Photo credit: Emma Alexandra via Flickr.
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July Mailbag
We're doing this
Should the city be more proactive about encouraging commercial business growth (whether through better zoning, reducing regulations, etc.)? While certain commercial corridors do very well, the average neighborhood has a depressing amount of vacant commercial storefronts.
This is clearly driven by secular trends that are not unique to Chicago (growth in e-commerce, declines in socializing/going out), but it's a bummer and not good for the overall health of the city.
You’ve written about the importance of economic growth for Chicago & flagged various policies as anti-growth, but how would you assess Chicago’s overall climate for economic growth? Where are our biggest opportunities & biggest road blocks?