This was Erik’s post, so I wasn’t sure myself. I just talked to Grand Plaza, and it’s a bit of both — the low end for each unit type represents the least expensive unit WITH concessions, while the high end for each represents the most expensive unit WITHOUT concessions, if that make sense. We’ll try to stick to one or the other in future comparisons, and will specify in the post which we receive.

Thanks,
Cg

I wouldn’t think twice about moving to the Oakwood Shores neighborhood and, yes, for what it’s worth, I’m white and I’m not daring.

I think the area has a lot going for it. Beautiful architecture, nice parks, it’s close to downtown, museum campus, Soldier Field, the lake, the U of C, Washington Park and the Dusable Muesum. In addition, its proximity to Lake Shore Drive is great.

I worked in the area and know people of various races that live in the neighborhood. That being said, I sure don’t know where you’re getting information from.

Toni Preckwinkle really got development going there when she was elected (Tim Evans, nice enough guy, promised a lot, but delivered little), but there still is a lot lacking, retail especially.

But this part of town is in such bad shape despite the facade of opulence you see driving down Drexel. While the housing stock is pretty good, it continues to lack the density to support any meaningful urban retail. I wonder if Bronzeville will ever reach the point where it can have something on the order of a south side version of north Clark St or Broadway. So far the only thing developers have managed to build are soulless, meaningful strip centers. I just don’t understand how on one hand we can sell the “historical character” of this “urban Chicago neighborhood” yet on the other hand erode it with such poorly planned commercial development that completely has nothing in common with the housing that is going up. See that poorly designed, missed-opportunity strip center ironically named ‘Metropolis’ near Pershing and State (and an L stop, for that matter) that is currently planned.

Lets see what happens, but I’m not optimistic. One thing that doesn’t help is the insistence of the black community to keep this part of town “black” and to overemphasize its “blackness” (Harold Washington this, ML King that, reminiscing about old Blues & Jazz clubs that have essentially left no traces of themselves, etc–instead of focusing on this being a potential mixed-ethnic community as a cheaper alternative to highly priced Lincoln Park, Gold Coast). I guess that works in New York City, where the black community is so much better off and where people of other ethnic groups are more voluminous in population and tolerant of ethnic diversity; but in Chicago, it just won’t work–ever. The white people left, they took with them their money & investment, and they will NEVER look at these parts of town again except for a few daring individuals. That same pretty much goes for Asians, Middle-Easterners, etc who basically take their cues from what white people do.

@ is a hard seller – mid market. Less sophisticated buyer.

I neither work nor have affiliations with either.