You heard it here folks. Back during the debates, our alderman stated that there would be a "community process" for whatever takes place at Maryville Academy at Montrose and Clarendon. Let's hold her to it. Isn't YouTube great?
UCC contends that the expert testimony and accompanying appraisal presented as evidence at the ZBA hearing on February 15th were inherently flawed - and should not be considered in determining whether to grant the special use permit to Labor Ready.
Chicago real estate appraiser Terry O'Brien was hired by Labor Ready to evaluate the proposed office location at 4830 N Sheridan - and the surrounding community - and to provide an "expert opinion" regarding the criteria which must be satisfied when a company requests a special use permit. He was professionally obliged to attest that the special use would:
* Not have a significant adverse impact on the general welfare of the neighborhood or community.
* Promote pedestrian safety and comfort.
* Be compatible with the character of the surrounding area.
According to Terry O'Brien's appraisal report, "It is my professional opinion that the granting of a Special Use for the utilization of the subject property for a Day Labor Employment Agency fulfills all the General Criteria set forth in the Zoning Ordinance. It is in keeping with the character and/or trend of development in the area and will not have an adverse impact upon the value of the surrounding real estate."
Terry O'Brien defined the local neighborhood and community as the properties from Weiss Plaza to the Sheridan Grande - as well as the Boys and Girls Club across the street. He omitted from his description of the community: McCutcheon Elementary School, Buttercup Playlot, St Thomas of Canterbury Grammar School and the single family homes on Castlewood - as well as the broader neighborhood outside of a 250' radius. We believe this was done intentionally so that Terry O'Brien could arrive at the opinion that there would be NO significant adverse impact.
UCC asserts that unbiased appraisers looking at all the properties within the notice area - and in the surrounding blocks - could not have rendered favorable expert opinions.
UCC has filed written objections with his professional association (the Appraisal Institute) as well as with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Both organizations have complaint review processes and can impose disciplinary measures.
We are soliciting contributions for the Labor Ready litigation fund. The Uptown Chicago Commission is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and donations can be itemized on personal tax returns. Please mail your contributions to us at the address below. And thank you for your continuing support toward improving the quality of life in Uptown.
(From a Community E-mail Alert)
Neighbors,
This afternoon I spoke with police officers on the street about the
robbery last night, specifically about the inability for squad cars
to get through the barrier at the end of Castlewood. I remember that the north gap used to be wide enough to drive through and indeed, the officer said it used to be, but the post was now closer to the fence. Perhaps we need it moved a little to open up the gap again?
Also: The officers said that they think the same teenagers committed a similar robbery on Ainslie on Sunday and TODAY on Gunnison in the afternoon. There were 4 teens that robbed someone around 3:30 (IIRC) on Gunnison dressed the same way - in black hooded jackets and/or ski-masks that they used to conceal their faces from their victims. Four individuals, not two. Is this getting to be a popular pastime? Since this seems to be a pattern, I think it's fair that if we see 2 or more teens dressed in black jackets with hoods walking on our street we should immediately call police. Whatever time of day, but particularly in the afternoon and early evening. Let the police sort it out. I know that they can use the extra eyes. They are actively looking for these individuals so they will be answering calls in the neighborhood very quickly.
*****************************************
COUPLE ROBBED ON CASTLEWOOD
Hi,
Thanks for passing on the latest crime problems. We also had a couple who was robbed on Castlewood 2 days ago. Like you I am concerned on the sudden upswing of crime in our area.
The above photo shows the Wilson L auxiliary entrance on August 1, 1946. The lower photo shows how this entrance looks today. Notice the building on the right still remains, thankfully.
The facade was built to match the neighboring McJunkin building but was demolished in the mid 1950s to allow for the driveway to the back portion of the McJunkin building seen on the left in the current-day photo.
(photo above: Charles E. Keevil photo, Walter R. Keevil Collection, and Krambles-Peterson Archive)
Update: We added another photo, (top) that shows the Wilson L auxiliary entrance in 1918, before the facade was added to mimic the McJunkin building. They are now in chronological order. As you can see, even this old entrance is an improvement over what we have today.
One year ago, park goers reported this dangerous, 4-foot-deep sink hole in Uptown’s Clarendon Park to the City and Park District. They received an orange cone.
Over the winter, the orange cone disappeared into the abyss and snow drifts covered the hole.
This Spring, the dangerous 4-foot-deep sink hole reemerged from beneath the thawing snow. Park goers again reported the sink hole. They received another orange cone.
