Meigs Field Hope

[Bob]

For those that have not heard.  Mayor Daley, current mayor of Chicago, is not going to re-run for mayor.  This may be an interesting fight.  Not fighting to keep an airport open, but rather fighting to reopen Meigs Field.  If Meigs ever re-opens it will be a return of an unbelievable landmark!

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2010/100909meigs.html?WT.adv=adv1

[carusoam]

I'd pay extra for the return of Meigs. 

For years I would visit McCormick Center for trade-shows (left side of the photo) and watch airplanes come and go.  The airport closed before I was able to fly myself out there. 

I first simulated flight into Meigs in 1986, my first version of microsoft flight simulator for the PC.  Monochrome screen and wire outlines of the runway and a few buildings.

When I visited Chicago last year, the airport buildings were still there, but all of the paved surfaces have been turned into soggy grass fields.  The island is desolate, there are two or three people at any one time using it (walking on trails or jogging).  Meanwhile at the other end of the island, and nearby, are Soldier field (Bears), Shedd aquarium, Museum of Natural History and Millenium park.  All of which are full up with people. 

Turning the airport into a park seemed like a good idea.  It just didn't work as planned.

Unbuild it, and no one will come.

Maybe this could be one of the President's shovel ready projects!!!

Just one opinion....

-a-

[DaV8or]

Doesn't it seem likely that Daley will hand pick his successor? Won't his policies continue? If Chicago works like Oakland and I think it does, This will be the case. The only way Miegs could be restored would be for community activists to show up at city council meetings and promote the idea. Advocacy and lobby groups like the AOPA mean very little at city politcs. They are outsiders. A coalition of the right local developer, local business folks, city planning people and of course pilots, could get this done, but it has to happen with in Chicago and it has to have a sizable group of support. This means getting people to show up and pack city hall with supporters during city council meetings. Sending phone calls, faxes and emails does nothing. Locals showing up, sends the message. I know, this is the only thing that makes an impression on council members and it is how things actually get accomlished in spite of the machine here in Oakland.

A bunch of pilots, hundereds of miles away saying "I'd like to fly in there someday." doesn't impress anybody. They have to make a real and credible business case for Miegs that shows local job creation, revenue stream, includes a park for the people and addresses the concerns of those that wanted it closed in the first place. I personally think Miegs reopening is a super long shot. The vast majority of city dwellers do not care for airports. When the word gets out that the city is entertaining ideas about developing Miegs, competing developers will be right there with compelling non-aviation uses of the property to muddy the waters. I think these days, an airport in the middle of the city is a really, really tough sell. Sadly, it's not the 1920's anymore and we as a people don't have that visionary spirit anymore.

[Jeff_S]

I agree with Dave's points about the economic requirements that would have to be scrutinized before anything like this would be possible. While we all enjoy the romantic notion, and this issue was glamorized for us aviators in the movie One Six Right (it's the first time I heard of it, because I wasn't really into GA when the event first happened) the fact is there is nothing on that land anymore that even resembles a runway, an airport, or anything of the sort. It would be a total rebuild. Not very likely in today's economic climate, and probably very difficult to justify from a business perspective.

[Jeff_S]

Although for those with a sense of nostalgia, you can still get your fix. I fact-checked my post above before I hit the "submit" button (that's the value of a college education!) and noticed that on Google Maps, in the satellite view, if you zoom out to the 2mi scale or greater the photos still show the Miegs Field runways plainly visible.  I wonder how old those pics are.  Once you zoom in greater than 2mi scale you see the lovely greenspace that has now taken over.

[Bob]

Dave: Many great points!

Jeff:  "Lovely Greenspace"?  Looks like it has already been prepaired for a soft field?

There are way too many factors here that go beyond my area of experience.  Just thought it was an interesting idea that some are going in the direction to try and re-open Meigs.  Part of what makes it possible is that Daley just converted the airport to grass, it was not realy re-developed.   If buildings and businesses were developed, there would be no hope.  But it is just grass!  Would a new Mayor and the President do something?  How about one of the stimulus packages?  I hate politics!!!

This may give some more background from a group that has been working hard well before the "Daley Midnight Disaster". Shows a lot of history and also some cool vids.

http://friendsofmeigs.org/

[carusoam]

All great points.  Things like this do get done at least one way that I know of.

"Pork Barrel Spending"

 

-a-