Chicago 2022 (Golden, Detroit: 2014, job transfer, neighborhood)

[BRU67]

Great article if you want to reminisce about Chicago's heyday.

https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life...go-golden-age/

For those of us who were here then, it was really great, the overall mood was completely different than it is now. As in the 1990s, it is becoming something new, but not in a good way.

[Robert9]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Great article if you want to reminisce about Chicago's heyday.

https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life...go-golden-age/

For those of us who were here then, it was really great, the overall mood was completely different than it is now. As in the 1990s, it is becoming something new, but not in a good way.

I prefer the city in the 1970s and 80s

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Robert9

I prefer the city in the 1970s and 80s

In the dictionary under "gentrification" should be an image of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Liz Phair, Urge Overkill, Veruca Salt, Material Issue, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Though their music was often rebellious in nature, it was pure gold to record company execs, and their cool was a hot commodity. The amount of commerce that they helped launch into this city is probably unparalleled in human history.

Couple all of that with the Bulls, Sammy Sosa, the dot.com boom, and free spending by the City to beautify (or displace, in the case of Cabrini-Green and other public housing projects) and the 1990s are properly viewed as the heyday. No question.

This is not to say the Chicago of the 1970s and 1980s wasn't cool. It certainly was, and it was that cool that started it. I think we can trace the seedlings of the heyday to a few factors. I think Jane Byrne opening up the city to movie production was one. I think WGN getting Harry Carey for Cubs' games was another. Both brought Chicago cool to legions of affluent white people all over the country, who then came to Chicago. And finally, the political administrations at the time, including Harold Washington, were smart enough to recognize the value of this, and they kept the neighborhoods the newcomers were going to safe. By the mid-1980s, the rise was on.

It may seem like I'm waxing nostalgic here, and maybe I am a little. But when you have this context, it becomes much easier to understand the current suckage.

[personone]

Originally Posted by BRU67

In the dictionary under "gentrification" should be an image of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Liz Phair, Urge Overkill, Veruca Salt, Material Issue, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Though their music was often rebellious in nature, it was pure gold to record company execs, and their cool was a hot commodity. The amount of commerce that they helped launch into this city is probably unparalleled in human history.

Couple all of that with the Bulls, Sammy Sosa, the dot.com boom, and free spending by the City to beautify (or displace, in the case of Cabrini-Green and other public housing projects) and the 1990s are properly viewed as the heyday. No question.

This is not to say the Chicago of the 1970s and 1980s wasn't cool. It certainly was, and it was that cool that started it. I think we can trace the seedlings of the heyday to a few factors. I think Jane Byrne opening up the city to movie production was one. I think WGN getting Harry Carey for Cubs' games was another. Both brought Chicago cool to legions of affluent white people all over the country, who then came to Chicago. And finally, the political administrations at the time, including Harold Washington, were smart enough to recognize the value of this, and they kept the neighborhoods the newcomers were going to safe. By the mid-1980s, the rise was on.

It may seem like I'm waxing nostalgic here, and maybe I am a little. But when you have this context, it becomes much easier to understand the current suckage.

Yeah, I starting visiting Chicago in the summers during the 90's as a young kid/teen and it seemed like Chicago really hit its peak as a city then. As you mentioned, there was MJ/Bulls, Sammy Sosa, Oprah and many other talk shows were based in Chicago at the time. It was really viewed as a trendy/cool city. Even being young, it had a violent reputation with Cabrini Green, but NYC (crack cocaine) and LA (gangs) were in the media spotlight for crime. Growing up near the DC area, DC had the title of "murder capitol" for much of the 90's too, so while crime was still bad in Chicago, it kind of was able to slide into the background because other cities had worse reps and took up the media spotlight (the way Chicago does now). Also, in terms of "total numbers" of violent crime NYC and LA were ahead of Chicago.

Visiting Chicago during the summers as a teen, I fell in love so much that I made it a life goal to move here. Sadly, fast-forward decades later and the sheen has worn off due to the state of crime. I am sadly looking to move to another city at some point. But I will always have fond memories of Chicago. It was such a cool city, and really up until around 2010 was still at the same level of prestige nationally (the "Chiraq" image didn't really kick in until around 2012 and then it was ubiquitous by 2015).

