1. Group Therapy Is Saving Lives in Chicago
The Becoming a Man program has been working well during its short tenure here. Now it’s starting in its second city, Boston. Politico profiles the approach.
2. Wrigley Deal: Bars, Rooftops Get Home-Run Breaks on Property Taxes
By adding an apartment (or seeming to), commercial establishments in Wrigleyville get classified as residential property—and save big money. The Sun-Times investigates.
3. Monk’s Pub, Quirkiest in the Loop, Isn’t Going Anywhere
In 1978, it was in the “ass end of the Loop.” As the area has grown, the bar has resisted offers to sell, and business keeps growing. Chicago magazine pays a visit.
4. Unanticipated Aftermath
What happens to the survivors after a murder in Chicago? WBEZ asks them.
5. These Super-Rare Properties Are Underwater—Literally
Three hundred feet into Lake Michigan (and completely covered by it) is a 30,000-square-foot property, privately owned. But how did it get there? DNAinfo dredges up the story.
6. The Plan for Transformation Has Transformed Chicago’s Built Environment
Photographer David Schalliol has been documenting it for a decade. The Reader presents his images and written reflections.
7. How Preckwinkle’s Pop Tax Backfired
It was supposed to be “one tough vote” to clear the way for re-election. Now the Cook County Board President, and the commissioners who made the vote, are mired in it. The Tribune analyzes the mess.
8. We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us
Illinois residents want services, but don’t want to pay for them. And that’s exactly what we’ve gotten. Peoria Public Radio explains.
9. Magnificent Mile Hotel to Bus to Farm to Table
The Marriott on Michigan Avenue gets about half its vegetables during the summer from one farm in Kane County. They get good food as a result, but it takes creativity to use it. Fooditor shows how it works.
10. Curious About the Massive Vista Tower? We Look into Its Finances
Jeanne Gang’s 94-story skyscraper has gotten a lot of attention for its design and architect, but how does the Chinese developer figure in? Chicago magazine explores the question.