is vastly different from that of a north side or suburban white family

rgolch · #**873** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 2:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ When mentioning crime, my guess is he's talking about the experience of black people who are leaving.

The exposure to crime and crime culture for a black family leaving the west side is vastly different from that of a north side or suburban white family

Except it’s not just African Americans leaving. It’s also suburban whites and other ethnicities.

I certainly don’t have any data on this, and nobody is a mind reader. But my bet is it has something to do with our problems being much more conspicuous than other cities/metros. The constant drumbeat of ugly crime news relating to shootings, and ridiculous budget woes makes it very easy for people down on their luck to blame the place they live. And given they don’t have a lot to lose (and warmer weather and cheaper housing to boot), booming cities in the sunbelt could seem like a fresh start. But what I’d love to know is..... do these people fair better in say.... Dallas?

Look, I love to see that the central area of the city is doing fantastic. And I love to see that high paying, white collar jobs are steadily increasing. But we as a city can’t come at this in the same way that Portland or Austin can. We had a deep history of providing opportunities for working class people. And now that those jobs have all that evaporated, this will continually weigh the city and metro down. And it pains me to think that the only solution is to let the city/metro shrink, and become something like a much larger version of Boston (or whatever).

the urban politician · #**874** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgolch

Except it’s not just African Americans leaving. It’s also suburban whites and other ethnicities.

No, but by far the story of depopulation here is one of black families leaving.

And you mention other ethnicities—none of the other major ethnic groups are seeing a decline in population. Asians, Hispanics, etc. so what are you talking about?

rgolch · #**875** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 2:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

No, but by far the story of depopulation here is one of black families leaving.

And you mention other ethnicities—none of the other major ethnic groups are seeing a decline in population. Asians, Hispanics, etc. so what are you talking about?

Well, ok... you’re right. Over net population for other ethnicities increased. But my point is, even though population loss was greatest in Cook county, several other counties also lost population.

But that’s besides the point. The overall narrative is the things that make Chicago great are getting even better. But the things that make Chicago “very populated” are getting worse. And I just wonder. Is there anything the city and state can do about it? Or do we have no other choice but to let things just play out? My bet is on the latter. But I think making strides on all the shootings, and figuring out some way to improve on the budget mess would at least make an impact on overall impressions of the area, and may stem some of the population loss.

rgolch · #**876** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 3:25 PM**

So, sort of related to what I’m talking about. I just opened the Chicago Tribune website, and two articles right next to each other. One talks about the “Pension Precipice,” the other is some dumb article why some college student is fleeing, and not going to go to college in Illinois.

The local media piles on to all the negative national press. The news has to be reported, yes. But the negative bend is so frequently the default setting.

It sort of reminded me about something that recently happened. After the school shootings in FL, a bunch of companies ended their special rates for NRA members. You’ll remember, one of those companies was Delta Airlines. And following that move, state legislators in GA got pissed, and apparently ended some fuel tax breaks for Delta (or something like that). After that, a bunch of states tried to coax Delta into leaving GA as a middle finger to disrespecting politicians. And what did Delta do? They reaffirmed their commitment to the state of GA, and said they were proud to be a major company to the area.

Now imagine if the state of IL pulled some tax break for United. Do you think United would react the same way to IL that Delta did to GA?? Of course not. They immediately start shopping around, and threatening to leave.