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Tuesday, August 30, 2005
The Secret Creative Class History of Chicago, Part One
Shhh! It's all true, but no one is supposed to know!
The Sears Tower:   Long believed to be a product of un-hip Sears-Roebuck's success in mail order, the Sears Tower is, in fact, a result of the hippie (ie: hipster!) movement of the late 1960s. The building was topped off a mere 5 years after the '68 Democratic Convention in Chicago, when Creative Class types from all over the country converged on Chicago to create a "scene." It is quite obvious (unless you're an idiot with a banana in one hand) that without this hipster scene, the Sears Tower would have never been built! See! Creative Class stuff works. See! But there's more: The "L" Train:  Though many believe the L was created to transport ridiculously uncool working stiffs around the city for (ahem) work and stuff, it turns out that the L was actually designed to entice hipsters to the city! Immortalized by Jeff Tweedy in "Far, Far Away" (...kiss and ride on the CTA...), the L is now one of Chicago's premier hipster attractions. To think that it is there just to move people back and forth is to be ignorant of history and economics. "Build the L, and the hipsters will come!" Chicago's visionary forefathers said. And the rest is history.(ps - The genius behind creating the L could be transferred here to Champaign if we just built the Tram. Sure, we don't need it, but why let that little detail get in our way? Look at how hip Chicago is! Obviously, they knew what they were doing. Come on people, get with the program!) Oh, and let's not forget ...  The Blues Yes, Chicago is the "Home of the Blues" and that is quite an attraction for the creatives, who want to bask in the authenticity of poor artists singing about hard times, and stuff. Though many boring musicologists have long believed the great, working stiff blues musicians migrated to Chicago to escape economic oppression (sharecropping), it actually turns out that they came north to (you guessed it!) create a "scene" to attract these creatives! How nice of them, don't you think? And what a genius marketing technique for a City. If only we could force something like that to happen here. Hmmm. Any ideas?  
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9 Comments:
You claim it is good government and good business, and you leave it at that. Do you have any evidence to support this claim?
It actually turns out that most people don't care much about cafes and art galleries when choosing a place to live. According to a recent Money magazine poll, people (you know, regular folks) care more about low cost of housing, schools, low crime, clean air and water, etc. Issues like "diversity" and "cultural ameneties" ranked 22nd and 27th, respectfully.
Of course you will argue that focusing on the elite will make these things happen. Any evidence? George Bush continues to tell us that tax breaks for the rich help the economy. He doesn't have much evidence for that one either.
Florida's top ten cities don't produce jobs at as fast a pace as the ridiculously uncool Detroit. They rank all over the charts in this comprehensive, well documented report (a nice contrast to Florida's ancedotal evidence), which shows this theory is no guarantee for job growth.
Also, according to the 2000 census reports on domestic migration (try page 6), five of Florida's top ten creative class cities actually lost people. New York and San Francisco were both big losers (remember the importance of affordable housing). Again, no evidence that this theory keeps people in the city.
Finally, the idea that young people will be willing to stay here for any extended period of time doesn't play out. Again, the 2000 census reports (try pages 2 and 3) show that 75% of young, single, college educated people moved at least once between 1995 and 2000. This group is by far the least stable of all Americans. If you want people to stay here, you'd be much better off focusing on the young people without college diplomas.
But they don't look quite so good in the beer garden, do they?
I find it hard to believe that the City of Champaign is basing it's economic development on this. I mean, I'm a part-time blogger and it took me an hour to compile these facts. Didn't anyone look into this?
My goodness.
Well, there is a lot wrong with me, but that's none of your business. I am trying to have a debate about the wisdom of revitalizing downtown into the exclusive domain of the wealthy hipster. Your personal attacks just undercut whatever argument you are trying to put forth. You should really stop. :)
But, to be clear, I think a careful reading of Florida's text, and a careful analysis of the criticism of his ideas show that the creative class folks are actually the ones who are "against business that attracts people you don't like." Again, where are the homeless? Where are the places for the working class, the poor? Why push them away from downtown when they are a part of this city too? No easy answers, but shouldn't we be having that conversation?
