I live in the city and work in the city. I've been completely car-free for 15 years. All I own are drop bar bikes. Even my winter bike, drop bars and studded snow tires.

Part of it is that I'm unaturally fond of my STI levers and close-ratio cassettes. Part of it is that, while Chicago has the reputation, all cities on the shores of Great Lakes are windy--especially downtown where it whips around the skyscrapers. And part of it is the aesthetic.

It's all personal preference. If you love drop bars (or just plain like them) then there's no reason you can't use them on a commuter. If you prefer something else, then that's what you should use.