The Cooleys worked very hard and took a lot of risks in the renovation projects they have successfully undertaken in Corktown, but they are one family of the many groups and individuals that fought imposing odds for the survival of the neighborhood. I learned about Corktown because of the growing popularity of the train station as a site for urban exploration, and I moved to the neighborhood in April of 2005--before Slow's opened, for what it's worth! :P
The Cooleys work extremely hard for Corktown, but they are part of a constellation of neighbors that have made the area what it is. If Slow's Barbecue is sometimes given disproportionate credit as "THE" reason for Corktown's success, I wonder if it's because Corktown's CDC imploded not long after Slow's opened, and the Cooleys filled in that leadership gap.
Well stated. They deserve every reward and accolade they have earned, even if excessive. They took a venue with no parking in a scary part of town that everybody declared absurd, turned it into a huge success, revived a dead zone of Michigan Avenue and energized Corktown.