Hudson and the area around it is gorgeous. It's close enough to NY to have access yet far enough away to be cheaper. It's been a place to go since the 50s. My father and his first wife looked for a house there in the early 50s before buying a row house in Manhattan.
Manataray - Chicago has opportunities but the mediocre choices that a house shopper encounters are provided by realtors and developers. I have worked tirelessly to figure out a way around this. I found someone who gives construction loans and mortgages for LEED projects. But your clients still need to be pretty flush to make this happen. (Same with buying a new developer-made home in a neighborhood like Lincoln Square.) Cash is necessary to buy the land. It's a difficult process and the Architect needs to know enough lenders, land sellers and have enough experience to guide a client through the potentially turbulent waters. Without these contacts, the endeavor of making interesting residential architecture is probably dead.
Doug Garofalo who just passed away did some amazing residential work that was Architecture first and meant for resale second. It wasn't meant to be flipped.
Many grocery stores on the north side are a ripoff but if you head up to Albany Park, Rogers Park or over to Harlem Ave on the northwest side, the prices are much lower. Walmart and Target have some bargains. There's a Mexican grocery store in Andersonville on Clark St across from the Jewel. I think Chicago is pretty affordable once you shop in the right places. As far as housing goes, you can get a lot for your money if you know where to look or buy.
Glad that I'm not the only one grappling with these questions. And also glad I'm not the only one that thinks that the Cubs should just give up already. In the case of Indy, it seems like the concensus is that it's not the greatest market for progressive thought, has a bad housing market which may translate into a poor market for architects, but is close to a university with a well-respected architecture program at Ball State and is also a 3 hour drive away from Chicago.
I think that what I chose to take away from all this is that, market conditions suspended for a second, small market cities suffer from a lack of belief in good design. Well, is it silly to think that that opinion sure isn't going to change if no one tries to change it? Maybe teaching is the answer while working for a decent firm long enough to pay the bills to be able to afford to go it alone. Work on civic minded projects and proposals that generate a buzz amongst constituents as a way of convincing people that good design can equal good business, sustainability is responsible (and marketable).
Leaving Big Market Cities for Smaller, More attainable Cities
Hudson and the area around it is gorgeous. It's close enough to NY to have access yet far enough away to be cheaper. It's been a place to go since the 50s. My father and his first wife looked for a house there in the early 50s before buying a row house in Manhattan.
Manataray - Chicago has opportunities but the mediocre choices that a house shopper encounters are provided by realtors and developers. I have worked tirelessly to figure out a way around this. I found someone who gives construction loans and mortgages for LEED projects. But your clients still need to be pretty flush to make this happen. (Same with buying a new developer-made home in a neighborhood like Lincoln Square.) Cash is necessary to buy the land. It's a difficult process and the Architect needs to know enough lenders, land sellers and have enough experience to guide a client through the potentially turbulent waters. Without these contacts, the endeavor of making interesting residential architecture is probably dead.
Doug Garofalo who just passed away did some amazing residential work that was Architecture first and meant for resale second. It wasn't meant to be flipped.
Many grocery stores on the north side are a ripoff but if you head up to Albany Park, Rogers Park or over to Harlem Ave on the northwest side, the prices are much lower. Walmart and Target have some bargains. There's a Mexican grocery store in Andersonville on Clark St across from the Jewel. I think Chicago is pretty affordable once you shop in the right places. As far as housing goes, you can get a lot for your money if you know where to look or buy.
Amazing feedback.
Glad that I'm not the only one grappling with these questions. And also glad I'm not the only one that thinks that the Cubs should just give up already. In the case of Indy, it seems like the concensus is that it's not the greatest market for progressive thought, has a bad housing market which may translate into a poor market for architects, but is close to a university with a well-respected architecture program at Ball State and is also a 3 hour drive away from Chicago.
I think that what I chose to take away from all this is that, market conditions suspended for a second, small market cities suffer from a lack of belief in good design. Well, is it silly to think that that opinion sure isn't going to change if no one tries to change it? Maybe teaching is the answer while working for a decent firm long enough to pay the bills to be able to afford to go it alone. Work on civic minded projects and proposals that generate a buzz amongst constituents as a way of convincing people that good design can equal good business, sustainability is responsible (and marketable).
Good discussion.
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