Chicago Like a Local: These overpriced box homes are taking over Chicago

 

[VIDEO] Sometimes I enjoy the local commentary of the YouTube channel Chicago Like a Local. He takes aim at a recent trend in modern residential architecture.

He calls the homes you see in this video  blocky or "Minecraft" homes. I may lament the construction of housing that doesn't fit the style of a particular neighborhood. At the same time perhaps you may have a neighborhood where the housing isn't in great condition.

In fact homes like these could be one sign of gentrification. Chicago Like a Local does refer to these homes as overpriced.

Lately I've been taking aim at Roseland and I wonder how many people wouldn't mind seeing homes like these built in Roseland, for example?

Also will this YouTuber ever go to the far south side?

CharlieBo313: Chicago south side Roseland hood/Wild 100s

 

[VIDEO] CharlieBo on YouTube driving around Roseland primarily along South Michigan Avenue from as far south as 119th Street to about 108th Street. That YouTuber primarily drives around urban areas, seemingly decaying urban areas.

One could look at South Michigan Avenue as a decaying area, however, I like to look at what could be. A lot of vacant lots and boarded up buildings, houses, etc. Fortunes could change and as it seems has been said a lot on this page with the Red Line extension there's an opportunity there.

Stormy Kara: Metra's Massive Makeover

 

[VIDEO] While we wait to begin construction of the CTA Red Line extension to 130th Street, at least Metra our suburban commuter rail service is making some improvements to Metra Electric stations on the south side.

I witnessed construction on the 103rd Station in Rosemoor over the past summer. My curiosity was peaked what did they have in mind. I like the idea of a more inviting station and without having to go under the railroad viaduct to board a train.

It appears that's what they have in store for other south side stations such as 79th and 87th. And I can't wait for you to see what's planned at 95th. That's another station that was due for a makeover and it appears there will be an entrance off the street and perhaps they'll use that long - seemingly abdoned building adjacent to the streets. Thankfully will utilize it's position right next to Chicago State University.

My question is how many of you use the Metra Electric line to get to where you need to go? Do you like these improvements?

Hotel Florence walkthrough

 

[VIDEO] I just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year and right now it's very cold outside. It snowed yesterday morning and current temp as I write this post is 13°F. I hope you're staying warm.

If you're on your computer or even if you're able to see this on your "iPhone" - well any phone where you could surf the internet will do - you can warm up with this video.

I've always been fascinated by the Hotel Florence which I would frequently drive by when shopping at the Pullman Walmart. It would be cool if it was a functional hotel again, however, these days it's more or less a tourist attraction.

This YouTube channel known as Regal - South Side Metra Man goes on a tour of this historic building. Of course Pullman which is a nat'l monument is known for it's historic architecture and the history as a planned community and company town. And it's located right here in the 9th Ward on the far south side of Chicago.

Has anyone reading this toured this building and share their thoughts on it?

Peter Santenello: America's most CORRUPT city

 

[VIDEO] For those of you who read this blog and are Chicago politics junkies this video by YouTuber Peter Santenello who speaks with Chicago first amendment attorney Benjamin Barr talks about all the scandals and issues that face Chicago. The main issue are pensions and where's the money going.

Remember that deal with the Chicago Skyway, the parking meters, remember 20 years ago when Mayor Richard M. Daley closed Meigs Field to turn it into a park, etc? 

Also how is gov't structured in our city? Did you know Chicago officially doesn't have a city charter? What exactly is the idea of Aldermanic (or Alderpersonic, yuck) privilege?

ABL: DANGEROUS Illegal Aliens THREATEN Black Chicago Residents!

 

[VIDEO] Anthony Brian Logan isn't a Chicago resident and allow me to make that clear, he is one of those citizen YouTube personalities who talk about what's going on in the world. He's talking about Chicago and the issues of one neighborhood - particularly Woodlawn - and their issues with the migrants who have taken up residence at a neighborhood school Wadwsorth Elementary.

So he looks at a report from our local CBS affiliate WBBM-TV or CBS 2 Chicago and listen to resident comments towards city officials which include a deputy mayor, a deputy police superintendent, and an Alderman in this case Jeanette Taylor. Of course the town hall got heated though it underscores in some respects how unhappy some people in this city are with these migrants coming into their neighborhoods.