[Master Jay]

Happy New Year!

I was a child in the 70s and 80s (MAN, those were GREAT times, though!).

There were areas that had become "seedier" since their inception, such as Cabrini-Green, which I think was, in SOME ways, an improvement to THAT neighborhood when it was torn down. (However, the negative activities that were taking place there just ended up being moved to other areas). .... So, it wasn't exactly a WIN-WIN situation.

Another area that was "seedy" yet still had character and drew in people from all over was Maxwell Street.

Another thing that was different, in a strange kind of way, I think was there were more white gangs then. And also, in fact, how often nowadays do you hear about negative things taking place with an "Italian" name attached to it?????? Much more common up until the early 2000s!!!!

Hey, that's life. Things go in waves and trends, of sorts.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Another area that was "seedy" yet still had character and drew in people from all over was Maxwell Street.

Back in the day that area was called Jewtown. It was a hot mess but you could always get one of those greasy polish sausages 24/7.

[Master Jay]

Chicago South Sider,

I tell you what, Sir, what has NOT changed: is the smell of those onions frying on that grill!!!!! As great in 2022 as it would have been for me in 1982!!!!!

I sure do remember the area being referred to as "Jewtown" as well as "Maxwell Street."

What you got going today?: Upper body? Lower body? Or you mixing them both in??

Today is going to be an abs and legs day, mixed in with some punching techniques so I can work upper body with it.

[JPrzybylski07]

Moved from Chicago many years ago to Florida. Use to love Chicago and the spirit. Now Chicagoians should be ashamed of themselves for electing bettle juice as mayor. Just a horrible incompetent mayor, horrible for the brand of the city, horrible for the spirit. Only thing good about Chicago is Lou Malnati’s.

[Greencheese]

Originally Posted by dtcbnd03

1. Chicago was often the top city for corporate HQ relocations pre-pandemic. However, most of those were from downstate and not out-of-state so Illinois in general was robbing from Peter to pay Paul. With remote work that will not continue and I expect more people to move out of state.

2. Chicago's budget has benefited from the federal covid relief funds to fill large deficit holes. Once that ends expect taxes to continue to go up and up. Chicago Tribune had a nice story on this. https://www.chicagotribune.com/polit...4vi-story.html

3. Chicago real estate is a bargain from a price perspective (not a tax perspective). Most affordable big city given social and economic benefits. But downtown benefited from HQ relocation surge above and now suburbs are benefiting from Millennial aging and post-covid space need so people are moving from city to suburb. Add onto that historically low interest rates and you had some nice price increases. Despite all that demand Chicago was still last in the top 20 index of price increases. With the cold weather, flat land, high taxes and crime I can't imagine Chicago will win the out-of-state relocation battle for remote workers. You can see most people are choosing out west, sunbelt and secondary city locations.

If you're young, high earner, renting and want the big city life then Chicago is a great option. For 2022 and beyond though I see Chicago heading to a slow but steady decline due mostly to budget, tax and crime issues and people simply choosing to remote work it from elsewhere.

I had a friend who worked for Kraft Foods in the past. She said that when the corporate office was located in the suburbs it employed ~2,500. Now the company (well 2 companies since the split) have moved downtown and employ ~1,500 or so employees in total. Chicago acts like this is some major win when perhaps for the city it is a win but the state lost 1,000 well paying white collar jobs in the process. Additionally the move wasn't far enough to convince anyone who lived in the suburbs to move into the city either. There can be winners and losers when the deck chairs shuffle but it you keep losing headcount with every shuffle eventually the room is going to start looking empty.

[Robert9]

Originally Posted by JPrzybylski07

Moved from Chicago many years ago to Florida. Use to love Chicago and the spirit. Now Chicagoians should be ashamed of themselves for electing bettle juice as mayor. Just a horrible incompetent mayor, horrible for the brand of the city, horrible for the spirit. Only thing good about Chicago is Lou Malnati’s.

Chicago voters have getting bash worldwide for voting for Beetlejuice. And they deserve every bit of what they get