Mayor Daley's successes in downtown Chicago have attracted attention worldwide, but what about the rest of the city? Greg Hinz and Steven R. Strahler say Daley has fixed downtown but not the city's neighborhoods.
Hinz and Strahler write, "The mayor clearly succeeded in making Chicago attractive and safe for the upper middle-class - and for corporate America, which was leaving town until a newly vibrant downtown lured such names as Boeing Co., UAL Corp. and MillerCoors. A Crain's survey finds local business people hold Mr. Daley and his policies in high regard."
"But as the city's financial woes deepen, Mr. Daley will be hard-pressed to finance the policies that business likes, much less boost the fortunes of neighborhoods beyond downtown.
"Despite his attention to the schools and public housing, much of Chicago is mired in the past, with incomes stagnant, public schools little-improved and the total number of jobs still dropping."
Thanks to Franny Ritchie
FULL STORY: Mayor Daley runs up big debts building his global city; what about the rest of Chicago?
Zoning to Keep Manufacturing in Chicago
Planned manufacturing districts (PMDs) are a way to protect valuable land, but their effectiveness as an economic development strategy has been inconsistent.
Chicago Coffee Shops Breaking Social and Economic Ground on the South Side
Cafes on the city's South Side are more than just businesses. They also provide important spaces for community building and economic development in neighborhoods that have been historically overlooked.
Many Contender Sites for Chicago Casino
The decision about where to locate a new casino project depends on competing goals—to maximize revenues or bring jobs and development to neighborhoods that need them.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
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