Steven
@stevevance.net
Chicago, zoning, transportation, maps
my blog: http://stevencanplan.com
my business: http://chicagocityscape.com
cofounder of @chi.streetsblog.org
my blog: http://stevencanplan.com
my business: http://chicagocityscape.com
cofounder of @chi.streetsblog.org
Pinned
Steven
@stevevance.net
· 3d
Commentary: Make 2026 the year to achieve real progress on reforming housing affordability
Growth in and around Chicago depends on lawmakers getting it done, write leaders of Abundant Housing Illinois.
www.chicagobusiness.com
Of all the major cities in the United States, Chicago provides the greatest value, with robust amenities and culture without correlated housing costs. But if Chicago wants to retain that status, some things need to change.
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
Reposted by Steven
Some of these people living outside Brighton Park include Ald. Raymond Lopez.
November 27, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Some of these people living outside Brighton Park include Ald. Raymond Lopez.
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live.staticflickr.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reposted by Steven
Worried about awkward political conversations at the dinner table today? Steer the conversation in a direction everyone agrees with: the need for thru-running regional rail in Chicagoland!
Tell your family and friends that it’s time to #BuildTheTunnel.
🔗 www.yard-social.com/crosstowners
Tell your family and friends that it’s time to #BuildTheTunnel.
🔗 www.yard-social.com/crosstowners
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Worried about awkward political conversations at the dinner table today? Steer the conversation in a direction everyone agrees with: the need for thru-running regional rail in Chicagoland!
Tell your family and friends that it’s time to #BuildTheTunnel.
🔗 www.yard-social.com/crosstowners
Tell your family and friends that it’s time to #BuildTheTunnel.
🔗 www.yard-social.com/crosstowners
I'm pretty good at adding ALT text, it looks like
November 27, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I'm pretty good at adding ALT text, it looks like
Technology Connections finds out that Saudi Arabia uses British plug type G in NEMA junction boxes and that’s why Leviton sells a British plug type G that fits into a NEMA junction box youtu.be/INZybkX8tLI?...
My car charger can boil water really fast
YouTube video by Technology Connections
youtu.be
November 27, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Technology Connections finds out that Saudi Arabia uses British plug type G in NEMA junction boxes and that’s why Leviton sells a British plug type G that fits into a NEMA junction box youtu.be/INZybkX8tLI?...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Delft + old city hall on the left www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Delft + old city hall on the left www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
Reposted by Steven
Never mind the naysayers! At a meeting yesterday, Ald. Ramirez and CDOT explained how the Kedzie and Archer Complete Streets projects in Brighton Park got plenty of community input, and are needed to improve safety.
@stevevance.net @bikegridnow.org @chicritmass.bsky.social @atalliance.bsky.social
@stevevance.net @bikegridnow.org @chicritmass.bsky.social @atalliance.bsky.social
Naysayers made noise about Kedzie and Archer Complete Street projects. Ald. Ramirez and CDOT discussed why the safety upgrades are needed. - Streetsblog Chicago
This piece includes reporting by Austin Busch, with additional background info and commentary by John Greenfield. On Tuesday evening, Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) hosted a virtual meeting to update resid...
chi.streetsblog.org
November 27, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Never mind the naysayers! At a meeting yesterday, Ald. Ramirez and CDOT explained how the Kedzie and Archer Complete Streets projects in Brighton Park got plenty of community input, and are needed to improve safety.
@stevevance.net @bikegridnow.org @chicritmass.bsky.social @atalliance.bsky.social
@stevevance.net @bikegridnow.org @chicritmass.bsky.social @atalliance.bsky.social
new way for home-based planespotters to spend more time at home just dropped
*real-time 3D visualization of planes at all altitudes*
*real-time 3D visualization of planes at all altitudes*
November 26, 2025 at 10:51 PM
new way for home-based planespotters to spend more time at home just dropped
*real-time 3D visualization of planes at all altitudes*
*real-time 3D visualization of planes at all altitudes*
new building permit, ATTN @whetmoser.com
"full building permit for cafe and record store interior build out"
www.chicagocityscape.com/permit/10107...
"full building permit for cafe and record store interior build out"
www.chicagocityscape.com/permit/10107...
Chicago Cityscape - Renovation/alteration building permit at 3834 W Irving Park Rd - Permit #101075656
A renovation/alteration building permit was issued for 3834 W Irving Park Rd on November 25, 2025
www.chicagocityscape.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
new building permit, ATTN @whetmoser.com
"full building permit for cafe and record store interior build out"
www.chicagocityscape.com/permit/10107...
