Was the McDonald's relocation from the suburbs to the city the wrong move? (Chicago: manufacturing, gentrification)

[Walkaboutcreek]

We're in agreement. Even if 25% of office workers never return and maybe 15% more only go in occassionally that is a major shift. I am one of the people it was made for, if I never went back to office, I am good. I never saw work as my social outlet, it was in the way of my social and other desires and simply a means to an end. But yes I have a friend who is very depressed his identity and really only activity was going to office and he is lost.

The loop is so weird right now to walk around. I feel for all the workers that made their living catering to the workers. They don't have another option. I can personally see the faces of the people I interacted with in a retail setting regularly now for years that have been out of work since March. Ouch.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by CCrest182

So seeing this play out and this trend potentially begin to shift from people wanting to move into deep urban cities with urban amenities, back to the suburbs or rural areas where things are safer and more sound and away from the madness, in retrospect, was the McDonald's HQ move to the city a bad idea? Or was the company just incredibly unlucky with how these events have unfolded over the past year? Or, do you think that the move to the city-trend which has been going on for most of the past 20 years is likely to not be hampered by COVID and expect it to continue?

McDonald's should have moved to The Loop. Being on the former Harpo lot generates a lot of PR hype in the beginning, but after move-in isn't practical for employees to endure a long walk or depend on an unreliable local bus transfer for the final leg of their commute (now a journey!). You're just asking them to drive into work with that kind of setup. (Does the new HQ include a parking garage?)

It does appear to be undeniable that there is certainly a large segment of the population, both young and old, wanting to get out of big cities. Even some true urbanists are opting to move to smaller urban areas, or older historic suburbs with urban amenities.

But jobs are consolidating into fewer cities as companies consolidate. I would say that the supposed "large segment of the population" might be overblown with the megaphone of social media in this era.

Personal example, stayed at a hotel in Canyon Lake, Texas--an exurb of San Antonio and halfway to Austin. (It's so remote that all the chain stores are along I-35 in New Brawnfels 30 miles away and it's very dangerous driving on the unlit state highways at night.) Mailed some S.A. postcards to a few friends at the post office inside Ace Hardware. Looked inside the store and saw the exorbitant prices on the items. I'm surprised that people actually want to retire here (popular retirement community among Texans); just visiting this remote community and having to drive 10 miles or more for anything turned me off from rural life forever.

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

my office just spent a lot of time and money on re-doing the office, making it an open floor plan and getting rid of cubicles. we went there one week and then covid happened and we had to shut down and work remotely.


now seems like they should have stayed with cubicles.

It's pretty standard here in Houston to have the traditional separate office setup.

Cubicles are still considered an open office setup--very bad at hindering the spread of the virus.

[ToriaT]

Maybe I am a dissenting voice but it will take years for Chicago to recover from both the pandemic and the looting. A friend who works downtown took some pictures on her way to work and it was shocking. Stores vacant, restaurants and stores boarded up all along. It looks very dystopian. People who live there are afraid to come out of their residences because crime is so high and there is always the prospect of another protest that may turn violent from happening. Other people are afraid to come downtown. She said its hard to find restaurants that are open, or maybe its that the places that were around where you worked are not open because there aren't enough office workers and student population downtown to support them. Many more homeless camped in door ways and other places. The CTA has become home for homeless people and young people creating mayhem because the normal flow of office workers and students is gone. Only essential workers are on the train now. Very sad indeed. We are witnessing Chicago dying before our eyes. It will pop back eventually but it may never be the same.

[TBideon]

The red and blue lines have changed the most dramatically. They've always been a little sketch - homeless on blue, hoodrats on red - but with an noticeable absence of normal people, there's now a thick noticeable tension.

Pretty bad optics for residents and tourists.

.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by TBideon

The red and blue lines have changed the most dramatically. They've always been a little sketch - homeless on blue, hoodrats on red - but with an noticeable absence of normal people, there's now a thick noticeable tension.

Pretty bad optics for residents and tourists.

.

I'm sure this is true. But I haven't ridden a train or bus since March, so I wouldn't know.

