Chicago

User avatar
Munch'n
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 137
Joined: January 29th, 2015, 9:50 pm
Location: Oak Park, IL

Re: Chicago

Postby Munch'n » December 26th, 2015, 4:09 pm

Btw, Studio Gang is working on a number of cool projects in Chicago, which seem very relevant to Minneapolis. One that is especially relevant is her research into police stations, and how they could be transformed into community stations. It seems that Minneapolis should start a similar research project by our best architecture firms...

Police Stations
Image

The other project is their boathouse along the Chicago River, which is part of Emanuel's drive to improve opportunities for recreation along the Chicago River. Minneapolis could similarly also create an initiative to improve access to the river, especially around Minnehaha Falls and above the falls.

Boathouses
Image
I used to row there, it's a really cool building. It's design really helps the building, allowing for lot's of light and space to stack boats.
Meet me in Wells

User avatar
Andrew_F
Rice Park
Posts: 409
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 10:15 pm
Location: Stevens Square

Re: Chicago

Postby Andrew_F » March 25th, 2016, 4:17 pm


MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5988
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Chicago

Postby MNdible » March 25th, 2016, 4:32 pm

A Wicker Park rental development that predated Chicago's ordinance has proved the success of the concept. Built on the site of a former Pizza Hut, the distinctive 99-unit apartment building at 1611 W. Division Street is 300 feet from a CTA Blue Line station, and has no parking... A bike room for residents and a train tracker in the lobby are among the amenities catering to the mostly younger tenants, who are prohibited from seeking neighborhood street parking permits as part of their lease.
That's an interesting wrinkle.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
Posts: 4371
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 11:33 pm
Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: Chicago

Postby grant1simons2 » October 24th, 2016, 2:40 pm

Chicago by Train. AKA, the easiest way to visit the Windy City (with or without kids).

http://mspmag.com/travel-and-visitors-g ... -by-train/

QuietBlue
Target Field
Posts: 579
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 8:50 am

Re: Chicago

Postby QuietBlue » October 27th, 2016, 11:49 am

Good article, but it's never taken me 7.5 hours to drive to Chicago. It's doable in six if you time it right; Google Maps claims even less, but I'm skeptical. Though I'd agree that it's best not to drive there unless one has a specific need to have a car with them.

jebr
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 178
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 1:04 am
Location: St. Paul (East Side)

Re: Chicago

Postby jebr » October 28th, 2016, 9:01 am

I guess it'd also depend on how often you stopped. If six is driving with minimal stops, I could see traveling with children requiring more frequent and longer stops that would add a couple hours to the trip.

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
Posts: 7752
Joined: June 19th, 2012, 2:04 pm
Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Chicago

Postby mattaudio » October 28th, 2016, 10:33 am

7.5 hours being able to walk around and relax on a train != 7.5 hours of sitting in a confined seat, hands gripping steering wheel, constantly paying attention to the operation of a vehicle.

QuietBlue
Target Field
Posts: 579
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 8:50 am

Re: Chicago

Postby QuietBlue » October 28th, 2016, 12:44 pm

Or just fly for half the time (when taking check-in/security into account), then take the Orange or Blue line into the city. :)

That said, I do want to take Amtrak to Chicago again sometime for the experience (I did it once many years ago).

QuietBlue
Target Field
Posts: 579
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 8:50 am

Re: Chicago

Postby QuietBlue » October 28th, 2016, 12:49 pm

I guess it'd also depend on how often you stopped. If six is driving with minimal stops, I could see traveling with children requiring more frequent and longer stops that would add a couple hours to the trip.
I guess it's more like 6:10 - 6:15 when I do it, when stopping is taken into account. I typically just stop once for gas, a bathroom break, and to switch drivers if possible. But yeah, if you're stopping multiple times, it will add up.

go4guy
Foshay Tower
Posts: 921
Joined: June 4th, 2012, 8:54 am

Re: Chicago

Postby go4guy » October 31st, 2016, 6:53 pm

One of the advantages of living in Rochester. It takes us about 5 hours to drive to Chicago.

twincitizen
Moderator
Posts: 6366
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 7:27 pm
Location: Standish-Ericsson

