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This quote screams that you haven't spent much time in Chicago. This is only true in areas like the Loop, River North, Streeterville, South Loop, etc. Get outside of those areas and the streets are not that wide unless they're the major streets. The residential blocks are not wide.
Please don't try to use Arlington place, one of the densest narrowest residential streets in one of the densest parts of one of the densest neighborhoods in the city as a representative residential street in Chicago. It insults the intelligence of those who know better. Very few Chicago residents will see anything like that when standing on their porch and looking down the street, being far more likely to see something like this or this or even this.
The fact is most Chicagoans live on a street with bungalows and/or detached 2- or 3-flats, maybe an occasional 6-unit walk-up, in a home or building set back 10 to 15 feet from the sidewalk with grass in between, with another grass median between the sidewalk and the street, which incidentally will likely be wide enough for two cars to pass in opposite directions even with cars parked on at least one if not both sides of the street. In short, the average Chicagoan lives on a street that looks nothing like the one you linked to.
Please don't try to use Arlington place, one of the densest narrowest residential streets in one of the densest parts of one of the densest neighborhoods in the city as a representative residential street in Chicago. It insults the intelligence of those who know better. Very few Chicago residents will see anything like that when standing on their porch and looking down the street, being far more likely to see something like this or this or even this.
The fact is most Chicagoans live on a street with bungalows and/or detached 2- or 3-flats, maybe an occasional 6-unit walk-up, in a home or building set back 10 to 15 feet from the sidewalk with grass in between, with another grass median between the sidewalk and the street, which incidentally will likely be wide enough for two cars to pass in opposite directions even with cars parked on at least one if not both sides of the street. In short, the average Chicagoan lives on a street that looks nothing like the one you linked to.
Drover, my point was about the street width, not about the housing on each side of the road. The width of this road is not much wider even than Arlington in reality (a foot wider maybe). The point was, with the context of my post, that people think that the roads (i.e. Toure) in Chicago are ALL roads like you see in the Loop. Wide and grand and that's not true. in the least bit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toure
Chicago's approach to density is not the same as Manhattans approach. Manhattan is VERY tight, wall to wall. Chicago is wide, sidewalks, tall shiny buildings
I would not call those streets wide. They are not European narrow, but most people who come to visit Chicago only seen the Loop and Near North Side. To them, that's what Chicago is. Most streets there are wide. Every road in the normal neighborhoods, even in Brighton Park or Irving Park as you showed, are still nowhere near as grand as the roads you see in the Loop or River North on average or even close to it unless it's a main road....which is not unique. Most cities around the world, even the densest, have roads that are wide in certain places.
For the record, Irving Park is barely less dense than Lincoln Park.
Please don't try to use Arlington place, one of the densest narrowest residential streets in one of the densest parts of one of the densest neighborhoods in the city as a representative residential street in Chicago. It insults the intelligence of those who know better. Very few Chicago residents will see anything like that when standing on their porch and looking down the street, being far more likely to see something like this or this or even this.
The fact is most Chicagoans live on a street with bungalows and/or detached 2- or 3-flats, maybe an occasional 6-unit walk-up, in a home or building set back 10 to 15 feet from the sidewalk with grass in between, with another grass median between the sidewalk and the street, which incidentally will likely be wide enough for two cars to pass in opposite directions even with cars parked on at least one if not both sides of the street. In short, the average Chicagoan lives on a street that looks nothing like the one you linked to.
That is a cool street. This is an area where Philly and Chicago differ. Actually a tighter street than the one posted is nearly a norm (if a norm exisits) for Philly. I love the aspect in some ways and hate it in others
This is the Northeast - what people called the original burbs in Philly
Even the DT areas of Philly versus Chicago find Chicago with more breathing room. Good and bad for either in some ways but like the change in Chciago
I agree with this. The first time I ever spent time in Chicago, I was surprised by how much 'breathing room' there was, even in the most vertical part of the city.
The fact that Chicago has never really had much pressure from space constraints likely has something to do with this. It allowed the city to spread out a lot, which has ups and downs, but it also ensured that Chicago's amazing architectural history has very largely been preserved, as not many things were torn down to make way for new things.
(one sad exception is the Prentice Hospital, which is currently threatened)
(one sad exception is the Prentice Hospital, which is currently threatened)
That is a recent example. I'd say there's much better examples out there but you have to go back in time. I am not a fan of Prentice to say the least. The buildings that were destroyed even 20 years ago were really nice, European style buildings sometimes.
The fact that Chicago has never really had much pressure from space constraints likely has something to do with this. It allowed the city to spread out a lot, which has ups and downs, but it also ensured that Chicago's amazing architectural history has very largely been preserved, as not many things were torn down to make way for new things.
People often say this, but if you think about it, what major U.S. cities other than most of NYC and SF truly have space constraints?
I agree with this. The first time I ever spent time in Chicago, I was surprised by how much 'breathing room' there was, even in the most vertical part of the city.
The fact that Chicago has never really had much pressure from space constraints likely has something to do with this. It allowed the city to spread out a lot, which has ups and downs, but it also ensured that Chicago's amazing architectural history has very largely been preserved, as not many things were torn down to make way for new things.
(one sad exception is the Prentice Hospital, which is currently threatened)
That is an odd one. Just stayed at the W lakefront last year and got a good look - Actually found myself specifically walking to check it out
That area (I think its streeterville) seems to be filling in though - a little sleepy yet a few blocks from MI Ave albeit in the Chicago breathing room way.
FWIW the lakefront there is just tremendous even with the parkway. Enjoyed walking every morning along the waterfront and Navy pier and the Aqua building(yes other side of the river), well just another example of tremendous architecture in Chicago - I think my favorite skyscraper city bar none the talls stand out with the room...
I wonder what will ever come of the Spire hole
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