If you're from the Chicago-land area or have been in that area, you have probably seen signs in countless places with the slogan, "Building A New Chicago" painted on. I've been noticing this more and more on spots I loved or planned on exploring. Besides the Chicago government redevelopment programs, there have also been increased attempts at getting outside redevelopers to buy shuttered locations and demolish them. I've noticed it with a power-plant, a hospital, houses, and schools. There was even the partial demolition of a classic factory on the South-side that fell through, and pressure for the demolition of a well know factory on the North-side. I created this thread to vent about this matter that's been getting on my nerves. Feel free to do the same or share anything else related to redevelopment/demolition below, doesn't have to be Illinois.

They've been throwing up those signs for years all over the place. They are definitely knocking down some classic locations but it's mostly been in high demand areas.

I suspect that it's mostly because the property market is so strong now. Once the next recession comes along I wouldn't be surprised if there's a new crop of abandonments popping up

But it definitely sucks. You see it happening in lots of urban areas. Old buildings replaced with luxury condos and trendy restaurants. It definitely makes the urban environment less appealing for me.

Posted by triple_t They've been throwing up those signs for years all over the place. They are definitely knocking down some classic locations but it's mostly been in high demand areas. I suspect that it's mostly because the property market is so strong now. Once the next recession comes along I wouldn't be surprised if there's a new crop of abandonments popping up But it definitely sucks. You see it happening in lots of urban areas. Old buildings replaced with luxury condos and trendy restaurants. It definitely makes the urban environment less appealing for me.

True, these things do tend to happen in cycles. We're finally putting the economic damage from the Great Recession of 2009 behind us- not only is it profitable to invest in new development again, many of the projects that were shelved due to economic uncertainty were reexamined in the last few years, and are just now finally making it through the red tape.

Gentrification is an unfortunate side affect of economic upswing. It sucks, but wherever one area is gentrified another is neglected. We just have to find it.

Posted by triple_t But it definitely sucks. You see it happening in lots of urban areas. Old buildings replaced with luxury condos and trendy restaurants. It definitely makes the urban environment less appealing for me.

Less appealing indeed. I've seen some yucky looking TODs appearing around Chicago. One in particular on Ashland and Division, has windows randomly placed. I like seeing that so many new buildings are going up in Chicago, but many of them have odd designs or just look plain ugly.

There are some exceptions though. The building that's supposed to go up where the Mega Mall used to sit looks nice, but in the renders, they just show a target, meh. Heh, there's an abandoned building near the area.

But I do like how some buildings have been converted to be preserved. One that comes to mind is the Otis Elevator Building, it's now residential, but still, they kept it.

I completely agree with you guys...this kind of stuff is a bitter sweet. On one end the neighborhoods are improving on the other great spots are lost. And it just adds insult to injury when a structure more of an eye sore than the abandoned one it replaced is put up.