Michigan Ave. and its environs were safe and clean, people of all races socio-economic classes mingled without any problems at all, at a certain age ( Middle school ), kids who lived near there, went shopping or just walking around on their own and nobody worried about their safety or what they were up to!
Older kids, who went to Latin, walked there and back, went to North Beach, rode their bicycles in the park off LSD, alone and had fun. And as parents, we never thought about what harm would come to them.
NOW? That's all changed!
Before Michigan Ave. took off in a big way, everyone went down to the LOOP to shop at Field's and/or Carson, Pirie, Scott, went to restaurants, and the nearby theatre districts without a care in the world...even at night.NOT NOW!
Now the people I know are avoiding these places, younger families who lived in the great apartment buildings off Michigan Ave, have either sold their apartments and moved to the suburbs, or are trying to do that. I can tell you horror stories about what has happened on some of those elite side streets, that haven't made the news, but happened to people I know, but shan't go public, here, with them. But suffice it to say...things are worse than is being reported on.
The year was 1900.