You see this water tank on the left as you enter the Kennedy Expressway from the Ohio Street on-ramp. We thought you might like a closer look.

This is the only water tank I've seen in Chicago with a mural painted on it. Are there ones I've missed?

Here's an oldie-but-goodie from the Michael Kardas archives. As always, you can see more shots from Kardas and our staff on the YoChicago Flickr photostream.

I don't know if Bruno is a true Italian, but I do know that it's hard for me to look at a scooter without thinking of Eddie Izzard. Photographer Michael Kardas found Bruno on a bike near the Helmut Jahn-designed high-rise 600 North Fairbanks during an assignment for New Homes last week.

See more of Kardas' photos as well as thousands of our own pictures on YoChicago's Flickr photostream.

There are few things Michael Kardas loves more than stitching together a good panorama, and the latest one he's given us is pretty great. I'm not sure if he shot this one on a slow Saturday morning or if he keeps some portable roadblocks in the trunk of his car, but there's not a vehicle to be seen along Columbus Drive.

We sent Michael out last week to get some photographs for the September issue of New Homes. Keep an eye out for more of his shots, and make sure to pick up our August issue at these locations starting tomorrow to see even more of his pics.

It's not often that the owners of a business toil unheralded as support troops. Yet that's been the case at New Homes Magazine / YoChicago, where Valerie Zekas has worked as a sales assistant while her brother Jordan handles distribution for his magazine.

Today was Valerie's last day at New Homes / YoChicago. It's a bittersweet day for the business, but one of unalloyed joy and pride for her indirect supervisor, her dad. Valerie will be pursuing a master's degree, with a concentration in nonprofit housing development, at Milano, The New School, in New York.

Michael Kardas spent part of what looks to have been a beautiful summer day checking out the new homes at Lake Park Crescent. We'll be looking at that development and several other large, new-construction projects on the South Side for the August issue of New Homes.

Flip through our Flickr photostream to see more photos from Michael Kardas and the YoChicago staff.

Added 1:18 p.m.: A tip of the hat to Kristy for pointing out the correct community.

During his recent trip to the South Side, photographer Michael Kardas met Gordon, a former Chicago resident and an aspiring photographer in his own right.

Gordon, who grew up in Kenwood, returned to his old stomping grounds during his vacation to see just how much his neighborhood has changed, Kardas says.

We will feature more of Kardas' photos in the August issue of New Homes. In the meantime, flip through our Flickr photostream to see more photos from Michael Kardas and the YoChicago staff.

It seems like Michael Kardas has a knack for bumping into boxers during his assignments.

First it was Rughead, the Golden Gloves fighter who moonlights as a construction worker. Now it's Cedric and Geoffrey, two Bridgeport toughs with fists of fury.

During a trip to the South Side last month, the photographer came across two young pugilists on 35th Street as they were walking to the Chicago Boxing Club. Kardas talked them into showing off some moves for the camera before sending them on their way.

Flip through our Flickr photostream to see more photos from Michael Kardas and the YoChicago staff.

Looks like Michael Kardas made a few friends during his trip to the South Side last month. He came across this pack of Chicago Park District day-campers at the Oakwood Shores mixed-income development in Bronzeville. In the August issue of New Homes, we'll take a closer look at the market-rate homes still available at Oakwood Shores and other similar developments on the South, West and Southwest sides of the city.

Flip through our Flickr photostream to see more photos from Michael Kardas and the YoChicago staff.

The strands of the American dream, homeownership among them, are inextricably intertwined with one another. Set aside a few minutes to watch Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, et al, perform the Declaration of Independence, then ponder the gap between its timeless ideals and Chicago's realities. Happy 4th of July.