Is Oak Brook considered "downtown?" (Chicago: income, moving to)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

Right on. I was just curious. I grew up in the "polite" South... which is a whole other discussion. I never had a real opinion on whether Chicagoans were polite or not until I lived here. I guess beforehand I kinda lumped them in with East Coasters... rightly or wrongly. I've always been pleasantly surprised.

As for NYC and Paris... I've spent significant time in NYC and find the folks there to be more good-natured than their rep implies, but way more brash and less patient than people from just about anywhere I've ever really been...

Parisians? I've spent very little time in Paris. I find the French to be more polite than their rep, in general, though. Most of my time in France has been in the South, though. Different vibe.

I've met French people from Normandy who say Parisians are terribly rude, so I think it's all relative. I guess the lesson is to always see people as individuals and to stop the dumb generalizations that I contributed to here. But yeah, Chicagoans are still noticeably more quick-tempered and rude than other midwesterners--and I maintain on a similar plain with New Yorkers and M@ssholes.

I say this as a quick-tempered guy who gets easily frustrated--and who nearly kicked in the fender of a taxi cab that came close to me in a crosswalk on my way home tonight.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

...I say this as a quick-tempered guy who gets easily frustrated--and who nearly kicked in the fender of a taxi cab that came close to me in a crosswalk on my way home tonight.

Sheridan,Irving Park, or Broadway? I say Broadway.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Sheridan,Irving Park, or Broadway? I say Broadway.

Nope, down in River North. But I'd kick a fender on Broadway too if I felt the need.

[sharkylittleton]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Nope, down in River North. But I'd kick a fender on Broadway too if I felt the need.

I'd say that's a great idea until the cabbie wants to duke it out!

[prairiestate]

Perhaps it's the "downtown" of DuPage County?

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by prairiestate

Perhaps it's the "downtown" of DuPage County?

...the shopping mall does generate a big part of the sales tax revenue, but car dealers and even 'business oriented' transactions that happen throughout DuPage Co are significant. During holiday shopping season it is easy to forget that BILLIONS of dollars of sales tax come from other than traditional "malls and strip centers"...

In other states / areas there have been efforts to address zoning and revenue issues in a more regional manner, but I see little effort to move in that direction in Illinois. The amazing level of corruption fosters a distrust / cynicism that overwhelms any efforts to streamline / centralize government type function. It is much more effective than any Libertarian arguments are at stifling the consolidation of power...

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by prairiestate

Perhaps it's the "downtown" of DuPage County?

Chicago does not have a Clayton. St. Louis has a Clayton because the city shrunk in size and became overwhelmed by it suburbs. The suburbs of St. Louis wanted as little to do with downtown StL as possible and thus built a new "downtown" in StL co, with Clayton playing that role.

Chicago's downtown has always been too big, too strong, and too important to allow anything remotely like Clayton to occur here, be in the form of a suburban downtown (Evanston), edge city (Schaumburg), or satellite city (Aurora). Centers of power dot the north, northwest, and west suburbs, but no single entity approaches anything like a downtown status.

As for DuPage itself has plenty of competition. And while Oakbrook's status as the largest outdoor mall in the 48 states (only Ala Moana in Honolulu is larger), in this age of people seeking a more town like atmosphere than even the outdoorsy Oakbrook (or Old Orchard can for northern Cook Co) can offer, a place like downtown Naperville gives Oakbrook a good run for its money.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by edsg25

...Chicago's downtown has always been too big, too strong, and too important to allow anything...

Not entirely true. Before the cities of Lake View and Hyde Park were annexed into Chicago they were very strong and very populous. The Uptown area all the way down to the Lincoln Park area in Lake View and the Woodlawn area of Hyde Park were the respective "downtowns" of each city.

Of course, after they were annexed these areas became even more populous and strong.

[ceschristen]

I'm thinking of moving to Oak Brooke for a job that would pay $10 full time. Is that affordable. Can I find a studio there. How far is it to down town chicago. 20 minutes half an hour? Could I reasonable live near down town chicago and commute to Oak Brook? ceschristen@yahoo.com Thanx

[ole69]

Special K is ketamine, not a quaalude or a horse tranquilizer.