Why a fortress? And why at Harry's old boarding house location?

[peregrine]

Jim could have written it to show how much Harry has lost and things have changed since he was gone.  Marcone's reasons need not be elaborated because it's not really up to him, it's up to Jim.

Plus, again, suddenly available land relatively central in Chicago that most people in the know can find.

[groinkick]

Jim could have written it to show how much Harry has lost and things have changed since he was gone.  Marcone's reasons need not be elaborated because it's not really up to him, it's up to Jim.

Plus, again, suddenly available land relatively central in Chicago that most people in the know can find.

The location could have just as easily become a parking lot to show the change.  Marcone is filthy rich, he could have built anywhere.  The location itself had meaning.  Jim said he's a lazy writer and anything he puts in the books are there for a reason.  Marcone building there isn't a little thing, it's meaningful.

Heck it could be something as simple as there was something left behind that Harry will want, or need.  Marcone having put down there will require a favor if Harry wants it back.  Harry will know to go to Marcone because he built there, and Marcone won't have to tip his hand until Harry needs whatever it is.

[peregrine]

You think that a parking lot being developed is going to have the same emotional impact as the place Harry used to live being suddenly replaced, and owned by the mortal he is about most antagonistic with?

[Wizard Sibelis]

The location could have just as easily become a parking lot to show the change.  Marcone is filthy rich, he could have built anywhere.  The location itself had meaning.  Jim said he's a lazy writer and anything he puts in the books are there for a reason.  Marcone building there isn't a little thing, it's meaningful.

Heck it could be something as simple as there was something left behind that Harry will want, or need.  Marcone having put down there will require a favor if Harry wants it back.  Harry will know to go to Marcone because he built there, and Marcone won't have to tip his hand until Harry needs whatever it is.

Little Chicago anyone lol? Though I do think the earlier connections around Harry's apartment being a brighter Chicago and the 'vibe' of good guy haunts is the more direct reasoning overall.

[Cozarkian]

Chicago is Marcone's territory and with Harry gone, Marcone needs something to fill the void and defend his territory from supernatural threats. Also, Marcone might not like Harry, but he respected Harry.  Building the fortress on Harry's old home was a sign of respect (plus, he wanted to see if he could learn any of Harry's secrets).

[UncommonSense]

Chances are that Little Chicago melted in the fire, pewter has a low melt point, and Marcone wouldn’t be able to glean much from it I agree, though, that Marcone likely built on the spot to show that Chicago is still Protected. That goes hand in hand with his claim of Chicago as it’s Baron.

[Wizard Sibelis]

actually now, I looked at LC through the sieve of generational cycles and repeating events and realized the one thing shown that matches what LC seemed to do, is the stone table actually. It contains the meta connection to our planet's seasonal powers and overlays Chicago perfectly.. I doubt Chekov's gun just disappeared never to be seen again... Hell considering it's use as a time travel device I simply disbelieve the thing is actually any more gone than Justin is Ded.

[morriswalters]

LC appears to have been a literary blind alley. I think JB considered it deadwood, like Harry's apt. The fire had been telegraphed earlier as a major risk.  LC itself was set up as time consuming to maintain. The apt. had to go. 

Harry no longer has a home.  JB has created a dilemma.  Harry wants to raise Maggie, but what father in his right mind would do so on the island.  Maybe Harry will deal for the castle.   As described it would make a great Wizards lair. Maybe a condo on the 4th floor.  Marcone won't hurt kids and he might be open to the idea given sufficient incentives.  JB pointed out through Butters that there is a daycare on the premises.  With Harry there,  Maggie is safe from attack through the NN.  The warriors in the basement provide muscle against more straightforward attacks.

I don't believe it, but it makes a certain sense.  And who built it?  Maybe the Svartalves?  Which would explain the speed at which it was built.  If so then the castle could be shielded against magic.  Which would mean Maggie doesn't have to live in a cold water flat.  And Harry could have a hot shower.

[Avernite]

And Harry could have a hot shower.

That should exclude the possibility all by itself

[raidem]

I actually think it may have something to do with Mrs. Spunklecrief and who she is.  I like to think she has Fae roots herself.  In fact, I have some weird theory that she might be the abdicated Mother Summer or something like that.  If true, then it wouldn't just be Harry's presence within the apartment that made that location important, or Lea's protective precautions for it within the NN due to her obligations to Harry via deal made with his mother, it could possibly be some sort of power remnant from Mrs. Spunklecrief having resided there.

[Wizard Sibelis]

realistically, the fire would have collapsed the basement but the subbasement was another good ten feet of concrete deeper. No reasoning for a fire to burn that far down really, it wouldn't have the air to breath down there either. The idea we're supposed to accept it's loss is ludicrous when you consider the bomb shelter that is Harry's laboratory. Then marcone moves in upstairs and adds layers upon layers of stone to it? You know why stone is a thing right, for castles? It doesn't burn lol!
Nobody looks doyalist anymore or what lol?
Also he had an actual hatch to his basement, not just a cover for it, it's not like the undertown mysteriously stopped being a thing after that the Chicago fire lol, It became the thing!
Bomb shelters tend to not overheat and break... no real wreckage down below.

[morriswalters]

Water flows downhill and the basement would have been a lake, and concrete gets weak if it gets hot enough.  The house would have collapsed into the basement. All in all, in the real world it would be gone.  Of course this isn't the real world.  But the table and the model would have been destroyed when the wreckers took out the debris. The pieces would have ended up in a landfill.  LC is gone unless it was rescued by a time traveler when the house got lit off, or someone crossed over from faerie.

[Kindler]

Come to think of it, wouldn't burning Little Chicago have released all the stored up energy inside? Wouldn't that be equivalent to detonating several kilotons of TNT? I mean, Vittorio's little gauntlet was set on fire, and that exploded violently. The description of Little Chicago's energy reservoir leads me to believe it's exponentially larger and more potent. Hm.

Mostly, I think LC had to go for plot reasons; it was simultaneously important for Harry to do a few things, but arguably too powerful to keep around. With enough practice, Harry wouldn't need to go running around every chapter to hunt down clues. It's similar to why he can't use computers or cell phones (plot-wise, not in-universe).

[Cozarkian]

Come to think of it, wouldn't burning Little Chicago have released all the stored up energy inside? Wouldn't that be equivalent to detonating several kilotons of TNT? I mean, Vittorio's little gauntlet was set on fire, and that exploded violently. The description of Little Chicago's energy reservoir leads me to believe it's exponentially larger and more potent. Hm.

Water (from fire sprinklers or hydrant) would have grounded out any stored energy.

[Wizard Sibelis]

Water (from fire sprinklers or hydrant) would have grounded out any stored energy.

It's an underground lab, it might turn into a lake, but it would never be running water over Lab, part of the beauty of a trap door and narrow entry way. it funnels, and LC wasn't directly underneath it.