The dust has mostly settled from the recession, and the market sector that caters to clientele with deep pockets is becoming one of the strongest parts of the American economy. Bigger is better, and glamor definitely sells when it comes to…
Sixty years ago, work and play were very different. A majority of women remained in the home, in both urban and suburban settings. The mostly male heads of households went off to work, and children went off to school and play. Since then, …
The sudden emergence of Kermit the Frog as a box office draw is not an accident—it seems that everywhere, everybody is 'going green.' The term is shorthand for a movement of environmental awareness, and it involves everything from the way …
My condo board rarely enforces rules, especially with respect to certain unit owners. Some are now renting, and I would like my family to be able to do so also. It is really bizarre because the board members, who are adamant about no renter…
Q Strangers, whom no residents know, were found lurking the hallways of our building. Now a neighbor across the hall from me would like to install a security camera inside their door, facing the hall. The camera does not capture my door, …
Having a disinterested, apathetic board is a problem in some buildings, though a board that oversteps the boundaries of its power or invades the privacy of residents, also can cause hassles. By educating and informing themselves of the ext…
Chicago is a city known for its harsh weather, but this winter was extremely trying, complete with a 'polar vortex' and more snow and ice than usual. But there is always the promise of springtime and all it entails—blossoming trees, the re…
Condos and HOA communities can be a great setting in which to own a home and enjoy privacy and the comforts of your own personal space. That said, there is often a certain amount of tension between residents' desire to for autonomy and the…
When most people think of landscaping, they think of shrubs, trees, meticulously laid-out and maintained flowerbeds, and artful plantings scattered around a building or development. While that's definitely accurate, landscaping doesn…
Patches of green, living things are pretty rare in the city—aside from tiny front yards and the occasional back garden, many Chicagoans don’t get a lot of leafy goodness in their lives. Some co-op and condo buildings—and some whole neighbo…