Moreover, if people are more concerned about quality schools, low cost housing and safe water why aren't we focused on those things? Why did we renovate the corner of Main and Neil for $2 million when our schools are running a deficit? Why are we building $200K condos in downtown and expanding the prison capacity? So everyone has a place to live after all?
Look, there is nothing wrong with a few bars going up and some revitalization. But when the local weekly is touting the coming of Starbucks, ignoring real social problems in this community, and stroking it's investors with this creative class nonsense, it gets to be too much.
The revitalization is about making money for the investors. The end. The rest is just bullshit rolled out to convince the City to foot the bill for the intersection and turn over the publicly owned parking lot. Oh, and to let ex-hippie investors feel like they're doing something cool. They're not. They're making money.
It's ok to do that, but don't tell us you're really trying to help the community. If you want to help the community start with the schools and end with the prisons. We have a lot of needs here. The lack of bars and galleries isn't one of them.
Cheers!
As someone who has worked in downtown champaign for 24 years, i can tell you that cafes have saved this place from the hel it was
when i first worked here, every night the same prostitute accosted me aas i left work. and she didn't look like julia roberts.
it was unsafe to be here after 8 p.m. you could see drug dealers working complacently
it wasn't just unsafe, it was boring. about the only place you' ever want to be after dark was the esquire
then blind pig came in and students wanted to live in lofts so they could be close to their bands. other places opened in imitation of the pig. suddnely there were a lot of people walking around at night and crime dropped.
it's a much better place today. something new seems to be opening all the time. i'm franbkly amazed at the construction. 20 years ago, we had written this place off
Hey foley, how about a trip to the psychiatrist? Perhaps a perscription of Xanax would mellow you out.
Mellowing out is not on the agenda for this week, though I appreciate the personal comment. Really.
OK, so you spent an hour reseaching the 2000 census and some other charts, blah, blah, blah...but I have yet to read your idea of an alternative. You say, "...what about the working class, the poor?" Yes, what about them, foleyma? Do they drink different beer and coffee than the "creative class"? Even the working class and poor like to have a drink with their buddies on Friday night. I think you are acting the spokesman for groups you may not understand.
I'd like to hear exactly what you would do with downtown instead of what IS happening? (ACTION, not talkity talk, bloggity, blog)
Well, actually the poor do drink different coffee and beer. Ask a guy working two jobs to raise his kids if he drinks $4.00 lattes or $.10 cups of Folgers and I think you'll get a better understanding of what I'm talking about. After all, no self respecting creative would be caught dead with a can of Old Milwaukee Ice in their hands this weekend, would they?
You want me to have all the answers, and I don't. It's not about me (or any one person) having all the answers. It's about respecting people enough to ask them what they think.
So I'd like to see a dialogue started on the direction of downtown and the growth of our cities. I'd like folks from the north end of town involved in these discussions. I'd like the working class whites from my neighborhood to be invited. Maybe Cecil from Empty Tomb could come by and talk about what he sees happening. Maybe the folks from Catholic Worker House could be involved. Maybe some pastors. You know, a dialogue?
I'd like to see some new faces give their concerns. Someone besides the landlords and the Council, who seem woefully uninformed about urban development.
There are ways to do this well. We can have a town that embraces all races and all classes. It's possible!
But I'm not the one to do it, and I am no spokesman. I'd like a real debate to begin about our future. All I seem to get is venom thrown my way for even questioning the status quo. Apparently I'm asking some uncomfortable questions.
But, if you want a place to start I would recommend booking a hair metal cover band in the Monkey on a Saturday night, and sell $1.00 shooters. Good luck!
People are always complaining about the North Prospect area and indeed any corporate development. They complain...and then they go and spend there because it is cheap and because so much can be had there. Basic bulk economics: Ma and Pa stores can't compete. Foleyma- where do you see your movies? Have you ever shopped out at N. Prospect? 'Fess up! Maybe you held your nose but you did it anyway... Well...if C-U is going the way of all suburbia (and it will) with the traffic and the megastores let us at least have a gentrified downtown with lattes and expensive beer. Hell, it may be all we have...
cordially yours,
Judson Thomas
...politically we are hardly bedfellows but I enjoy the blog. Me, I'm voting for Jeb next term...
can i get more info?
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