Why do I dedicate the professional portion of my life to downtown development? This is a question I'm often asked, and one I often ask myself...
Last week I was in Chicago for the day with my husband and was reminded why I do what I do. It had been several years since I had been to Chicago and now that we live 1.5 hours away, we ventured over for the day and loved every minute....the eclectic people, places, food, everything. The most beautiful architecture is still found in this city that has been so carefully preserved...there are well over 100 TIF districts around that city (130 at my last count) and those districts are working little by little to bring the older neighborhoods back to the beauty they once originally were. The parks, phenomenal. The green space, beautiful. The architecture, breath taking. The restaurants and shops, vibrant. The people, healthy with so much to do! The cultural opportunities, abundant.
When we arrived, a banner waved to us. It said "Laugh. Stay. Dance." and th
at's just what we did. The historic "Chicago Public Library", majestically built in 1897 now sits surrounded by tall, modern skyscrapers...a true diamond among the cubic zirconia. With a genuine mix of Italian Renaissance, Greek and Neo-Greco architecture, this building was the real deal.
Last week I was in Chicago for the day with my husband and was reminded why I do what I do. It had been several years since I had been to Chicago and now that we live 1.5 hours away, we ventured over for the day and loved every minute....the eclectic people, places, food, everything. The most beautiful architecture is still found in this city that has been so carefully preserved...there are well over 100 TIF districts around that city (130 at my last count) and those districts are working little by little to bring the older neighborhoods back to the beauty they once originally were. The parks, phenomenal. The green space, beautiful. The architecture, breath taking. The restaurants and shops, vibrant. The people, healthy with so much to do! The cultural opportunities, abundant.
When we arrived, a banner waved to us. It said "Laugh. Stay. Dance." and th
at's just what we did. The historic "Chicago Public Library", majestically built in 1897 now sits surrounded by tall, modern skyscrapers...a true diamond among the cubic zirconia. With a genuine mix of Italian Renaissance, Greek and Neo-Greco architecture, this building was the real deal. Wrigley Field, another diamond, built in 1914, is one of the last 
standing true all American ballparks and is found opposite town from the cubic zirconian ballpark, the White Sox's U.S. Cellular Field. I have nothing against the White Sox for all you Sox fans out there, by the way. But, Wrigley Field...U.S. Cellular Field....I mean seriously. The name says it all. Wrigley Field is set in the middle of the spirited North Side neighborhood where people sit on top of their apartment buildings, stand down on the street by the most awesome gated view of the field, just to catch a glimpse of their home team...the Cubbies. This is THE ALL AMERICAN BALL PARK, a pre-war stadium no less. I can only imagine games back in the day, during the war, played on that very field, in that very stadium.
The part that causes me to write what I'm writing, the most tragic part is that there are rumors going around (even if untrue, leave me with this thought) that the stadium may be torn down to build a much more modern, more grand ballpark. All in the name of "development". All to appeal to the largely growing majority that don't like the experience of going to Wrigley because, in their own words, it's so old and dirty...nothing like the one's they're used to today. Come on, people....again...U.S. Cellular Field?? Are they dreaming of one day heading off to a watch the Cubs play at the "Quilted Northern Field" because Quilted Northern Super Absorbent Bathroom Tissue is willing to sponsor a new field in a more modern setting? Now that would really sum it up. Where is the pride.
My husband and I are headed to a game next Sunday...I can't wait for the experience of watching a major league game in a park the way baseball was made to be back in the day....seeing the people watching from their rooftops...smelling the hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn....sitting in a truly historic landmark for the City of Chicago in a truly historic neighborhood where, get this, you can't even really park to get to the game. No big, tall parking garages or large flat asphalt parking lots that go for miles...just cool, old, beautifully quaint apartment buildings, houses, bars, restaurants...all surrounding the park. The way the experience of baseball in America was meant to be.
So while my growing blog keeps growing, I just have to say that the reason I do what I do is to keep that historic integrity alive. Keep those landmarks around this country alive. And work to help great cities who may have been buried under the dust of "modern development" blow off that dust and find the beauty that was there, and is still there, in the most effective ways possible. These gems like Wrigley Field just make me happy there are still people out there that get that...and the rumors of tearing it down make me sad there are still people out there that don't get it and somehow - in today's era of historic preservation and national Main Street movements - somehow still win.
I love what I do...and I can't wait to truly experience the historic beauty that still stands in North Chicago...and while we're at it of course, watch the Cubs play ball!
standing true all American ballparks and is found opposite town from the cubic zirconian ballpark, the White Sox's U.S. Cellular Field. I have nothing against the White Sox for all you Sox fans out there, by the way. But, Wrigley Field...U.S. Cellular Field....I mean seriously. The name says it all. Wrigley Field is set in the middle of the spirited North Side neighborhood where people sit on top of their apartment buildings, stand down on the street by the most awesome gated view of the field, just to catch a glimpse of their home team...the Cubbies. This is THE ALL AMERICAN BALL PARK, a pre-war stadium no less. I can only imagine games back in the day, during the war, played on that very field, in that very stadium.The part that causes me to write what I'm writing, the most tragic part is that there are rumors going around (even if untrue, leave me with this thought) that the stadium may be torn down to build a much more modern, more grand ballpark. All in the name of "development". All to appeal to the largely growing majority that don't like the experience of going to Wrigley because, in their own words, it's so old and dirty...nothing like the one's they're used to today. Come on, people....again...U.S. Cellular Field?? Are they dreaming of one day heading off to a watch the Cubs play at the "Quilted Northern Field" because Quilted Northern Super Absorbent Bathroom Tissue is willing to sponsor a new field in a more modern setting? Now that would really sum it up. Where is the pride.
My husband and I are headed to a game next Sunday...I can't wait for the experience of watching a major league game in a park the way baseball was made to be back in the day....seeing the people watching from their rooftops...smelling the hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn....sitting in a truly historic landmark for the City of Chicago in a truly historic neighborhood where, get this, you can't even really park to get to the game. No big, tall parking garages or large flat asphalt parking lots that go for miles...just cool, old, beautifully quaint apartment buildings, houses, bars, restaurants...all surrounding the park. The way the experience of baseball in America was meant to be.
So while my growing blog keeps growing, I just have to say that the reason I do what I do is to keep that historic integrity alive. Keep those landmarks around this country alive. And work to help great cities who may have been buried under the dust of "modern development" blow off that dust and find the beauty that was there, and is still there, in the most effective ways possible. These gems like Wrigley Field just make me happy there are still people out there that get that...and the rumors of tearing it down make me sad there are still people out there that don't get it and somehow - in today's era of historic preservation and national Main Street movements - somehow still win.
I love what I do...and I can't wait to truly experience the historic beauty that still stands in North Chicago...and while we're at it of course, watch the Cubs play ball!
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