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Chicago plans to spend millions in subsidies to renew downtown
The Hill ^ | 05/30/2024 | Kelsey Kernstine

Posted on 05/30/2024 8:54:41 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

In Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper, the total downtown office vacancy rate has jumped to 25.1%, a new record high, according to data from real estate firm CBRE. The rate has climbed steadily since the end of 2018, when it stood at 13.4%.

“We just don’t have the same number of people working in the Loop as before,” said Dan McMillen, a real estate professor at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Now, the city says it is investing in its real estate.

Just like a mortgage, interest rates on billion-dollar loans used to build skyscrapers are rising. Those high costs and the price of maintaining a skyscraper are causing the downtown neighborhood to plummet.

The market for these buildings has gotten so bad that some of the buildings are now selling for less than a quarter of what they were valued at a few years ago, according to the Wall Street Journal.

One developer even said that if all the empty space in Chicago was added up, it would equal about 16 Willis Towers worth of empty space.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: chicago; downtown; renew; subsidies
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More stupid central planning...
1 posted on 05/30/2024 8:54:41 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Willis Tower means “Sears Tower”


2 posted on 05/30/2024 8:55:57 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Another great idea....

In the 1980s.....


3 posted on 05/30/2024 8:57:37 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Dr. Sivana

Surprised they haven’t renamed it to Obama Tower.


4 posted on 05/30/2024 8:57:46 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“More stupid central planning...”

Hey, it’s not their money. They are happy to spend OPM where the markets have “failed.”


5 posted on 05/30/2024 8:57:48 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

I have talked to severl building owners in the downtown area. They are going to use federal money to create section 8 housing downtown. Don’t plan to visit Chicago after they are built.


6 posted on 05/30/2024 8:57:51 AM PDT by poinq (thics and customs and did not take an oath to the country. And did not follow the country's traditio)
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To: Dr. Sivana; dfwgator

Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout?

😆😂🤣😜


7 posted on 05/30/2024 8:59:07 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

who’s doing the subsidization? us?


8 posted on 05/30/2024 8:59:24 AM PDT by thinden (buckle up ....)
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To: dfwgator

Don’t give them any more ideas 💡💡💡!!!


9 posted on 05/30/2024 8:59:52 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

And, keep in mind that the “subsidies” will be Fed $$$ made available by either BeijingBiden or Newsome. Just like the handouts in 2020 to rebuild after DNC’s BLM/Antifa thugs burned and murdered. So long as money moves around it can be skimmed.


10 posted on 05/30/2024 9:00:00 AM PDT by bobbo666 (Baizuo, )
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To: ChicagoConservative27
The wife and I used to LOVE spending long weekends in Chicago, fine dining, sporting events, theater, long walks along the lake front, Navy Pier, it was soooo damn romantic and wonderful...

But now we won't go near the place, we drive way west of downtown when we travel to Wisconsin. So very sad.
11 posted on 05/30/2024 9:02:13 AM PDT by The Louiswu (Pray for Peace in the world.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

yeah because criminals needa higher class of store to pillage


12 posted on 05/30/2024 9:02:51 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: The Louiswu

I hear you.

I lived in Chicago for a number of years. I recall people saying to avoid the Dan Ryan Expressway through the south side. And the reasoning was, suppose the car breaks down or you get a flat tire in that bad neighborhood?


13 posted on 05/30/2024 9:13:51 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Total waste of time!

Just throwing money right into the toilet.


14 posted on 05/30/2024 9:15:45 AM PDT by WarANDPiece
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Chicago isn’t the only city experiencing high vacancy rates.
San Francisco is in the same boat and is taking a similar approach by relaxing construction rules and offering tax cuts. Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas and Tulsa are also among the cities with higher vacancy rates.”

Hmmm.. I wonder if there is maybe a commonality amongst all those places that might explain the financial devastation. A behavioral pattern perhaps...


15 posted on 05/30/2024 9:17:41 AM PDT by vikingd00d (chown -R us ~you/base)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Way too late, Progressive Politics and bad Tax Policies have destroyed the city and nothing the city does will bring that back, unless all taxes, especially property taxes are rolled way back and the inner city violence is dealt with.


16 posted on 05/30/2024 9:19:31 AM PDT by Captain Peter Blood
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To: Captain Peter Blood

The mayor has a summer safety plan which is supposed to deal with inner city violence.

Will his plan have any effect? Stay tuned.

Do they still do midnight basketball and other recreational programs to try to deter gang violence?


17 posted on 05/30/2024 9:22:21 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Chicago plans to give millions to connected insiders” fixed the headline.


18 posted on 05/30/2024 9:23:06 AM PDT by wildcard_redneck (He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27
More stupid central planning...

And it seems to be happening in democrat controlled cities

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/commercial/market-east-sixers-arena-immigrants-20240529.html?

Although the headline reads differently from the link...

A new idea for Market East: A ‘Welcoming District’ for immigrants who are driving population growth

19 posted on 05/30/2024 9:24:03 AM PDT by MurrietaMadman (The Gates of hell shall not prevail against you)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Zillions to their cronies (donors) who will a build substandard product that will inevitably need to be repaired (by more donors) ... all of whom will kick back zillions to their benevolent patron who made all of it possible.


20 posted on 05/30/2024 9:28:36 AM PDT by Lizavetta
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