How has the city changed since 2002? (Chicago, Morris: condo, home, neighborhoods)

[Floreat Salopia]

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there until I was 30. In 2002 I moved to the UK and have been there ever since. When my (British) husband and I go home to visit my family, he absolutely loves Chicago and about once a year we think about moving.

My husband really only sees the good side of the city, whereas I have had to deal with the good, bad and ugly. Having said that, it's my hometown and I love it. I can see tons of downsides to moving back, none of them really negatives about Chicago - rather, positives about living in the UK that I would really miss.

Since I've been away for six years I'm wondering if the city has changed a lot since 2002. So much has happened in the world since then, and I'm wondering if I'm looking at the city through rose-tinted glasses. I know you can never go home again, as the saying goes, and I'm wondering if it's the same city I left. Six years isn't a long time, but watching the TV coverage of the elections and whatnot the country seems so divided and angry. Does it feel that way in Chicago?

[dc1225]

Originally Posted by Floreat Salopia

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there until I was 30. In 2002 I moved to the UK and have been there ever since. When my (British) husband and I go home to visit my family, he absolutely loves Chicago and about once a year we think about moving.

My husband really only sees the good side of the city, whereas I have had to deal with the good, bad and ugly. Having said that, it's my hometown and I love it. I can see tons of downsides to moving back, none of them really negatives about Chicago - rather, positives about living in the UK that I would really miss.

Since I've been away for six years I'm wondering if the city has changed a lot since 2002. So much has happened in the world since then, and I'm wondering if I'm looking at the city through rose-tinted glasses. I know you can never go home again, as the saying goes, and I'm wondering if it's the same city I left. Six years isn't a long time, but watching the TV coverage of the elections and whatnot the country seems so divided and angry. Does it feel that way in Chicago?

well other than paying waaaay higher taxes and escalating costs of living and congested traffic, not much has changed....city is crooked as ever!

[Floreat Salopia]

Originally Posted by dc1225

city is crooked as ever!

Glad to see some things never change!

[Lookout Kid]

The pace of change from 2002 through 2008 was rapid. Most of the parking lots in River North have been built on, and new condo buildings are all over the place. Streeterville and Lakeshore East (also known as the "New East Side") have been filled with a bevy of new condo towers. Gentrification has spread throughout the North Side, and is quickly transforming once rough sections of the South and West Sides. You wouldn't even recognize neighborhoods like the Ukranian Village, East Village, West Loop, South Loop, Bronzeville, eastern Logan Square, eastern Pilsen, etc. Uptown LOOKS a heck of a lot better, but still has it's own special problems. Edgewater and Rogers Park have seen rapid condo conversion.

The Loop itself is a much more active place. Millenium Park has transformed a once quite zone of Michigan Avenue into a major destination, and has brought the crowds of tourists further south. State Street has improved drastically in that time, and has many new shops. A few large dormitories have been constructed along Wabash and in the South Loop, and that has breathed new life into the area after the offices are closed. Also, many many more people actually live in the Loop now.

The pace of construction from 2002-2008 was probably the most rapid the city has seen since its early days, and has changed the feel of the city. This has slowed drastically in the past couple of years, but the city definitely feels more "filled in" than it did ten years ago.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Floreat Salopia

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there until I was 30. In 2002 I moved to the UK and have been there ever since. When my (British) husband and I go home to visit my family, he absolutely loves Chicago and about once a year we think about moving.

My husband really only sees the good side of the city, whereas I have had to deal with the good, bad and ugly. Having said that, it's my hometown and I love it. I can see tons of downsides to moving back, none of them really negatives about Chicago - rather, positives about living in the UK that I would really miss.

Since I've been away for six years I'm wondering if the city has changed a lot since 2002. So much has happened in the world since then, and I'm wondering if I'm looking at the city through rose-tinted glasses. I know you can never go home again, as the saying goes, and I'm wondering if it's the same city I left. Six years isn't a long time, but watching the TV coverage of the elections and whatnot the country seems so divided and angry. Does it feel that way in Chicago?

No, it doesn't. In fact, yesterday I had to go down south (meaning south of I-80 to Morris) and noticed an unusual phenomen. McCain/Palin signs. I don't think I've seen one in the city of Chicago this year.

The downside to that is the corruption of one party rule, taxes that are way too high, Todd Stroger, TIFs, etc. The upside is, I don't have to interact with anyone who thinks highly of Sarah Palin.

Guess that's a mixed bag.

But besides that, I'd guess that in just about every indicator the city has improved since 2002. And I'm hopeful that an Obama presidency, coupled with winning the 2016 Olympics, will mean some significant reinvestment in our infrastructure.

[Lookout Kid]

Any user of North Side transit will notice the dramatic transformation of the Brown Line stations, as well as the new larger stations at Belmont and Fullerton which are still under construction. I never thought I would see the day that these rickety old stations got replaced. I look forward to the end of construction next year, and hope they some day continue rehabbing the Red Line north of the Clark Junction.

[Floreat Salopia]

Wow you guys, thanks for all that. I used to live near the Rockwell brown line station, which even when I lived there was always being threatened with closure/renovation. And I have to say I'm really impressed it took a trip to Will/Grundy county before you saw a McCain/Palin sign!

I'm glad to see the Loop is a bit more lively, it always had loads of potential but was always so dead. After the last commuter train left Union Station there was nothing to do.

I am really pleased with what I'm hearing.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by dc1225

well other than paying waaaay higher taxes and escalating costs of living and congested traffic, not much has changed....city is crooked as ever!

God is that the truth!

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Any user of North Side transit will notice the dramatic transformation of the Brown Line stations, as well as the new larger stations at Belmont and Fullerton which are still under construction. I never thought I would see the day that these rickety old stations got replaced. I look forward to the end of construction next year, and hope they some day continue rehabbing the Red Line north of the Clark Junction.

Although in typical Chicago fashion, the usual corners were cut
New CTA Brown Line has rough edges, building shortcuts -- chicagotribune.com (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/transportation/chi-getting-around-both-20-oct20,0,5091327.column - broken link)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by via chicago

Although in typical Chicago fashion, the usual corners were cut
New CTA Brown Line has rough edges, building shortcuts -- chicagotribune.com (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/transportation/chi-getting-around-both-20-oct20,0,5091327.column - broken link)

I saw that yesterday in the paper... Apparently the budget cutbacks go back to the Kruesi years. It's too bad to hear that. The old stations lasted 100 years, but the new ones are already rusting.