The state's first intergenerational cohousing building, designed to mingle families of all ages, is set to break ground this spring in Oak Park.

Why it matters: The development at Carpenter Avenue and Madison Street, called Oak Park Commons, finally brings this eco-conscious, communal living style to the urban Midwest — as opposed to coasts and college towns.

• The intergenerational aspect helps with child care, elder care and promotes "a sense of belonging," organizers say.

What's happening: Ten founding families have already signed up for a condo in the 24-family development, but organizers are seeking at least five more to make the project more economically stable.

• The future tenants will move into the building in summer 2024.

How it works: Applicants accepted to buy a unit in the building must be willing to share resources, living spaces, meal making and chores that help reduce assessment fees.

• Adult tenants should expect to do "8 to 10 hours of work per month," according to the website.

What they're saying: I like "the social aspect and the idea of 'extra good neighbors,'" future tenant Sheila Flaherty tells Axios.

• "An equally appealing factor is living more ecologically responsibly by sharing resources and living in a building with energy-efficient features."

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Today we're starting a feature profiling mayoral hopefuls. We'll ask them to solve the city's biggest issues later. First we want to meet the people behind the policies.

The candidate: Former 6th Ward Alderperson Roderick Sawyer. The son of a Chicago mayor, Sawyer gave up his seat on the council to run for the city's top spot.

🏠 What neighborhoods have you lived in? "I grew up in Park Manor, and I live within walking distance of my childhood home today.

• "I lived in Lincoln Park while I attended DePaul and still love some of the restaurants around there, and I lived in Chatham during and shortly after law school at Chicago-Kent."

🏛 Favorite downtown building: "333 W. Wacker. I worked in that building during law school, and we had access to the basketball court for games almost every day at lunch."

🚗 Dibs: Pro/con? "Con."

🎤 Favorite Chicago music venue: "Back in the day it was Park West. … These days I find myself going to City Winery more often. My son is a hip-hop artist and loves Lincoln Hall and Radius in Pilsen."

📺 Favorite Chicago TV show: "Boss."

🌮 Favorite local taco place: "Maravillas near University of Chicago in Hyde Park and Ta'golazo in South Shore."

Read the full questionnaire

🚒 The massive high-rise fire in Kenwood killed one person and sent nine more to the hospital, including a firefighter. (ABC7)

🚨 The new public safety training academy opened in West Garfield Park. Mayor Lightfoot is celebrating it, even though she once opposed building it. (WTTW)

🎤 Miranda Lambert, The Chainsmokers and The Black Crowes will perform as part of Chicago's NASCAR race weekend this summer. (Tribune)

👋 Hi, it's Justin!

• This week's Test Drive reviews WTTW's flagship public affairs program "Chicago Tonight."

The backstory: The program's start time moved this week from 7pm to 10pm, competing with the other late newscasts.

• For a rabid news viewer like me, this change was like an early Christmas! Could "Chicago Tonight" pry me away from Allison Rosati and Brant Miller's weather photos?

The format: It's not much of a change, just 30 minutes shorter. Hosts Brandis Friedman and Paris Schutz bring us headlines, produced features and panel discussions.

• The pace is slower than the other 10pm newscasts, but also refreshingly free of the usual first 10 minutes of violence porn.

Other highlights: The first night featured an all-star panel of attorney Tom DeVore and state Rep. Bob Morgan arguing over the assault weapons ban.

• A feature on Little Village vendors broke down clearly why it was out of touch for the mayor to suggest they go cashless.

Lowlight: They misspelled "halt" on the screen during one segment. Not a big deal, but we expect that kind of mistake from the folks down the dial, not WTTW.

• Also, no sports stories, which perpetuates the "egghead" vibe on public TV.

Yes, but: The show ends conveniently at 10:27pm, which gives me time to switch over to Jim Rose on ABC-7. Win/win.

The bottom line: I give the experience 📺 📺 📺 📺 (out of five). "Chicago Tonight" is a great local news show and a fine replacement for your favorite 10pm newscast.

• Now would it kill them to feature weather photos? 🤣

🔥 Hot and fresh local job listings.

1. Tax Marketing Leader, Associate Director at EY.
2. Director, Business Development - Digital at Cboe.
3. Director of Food Service Sales – IL Territory at Vienna Beef.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a Job.

When it comes to barbecue, you go to Texas for brisket, North Carolina for pulled pork and Kansas City for a slab.

• But in Chicago we don't need those fancy cuts. We take the chewy cartilaginous ends of the rib rack, known as tips, and turn them into gold — often paired with a side of juicy links.

Monica's pick: When Miles Lemons opened the first Lem's in the early '50s, he introduced these luscious nubbins to customers, and the rest is history.

• Today his niece Carmen Lemons proudly carries on the tradition with my favorite version at Lem's BBQ on 75th.
• A small order ($13.75) comes with fries, bread and sauce.

Justin's pick: Can I admit that I don't like rib tips as much as Monica does? But I'll eat them! Which I did at Soul and Smoke in Avondale.

• You can get a pound ($13.25) or a much more manageable half-pound ($7), and sit outside on the fantastic deck at Metropolitan Brewing along the river.

Where do you get your rib tips? Email us your favorites and we'll put the list together for next week.