The other day I was walking around the Streeterville neighborhood, and I do believe it was noted in the WBBM-TV report. And near the intersection of St. Clair & Ohio there's a hotel there and you see these migrants (presumably I might add) just standing around loitering near the hotel and in a nearby alley. That alley is next door to a Dunkin Donuts. I'm amazed that this going on one block away from Michigan Avenue - the Magnificient Mile.

Just so that you might not be persuaded solely by the commentary offered by ABL, I will share links to the WBBM-TV report both video and a written report from the Hyde Park Herald.  [VIDEO]

Trains Are Awesome: Metra has a holiday train

 

[VIDEO] YouTube channel Trains Are Awesome shows the Holiday Train that runs on the Metra Electric line. We know about the CTA Holiday Train which is currently running through Christmas, but I never knew about a Metra Holiday Train which is chronicled here as Thom boards that train from Homewood to come into the Randolph Street station for gift bags and a hot chocolate from Starbuck's.

Here are some more details from Metra however note tickets are sold out, however, there's always next year now that you know. The train itself runs on three Saturdays this month and sadly today Dec. 17th is the last day it will run this month. So there's always next year if you want to check it out.

Happy holidays.

Anyone see the holiday train this year

[VIDEO] It ran on the red line over the past weekend and will be in service through Christmas and there is a holiday bus that will also be in service through Christmas. You can find a schedule for the holiday train and bus here.

Meanwhile you can check out what artistmac recording when the Holiday Train stopped at 47th Street on the red line recently. I do hope this raises your spirits this holiday season.

ICE Theaters policy trailer 2007 #tbt

 

[VIDEO] Today's Throwback Thursday we discuss the long gone ICE Theaters. In 1997 the company partnered with Cineplex Odeon to open three theaters two on the south side and one on the west side bringing movies back to underserved inner city neighborhoods. I used to enjoy going up to their theaters on 87th Street as opposed to going to the General Cinema (now AMC Theatres) at Ford City.

Eventually the company partnered with Marcus Theatres and later went independent and experienced a reversal in the fall of 2012 the company was evicted from their 87th Street location thanks to a dispute with a silent partner.

So ICE Chatham 14 became Chatham 14 Theatres which was later owned by the Texas company Studio Movie Grill and currently under the ownership of Michigan based Emangine Entertainment and the location is currently known as Cinema Chatham.

The location formerly located at 62nd & Western - if you're familiar with that area it's on the same lot that contained a Sears store has been demolished. The location in Lawndale near Kedzie & Roosevelt Rd (or 12th Street) was under the ownership of another company is currently vacant.

It's great to see this policy trailer preserved on YouTube you may have seen it in the community tab on @sixthward's YouTube Channel recently. I seen this enough times as a customer on 87th Street I always wondered if this would ever get updated.

It's History: Chicago's south side nightmate

 

[VIDEO] Something for you to watch this weekend. The YouTube channel called It's History discusses the history of the Pullman neighborhood. From it's days as a company town for the Pullman Company that produced those luxury sleeper cars for railroads to it's current history as a Chicago neighborhood after annexation. This is Ninth Ward Chgo and thus Pullman is part of the fabric of this part of the city. Enjoy.

Did you know Harlan High School has a YouTube channel

 

[VIDEO] I like how they did this video uploaded over the past summer which is a prep rally for the girls & boys basketball teams. It starts off with a drumline on a football field - is it from the film Drumline. Then takes a few shots around Harlan High School and then to an intro video of the Chicago Bulls. After that we see some pictures of the players in their jerseys and a few highlights of their games.

Then we see the late Kobe Bryant speaking and then a graphic telling viewers to follow Harlan's live sports & replays at HarlanFalconSports.com

Driving around Chicago's Altgeld Gardens #Ward09

 

[VIDEO] Found this through the YouTube channel CharlieBo313 where he drives around urban neighborhoods throughout America. He's done more than a few videos in the Chicago area driving around inner-city neighborhoods and most recently he drove around the nearby suburb of Harvey, Illinois.

