Economic Development

Small Steps in a Food Desert

Wed, 02/08/2012
Chicago Central Food Mart, a corner store in West Humboldt Park, straddles the northern edge of an area considered one of Chicago’s “food deserts.” The store’s faded yellow awning promises “fresh fruits, meats, and vegetables.” But until recently, little fresh produce could be found among the 99-cent sodas, chips, and canned meats packed onto the...

Report Maps $2.2 Billion for Cash-Strapped City

Tue, 09/27/2011
For the first time, City Hall’s inspector general has issued a raft of revenue-generating suggestions that together would raise more than $2.2 billion for a city government with an annual budget shortfall that effectively tops $1 billion. In his “budget options” report released late Monday, Inspector General Joseph Ferguson presents estimates of...

Urban Decay Lures Hollywood to Gary

Wed, 08/17/2011
When Gary, Indiana was booming, the city’s factories belched a constant cycle of smoke and steel. When the industrial hub thirty miles south of Chicago went bust, those buildings decayed with equal fervor. The steel industry has not returned, but the crumbling remains of Gary’s last viable economy are offering some small hope of a new one. Last...

Green Scene: Chicago's chief sustainability officer reaching out to new partners

Thu, 08/11/2011
Karen Weigert has only been the city of Chicago’s Chief Sustainability Officer since June, but she’s already forging partnerships across city departments and reaching out to the business community. Mayor Rahm Emanuel created the position to push green efforts throughout city government beyond the Department of Environment and focus on creating...

Tracking Chicago's TIF Spending

Sun, 08/07/2011
For years, former Mayor Richard M. Daley heard criticism that City Hall’s use of a particular economic development tool amounted to little more than a slush fund for him to subsidize corporate Chicago at the public’s expense. Daley invariably responded that he used plenty of the money generated by the tool, tax-increment financing or TIF for...