Erika, an English teacher at a Chicago public high school, and Philip, who works for the Chicago Architecture Foundation, are new homeowners at 235 Van Buren. Earlier this year, we posted a video discussion about their purchase — here, they talk the convenience of their home’s Loop location.
As a owner in this building, I have had some of the same concerns but over time this area of town will only offer more. Due south of this will likely be a large residential district, north of here continues to offer plenty of employment opportunities, west of here will continue to develop as a retail/residential & cultural destination (Greektown/Hellenic Musuem), southeast & southwest of here is a growing district of colleges/schools and residential/retail (Look at UIC’s 20 year plan to transform its campus which focuses on eliminating all surface parking and making for a more pedestrian-friendly student experience).
The economy is in the tank now, but whenever things eventually turn around I’m hopeful that things will pick up where they left off and we’ll see more development around this site as expected. Views facing south are forever preserved because of the Circle Interchange and the overlying parkland.
Add to that the good prices being offered, and I think this is a great place to buy.
^ Correction:
“Congress ramps”, not “Circle Interchange”
tup,
For UIC to have a pedestrian-friendly student experience they’d have to level the campus and start all over again.
I didn’t say “pedestrian-friendly”.
I said “more pedestrian friendly”
I know what you said, tup, and I think I fairly assumed that the result you envisioned would be somewhat pedestrian-friendly. I view that as not possible, given the state of the existing campus.
You clearly have nothing better to do, I guess, than to engage in another one of these silly debates with me, in which you go out of your way to nitpick a modestly optimistic observation or prediction of mine to death, emphasizing over and over again how wrong I am.
Here’s how it goes:
I make a statement that is perhaps faintly optimistic.
Joe Zekas responds totally convinced beyond a reasonable doubt of the complete opposite. There is no chance in heck Joe Zekas could be wrong, he takes great joy in his pessimistic absolutism, and any attempt to convince him otherwise is naive (ie I clearly don’t know my facts, only Joe Zekas does).
Your pompous attitude around here is what keeps so many people away from this website, and I think it ultimately harms your clients. If Joseph Askins was the only person posting here, I really think a lot of people who are turned off by your personality would spend more time visiting this place.
I’ve been looking for an excuse to retire for a second and last time from visiting this site, and I think this is it. You haven’t changed & you won’t encourage free discussion–either accept your fatalistic absolutism or else. Nothing gets accomplished at this website other than mentally masturbating your prophecy of Chicago’s ultimate failure as an urban center. Holding to this model is the driver of all your arguments, and seems to fulfill some sort of sadistic fantasy for you.
The irony, of course, is that you call this place “YoChicago” in an attempt to suggest this site is a celebration of a great city and all of the great things that are happening. But when a visitor opens the door, he finds a bitter, pessimistic old man from New Jersey who lives in the suburbs, has no hope for the city’s prospects, hates urbanism, and wants to move to New York! This is ridiculous.
There are so many websites better than this one worth visiting, and I’m glad to see Curbed Chicago is now up and running.
Call this post silly, but as a regular reader and poster here for about 5 years, I claim every right to make a highly educated statement about the environment that you’re cultivating around here. And now, I’m done with this place. Good riddance. I will not be returning.
tup,
I’m far from alone in my opinion of the UIC campus, as you can see even in Blair Kamin’s eulogy of Walter Netsch.
I’ll miss your commenting on me in lieu of engaging my opinions.
My pessimistic absolutism? YoChicago has a five-year track record of celebrating Chicago and showing visitors its properties, neighborhoods and people in a way no one else does – in a more positive light than they’re often portrayed. Our New Homes and Apartments & Homes magazines showcased the positives in Chicago throughout their decades-long lifespan. I doubt that your opinion of me will distract many people from those facts.
P.S. I’m also glad Curbed Chicago is live. Time will tell which one of us paints a more positive picture of Chicago.
Yay Curbed!!!