The story of the Chicago's Michigan Avenue continues to change as retail formats evolve.
Born in 1920, at the beginning of a decade of unprecedented real estate development, Michigan Avenue has retained its allure since its construction, but it has always been the subject of intense scrutiny. Recently, it was criticized as having lost some of its charm, with several well-known buildings radically altered or demolished in favor of new high-rise construction. University of Notre Dame professor of architecture John Stamper, author of Chicagos North Michigan Avenue: Planning and Development 1900-1930, wrote, The task undertaken by Daniel Burnham . . . to maintain some measure of control over the avenues development, is today largely forgotten and its ideals certainly ignored." (ULI membership is required to access the full text of this article.)
Thanks to Urban Land Magazine
FULL STORY: The Retailing of Michigan Avenue

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Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research