Jesse Orr
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr
@jessezorr.bsky.social
420 followers 210 following 150 posts
Once a development consultant abroad, now a Chicago civil servant. Housing / transportation / politics / etc. opinions my own, but restrained.
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 17h
5 stories because you trigger non combustible construction requirements above 5 stories. Can’t do masonry/wood construction at 6 stories in Chicago.
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 18h
Maybe there’s some anchoring from the 50% parking reduction? Or the ability to package variations in with a type 1 zoning change?
jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 10d
Wait which article is this from?
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
danielkayhertz.bsky.social
Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 10d
It's cool that when they think the audience is progressive, the Edgewater residents organizing against the Broadway rezoning say they're fighting gentrification, but otherwise they're pretty open about what they're worrying about
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
danielkayhertz.bsky.social
Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 13d
Finally got something out of my head that's been there a while: A capsule history of the mid-density Chicago apartment building daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io/the-life-dea...
The life, death, and rebirth of moderate-density apartment buildings in Chicago
The pantheon of Chicago architecture tends to cluster at either end of the density spectrum. In one corner you have the trophy commercial skyscrapers; in the other you have icons of domesticity, the b...
daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 13d
30-day pass?
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
yonahfreemark.com
Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 21d
About 1% of US railway mileage is electrified, with only tiny steps taken to electrify more in recent years (Caltrain) www.fastcompany.com/91178844/ind...
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
I mean this is probably a CDOT/CTA issue for sure TBH which is a huge point against what I’m saying (would still be a big *time* savings though on getting work started).
jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
I was thinking more future RPM use specifically fwiw - Sheridan and Thorndale + north
jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
Whoops

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/22/c...
As CTA tax district rakes in huge amount of taxpayer money, decision looms over what to do with it
A North Side tax district is on track to pay off a major facelift of four CTA stations and the century-old infrastructure connecting them way ahead of schedule.
www.chicagotribune.com
jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
Baltimore did this with its light rail back in the 80’s to get construction done quickly and cheaply iirc.

Link below:
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
Given both the uncertainty of federal funding *and* excessive NEPA requirements driving project timelines and costs, one wonders if using this as a funding source could get work done both more quickly and efficiently.

@slucy.bsky.social @stevevance.net @starlinechicago.bsky.social
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 22d
Read an article about the RPM TIF's high revenue generation (due to seeing it linked in City That Works news roundup @rsday.bsky.social @conordurkin.bsky.social) and it made me wonder... perhaps CTA should just use the TIF funding as a dedicated fund for local capital projects without fed funding.
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
danielkayhertz.bsky.social
Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 26d
Malice, incompetence, or a secret third thing: on bureaucracy daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io/malice-incom...
Malice, incompetence, or a secret third thing
There's a saying about bureaucracies that you should never attribute to malice what you can attribute to incompetence. This is typically the axis along which explanations for dissatisfaction with loca...
daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 27d
Wrong Link - this is the right link:

airtable.com/appd482bRGwK...
Airtable | Everyone's app platform
Airtable is a low-code platform for building collaborative apps. Customize your workflow, collaborate, and achieve ambitious outcomes. Get started for free.
airtable.com
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · 27d
North Side folks without plans tonight - come hear me talk about Zoning and Development and tell us what you think we should be doing more [or less]!!

Submit any pre-meeting questions you want answered through the link below:

airtable.com/appd482bRGwK...
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Sep 24
Link to piece?
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Sep 18
The argument is more that we have have should stops *every other block* so on a given street you’re max one block away from a stop.

Right now with every block is often crazy slow
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
chittimarco.bsky.social
Marco Chitti @chittimarco.bsky.social · Sep 18
Stone pavings of Helsinki

I really would like to know the per sqm cost, the construction and maintenance budget, and who funds what and how because the quality of soil treatment in new developments is incredible.

In Montréal, we can't even afford to use stone in our most iconic main street.
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
davidpowe.bsky.social
David Powe @davidpowe.bsky.social · Sep 3
Chicago’s Divvy bikeshare shattered records in August:

🥇Highest month in program history: 995K rides
🥇Highest month for e-bikes: 500K+ rides
🥇Highest month for scooters: 200K+ rides

The City's efforts to make Divvy more affordable & accessible are paying off!
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Aug 30
I would read this so happily
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Reposted by Jesse Orr
mclean.bsky.social
Michael McLean @mclean.bsky.social · Aug 30
Just got the hottest ticket in Chicago

events.bloomberglive.com/event/9d5b2d...
Odd lots event poster
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Aug 30
Hearing everyone who's anyone will be there!
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Aug 30
I remember doing analysis of the tax and I think with those cutoffs you would lose more than 2/3 or more of the revenue.

It was billed as a mansion tax but it was actually just an apartment/office building tax in terms of who paid.
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jessezorr.bsky.social
Jesse Orr @jessezorr.bsky.social · Aug 29
I love it and wish there was more of it in Lincoln Park
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