The Urbanophile's "State of Chicago" Series (Detroit: how much, subsidized)

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

38th in "future dynamism," no less. I have no idea what that even means, let alone how it was measured/predicted, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it's not terribly scientific.

Yep, we know how good economists are at predicting a year out, but 20 years it's gospel.

I also think he's a bit sore that he had to move to Rhode Island and didn't make it to NYC.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Yep, we know how good economists are at predicting a year out, but 20 years it's gospel.

Somebody in the comments on that link pointed out that the "future dynamism" ranking came from the same issue of Forbes that listed Houston as the "coolest" city in the U.S.

'Nuff said.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Somebody in the comments on that link pointed out that the "future dynamism" ranking came from the same issue of Forbes that listed Houston as the "coolest" city in the U.S.

'Nuff said.

Forbes has good lists, for comedy purposes.

I find Renn funny, he will say, this is my last peice on Chicago and a week later, he rehashes the same thing about Chicago in a "new" essay.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

I wouldn't have ever heard of this "expert" if not for seeing him mentioned on this forum. I believe somebody in another thread mentioned that the guy had personal bad luck living/working in Chicago, which would explain the general butthurt tone of all of his Chicago articles.

I think I read somewhere that he had a lot of trouble selling a condo (brand new construction, natch) on the 1600 block of W. Belmont and ended up taking a bath.

Being intimately familiar with Belmont, I can imagine he paid top dollar to live at one of the North Side's most congested intersections, but which never lived up to the urban planning hype that it was going to end up being a mini-Manhattan full of super dense housing, swanky restaurants, top shelf boutiques and the like.

This is in no small part due to the horrible impact of commercial spaces being converted to mixed-use with residential, like he bought (eg, he is part of the problem!).

Belmont simply has too many dead stretches, it is plagued by redundant and unnecessary businesses like pet groomers and dry cleaners.

This is what happens when all the storefronts are shoehorned in the first floor of the cookie-cutter condo model.

Give me the Antique Row of yore any day.

[Jandur]

Relatively smart guy that thinks he's a heck of a lot smarter than he actually is.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by Jandur

Relatively smart guy that thinks he's a heck of a lot smarter than he actually is.

Yep. He's basically a consultant concerned with "big ideas" who complains that Chicago leaders aren't hiring more consultants to create a "vision" for the city. Staying aware of larger trends, issues and opportunities is always a good idea, but creating master plans that are supposed to transform a city is ultimately a waste of time.

He also spends far too much time comparing things that should never be compared. When he was in Indy he was continually saying Indy should be doing what Chicago was doing. Now he's moved on to saying that Chicago should be doing what NYC does.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Attrill

When he was in Indy he was continually saying Indy should be doing what Chicago was doing. Now he's moved on to saying that Chicago should be doing what NYC does.

We can only hope, for the sake of entertainment, that he eventually brings it full circle by saying that NYC should be doing things more like Indy.

[Chi-town Native]

The Urbanophile » Blog Archive » Goodbye, Chicago

[gomexico]

I never heard of the guy, until today. A self-promoter it seems to me. I don't see much enlightenment in the linked comments.

[Broadrippleguy]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I think I may have posted one of his articles, but I actually think the entire State of Chicago Series is worth a conversation, as love him or hate him, this guy has become the de facto "urban planning expert" on Chicago.

Here's his latest, ties in somewhat to the Maggie Daley park discussion:

The Urbanophile » Blog Archive » Chicago As a Global City

I believe the takeway for Chicago is clear: it cannot continue to focus on simply the elite greater Loop economy as the growth platform for future prosperity. It must diversify beyond that. The road to doing so is difficult, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be taken and that there aren’t things that clearly are within the city’s power it can do.

Arenn is right.
Basically in a nutshell.
Follow what Arenn is saying and Chicago will rebound and be that supported Capital of the midwest.
ignore and dont follow what Arenn is saying and Chicago will be the larger version of Detroit.
Either outcome and the midwest will be fine. There are replacements for Chicago however it would be in Chicago's best interest to take Arenns advice.
As the old saying goes Corruption has a Price.