"full building permit for cafe and record store interior build out"
www.chicagocityscape.com/permit/10107...
guess who has a building permit, finally
I thought this would be a more exciting day, but it's just as stressful as yesterday when I didn't know when the permit would get issued
I thought this would be a more exciting day, but it's just as stressful as yesterday when I didn't know when the permit would get issued
November 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
guess who has a building permit, finally
I thought this would be a more exciting day, but it's just as stressful as yesterday when I didn't know when the permit would get issued
I thought this would be a more exciting day, but it's just as stressful as yesterday when I didn't know when the permit would get issued
Tram-train (just kidding) www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Tram-train (just kidding) www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
CDOT posted this video showing driver’s and bird’s perspectives of the Logan Square traffic circle changes (which is helpful because I haven’t seen it since it fully opened earlier this month)
November 26, 2025 at 9:15 PM
CDOT posted this video showing driver’s and bird’s perspectives of the Logan Square traffic circle changes (which is helpful because I haven’t seen it since it fully opened earlier this month)
The Netherlands also has a huge housing shortage and the parliament passed a law allowing ADUs for family members without a [zoning] permit.
(The machine translation isn’t perfect and I assume one would still need to obtain a building permit.)
(The machine translation isn’t perfect and I assume one would still need to obtain a building permit.)
Deze man bouwde zijn garage om toen zijn 24-jarige zoon geen studentenkamer kon vinden
Kamernood: Betaalbare woonruimte is voor een studerend kind lastig te vinden. Is een huisje in de tuin de oplossing? Een nieuwe wet lijkt het makkelijker te maken.
www.nrc.nl
November 26, 2025 at 7:58 PM
The Netherlands also has a huge housing shortage and the parliament passed a law allowing ADUs for family members without a [zoning] permit.
(The machine translation isn’t perfect and I assume one would still need to obtain a building permit.)
(The machine translation isn’t perfect and I assume one would still need to obtain a building permit.)
Reposted by Steven
it’s not mentioned in the story but this is also planned to be the location of a COVID-19 memorial monument
November 26, 2025 at 7:38 AM
it’s not mentioned in the story but this is also planned to be the location of a COVID-19 memorial monument
Reposted by Steven
Tickets for our holiday party are going fast! We can’t wait to see you on December 17 at Haymarket Brewing. 🏙️
www.eventbrite.com/e/big-tent-u...
www.eventbrite.com/e/big-tent-u...
Big Tent Urbanist Holiday Party
Join us for an end of the year celebration among urban-focused organizations in Chicago!
www.eventbrite.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Tickets for our holiday party are going fast! We can’t wait to see you on December 17 at Haymarket Brewing. 🏙️
www.eventbrite.com/e/big-tent-u...
www.eventbrite.com/e/big-tent-u...
The train is behind you! www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The train is behind you! www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
Reposted by Steven
Some words from me in Streetsblog this morning. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/11/25/k...
November 26, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Some words from me in Streetsblog this morning. chi.streetsblog.org/2025/11/25/k...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:35 PM
here's info on CREATE project EW3 (aka Pullman Junction at 95th/Stony Island): the State of Illinois just bought these properties for $1.37 million so that another track connection between the BRC on the west and the NS on the south can be built (amongst other changes)
November 26, 2025 at 8:43 AM
here's info on CREATE project EW3 (aka Pullman Junction at 95th/Stony Island): the State of Illinois just bought these properties for $1.37 million so that another track connection between the BRC on the west and the NS on the south can be built (amongst other changes)
it’s not mentioned in the story but this is also planned to be the location of a COVID-19 memorial monument
November 26, 2025 at 7:38 AM
it’s not mentioned in the story but this is also planned to be the location of a COVID-19 memorial monument
There’s a new coffee shop in the Loop called Bagel & Bean
You can only get one of each
You can only get one of each
November 26, 2025 at 5:21 AM
There’s a new coffee shop in the Loop called Bagel & Bean
You can only get one of each
You can only get one of each
Civic bunker underneath Helsinki www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
ÿØÿà
live.staticflickr.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Civic bunker underneath Helsinki www.flickr.com/photos/james... creativecommons.org/licenses/by-...
tax bill of this vacant lot in downtown Chicago
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
tax bill of this vacant lot in downtown Chicago
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
The last time I wrote about the city’s neighborhoods with the most housing growth (of smaller scale buildings) the top area was Bronzeville
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
A new six-flat was permitted on this vacant lot in Bronzeville. buff.ly/LD814sa
November 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The last time I wrote about the city’s neighborhoods with the most housing growth (of smaller scale buildings) the top area was Bronzeville
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.