I just got home from Chicago after we had to leave early and I have a couple questions?

Question

Where do people park who live in the high rises? Do they park a car somewhere and pay to keep it there?
Why does a .50 cent pop cost over $3 there?
What if you are walking down the Michigan Ave and decide you must go to the bathroom. Where do you go?

Answer 1

I lived in Chicago for 5 years, and had to drive because of my job. I wish I would have found a job that didn´t require me to travel, or to own a car in that city.

I lived in high rises, and would park my car on the street in Lincoln Park, but would always get parking tickets at $50 a pop. If I ignored the signs, or didn´t get to my car before the time they started ticketing, I would get a ticket every time.

If I would have paid to park in my building, it would have cost me $150 a month, and sometimes, it would have been worth it. $150 is nothing compared to some high rises-I´ve heard of people buying their space, and in some, it costs $35,000 and more!

I should have told you that a pop at Walgreen´s close to your hotel costs about $1.50 but at other places, because people pay those prices, it will be a lot higher.

If I had to go to the bathroom on Michigan, I would go in a department store, or to a hotel. Normally there is a restroom for the hotel guests, but I´ve snuck in just to use it while shopping on Michigan.

Answer 2

Pop from vending machines usually costs $1.25 or so here. At my college campus, it costs $1. If you paid $3 for a pop, it must have been at a movie or stage theater, or possibly at an athletic stadium.

If I'm downtown and realize I need to go to the bathroom, there are plenty of options. I can go to a coffee shop; as long as you buy something, you can use the restroom in the back. Or I'll run into one of the big shopping stores, such as the store formerly known as Marshall Field's, Water Tower, 900 North Shops, etc. They all have large public restrooms. So, of course, do the civic buildings (City Hall, Harold Washington Library Center, etc.). It's never a problem to find restrooms.

People who live downtown must be relatively wealthy. If they own cars and park them downtown, they might own private parking spaces. These can have monthly fees that are quite expensive. The big condo buildings all have parking areas that you can't always see clearly from the street.

The nice thing about Chicago is it's possible to live hear without a vehicle. :)

Answer 3

Haha. The people in high rises usually have parking in the building that they pay per month for. The first 10 or so floors are usually parking. Things cost more in Chicago than other places b/c it is a city for one and the tax is really high here. On Michigan you would have to go into a department store to use the bathrooms. Unless you are going to a restaurant, once you order you can use theirs.

Answer 4

As far as parking people in the high rises if they have cars they pay montly rent for a parking spot. There are plenty of below ground parking garages in these buildings.
You only saw these high prices for soda because you probobly was in a very touristy area, it defenetly does not cost $3.00 everywhere, you could have just run into a Walgreens, CVS or a anything similar and gotten it for a lot less.
If you need to go to the bathroom just go into a stores bathroom.