Upon further inspection, we see an arched metal structure down that hole. Park goers surmise that this is either:
1. A “spider hole” where Alderman Helen Shiller hides from Uptown block clubs
2. Blighted underground infrastructure (dare we say water pipes or sewers?) such as those which justified the Wilson Yard TIF, but which $43 Million and 8 years have not fixed. Instead our TIF funds, which are supposed to be used to fix that blight, have been diverted to pay for non-blight projects including
a. 2 low-income housing high rises, which are noble causes, but which the City and State should pay for out of their own budgets.
b. A CTA Park-&-Ride Facility – which brings nothing but traffic congestion to our Uptown neighborhood
c. A City College Parking garage so that students – not from our TIF neighborhood - can drive to school and park for free.
For you disbelievers, go to Google Maps, type in "748 West Montrose Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60640”, and choose the “Street Views” photo. There you can view last year’s orange cone.
Have a cone and watch where you walk.
The Sun-Times' blog "The Ride" has a recap on the massive restoration that's coming to the Grand and State station. In part, it reads:
Want to weigh in on our beloved, decrepit, ceiling-falling-in, poorly laid out, local Wilson el stop? Let 'em know!On Wednesday, the Chicago Department of Transportation gave details of a $67 million project to upgrade the Grand and State subway station.
Certainly the Grand and State station is dingy and dimly lit. But do other stations need the rehab more?
Floyd Long in the Sun-Times story commented that other stations, particularly on the Green Line, could use the money more. What do Ride readers think? Can you think of some grungy stations in need of a serious makeover?
A frequent reader of Uptown Update has decided to branch off into the blogging world as well. His blog is entitled, "The Butternut Connection" and from his own description it will be his experience in Uptown as well as random thoughts about gaming, technology, music, politics, and anything else he finds interesting or important. Check it out here folks. We will also link to it on the right.
We found a Zoning Change sign posted on a lamp pole located east of the McDonalds and north of the Grasmere Nursing Home at 4621 N. Sheridan. (sigh, …but no signs posted 2 blocks west on Winthrop). (sigh, …but no mention by our alderman at our community meeting 4 days ago.)
In this photo, 4649 N. Winthrop is the taller, yellow building to the left. Per a local Truman Square neighbor, the adjacent, shorter yellow building was purchased by the same buyer recently. While we’re at it, the red buildings are CHA scattered site townhomes. Across the street at 4628-34 North Winthrop Avenue , is the soon-to-be-developed UpCorp Park, the Taxpayer funded Open Space that really isn’t a park. (See November “Taxpayer Park” posts).
PUBLIC NOTICE:
File No. A-7369 Zoning Amendment
4649 N. Winthrop
On 03-12-2008 an application was filed by the … Alderman…to
Change B3-3 Community Shopping District to RT-4 Residential Two-Flat, Townhome and Multi-Unit District.
Contact: … the alderman…
Another overflowing dumpster in Uptown! Where’s it at this time?
This non-compliant mess is located where it is overlooked by 3 government-funded, low income housing complexes:
The CHA scattered-site townhomes, (850 W. Windsor) ; the Uptown Preservation Apartments (Wilson TIF funded at 900 West Windsor), and the Wilson Care Nursing Home (4544 N. Hazel).
Question: Who could be so thoughtless and uncaring as to make these poor people look at their refuse?
Answer: The Chicago Department of Public Health. This unshielded and overflowing dumpster is located behind its Uptown Neighborhood Health Center Clinic at 845 West Wilson.
If this makes you mad, just tell Commissioner Terry Mason, by calling 312-747-9872. or by email him at Mason_Terry@CDPH.org.
There will be a Full Closure of Montrose Avenue from 1118 to 1038 W. Montrose Ave. from 6am-12pm on Sunday, March 30, 2008, for CTA El track repairs. No through traffic will be allowed during this time. Full access will be restored at noon on Sunday, March 30th.
A reader sent in the following sad news about an Uptown business:
"Our beloved Thai Grocery at 5014 N. Broadway is closing for retirement on April 29, 2008. This favorite of hungry locals, Thai immigrants, foodies, yelp, and local and national food columnists has been a staple on Argyle in Uptown’s New Chinatown area for 34 years. For authentic Thai food, this was the place to go for authentic ingredients and cooked carry-outs from the back counter. We’ll miss you little one."
By Mary Wisniewski
Chicago Sun-Times
The dingy and dimly lit L station at Grand and State is getting a $67 million face-lift, which will include new tiles, new lighting and a 2,000-square-foot expansion of the mezzanine.
