The changing face of C-U
Recently I overheard someone say something along the lines of, “What happened to the good old days when Champaign-Urbana didn’t look like a Chicago suburb?”
It got me thinking. Is our beloved C-U really turning into another Winnetka prototype? Sure we may not have the streets lined with mansions, flashy luxury vehicles, and teenage-thin, fake-baked moms (yes, yes, I am operating on stereotypes). But are we getting there?
I live in southwest Champaign. When my family first moved to C-U, the land surrounding our neighborhood was all farmland. Now, we have a little strip mall complete with a cafe, Walgreens, a hardware store, a floral shop, a hair salon, a dry-cleaning service, a Middle Eastern restaurant, and a pizza parlor.
Not only that, Champaign-Urbana now has Starbucks! I remember as a young girl the best part of going to O’Hare Airport was being able to buy Starbucks coffee — a real treat! But now I can hop in the car and order whatever drink I desire.
Furthermore, Champaign-Urbana’s fashion has been upgraded. The then-dinky Market Place Mall now has all the teen favorites like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, American Eagle, and Express.
I thought the small boutiques that sold designer jeans, jewelry, shirts, and dresses would go out of business in a second because not enough people would spend the money on such high-priced goods. However, as these retailers’ business grows, the little labels on girls’ butts are getting fancier and fancier.
Perhaps the greatest indicator of Champaign-Urbana’s shift to suburban Chicago is downtown Champaign. Only a few years back the downtown area was dead. What is now the thriving Boardman’s Art Theatre, which showcases all of the latest independent, artistic movies, was on the verge of closing, and there were maybe one or two cafés and restaurants to boast of. Now downtown Champaign has a plethora of quaint cafes, boutiques, hip city-like bars and clubs, and restaurants that serve main courses that cost more than $20.
Yes, the number of distractions and creature comforts in C-U are greater than ever, but is this the way we proud, traditional people want it to be? Instead of adding flavor to the community, are places like Starbucks and Express taking away the old-city taste? In five more years from now, will Champaign-Urbana be indistinguishable from any old Chicago suburb?
— Andrea Park
Comments
I LOVE eating out and I’m totally psyched that we have a thriving downtown. (Try the Tapas at Radio Maria: it rocks!) But you’re not kidding about the expense. We went to one very, very pricey Champaign restaurant last year and brought along Ben Franklin but left him there, ahem, if you know what I mean.
I almost totally agree with Andrea except I think the awful suburban sprawl—-which is so bad for society, environment, human relationships, etc.—-finds in thriving downtowns not its partner but its antidote. When I’m rich I’m gonna get myself a nice condo in some happy downtown and give up one or two of the family vehicles. Parents: keep those donations coming!
(Some of the previous paragraph was intended as a joke. But really, sprawl is bad.)
Posted by: Ray aka Dr Nightlife | March 30, 2007 9:39 AM