Fight for Chicago’s Treasured Lakefront

Catrin Einhorn has written a slightly condescending article re: the Chicago Children's Museum. One almost thinks the article was planted by Hill & Knowlton

A proposal to build a children’s museum in a downtown park here has set off a fierce debate over Chicago’s cherished lakefront.

The dispute has been particularly high-pitched, even for a city that obsesses over changes to its skyline and public spaces. The city’s planning commission is scheduled to take up the museum proposal on Thursday amid accusations of racism and race-baiting, seething editorials in the city’s newspapers and even the conjured-up spirit of a long-dead retail magnate.

[From Museum Plan for Chicago’s Treasured Lakefront Stirs a Fight]

What does that mean, exactly, obsesses over changes to public spaces? Chicago isn't Houston, Texas, where developers have famously been given free reign to do whatever the hell they want. I'd say most cities expect change to public space to engender at least discussion among interested parties before bulldozers arrive.

The article omits any mention of the alternative spots for the museum, and only gives short shrift to opponents of the move, instead mostly quoting museum officials, the Mayor, and Lois Wille (who is also for the move). Einhorn doesn't mention the tradition of Aldermanic prerogative (Aldermen historically have gotten veto power over development in their wards, Brendan Reilly is against the move, but Daley is trying to overturn this long-term tradition).

Einhorn's final jab at opponents of the move is to say:

Standing at the northern edge of the park on a recent afternoon, Ms. Figiel, the Friends of Grant Park co-founder, gazed at the section where the museum would be built. It is not stunning; rather, a grass and concrete patch at street level slopes to the park below, with the field house, a playground and a skating rink

Oh, the location isn't much, Einhorn seems to be saying, so why all the kvetching? Read the entire thing here