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Key Issues

  • The Chicago Spire site is now in new hands.
  • Old Post Office still vacant after redevelopment efforts failed.
  • One approach to vacant lots: Chicago’s $1 Large Lots program.

About This Topic

What are we seeing in Chicago today? Towering cranes, scaffolding, wire fences and rerouted sidewalks—all signs of Chicago undergoing a huge transformation.

As Chicago invests in new infrastructure and transforms vacant lots into posh residences, it’s a post-recession city booming with new development. We’re exploring how demands for living space, tourism amenities and faster public transportation collide with innovative trends in urbanism.