Re: Chicago

Postby twincitizen » November 1st, 2016, 7:59 am

I'm going to look at taking Amtrak or Megabus next time I go. We flew to Chicago for a weekend this summer, paying just over $100 for two people, round trip. It worked pretty well, and is obviously the fastest way to get there, even with security and everything. But damn, O'hare is way out there...the Blue Line trip into downtown takes an hour, including the walk from the terminal. So you definitely have to factor that in too, compared with modes that bring you much closer to the city center.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
Posts: 4371
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 11:33 pm
Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: Chicago

Postby grant1simons2 » November 1st, 2016, 10:08 am

I dont think the blue line ride was that bad. You're going to find that megabus is the best for your money. Amtrak is way overpriced for a 8 hour ride. It's the same thing I complained about when I went there in the spring.

jebr
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 178
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 1:04 am
Location: St. Paul (East Side)

Re: Chicago

Postby jebr » November 1st, 2016, 10:32 am

Except Megabus has moved to a random stop south of the Loop. It's about a 0.3 mile walk north to get to the Clinton stop on the Blue Line and about a half-mile south of Union Station. Not crazy inconvenient, but I'm imagining it to be a bit of a pain with luggage or just waiting to come back home (there's no amenities at the station or close enough to be able to watch for your bus such as a coffee shop or something.)

talindsay
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1533
Joined: September 29th, 2012, 10:41 am

Re: Chicago

Postby talindsay » November 1st, 2016, 10:32 am

Different demographics I guess, but I'd never even consider Megabus as long as Amtrak is there. Amtrak is pleasant, comfortable, has food, uses nice facilities. Megabus is none of those. And has operated illegally at various times.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
Posts: 4371
Joined: February 8th, 2014, 11:33 pm
Location: Marcy-Holmes

Re: Chicago

Postby grant1simons2 » November 1st, 2016, 10:38 am

Great, and for $120 round trip you can have that. If I'm spending my money, I'm taking a flight for a little less than $100. It's 4 hours when you factor in security and the blue line downtown, and it's just smoother. I want to take the train. Seriously, this is almost a mirror of the post I made in the HSR Chicago thread back in March.

https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?p=105671#p105671

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2423
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Chicago

Postby EOst » November 1st, 2016, 10:47 am

Only take the Megabus if you really, really don't value your own comfort. Eight hours in a full Megabus is a miserable experience--and then you have to do it again the way back.

If you can fly into Midway, the trip on the Orange Line isn't bad at all, although it isn't very pretty either.

QuietBlue
Target Field
Posts: 579
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 8:50 am

Re: Chicago

Postby QuietBlue » November 1st, 2016, 11:12 am

How does Greyhound compare to Megabus? I've never taken either.

I'll second the recommendation to fly in and out of Midway if possible. It's just easier than dealing with the size of O'Hare, plus it is a shorter ride to and from downtown.

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1765
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 8:02 pm
Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Chicago

Postby Tcmetro » November 1st, 2016, 1:19 pm

I've taken both Megabus and Greyhound. Greyhound is significantly more comfortable, and I believe that their buses have WiFi and outlets also. Megabus has smaller seats, more seats on one bus, and no luggage racks (only the under-bus compartment). I would definitely recommend Greyhound over Megabus.

Midway is easier to get in and out of, and the Orange line is only a 25 minute ride, as opposed to the 45 min Blue Line from O'Hare.

jebr
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 178
Joined: April 9th, 2013, 1:04 am
Location: St. Paul (East Side)

Re: Chicago

Postby jebr » November 1st, 2016, 1:27 pm

The actual buses on Greyhound are more comfortable, although the station in Chicago is terrible (the bathrooms in particular seem to never be clean.) The cost does seem to be a bit higher, though. I'll usually take Megabus if I'm traveling with someone or am able to swing buying two seats. When the fares are cheap it's cheaper to buy two Megabus tickets than one Greyhound ticket.

Flying in also isn't a terrible option, although the trip on the Blue Line can be a bit rough. During the weekday if the timing works I'll make the extra transfers and use the Metra line that goes to O'Hare Transfer. Southwest sometimes has good sales, otherwise I've actually found Spirit to be relatively decent on that route for day trips with just a backpack (fares purchased at the airport ahead of time can often be less than $20 one-way and the calling times, while early, work out okay for a day trip.)

twincitizen
Moderator
Posts: 6366
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 7:27 pm
Location: Standish-Ericsson

Re: Chicago

Postby twincitizen » February 2nd, 2017, 9:45 am



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests