The city announced yesterday that they're going to tear down three of the final four buildings in the Michael Reese Hospital campus, including the main hospital building. In announcing the teardown, the Public Building Commission said that the structure was too dangerous to leave standing. The campus's parking structure and hospital administration building are also slated for demolition. more ›

In an effort to balance the gaping holes in the City’s budget, Mayor Daley plans to maintain a freeze on hiring non-safety employees and consolidate the departments of Community Development and Zoning. The move projects $13 million in savings for the city by eliminating 277 positions. The plan would merge six city departments into three. more ›

Now that it's cool to live in Andersonville again, some local politicians are mulling over a proposed ordinance that would ban chain retailers and restaurants from opening up shop in designated business districts and historic neighborhoods. The idea is that by freezing out the Starbucks and Borders of the world, hoods like Andersonville can retain their charm by favoring places like the Kopi Cafe and the Women and Children First Bookstore. The ordinance hasn't yet been introduced to the City Council, and if it were to pass, qualifying neighborhoods could opt in or out of the so-called "formula retail" ban. more ›

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Holiday shopping season is upon us, and who doesn't need a little extra cash this time of year? Seems even the Cubs do, maybe in hopes of being able to give their fans a shiny new free agent for the holidays. Or maybe they're just trying to pay off some debt from all that repair work over the summer. Whatever the reasons, the Cubs have unveiled a number of money-generating proposals in recent days. The... more ›

Oh, Block 37. We'll never tire of your absurd saga. You have so much potential, you're so conveniently located near Old Navy, you're so sought-after and fought-over; baby, look at you now. Oh, yeah, you're still a mostly empty lot. But we can see through that, through the politicking, the squandered possibility, past that strange but ultimately cool Con-Ed painting, right into your heart. And you know what that heart says? "Sell me, and make me into a casino." Aww. You're pretty. more ›