'Superdorm' alters traffic flow

The city of Chicago, working with Chicago police, community groups and area university officials, is in the process of revamping traffic flows around the University Center of Chicago, otherwise known as the "Superdorm."

The plans are part of a series of changes that are taking place in the South Loop as a result of the expected mid-August opening of the 461-unit building, which will house more than 1,600 students from Columbia, DePaul and Roosevelt universities on the southeast corner of Congress Parkway and State Street.
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Panel eyes sky, city to protect birds
Designers and scientists suggest altering architecture and dimming lights

Organizations around Chicago are working together to improve city conditions for some of its most overlooked residents and visitors-birds.

A panel of architects and ecologists from various groups met on April 6 at the Daley Bicentennial Plaza, 337 E. Randolph St., to share ideas about how to make Chicago a more desirable environment for the species of birds that call the city home and those that pass through during migration seasons.
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Commuters rely on trains despite terror warnings

Terrorism hasn't deterred city residents from riding Chicago's public transportation, even if some admit that it's on their minds as they climb aboard trains and buses for their daily commute.

Despite warnings from government officials earlier this month that terrorists could target public transportation systems in major U.S. cities, commuters who talked to The Chronicle don't seem to be worried.
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Wrigley Field goes down in Chicago, MLB history
City landmarks parts of the "Friendly Confines" amidst MLB opposition

This could be the year Cubs fans have been waiting for. If off-season lineup changes pay off, it could mean an end to the "loveable losers" tradition.

But, with all the changes to the Cubs organization, there's one tradition that won't change: Fans will still be able to sit out in the Wrigley Field bleachers with a can of Old Style in hand.
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U.S. Senate candidate Obama's credentials, ideals prove popular

As Democrats across the nation eagerly search for a party victory on the presidential level, Barack Obama, the Illinois Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, could be key in creating a Democratic power shift in the U.S. Senate-regardless of who wins the presidential election.

Obama, a 42-year-old African-American state senator from Hyde Park, beat six competitors in the March 16 primary election with an overwhelming 54 percent of the vote, setting himself up as one of the most visible and hopeful figures in Democratic politics nationwide.
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White Palace says no to big business
Restaurant owner's peers salute him for standing up to area developers

The White Palace at 1159 S. Canal St., sits on coveted property. The area around Roosevelt Road and Canal Street is in the middle of a construction frenzy for big name companies that want to be among the first to invest in the future of the burgeoning South Loop. Unfortunately for them, the owner of the White Palace Grill is more interested in its own history.

The White Palace Grill has been open 24/7 since 1939. After purchasing the property in 2000 for $600,000, owner George Liakopoulos restored the diner. It thrives especially as a breakfast and lunch spot, serving greasy spoon favorites such as burgers and grits.
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