The Times Square of Chicago? (Manhattan, Brooklyn: to live in, moving, public transportation)

[branch28]

The TRADITIONAL Times Sq. equivalent of Chicago was: State & Randolph

No ifs ands or buts....that's your answer.

[jpchi60630]

yes state and randolph, once upon a time. aka block 37:

Chicago used to back in 1960s. This was from circa 1962-63..
Realized it was pretty tacky and rather unneccessary given our lakefront and exciting neighborhoods and everything else that makes Chicago unique.
The proper answer for the question if we have a "times sqaure equivalent" or picadilly circus or whatever equivalent in tokyo, is none actually, and we like it that way, becuase its unneccessary to have that many ads concentrated in one area that achieves nothing but waste electricity. period. If theres anything that comes even close to a nerve center of commerce/trade involving big name brand companies it would be the Merc... but without any gaudy signage. There really isnt a place for that here, but if there was maybe somewhere where theres a diagonal crossing so Six corners, or something like that. Maybe north ogden somewhere south of goose island... theres enough signage on the kennedy. Dissapointed? Go back to times square. Simple.

Becuase everyone remembers how awesome, innovative and ground breaking it was when BOA draped their signage banners on the Chicago river bridges a year or two ago. I hope you pick up on the sarcasm, becuase thats how chicagoans feel about that ish...
...lacking the below detracts nothing from downtown Chicago, we'd just as soon dismiss it as new yorkers say times square is for tourists. If you want theater, go to the theater district over by state and lake. Retail is all mag mile. Busy parks are any of them near the lake, take your pick explore them all. Our beaches arent FL or Hawaii, but awesome for being situated in the middle of the country. Fyi block 37 is currently undergoing a revamp, as well as the old post office being renovated into new car friendly (theres enough room around there for this) shopping retail/mixed use complex that has yet to emerge or gain approval. Time will tell. perhaps that will be it at 290/congress. They've already remade congress with new colorful lighting up and down. Better than this mess:

[TBideon]

I like that mess. A different kind of vibrancy

[K 22]

On a related note:

Michigan Avenue = Chicago's "5th Avenue".

[raina starling]

Now it's Mililenium Park

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by branch28

The TRADITIONAL Times Sq. equivalent of Chicago was: State & Randolph

No ifs ands or buts....that's your answer.

What's the area like now? Seems interesting from the picture.

On a side note, I don't think Times Square is a terrible thing. It's there and if you like it then you can visit but if you aren't into it then it's easy to avoid it. I find it kind of fun to see and pick up on tourists from all over.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

On a side note, I don't think Times Square is a terrible thing. It's there and if you like it then you can visit but if you aren't into it then it's easy to avoid it. I find it kind of fun to see and pick up on tourists from all over.

It's pretty cheesy. By most accounts it was a far more interesting place before Giuliani turned it into Disneyland.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

It's pretty cheesy. By most accounts it was a far more interesting place before Giuliani turned it into Disneyland.

It was definitely a different place, but it's still interesting in its own way. Disneyland is also interesting in its own way. Going to Times Square just for kicks can be pretty interesting.

[Chi-town Native]

Children of times square - YouTube

[eureka1]

This thread is so old that when it started I had not been to NYC. Since then we've been there, made our five-minute visit to Times Square, and learned that the cultural center of NYC is moving to Brooklyn. Chicago is fortunate to have MANY neighborhoods and spaces that outshine Times Square.