[reppin_the_847]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

Maybe I am a dissenting voice but it will take years for Chicago to recover from both the pandemic and the looting. A friend who works downtown took some pictures on her way to work and it was shocking. Stores vacant, restaurants and stores boarded up all along. It looks very dystopian. People who live there are afraid to come out of their residences because crime is so high and there is always the prospect of another protest that may turn violent from happening. Other people are afraid to come downtown. She said its hard to find restaurants that are open, or maybe its that the places that were around where you worked are not open because there aren't enough office workers and student population downtown to support them. Many more homeless camped in door ways and other places. The CTA has become home for homeless people and young people creating mayhem because the normal flow of office workers and students is gone. Only essential workers are on the train now. Very sad indeed. We are witnessing Chicago dying before our eyes. It will pop back eventually but it may never be the same.

It's interesting that almost the exact same things are being said about NYC right now as well. I think the leadership of both cities have quite a lot in common.

[Caglee]

Although hindsight in this case is 20/20, I think it's pretty clear that the death spiral of Chicago has started and isn't going to stop anytime soon. Oak Brook is booming, they're developing the old McDonald's corporate building lot into a downtown city center over the next few years. I think what we'll see is that the move out of Oak Brook was bad for McDonald's, but probably neutral or even positive for Oak Brook by freeing up the land for development.

I was shocked McDonald's made the move years ago, and I don't see how moving to the city would have increased their ability to attract applicants. But only they know if their vision panned out and I doubt they'd admit publicly if it was a bad move.

[Robert9]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

McDonald's should have moved to The Loop. Being on the former Harpo lot generates a lot of PR hype in the beginning, but after move-in isn't practical for employees to endure a long walk or depend on an unreliable local bus transfer for the final leg of their commute (now a journey!). You're just asking them to drive into work with that kind of setup. (Does the new HQ include a parking garage?)



But jobs are consolidating into fewer cities as companies consolidate. I would say that the supposed "large segment of the population" might be overblown with the megaphone of social media in this era.

Personal example, stayed at a hotel in Canyon Lake, Texas--an exurb of San Antonio and halfway to Austin. (It's so remote that all the chain stores are along I-35 in New Brawnfels 30 miles away and it's very dangerous driving on the unlit state highways at night.) Mailed some S.A. postcards to a few friends at the post office inside Ace Hardware. Looked inside the store and saw the exorbitant prices on the items. I'm surprised that people actually want to retire here (popular retirement community among Texans); just visiting this remote community and having to drive 10 miles or more for anything turned me off from rural life forever.



It's pretty standard here in Houston to have the traditional separate office setup.

Cubicles are still considered an open office setup--very bad at hindering the spread of the virus.

I miss cubicles. I do many assignments at different places and hate how places have opened up! No walls, no privacy at all, no separation. Just asking for people to get sick and this was way before Covid. Even where I am now its so open and no protection.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Caglee

Although hindsight in this case is 20/20, I think it's pretty clear that the death spiral of Chicago has started and isn't going to stop anytime soon. Oak Brook is booming, they're developing the old McDonald's corporate building lot into a downtown city center over the next few years. I think what we'll see is that the move out of Oak Brook was bad for McDonald's, but probably neutral or even positive for Oak Brook by freeing up the land for development.

I was shocked McDonald's made the move years ago, and I don't see how moving to the city would have increased their ability to attract applicants. But only they know if their vision panned out and I doubt they'd admit publicly if it was a bad move.

If Chicago is in a death spiral, Oak Brook isn't far behind. I agree things are going to take awhile to get back to normal but they will. The question of whether Chicago will continue to grow its professional sector and learn enough to realize it also has to grow a manufacturing base to keep a diverse economy remains to be answered. I always thought it was a mistake to just rely on white collar jobs and gentrification to change the City.

[Bitey]

Originally Posted by BRU67

If Chicago is in a death spiral, Oak Brook isn't far behind. I agree things are going to take awhile to get back to normal but they will. The question of whether Chicago will continue to grow its professional sector and learn enough to realize it also has to grow a manufacturing base to keep a diverse economy remains to be answered. I always thought it was a mistake to just rely on white collar jobs and gentrification to change the City.

We already have the answer for the second half of your question. Rich white people along the Clybourn corridor on the edge of Lincoln Park have decided they shouldn't have to live next to dirty smelly General Iron even though it was there long before any of the rich white people moved in. And now their plan to move to East Side is being stalled by litigation from residents there claiming General Iron are committing "environmental racism" by moving into their neighborhood. So neither the professional class NOR the working class seems interested in having blue-collar industry in their neighborhood.