I haven't been to Chicago since April. Given the mad pace of growth going on, I'm sure it will look much different in certain parts next time I visit (sadly, not for a while).

For example, when I lived in Chicago in the fall of 2002, I was driving on south Halsted and saw a bunch of vacant lots. I saw signs for "University Village" and thought, "wow, that would be cool to develop this vacant land". In subsequent visits I saw a whole urban neighborhood spring to life. Now, every time I come to Chicago, I (in my own cheesy way) revel in the beautiful streetwall that lines Halsted St. in an area that so recently was run down and vacant.

The same goes for Central Station. An area full of parking lots, now a whole giant downtown neighborhood (perhaps much bigger than Streeterville when fully developed) is forming. I recently have seen pictures of Central Station on Skyscrapers.com and it is really starting to develop a more cohesive, urban look in many areas. But since I don't live in Chicago, I can't go and see for myself. Have any of you guys been there and noticed this?

How about the other developments (Kingsbury Park, LakePark Crescent, NorthTown Village, LSE, etc?)

I'm still not sold on Central Station/Museum Park. I think the rest of the construction that's currently under way needs to finish up before I make a decision. As far as LSE goes... it's starting to shape up nicely, but, again, until some of the areas from the center toward the west are filled out, it will still look somewhat vacant.

Kingsbury Park gets a nod from me, save for limited street-level retail. The architecture is some of the city's finest though.