A Look At A TargetExpress In Chicago’s Streeterville Neighborhood

The following post was originally published on UrbanReview | CHICAGO:

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As chain big box stores go, I’ve long-favored Target. But few Target stores stray from the typical suburban big box. Many years ago I visited the 2-story Target in NW Seattle, a decade ago a new Target replaced an older Target in the City of St. Louis with parking below the store.  Better, but big with lots of free parking.

In July 2012 a CityTarget opened in the former Carson Pirie Scott department store building at State & Madison, designed by Louis Sullivan in 1899.   It’s a terrific store — smaller than most Targets but it covers the basics well. Zero parking. Still, it’s 1.3 miles from the condo where we stay while in Chicago. Too far to stop by quickly for a few things.

In October 2015 the new Streeterville TargetExpress opened at 401 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL — just 4/10ths of a mile away — under a 10 minute walk.

The space had previously been occupied by organic grocer Fox & Obel, which closed in October 2013:

In court filings last month, Fox & Obel said that it planned to shut down permanently and sell all assets after its heavy debt made it impossible to maintain operations. The grocer said it received notice that its electricity would be shut off, forcing it to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Fox & Obel closed for a time earlier this year after at least a half-dozen failed health inspections.

Despite its trouble, the store still had a loyal following. (Chicago Tribune)

Fox & Obel closed before we began staying in Streeterville. Besides, for a nearby market we like Treasure Island Foods at 680 N. Lake Shore Drive.  In July 2014 Whole Foods announced it would open a Streeterville location — it opened in late January 2015. The grocery market it good.

It’s not the biggest, nor the fanciest, but it’s very convenient. It’s the ideal Target for the neighborhood.

— Steve Patterson

An Urban Home Depot

The following post first appeared on UrbanReview | CHICAGO

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Big box retailers long had a standard formula: cheap building surrounded by acres of surface parking. More than a decade ago they began to experiment with new designs as they entered urban locations where land prices & population density meant acres of surface parking wasn’t possible. I recall seeing the Home Depot on N. Halsted under construction — I just can’t recall when. I do know it was open by March 2005:

The company has eight stores in the city, including a unique two-story, storefront-style location at 2665 N. Halsted St.

Like Target, Home Depot knows the value of a flexible footprint. That gives it more options in working its way closer to the urbanite customers it craves. The Halsted store doesn’t sell much lumber; it focuses on the tools and interior design products that North Side condo owners shop for.

A lot of city neighborhoods fit Home Depot’s demographic, which is neither wealthy nor poor. The main thing: plenty of homeowners. “Home Depot is looking for bungalow city,” says Mr. Kirsch of Baum Realty. (Crain’s Chicago Business)

Though I’d been past it numerous times since it opened, I never went inside. Last month my husband and I needed something from a hardware store. He called a couple of local places near the Streeterville condo where we stay while in Chicago but they didn’t have what we needed. Looking at transit to the various locations we decided the N. Halsted location would be the easiest.

The question is how do we get urban retail to take more urban form in areas where land isn’t so expensive? Can a city, like St. Louis, through zoning or incentives, create an atmosphere where retailers are willing to invest in more expensive buildings with structured parking?

— Steve Patterson

From UrbanReview | CHICAGO: Abundance of MV-1 Accessible Taxicabs

Today’s post first appeared on UrbanReview | CHICAGO, my new blog started on Saturday.

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One of the things we love when we’re in Chicago is the wide variety of vehicles used for taxicab service. In St. Louis most are old Ford Crown Vics. St. Louis has three accessible vans for wheelchairs — not three types, but three total! Last year this was down to just two.

In Chicago we often see the MV-1 on the streets. This vehicle was built to be accessible:

In the past, if you needed a wheelchair-accessible vehicle you had to start with a completed minivan, cut it apart, put it back together and hope for the best.  The result was an after-market vehicle with questionable durability and passenger safety concerns. Enter the MV-1, a completely new concept that has been a long time coming: build a wheelchair accessible vehicle from the ground up that is designed for commercial fleet use. Take a tour of the Mobility Ventures MV-1 and see how we’re revolutionizing passenger safety in accessible fleet transportation.

I’ve yet to ride in one — with or without my wheelchair. We see them often, will need to hail or schedule one on a future visit.

— Steve Patterson