does chicagos financial problems and high taxes boil down to one geographical issue (Manhattan: oceanfront, neighborhoods)

[Thefuturehereanow]

Originally Posted by Bitey

Which town would you rather live in, Chicago or Detroit?

If Detroit isn't a perfect example that being an international port is no guarantee of prosperity, then I don't know what is.

It is a good point

[paytonc]

Originally Posted by Thefuturehereanow

If you read article I posted in OP you will see Detroit gets all the benefits of trading with Canada.

It's much less about sea access per se than having direct access to growing markets -- like trans-Pacific trade volumes, which boomed in the past few decades. Yet past performance does not guarantee future results; we can't know for sure which frontiers will grow in the future.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

OP, Chicago's being well above sea level may be a blessing in the future, not a detriment. Looking at it from the other end, the other big cities on your list lack access to the Great Lakes. And, Chicago does have access to the ocean, albeit indirect - you just have to go down the Sanitary and Ship Canal to the Illinois, then the Mississippi river, to the Gulf. It's just easier to ship goods via rail from either coast.

[raleightransplant]

Originally Posted by VA All Day

NY and LA have many of the same problems the chi has, but since they're on the coasts, they're natural ports of entry for immigrants. That's a major reason why they've been able to keep their population numbers up despite their own substantial domestic outflows.

Is that what OP is getting at?

Eh. Chicago is fully capable of attracting people from all over the globe, and has done so throughout it's history. It's literally the story of what built Chicago. O'Hare connects directly to all over the globe and with that 8.6B expansion that will figure to increase many times over. I think that 'coasts' being the only immigrant hubs is pretty dated thinking in 2019. Take Toronto-- much like Chicago, located on one of the Great Lakes instead of the ocean---and it's one of the most diverse cities on the planet.

[jfre81]

Yesterday at work I was asked by a mother-daughter group visiting from the Netherlands if we had anything commemorating the Great Chicago Fire.

This city, its food, its architecture, its history - it's world famous. Has nothing to do with the location, nor do the challenges facing the city and state have anything to do with it.

It's still a travel, logistics and - yes, still a manufacturing hub.

When I can barely find a strap to hang from on the Red Line at rush hour or Cubs game time, I start wondering when this "mass exodus" is going to actually start.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by jfre81

When I can barely find a strap to hang from on the Red Line at rush hour or Cubs game time, I start wondering when this "mass exodus" is going to actually start.

In fairness, the north side is not representative of most of the rest of the city.

[Bitey]

Originally Posted by jfre81

When I can barely find a strap to hang from on the Red Line at rush hour or Cubs game time, I start wondering when this "mass exodus" is going to actually start.

It started decades ago. That's why the city is down nearly a million from its peak.

If you took the Red Line south of Chinatown to parts of the city where there's only a handful of occupied houses left on a given block, you'd get your answer.

[DavePa]

There is still two Chicago's. That sent even new. But to think these empty lots cleared by the city past couple decades of decay etc. It will one day be new infill. The Sunbelt has rising prices and debt. Infrastructure there is a constant adding, expanding and eventually rebuilding too. They you have many other aspects that fast growth will add other unstructured needs in growing pains and poor planning.

The North will again become a more growth region. May take another decade or two...... but unless we fall into depression worst. Chicago WILL have still a future in growth.

Perhaps the State will come to default? But the Constitution doesn't allow for that. It becomes a National Federal issue to solve and a solution to the NATIONS Pension issues too that will have a State to start a Federal intervention.

I believe this would happen before the city would default. So time will tell. But doomsayers basically see Chicago collapse into Lake Michigan and become abandoned..... Sorry I see none of that. I hope this new Mayor can keep the city going and still at least one Chicago continue to prosper and get more of the city improving along with the other side that struggles and losses population. It still looks far better then 80s when the bad side looked much more the part and with looks of a war-zone were still aplenty.

But Chicago's port will never be a Chinese Container port that most of the coastal ones consist of All the imports unloaded there.

[Thefuturehereanow]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Yesterday at work I was asked by a mother-daughter group visiting from the Netherlands if we had anything commemorating the Great Chicago Fire.

This city, its food, its architecture, its history - it's world famous. Has nothing to do with the location, nor do the challenges facing the city and state have anything to do with it.

It's still a travel, logistics and - yes, still a manufacturing hub.

When I can barely find a strap to hang from on the Red Line at rush hour or Cubs game time, I start wondering when this "mass exodus" is going to actually start.

I love chicago I am not trying to be a troll. I partake in everything the city has to offer.

I was just thinking like I do when I was sitting at a park how this huge city the is bustling with energy survives in the middle of hundreds of miles of cornfields in the middle of the country. I know canada has cities in the middle of no where with over a million people.

There is a city in western china with a couple million people thriving and no ocean. I was just wondering in the long run other than being beautiful and have top class infrastucture and transportation what will keep us going?

I was thinking that it must be harder for chicago because we have no fossil fuels, no major mining, no ocean to connect us to the world.

I do enjoy living next to the largest body of fresh water, not having to worry about natural disaters.

Frank Loyd Wright said "Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world"

I am not sure why he said that maybe because of its location all the other great cities will fall into the ocean.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by Thefuturehereanow

I love chicago I am not trying to be a troll. I partake in everything the city has to offer.

I was just thinking like I do when I was sitting at a park how this huge city the is bustling with energy survives in the middle of hundreds of miles of cornfields in the middle of the country. I know canada has cities in the middle of no where with over a million people.

There is a city in western china with a couple million people thriving and no ocean. I was just wondering in the long run other than being beautiful and have top class infrastucture and transportation what will keep us going?

I was thinking that it must be harder for chicago because we have no fossil fuels, no major mining, no ocean to connect us to the world.

I do enjoy living next to the largest body of fresh water, not having to worry about natural disaters.

Frank Loyd Wright said "Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world"

I am not sure why he said that maybe because of its location all the other great cities will fall into the ocean.

LOVE you assessment here ..... just can't rep you again. Just wanted to say North of the Chicago river is still one CBD by the city's own website in my previous post .....

But agree with your LOVE for Chicago.