The Michigan Avenue Underground

As part of the plan to ease traffic congestion in the downtown area, the civic authorities came up with the idea to build a series of "sub-streets" near the Chicago River, at the point where Michigan Avenue crosses it. Approximately 3 blocks of Michigan and 10 blocks of Wacker Drive, as well as several other smaller streets, were subdivided into lower and upper levels.
Unfortunately, Chicago's penchant for urban crime gave the lower streets a bad reputation, and the area had an aura of decay from the very beginning. The overhead streets cast shadows on the lower ones, making it as dark as night on Michigan and Wacker. Busy lining its own pockets, the city government couldn't spare the money to replace the street lights. Because of all of this, very few cars chose to take the lower route. Lack of traffic justified lack of repairs, and more money was able to flow into the pockets of corrupt officials.
However, "The Underground", as this area quickly became known, did have one redeeming feature: its overhead protection and proximity to the basement levels of the buildings ensured that it always stayed a few degrees warmer than the rest of the city throughout the harsh Chicago winters. Because of this, the city's homeless population soon began sleeping beside the roads.
The area has settled into its decay. Many of the streetlights don't work, as the city daren't send down repair crews, so the area is in perpetual night.The lack of traffic has led to cardboard houses being built in the middle of the roads, sometimes ending as mausoleums for their unfortunate owners. The Chicago PD come down here once a month to "clean up", but will only do so in squads of ten or more.
On the rare occasion that traffic does drive through, the poor lighting conditions and debris in the road mean it has to slow down. Dozens of panhandlers and window-washers lay siege to any car foolish enough to pass, and winding down a window to hand out money is an invitation to trouble. Those that do not, however, may find their car flipped over by the enraged homeless.
Ironically, this area serves as a kind of Vampiric "gas station". The bums and winos are noticeably weaker after any major Kindred conflicts. Many Kindred will stop here for a quick bite if Vitae is not readily available elsewhere, or if their situation is desperate enough. Naturally, nobody will admit to stooping so low as to feed here, but most Vampires of Chicago will have dined here at least once or twice.

Type

Street

Parent Location

The Barrens