Living Under the Train in Urban America

The Chicago Tribune reports:

For decades, the corridor of Wabash Avenue under the "L" tracks was derided as an alley between State Street and Michigan Avenue, a noisy semi-cave flanked by wig shops, cheap offices and empty storefronts. People disappeared after work hours, and the street was vacant on weekends.

Now, Wabash from Lake to Van Buren Streets is seeing a revival with new businesses and residences, as developers wager that people will shop, live, work and play on a street in transition. People like Bonnie Hillock, who always has wanted to live in the Loop, is among them.

From her home in the recently renovated MDA City Apartments, Hillock, 60, can walk to work. She calls Millennium Park her backyard. She can buy artisanal cheeses and freshly baked bread at Pastoral on the ground level of the MDA, or walk a few steps to a bar and grill.

"I work downtown so I wanted to live downtown," said Hillock, whose 190-unit apartment building at Lake and Wabash butts up against the "L" tracks.

The rumble and squeals from passing trains don't bother her. "You get used to it," she said. "You stop hearing it."

Despite the new businesses that have cropped up recently and the city's renovation project, Wabash continues to face challenges. Many buildings suffer from ugly facades that were "modernized" in the 1950s and '60s, and office vacancies remain high.

Great moments in condensed living.