Top Posts of 2013

Hard to believe another year has come and gone in the South Loop, but it has. What were some of the things on our minds during 2013? Following are the top-ten posts which reflect a small portion of what was of interest to our friends and neighbors. Here we go, starting with number 10 at the top.

Strikers at the Congress Hotel

10. Strike at Congress Hotel ends after ten years—It was hard for some of us to believe that this strike was over. It was practically a tourist attraction. As long as we’ve been in the South Loop there was a strike in front of the landmark hotel, but it ended in May of 2013.

9. The Burger Point Delivers—Food and restaurants are always popular topics for us in the South Loop. So when a neighborhood favorite announced that they would now deliver, it was big news. Hmm, I think I want “The Gobbler” delivered to my door right now!

8. Creepy or Art: “Borders” Sculpture Installation in Grant Park—This was a fun post. This art installation just south of the Art Institute had a lot of people talking. It reminded us of the 1950s science fiction classic  The Day The Earth Stood Still, but art is in the eyes of the beholder.

Creepy or art?

7. British School to delay opening—The British are coming! The British School that is. Somewhat of a controversy when announced, the British School will be building an opening a new campus at the Roosevelt Collection.

6. No neighborhood school for the South Loop—When the new campus for Jones College Prep was announced, many had hoped the older campus would become an open-enrollment neighborhood school. It was not meant to be.

5. Wabash Arts Corridor Crawl—Modern and contemporary art lovers found this event interesting and fun thanks to the participation of several local colleges and universities and neighborhood organizations in the South Loop.

4. Kai Sushi Opens Friday in the South Loop—Once again, a new restaurant opening got the attention of South Loop residents. Kai Sushi opened in July in the former Donna’s Café space.

3. A Walk Through Time on the “Sunny Street of the Sifted Few”—This annual fund raiser for the Glessner House Museum is a popular event and attacks crowds from all over Chicago and Illinois. It’s a once-a-year chance to peek inside some of the remaining mansions from the glory days of Prairie Avenue.

The Kimball House

2. “Mildred Pierce”: 4th Film in “High Heels and Fedoras” series at Daystar Center May 14, 2013—This popular film noir classic garnered a lot of attention. The Chicago Film Club features classic Hollywood movies viewed on the big screen with discussion afterwards.

1. South Loop Suicide Attempt Thwarted—It was hard to miss this event if you were commuting to work along S. Michigan Ave. on Friday, June 7, 2013. A man threatening to jump from 1250 S. Michigan Ave. caused road closures and traffic reroutes. South Loop Connection took some heat for covering this story, but it was news, with plenty of media on the scene. 

There were many stories from 2013 that didn’t make the top-ten here, but that doesn’t mean they were less important. What do you think were the top stories in the South Loop for 2013?