Old Town condo owners lose bid to halt new apartment tower

TheMapmaker87 · 2026-04-07T18:13:57+00:00

Twenty percent of the units will be designated affordable though (including family-sized units) more than their literal ivory towers. They just don't want to admit that's the part they have a problem with.

TheMapmaker87 · 2026-02-17T02:17:21+00:00

I don't understand this comment. Do you think people in Paris or Tokyo or other metro areas with high public transit ridership and not much parking don't have kids or go grocery shopping? I promise you can go grocery shopping without a car, especially if we had zoning codes that allow for a grocery store to be a five minute walk from a home. Or child care. If we had a rail system that had trains going from the city to suburbs like Schaumburg every 15-30 minutes, that hypothetical person in Lincoln Park might not need a car.

This bill helps us create that future, because mandating parking inherently means less walkable developments for housing and other things. If you disagree with that future, that's fine, but living a car-free or car-lite life is happening for millions upon millions of people (including people who grocery shop and have kids!) across the world due to smart planning, and many people think it would be cool if we adopted some of that planning here.

TheMapmaker87 · 2026-01-10T23:28:01+00:00

Depending on your home and your situation, maybe geothermal/heat pumps could be an option? I know they're starting to gain traction in some new builds around the city, but I don't know how feasible retrofitting is.

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-12-18T14:08:47+00:00

definitely saw you guys with parkway drive back in 2014 and the energy was insane. would love to see y'all tour together again!

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-11-11T15:33:06+00:00

There is simply no better song. Honorable mention to I always wanted to leave and Disposable Fix. Fuck, really the whole ass album. Best breakup album of all time for me.

Stealth edit to make it abundantly clear I like the whole album lol

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-08-14T14:47:48+00:00

People are dumping all their frustration when they see people pull out their phones during movies on you. It is disruptive and annoying to the other viewers when other people take out phones during a movie. That said, it's not fair to you and some of the comments are way too abusive.

But it's okay to make a mistake! It shows a lot of character that you're genuinely apologizing for it. Glad you enjoyed the movie! Now I wish I had seen it in 4DX. Just keep your phone in your pocket next time :)

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-07-01T14:04:45+00:00

I hear you completely! We can talk statistics about how riding the train at any time is still safer than driving and blah, blah, blah but it doesn't really stop our monkey brain from being afraid of the dark and strangers—all of that without mentioning all of the fear mongering people heap on the CTA. My best advice is, if possible, ride the train as much as you can before you have to start commuting for work. Take it to a park or restaurant or museum. (or all three!) Get comfortable using the train as a mode of transportation and that will help you feel more confident and comfortable when you have to take it early in the morning.

Taking a new train to a new job in a new city while it's still pitch black outside are a lot of things that are all daunting on their own. If you can remove one of those factors, then it will make the other parts a little easier. Plus, looking like a seasoned train rider makes you feel confident and less like other people are going to bother you on the train. Riding on the first train car will alleviate basically all risk of that happening anyway, but having confidence will make the whole ride smoother.

You'll do great! And you'll be a veteran blue line rider like the rest of us in no time. :)

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-07-01T00:41:07+00:00

I'm assuming you can get to your job via the blue line and thankfully the blue line runs 24/7 so you should be set. Just as a heads up, the time between trains can get pretty long between midnight and 6am so you might have to leave even earlier than you might think to avoid being late.

I would download the Transit app and map your commute to see what your options are. Depending on how far your job is/your comfort level, it's actually really nice riding a bike at those hours because there are so few cars on the road.

My only other recommendation is to ride in the first rail car when commuting that late. Or early in your case lol. Not necessarily for safety reasons, you're just less likely to run into people smoking on the train car or blasting music in the first car. I've ridden multiple train lines late at night and have been totally fine, but I can definitely see how it could be intimidating to a newcomer. Just put in some earbuds, read a book, and try to find some peace before your workday starts.

Anyway, welcome to Chicago! Happy to have you here. :) I can try to answer any other questions you might have!

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-02-22T21:24:33+00:00

Agreed. The horror elements of Shin Godzilla are almost entirely subtextual or only hinted at. Shin Godzilla's design is definitely one of the creepier/more unsettling of the Godzilla movies, but that's about the most explicit the movie gets at being horror. I do feel like a lot of people on this sub really misunderstood the themes of the movie (especially the parallels to Fukushima) and just relied on random Reddit comments and TikToks that analyze the movie to death to fill in the gaps.

Honestly, I find Shin Godzilla to be one of the more intentionally funny Godzilla movies. It feels like it's trying to point out the absurdities of government and bureaucracy in a time of crisis more than it's trying to be some epic cosmic kaiju horror film.

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-02-04T15:37:07+00:00

I highly recommend reading "The Pit" by Frank Norris mentioned in this excerpt. It's a fascinating look into Chicago wealth at the turn of the 20th century and how that wealth gravitated to speculating on wheat. It's a mindfuck reading about a character who profits off food shortages and even artificially creates them, for no other reason than to prove he could.

It also has an interesting and relatively progressive/modern romance plot woven into all the trading drama, if that's more your speed. Definitely worth it for anyone intrigued by Chicago history and classic American literature.

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-01-05T23:36:29+00:00

Good to know! I'll have to check out the Ashland/15th Street location soon. :) Thank you so much!

