The Times Takes on Harper Court

For all those invested in the success of Harper Court, there's sure to be broad smiles and even a few high-fives following the supreme validation of yesterday's New York Times feature. As with many of their Chicago treatments, the Times doesn't reveal much of anything new but it does sit down with some of the project's head honchos for some rumination on the future of Hyde Park and the rebuilding of its "downtown". The consensus is that the area is severely under-retailed. David Greene, an executive VP at U of C, tells the Times, "we want to be able to catalyze development and then get out and let the markets do the work." He also adds that "over the years and particularly in the 1950s and '60s, there was a lot of development aimed at creating a barrier around the campus. We're now trying to reverse that trend." But, of course, it's also about polishing Hyde Park's image for prospective students. [NYT, previously]