On this recent occasion he drives around the Altgeld Garden neighborhood which has been made famous because a young man named Barack Obama came here to be a community organizer. It's amazing to see how this neighborhood looks in 2021. Perhaps in the near future we'll see how it looks once the Red Line extension is in service.

Mr. Beast feeding a city in need

 

[VIDEO] I shared one Mr. Beast video here already might as well share another one. He has another YouTube channel that involved philanthropy and he shows himself distributing meals to a community in his home state of North Carolina that needs it.

What if there was still a Lake/Dan Ryan line

 

[VIDEO] Before 1993 trains from 95th Street were instead routed towards the west side through the Loop elevated. After passing through the Loop trains continued west along the Lake Street elevated tracks where the line terminated at Harlem/Lake in Oak Park, Illinois. Basically image the Dan Ryan route from 95th to Cermak/Chinatown (or 22nd Street) being the CTA Green Line which still has Harlem/Lake as its western most terminal now.

What if CTA had never created the CTA Red Line and Green Line as we know it today - after 1993 - and trains from 95th still goes west to Harlem/Lake. And what if the automated announcements we're familiar with on CTA trains reflected this. Well from Chicagoland Transit youtube channel they have created such announcements.

Something I hope you transit aficionados who read this blog will appreciate.

95th/State on February 1, 2021

 

[VIDEO] I shot this video after the snowfall of January 30 & 31, 2021. You see a mini-loader on this day removing snow on the sidewalks around the former gas station and polish sausage stand. Basically shoveling the snow and dumping it onto the vacant lot behind the fence.

You also see what I showed in a video from 2016, the lot along State Street near the 95th Red Line terminal is now vacant any of the longtime structures that were there are now a memory. Now the next question is what's next on that corner.

103rd & Eberhart #tbt #Ward09

 

[VIDEO] I found this article in the archives recently and decided to upload this. On a cold January day in 2015 I was walking along 103rd Street shooting video on my then new iPhone 6. So I captured the traffic near 103rd & Eberhart including this very loud Chevrolet Caprice making a turn onto Eberhart. I wish I could tell you why you hear that helicopter, however, there is heavier traffic seemingly on this street than normal after 4 PM on that day.

If there's anything from the neighborhood or from around the city you'd like to see on YouTube feel free to subscribe and let me know.

Historic Pullman on Christmas Eve 2020

 

[VIDEO] It's a bit snowy in Pullman isn't it. As depicted in these scenes uploaded this morning as we seen in this video of the historic planned company town/Chicago neighborhood, now a national monument.

I hope you all have a safe, festive, and happy holidays this year.

No one should ever go hungry...

[VIDEO] If I ever come upon a significant amount of cash, one thing I would like to do is donate money to a food bank. I do believe barring anything else, everyone should be able to eat. And I wish I had shared this earlier in the pandemic once the nation started these lockdowns.

Going downtown every now and then you find someone begging for money to eat or asking for food. And it seems as if they have no excuse if there are soup kitchens or food pantries available so that if you're hungry you can eat. No need to beg you will be provided for.

So this is why I'm sharing this video. YouTuber Mr. Beast aka Jimmy Donaldson does a number of outrageous videos and occasionally gives away money to people in challenges. There was one video where he took over a closed bank branch and gave away free money. Of course let me emphasize many of his videos shows a young man having a lot of fun with his friends.

Chicago looted by BLM

[VIDEO] So after Mayor Lightfoot crashes a gathering of people on a north side lakefront beach we get another mass incident of looting locally. The basis for this is said to be a shooting that took place in Englewood on Sunday afternoon. From there, an organized caravan of people go into downtown Chicago and start looting not only there but also the Magnificent Mile. We already experienced some major unrest and now we got more.

Instead of showing some footage from our local news outlets, perhaps we watch someone outside of Chicago analyze what happened overnight through Monday. Anthony Brian Logan is a conservative YouTuber that has taken aim at BLM recently.

I did some posting with regards to this latest development at The Sixth Ward.

Mr. Beat presents Illinois & Indiana compared

[VIDEO] As I type this the above compared video of both Illinois and Indiana is set for premiere by the edutuber Mr. Beat. This should be fascinating and I'd say in some respects Illinois and Indiana are two roughly evenly matched states even if one state is more important than the other.

Do you think Mr. Beat is correct in his comparisons.