Your City. Your Market. Your Next Deal.Stay up to date on national urban real estate |
|
đź“… Today's Story: A wave of smiling delivery robots rolling through Chicago neighborhoods is causing a stir, with residents raising concerns about safety, accessibility, and the privatization of public sidewalks.
TECHNOLOGY
Sidewalk Showdown: Delivery Bots Stir Controversy in Chicago |
|
A friendly-looking food delivery robot in Chicago (Source: Shutterstock)
đź“° What Happened: Food delivery robots are a neat idea, but they're drawing backlash in Chicago. Residents say the bots are blocking sidewalks, colliding with bicyclists, and pushing pedestrians into traffic. One resident already launched a petition for more regulation, as affected wards survey constituents for feedback.
🔍 A Closer Look: While designed to streamline last-mile deliveries, autonomous bots are often seen as public intrusions. Critics argue they're inherently unsafe, impeding pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. The controversy only deepened after DoorDash proposed bigger bots in bike lanes, raising alarm bells among naysayers.
🧠Why It Matters: Chicago’s sidewalk conflict highlights the need to balance innovation with public interest. With growing concerns over safety, accessibility, and corporate use of public infrastructure, the city’s approach could shape future policy on how robots share space with people in dense urban environments.
| CitywideAnalysis: Atlanta clunks as top 20 worst traffic city—on the planet Could highway expansions not be working as planned? |
| Old Fourth WardAtlanta Civic Center development sets groundbreaking—at long last! After decade of false starts, ceremony scheduled to kick off historic Old Fourth Ward property's phase one |
| DecaturFresh renderings: North DeKalb Mall's redevelopment going vertical Novel Lulah Hills—first mixed-use phase at 78-acre Decatur mall site—to kick off construction this month |
| DowntownCentennial Yards' Entertainment District bags big Irish pub from NYCThe Irish Exit concept to boast expansive indoor-outdoor space near stadiums, hotels |
| BuckheadPeachtree Street building's pivot from standard offices to proceedMidcentury 1819 Peachtree going fully medical where Midtown meets Buckhead |
| Rogers ParkAffordable housing development planned at 7644 N. SheridanThe five-story building will have 44 units and retail space |
| Lincoln YardsZoning application filed for Foundry ParkThe project plans over 3,700 units, a hotel, office space, retail, and open space |
| The LoopState/Lake CTA L station closing for demolition in JanuaryConstruction of the new $444 million station will last until 2029 |
| River WestInterior renderings emerge for Bally’s Chicago casinoThe project is under construction and set to open next year |
| DowntownCalifornia High Speed Rail Authority releases draft EIR for L.A.-to-Anaheim segmentThe 30-mile corridor spans between Union Station and ARTIC |
| TorranceLennar starts work on 260 homes next to Torrance's Del Amo Fashion CenterThe 16-acre development will rise at 3405 W. Carson Street |
| Dodger Stadium gondola re-approved, RIP Frank Gehry, and moreL.A. real estate, architecture, and urban planning news from the past week |
| DowntownCity Council approves DTLA hotel-residential towers at 1600 S. Flower StreetPlans call for 22- and 23-story buildings next to the 10 Freeway |
| Green Lake apartment building trades for $16.5MLocal buyer plans renovation of 1980s property |
| Construction begins on Kennedy Green — one of Canada’s largest co-operative housing projectsLocated in Scarborough, the project will deliver 612 rent-controlled co-op homes by 2029. |