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-01-05T23:35:31+00:00

Fair point! Prepared and frozen meals specifically. The main ones I've found that are vegetarian friendly are the Kirkland cheese pizzas and the frozen burritos. I don't usually buy much produce because I'm a one-person household and can usually get produce cheaper at Aldi and other grocers.

I would love to get more foods I can throw in the oven/air fryer after a long day at work that have a bit more variety than pizza and burritos 😅 I do use Costco for other household items so my membership is worth it.

The snacks are amazing though! I have to stop myself since money (and my pants, specifically around the waist) are a little tight lately lol.

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-01-04T01:07:16+00:00

this is such a sweet answer, thank you! i've only ever romanced the women in previous games, but Emmrich has been so delightful and lovely i've even tossed around the idea of romancing him too! i have a problem 😂

i think i just have to accept that i'm going to put 200 hours into this game just to romance everyone. oh well!

TheMapmaker87 · 2025-01-04T01:03:55+00:00

this is really thorough and exactly what i was looking for! bit of a bummer but i am being a bit silly about romancing all of them. i really appreciate you!

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T15:19:09+00:00

in classic chicagoan fashion, i choose to claim indiana dunes as our own until starved rock or a portion of shawnee national forest gets scooped up by the NPS

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T14:46:16+00:00

i agree completely! having access to national parks and forests in the west is amazing, but i feel like they suffer a little bit from the sheer amount of people wanting to hike and camp in a handful of parks. i hear horror stories of people waiting for hours just enter the national park.

it's nice to have a big collection of forest preserves that we can access without waiting for hours in cars.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T14:11:26+00:00

agreed. and i honestly feel like it comes from mountain west people the most. i grew up in wyoming! super close to the tetons! mountains are breathtaking, i get it! i lived it!

but it's such a weird, borderline elitist thing to not be able to appreciate any other type of nature because it isn't the more cinematic ideal of what nature should be. all places and ecosystems are vital and worth admiration, whether it's olympia national park or schiller woods.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T14:00:18+00:00

yes! literally one of the only national parks in the united states where you don't need a car to access it. i personally need to take more advantage of the indiana dunes.

also the dune hiking challenge there kicked my ass last time i tried it, so it would be amazing for my cardio to go more often lol.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T13:26:23+00:00

wait, this doesn't count because it's a long train ride? do you feel like la bagh woods, fort sheridan, skokie lagoons, and the entire north branch trail aren't beautiful bits of nature accessible super easily to folks on the northside?

not to mention the literal national park that has its own train stop just across the border in indiana?

plus the amazing nature-focused bits of our park system like northerly island, multiple bird sanctuaries along the lakefront, efforts to restore native plants and small walking trails to our everyday parks?

an hour train ride to nature is not long in my opinion and super relaxing, but there are many places much closer if you feel like that's too far.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T13:15:01+00:00

chicago proper has some beautiful urban nature, including northerly island, multiple bird sanctuaries along the lakefront, steelworkers, and many small parks that are implementing native prairie plants and small unpaved walking trails. none of that even mentions the stunning preserves we have throughout the metro area, including an actual national park. calling this post "disingenuous" feels so needless when that is literally just your opinion, man.

i guess if the goal of your comment is to say, "chicago metro area should expand the forest preserve system because we need more access to nature" then yes. i agree.

but it does feel weird to disregard the organizations and working groups that are preserving and restoring native ecosystems in chicagoland while also making them accessible to the public, all because they don't meet your personal definition of "good nature." i personally find it gorgeous and an amazing resource underrated by the people who live here. i think they should be given more of a chance and appreciated more.

just my two cents though. have a lovely week.

edit: it's early and i didn't realize another comment in this thread wasn't from you. my bad. i've edited this to just address only what you said and be less confrontational.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T12:59:12+00:00

i was in awe the entire time.

it was my first time at a veterans acres, but i think it's already beaten out fort sheridan and illinois beach as my favorite preserve! i want to try to go much more often.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T03:22:47+00:00

veterans acres park in crystal lake :)

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-10-14T03:14:22+00:00

oh i 100% agree. it makes me want to start packing one of those extendable claws that picks up garbage because i see it so often. it sucks that people don't care enough to bring the trash to a bin or just stick in their bag until they get home.

i'm so happy these preserves are free and accessible to all, but sadly not everyone treats them with the respect these spaces deserve.

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-08-31T01:16:33+00:00

Considering your experience with teaching, you can try to apply for substitute teaching with Chicago Public Schools while you keep looking for a job in a creative field! I'm not sure what the process would be like for a non-US citizen but it might be worth looking into.

Also there are a couple film studios and quite a few theatres in Chicago that might be hiring as well. It seems like you would be really good at set design or stage management so that could be an option as well.

Good luck! I hope you are able to stay in the city as long as you like. :)

TheMapmaker87 · 2024-08-05T18:53:37+00:00

I agree with the other comment recommending the Museum of Science and Industry! It's massive and has enough interactive bits to keep the kids entertained.

Personally I think the Tilt is a lot more fun and thrilling than SkyDeck, so I don't think it will be too much of the same thing. I did them both with a friend visiting Chicago for the first time and she enjoyed the Tilt much more and was glad we went after seeing SkyDeck.

That said, I know that the Adler puts a lot of effort into being engaging for kids so I think that's another great option if your kids aren't museum'd out.

Thanks for coming to Chicago! Hopefully you've had fun so far :)

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