Daniel Burnham famously said “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will not themselves be realized.” Burnham, co-author of the famous 1909 Plan of Chicago, had a vision for a much grander Chicago. What he probably didn’t forsee was Chicagoan’s fulfilling that vision 100 years later by building massive pieces of public art. The latest iteration of Chicago’s fascination with large public art is located across the street from the iconic Harold Washington Library in Pritzker Park just northwest of the intersection State Street and Van Buren Street. What is it? A three-story tall eye balll, dubbed the EYE.

According to the Department of Transportation, up to $100 million of the $810 million allocation for the Milwaukee to Madison connection could be spent on the high speed rail project by early 2011. These funds will be used to finalize the design and to get construction and upgrading of tracks underway.

Detroit is called the Motor City for a reason. To get a full sense of the city’s sprawling grandeur, as well as the scope of what has been lost, you’ll have to get in a car and drive toward the suburban edge, weaving through the neighborhoods and industrial districts along the way. That said, most of Detroit’s iconic sights and sounds, from the glorious Art Deco skyscrapers to the growing urban farms, can be found within a walkable or bikeable radius of downtown.

Alex Ihnen of UrbanSTL provides an excellent urban tour guide for St. Louis.

First things first… welcome to Columbus! If you’re like most people who live outside of Ohio, you probably know very little about Columbus. I’ve found that actually works in our favor when hosting first-time visitors, as their expectations are a blank slate and it’s not too hard to leave them with a positive impression of our city. We’re home to the Ohio State University, the largest college in the United States, and serve as the capital of Ohio. Despite our location in the heart of the “rust belt”, Columbus was not founded as an industrial town and has managed to continue to grow and thrive. Our citizens are youthful, friendly, humble, creative and welcoming.

Chicago is a summer city. I never understood the desire of some Chicagoans to have a country home or lake home for the summer. A Florida condo in the winter perhaps, but why leave Chicago on the weekends during the short time of the year the weather is nice? Of course, if you’re in Milwaukee, you already get this.

In an attempt to broaden our horizons, we reached out to other city-focused blogs across the Midwest. Our goal is to provide a quality tour guide for city-lovers in each large Midwestern city. We asked each of our writers recommend around 10 things that can be done in their city and to orientate the guide around someone staying at a downtown hotel without a car (including transit options if anything was outside of walking distance).Our second profile is of Pittsburgh

Indianapolis might be one of the most misunderstood Midwestern cities, as most people only associate the City with cars, Colts, and conventions. But dig a little deeper and you’ll discover what makes Indianapolis a true heartland destination: its thriving downtown, unique cultural districts, and beautiful urban neighborhoods

The Congress for the New Urbanism held its 18th annual meeting this year in Atlanta under the title “RX for Healthy Places” (RX referring to the medical terminology for a prescription). The title highlights the impact our built environment has on how we conduct our daily lives and how these patterns have a great effect on human health.

It’s time for a clear brand for high-speed rail in the Midwest. The discussion surrounding the Milwaukee to Madison high-speed rail grant has made the need for a coherent brand clear with people confused if the new train will be a stand-alone route, somehow connected to the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line, similar to the Amtrak Empire Builder, or a competitor to the existing Amtrak Hiawatha line.