Architects Love Wicker Park, El

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jun 28, 2004 5:16PM

The Congress for New Urbanism is hosting a conference this week to encourage 1,400 planners, architects, developers, and designers to adopt and employ Chicago architecture and design techniques. The CNU is headed up by John Norquist, former Milwaukee mayor, and its mission is to revive the “messy,” urban landscapes of cities like Chicago, where neighborhoods and blocks have a mix of commercial, residential, and recreational space.
City planners and architects from all over the world were apparently creaming their jeans over the Chicago cityscape.

“I don't think there are many places you can drive this far and not see sprawl," said Matthew Lambert, a designer at Miami's seminal New Urbanist firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., while on a field trip from Chicago to Lake Forest. "It is so refreshing.”
... "To have this wonderful subway system, light rail lines, and to see it actually work . . . " he trailed off, staring out the window of the train car as Chicago passed in a blur.

Way to go, us. Norquist praised the organization, or lack thereof, of Wicker Park, which mixes stores, homes, offices, and trendy salons, where yuppies and hipsters exist in peace. Ah, home sweet home.