Illinois

CDC to Gov. Whitmer: Time to Shut Down, Not Surge Vaccines
Michigan is on fire—a coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly among younger people, including children, yet high-risk activities, including youth sports and indoor dining, remain open. CDC Director Walensky addressed the conflagration Monday.

Chicago Planning Department Rejects 'Overparked' Six Corners Proposal
In a decision that is still impossible in most of the country, Chicago's Department of Planning and Development is requiring housing and reduced surface parking to approve a retail project.

Chicago DOT Strategic Plan Update Centers Mobility Justice
The city, which has been slow to implement complete streets initiatives during the pandemic, promises closer collaboration with community groups to advance equity in transportation.

Chicago's Esteemed Architecture Critic, Blair Kamin, Moves On
One of two architecture critics working at major daily newspapers to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, Blair Kamin announced his retirement last week via Twitter.

One Big Step Forward, One Small Step Back for Chicago Red Line Extension
A big approval and a significant delay—but otherwise 2020 has been a positive year for plans to extend the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line by 5.6 miles to the south.

Fighting No-Fault Evictions With a Just Cause Ordinance
Despite a statewide eviction moratorium, thousands of people have been evicted in Chicago since March. A coalition of housing advocates is proposing a just cause ordinance that would halt no-fault evictions.

'Anti-Conversion Ordinance' Considered in Chicago
New zoning controls would make it harder to convert multi-unit residential buildings into single-family homes to prevent displacement in single-family neighborhoods in Chicago.

Lessons From the Viral Video of Lake Michigan Taking Out a Bike Commuter
Climate change will only increase the frequency of incidents like the one captured by a television news station in Chicago earlier this week.

Red Line Extension to Chicago's Far South Side Making Steady Progress
A transit extension envisioned since the 1950s is this year making steady, tangible progress in the Windy City.

New Approach to Capital Investment Expected in Chicago
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is readying a new capital investment plan that will spur the local economy and change the way the city apportions its infrastructure funding.

Corona Crisis in America: The Metropolitan Area to Watch
The battle to control the coronavirus in the U.S is being led by 50 governors and the D.C. mayor, but ultimately it is at the local level where decisions are often the most consequential. Among large counties, the crisis is most severe in El Paso.

Massive Residential Development Revealed in Chicago's Near North Side
New details have emerged on a project the Chicago Tribune is calling this one of Chicago's most ambitious development proposals in decades.

Two Railways Diverged: Amtrak Planning Expansion While Cutting Service
Amtrak is presented with the potential for two futures: In one is a $25 billion expansion to update national intercity rail with contemporary patterns of settlement. In the other is fiscal crisis and continued service cuts.

Advocates Urge Mayor Lightfoot to Keep Transit Running in the Event of Post-Election Unrest
Nine organizations signed a petition to prioritize access to transit during potential post-election protests.

Multi-Modal Bridge Coming Soon to Lincoln Yards Mega-Project in Chicago
Residents of Chicago will soon see some of the fruits of the controversial tax increment financing for the Lincoln Yards project in Chicago's North Side.

New Skyscraper Added to Chicago's Skyline in Uncertain Times for Downtown Commercial Uses
A riverfront revival was well underway in Chicago. Then the pandemic hit. How can a splashy new downtown commercial development expect to fare in Covid's world?

Willis Tower, Largest LEED Platinum Building, to Switch to 100 Percent Renewable Energy
The Willis Tower in Chicago, once the tallest building in the world, is still making history in superlative terms.

Creative Placemaking a Boon for Underserved Communities, Report Says
The work of Chicago urban planner and developer Theaster Gates provides a proof of concept in a new report from the Urban Land Institute.

Priority on Equity Gives Hope for Chicago's Transit-Oriented Development Plans
The city of Chicago's Equitable Transit Oriented Development Policy Plan prioritizes three key strategies for bringing equity to transit-oriented development.

Adaptive Reuse More Popular Than Ever, Study Says
The past decade saw more old commercial buildings transformed into residential buildings than any decade previous.
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