Events Newsletters Subscribe

September 2008
Housing Bulletin—Will Property Taxes Decline with House Prices?
By Dennis Rodkin

Now that we have pretty much accepted that our homes are worth less than they used to be, a question comes up: If the value of my home is dropping, will my property tax bill do the same?

Short answer: Not now, not for a few years, and very likely not at all.

For the long answer, it’s important first to grasp...

Read more
Oh, Canada
By Rebecca Little

Fashion Forward, Eh?
Canada has given us hockey, Michael J. Fox, and now Aritzia (Water Tower Place, 3rd fl.; 312-867-9230, aritzia.com), a trendy shop carrying boutique brands that range from comfy tees ($18) to a double-breasted gray overcoat ($350). The 4,300-square-foot shop is the Vancouver-based brand’s fourth store in the U.S. Brands include BCBG Generation, Citizens of Humanity, Ella Moss, Habitual, Nudie, Talula, Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, and...

Read more
Sale of the Week—New Sears Recruit Shops in Winnetka
By Dennis Rodkin
List Price: $2.99 million
Sale Price: $2.88 million
The Property: Gunther Trieb, the new president of the Sears brands Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, has bought this 17-room mansion in the heart of Winnetka. The sale closed August 25th, four days...

Read more
The Adlai Issue
By Richard Babcock
Is Barack Obama the second coming of that other "elitist" Democratic presidential candidate from Illinios, Adlai Stevenson? Read more
Boy Trouble
By Lucinda Hahn
A new book on the nation's "boy crisis" hails Wilmette for tackling the problem—though the results remain uncertain. Are boys there really doing better? Read more
The Turnaround Artist
By Robert Sharoff
For years, Laurence Booth, one of the city's most widely acclaimed architects, championed low-scale buildings and decried "antihuman" high-rises. Now he has designed three towers and has a fourth under construction. Why? "We have to make some huge changes in this country," he says. Read more
The Critter Hunter
By Bryan Smith
He stalks skunks, raccoons, foxes, snakes, and more—any wild varmint that's invaded city or suburb. Got bats in the Attic? Rick Wilberschied is on the case Read more