Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
back in the 60s/70s, rivernorth was hardly "prime real estate". thus why so much of it was leveled for parking lots, just like the fringe areas surrounding most US city CBDs back in the bad old days.
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Yes, it was "a" skid row area (not quite as bad as the West Loop Skid Row) full of SRO hotels and last-gasp industrial businesses. Not a place you wanted to hang out at night.
McDonald's saw an opportunity to buy cheap land and build a suburban-style store to lure suburbanites and school groups heading back to the expressway from Navy Pier or Michigan Avenue. Even now, this is their bread-and-butter clientele, so I understand why they didn't want to ditch the drive-thru when they renovated last year.
Still, the pavers and curbless "auto plaza" design are far more inviting to pedestrians than a standard suburban drive-thru, and the huge overhangs and glass windows lure people in pretty well. The scale of the new building fits the surroundings much better...
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