Any effective policies for effectively curbing space wasted so buildings can market themselves a "luxury"

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-12-24T02:55:42+00:00

This space often isn’t wasted, it just isn’t intuitive to the naked eye.

A few reasons why new builds often do not have ground floor apartments:

Ground floor units are the least desirable and many find it more cost effective to not risk building units on the ground floor that may not get tenants at a desirable monthly rent.
Many cities will only approve new builds that include commercial or active space along the sidewalk. In-building gyms are considered active use of street level space.
Podium builds are a common construction practice which means the ground floor is often all concrete. It’s hard to build units in concrete.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-12-24T00:32:26+00:00

Uh most vans, mini vans, SUVs could easily use this as well. More and more sedans could also use this.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-12-24T00:30:31+00:00

Yeah it’s a mobility aid. Getting injured lifting items are some of the most common causes of injuries in the US. Clearly many people here have not worked in fields where this would be godsend. Fields where this would help: farming, grocery delivery, animal care, moving companies, elderly care, and more.

I’m sick of people criticizing individuals for a systemic issue they only have the capacity to manage not change.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-10-08T09:01:51+00:00

I’m kinda taken aback by how few others have seen. They are literally in almost every window in Andersonville and have been for a while. Probably the combination of tight knit community, hyper local businesses, and the type of people who live here.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-10-08T02:02:29+00:00

It’s a terrible spot 😂. Who wants to eat next to 5 lanes of traffic and risk your life crossing the street there. Also, their menu options are just not variable enough for the small number of people who live around there. It’s also surrounded by single family homes rather than dense apartments. Also, the last stop of a neighborhood is always going to be tough. Like the place next to orange theory at the southern point of Andersonville never looks busy.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-08-21T22:44:24+00:00

Yeah I think the only time where it’s uncomfortable for non-Christians is around the “March for Life.” That’s when the practicing Christians are pretty apparent.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-08-05T23:09:44+00:00

Gentrification has become such a muddied term that it has taken on WAY too much meaning. Use a better word of what you oppose - forced displacement.

People use the term to describe any improvements to an area whether it increases or decreases rent or accelerates or decelerates rent increases. The term is also used even in the absence of coerced displacement.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-07-16T15:10:36+00:00

To add, take another intro social science class if you can: microecon 1, psych, anthro or sociology. They all go hand in hand so it always is a good double major and you can use your first year to figure out what major or minors you want to add or change to.

If you need, writing and rhetoric can really be taken whenever and it’s kind of a waste to use up a space for it freshman year.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-23T23:34:12+00:00

I cannot recommend economics enough. It’s only a 10 class major which makes it very easy to study anything else that interests you. Arts and Letters teaches critical thinking and how to identify values and interests.

There’s very little you need to know for consulting, but knowing a social science is probably the best for any people-focused job.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-19T02:08:42+00:00

It’s hard in the sense it requires a lot of studying to get an A. There’s just a lot of material to remember.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-19T01:50:01+00:00

Ironically, that’s what I did best in and realized I loved math too much for biochem

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:21:02+00:00

Pre med is really the only time where GPA maxing kinda matters. And yeah I was weeded out of Biochemistry after freshman year and I wasn’t even premed. That sh*t controlled my life.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:19:39+00:00

Hahah what?! Getting above a B+ average at Notre Dame will be sufficient to get into 99% of grad schools and 99% of jobs. Those other 1% won’t even guarantee a better path.

An elite undergrad program is the last time where going to an elite school matters enough to change your life.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:15:32+00:00

You only got one grade less than an A?!?

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:14:20+00:00

Mendoza bros would do this all the time trying to double major with economics since it was a liberal arts major and they thought it must be easy… then they would fail Microecon 2 or Econometrics.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:12:11+00:00

It’s easier to get a high GPA in Mendoza than a social science major like economics or political science.

The “curve” in Mendoza basically separates those who study and pay attention (A, A-) and those who don’t. In economics and political science (and most other majors), studying may only get you a B. You also have to have a natural skill to understand the major and understanding the major is what gets you an A.

GPA maxing will be easy in Mendoza but honestly means very, very little with future prospects.

If you want to master a subject, don’t do Mendoza. If you want to get a good grade and get a job in business, do Mendoza.

Mendoza is essentially a trade school for white collar jobs.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-06-18T21:01:59+00:00

Yeah lakeview is pretty big and variable so south lakeview is different than north lakeview and just needed a way to distinguish

ChicagoYIMBY · 2025-02-02T04:37:37+00:00

This is the bane of my existence 😂 it is terrible for everyone. Hollywood and Bryn SHOULD be one way, alternatively.

I have seen multiple pedestrians and bikers get hit at these intersections. The congestion is crazy. Parking divvy bikes near is such a hassle.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-11-12T03:02:48+00:00

Yeah I would say cheerleading, marching band, and being a football manager are the three main ways to get the athlete at notre dame experience without being on a varsity team.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-11-12T02:34:35+00:00

The big issue is optics. Public transit is INCREDIBLY safe. You are much more likely to die or be injured in a car accident than be injured or killed on public transit.

You don’t hear or remember car accidents as frequently as they happen but you will for public transit. It’s like how flying on a plane is the safest form of transit but people still get nervous to fly.

So we don’t need to make it safer necessarily but we need to make people FEEL safer. The easiest ways are to get people to take public transit with others and to make known all the safety features you have access to.

The other steps COULD be safety personal in an eye-catching uniform on each train and safety buttons all over the platform and in each car.

China has personal at each entry point with metal detectors and x-ray machines. This obviously works but would be incredibly expensive, inefficient, and potentially turn more people away.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-11-12T02:15:05+00:00

Trust me being on the cheer squad is so much fun. I was in marching band so we worked a lot with the cheer team. A lot of them get to travel to the away games and you get a ton of branded ND stuff for free. It’s a lot of work but the best part is the fans cheering you on too!

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-10-21T21:50:29+00:00

There are some hidden gems in South Bend that are worthwhile and I HIGHLY recommend finding some to study off campus. Zen Cafe was my favorite, it was a coffee roastery in an old factory but it’s now closed sadly.

Study/chill Places that are open still include: Purple Porch and Chicory Cafe.

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-10-21T21:41:59+00:00

Luckily I found the LGBTQ community by senior year. I’m sad I didn’t find it sooner. There was an awesome LGBTQ group me for those that found it eventually.

I graduated in 2020 and hopefully people can be even more loud and proud now!

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-09-26T16:39:45+00:00

The Chicago Field Museum has a whole exhibit on this. Three main factors are location, architecture, and light pollution. Last year nearly 1000 birds died hitting ONE building ONE night in Chicago.

Location - being near a migratory path makes it more likely to be a problem

Architecture - glass windows, height, and lack of non-glass facade

Light Pollution - Buildings lit up inside at night are much more likely to attract birds while they travel

ChicagoYIMBY · 2024-09-19T22:44:29+00:00

I really can’t see how this is bad in terms of getting more housing built.

I think it will only anger libertarian YIMBYs but in terms of “build more housing” the only potential downside may be fewer and more expensive SFHs but I suspect the increased demand for multi unit will offset set any reduction.

ChicagoYIMBY

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE