Why I went from Chicago to LA (Evanston, Skokie: neighborhoods, cinema)

[nowincal11]

I made the move from Chicago to Los Angeles and will not return, but for legitimate reasons. I see Chicago as very stagnant. Chicago does have an amazing downtown, cultural activities, and nightlife scene, but I found it wasn't really moving in any direction good or bad, at least specifically to me. I did tire of dealing with individuals who strictly confine themselves to the big 5 neighborhoods of downtown, LP, Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Wicker Park/Bucktown.


While Chicago is more of a traditional city built around a strong central core, I found LA to be more hospitable particularly with the anything goes mentality. Plus this city is just so big that you can find your niche anywhere. And if you don't like an area of LA, you don't have to go back because there are so many other places to go here, particularly as a single young professional.


Sure you get some of the attitude in LA from the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills folks, but many of them tend to be from small town USA and developed the attitude that they are better than everyone else (whether they made it big or not). I still find the Midwesterners populating Chicago's trendy neighborhoods to be far more judgmental though.


Chicago needs to find itself again. There's no question it's going to continue to be America's 3rd largest city and 2nd largest financial powerhouse, but it's not really moving in any direction, just happening and slugging along.


There's very few public improvement projects planned; no educational initiatives, no public transit expansions or refurbishments, no fixing of city streets. Mayor Daley being in office for 21 years kind of exemplifies this. Do just enough to get by (in his case elected).


There are few commercial developments in the works. There are so many areas of Chicago that are empty and abandoned and could be put to great use. They have been this way for years. Contrast this to LA which is continuing to expand public transit at a rapid rate, built several large scale commercial projects over the past decade, and revitalized an entire downtown.


Chicago needs a strong jumpstart, maybe they will get it from Rahm Emanuel.

[LadyKLO]

Welcome to LA!

[nowincal11]

Thanks! So far enjoying it! Lotta Chicagoans out here.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by nowincal11

...
There's very few public improvement projects planned; no educational initiatives, no public transit expansions or refurbishments, no fixing of city streets. Mayor Daley being in office for 21 years kind of exemplifies this. Do just enough to get by (in his case elected).

You really know Chicago ... not. Your post is ridiculous in it's lack of even a cursory knowledge of what's going on in Chicago.

No fixing of city streets? You mean like Wacker Drive or Congress or Lake Shore Drive or Lawrence or other resurfacing or the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) (http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/20100408-ike-construction - broken link) or I could keep citing examples.

Our rail infrastructure already (still) well eclipses LA's, and has for over 100 years. We're in the maintenance phase, not the "create what we should have created 50 years ago" phase that LA is in. But in the past 10 years Chicago has completely rebuilt a branch, rebuilt and expanded the capacity of stations on another, rebuilt the electrical systems and some staitons of a third, fixed the ties on a fourth to correct slow zones, replaced the ties on both subways, is building two new (http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/transit_facilities/svcs/morgan_cta_greenpinklinestation.html - broken link) infill stations on existing lines, has plans for three line extensions, one of which has a firm commitment from the new Mayor, is planing on the complete replacement of the heaviest-used portion of the system, and is in early planning for a new subway and HSR facility. We're also experimenting the Bus Rapid Transit, and have real-time arrival information available via online, smart phone or text message for every bus and every CTA train in the system. And none of this even mentions extensions of commuter rail lines, which also far exceed what LA has to offer even before expanding them.

Originally Posted by nowincal11

There are few commercial developments in the works. There are so many areas of Chicago that are empty and abandoned and could be put to great use. They have been this way for years. Contrast this to LA which is continuing to expand public transit at a rapid rate, built several large scale commercial projects over the past decade, and revitalized an entire downtown.
...

What exactly do you mean by " large commercial developments"? There's Block 37, there's Lakeshore East, there's the Roosevelt Collection with a major cinema and adjacent Target, there's a new development in Hyde Park, there's a bunch of stuff in the North/Clybourn area, there's Wilson Yards, there the development near the Howard Station on the border between Chicago and Evanston, there's most of downtown Evanston, there's a ton of new stuff going in between Rush and State in the vicinity of Oak Street, and these are all just the bigger ones off the top of my head. There are dozens more small and large, depending on the size cutoff you want to draw for them.

Chicago's downtown had more people living in it that LA's 10 years ago, and has grown faster than LA's over the past 10 years. The total city of Chicago proper did lose more people over the past 10 years than LA but the Chicago metro area grew faster than both the New York metro area AND the Los Angeles metro area between 2000 and 2010. There are reasons to prefer LA over Chicago, but none of the reasons you've offered end up holding enough water to be legitimate.

[linicx]

OP. We're*glad you like LA, but this is the Illinois Forum. Closed.