Space


Robert Taylor Area 13
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

I have a hard time wrapping my head around some aspects of the Robert Taylor Homes area in Southside Chicago. One being space. Pictured is one of several empty lots. This is a huge lot. It could eat up 3, maybe 4 Shaw blocks. If this thing were in Shaw, It’d be a dog park by now, it is so, so big.
Maybe that’s another thing I noticed about Chicago, space. All that space, even in other neighborhoods. Chicago has a lot of parks. Open wide spaces, maybe a ball field thrown in for good measure. A city so spacious it includes dull boring un-fabulous to downright tacky middle class neighborhoods that could be a suburb, but no, you’re still in the city limits.
Space is at such a premium around the District that I was struck by the wealth of space in some of the most poverty stricken areas of Chicago.

2 thoughts on “Space”

  1. It’s a bit of a midwest city thing in general. Big advantage is that most of them have very predictable street patterns that are easy to navigate for miles and miles. However, it’s done on such a scale that they tend to overlook things like sidewalks, etc…

  2. Have to agree, with the above comment; It’s a bit of a midwest city thing in general. Last year when I visited Lexington, KY I was stunned at how wide all of the streets were and the vastness of all the parking lots… then I remembered that it was the same way back in KS. Acres o’ space….

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