The renovation is the first major update since the station was built in 1943. The design will be similar to previous Red Line subway station renovations at Chicago, Lake and Jackson.
The Chicago Department of Transportation wants to complete the work by early 2010. Federal money will cover about 80 percent of the cost, with about $1.4 million from the city and state funds making up the rest.
The Grand station is the Red Line’s ninth busiest, with more than 8,000 passengers a day. The upgrades will include new granite floors and stairs, three new elevators and a new escalator.
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An astute reader alerted us to this "Chicagoist" poster who calls herself "This is Awkward" and says that she lives in Andersonville and works for "one of your local Aldermen/women."
Read her thoughts on graffiti below:
"This thread is obviously spinning on way too long, but I'd like to say something in defense, if I may. Its interesting that you, among other people assume that Artillery606 and the other graffiti defenders here are:
Not property owners
Young people
Do not have steady jobs
Do not have respect for the city/property/law
Just because someone doesn't fit into your narrow model of a citizen doesn't mean ANY of the above are true. For example, I can tell you that Artillery606 has a great and respectable job, is an old fart, and is not on part with rapists and other felony offenders.
Many graffiti artists have lucrative (read respectable) gallery careers among other things. They do way more art than you can imagine. Maybe they do stuff just as great as your precious Banksy you saw in your Urban Outfitters graf book. You're all so quick to assume a tag is just a scribble from a 14 year old lame brain.
People think that their "property rights" are so holy. Well for all of us who feel their neighborhoods, cities, blocks, universe has been taken over by 35 year old white property owners, some of us are trying to take it back.
So much of graffiti is about reclaiming space. Ever considered why some people REALLY might do it?"
Courtesy News-Star:
Christie Hahn, the new executive director for Business Partners, The Chamber of Uptown, featured in this week's "Five Minutes With," revealed plans for a new digital gateway that will be launched on the organization's Web site in early summer at www.uptownbusinesspartners.com.
"It will be the digital front door for Uptown, with lots of information for business and restaurants," the effervescent Hahn said.
This is good news for Uptown, considering that the neighborhood chamber's digital gateway probably won't smell of urine like Uptown's other gateway, the Wilson Avenue CTA El Station.
Courtesy News-Star:
Truman College is to be commended for pulling together two community meetings to discuss its plans for a new parking structure and student services center. Truman has demonstrated a forthrightness that is sorely lacking in the 46th Ward.
All of the college's intentions in staging these meetings are admirable and the college should be thanked for sharing information with the community. Unfortunately, 46th Ward Ald.Helen Shiller and other city officials, particularly those from the city's Department of Planning and Development, still don't get it.
The only problem with Monday evening's meeting at Truman College was the pent-up frustration that many Uptown residents feel over the lack of community input into the planning process.
Planning for Truman's new parking garage and student services center should have taken place in a smaller setting. Instead of two large community meetings, there should have been several smaller meetings. The block clubs closest to the college should have been included early on in the planning process.
Residents could have asked their questions then about garage security, interruption from construction, access and new traffic patterns, not when plans for the project are almost completed. Perhaps then, Monday's meeting would have been a slam-dunk for Truman.
The residents attending Monday night's meeting had a right to ask why $10 million in TIF money has been proposed to foot part of the costs for a tax-exempt city college. After all, it's their money.
These residents deserve better than an alderman who chooses to put in a rare community appearance, and then pretends to not understand why her constituents are angry and frustrated.
While we recognize the need for a new building at Truman College so it can continue growing as a city college of choice, we believe that some of the proposed $10 million in TIF funding could have gone to refurbishing the existing Wilson El Station or toward construction of two new stations as CTA President Ron Huberman proposed Monday evening.
As one resident put it during the meeting, when do residents who have already given up so much take priority?
We urge Truman to come up with a plan for neighbors to benefit from its new parking garage during off-school hours. Nearby residents can use the garage on snowy winter days, for overnight guests, or on afternoons when Cubs fans invade neighborhood streets looking for free street parking so they can ride the El to Wrigley Field.
We understand Truman's dilemma in trying to solve its parking issues and urge the school to look for incentives in inducing more staff, faculty and students to not use the garage by taking mass transit or finding alternative modes of transportation.
While we believe college officials when they say they want to be good neighbors, we hope that whatever plan Truman comes up with for its parking garage also considers those who are helping to foot the bill-the residents who live within the Wilson Yard TIF District.
By Lorraine Swanson, Editor, News-Star
More than 100 information-starved Uptown residents crammed into the Kinetic Playground at 1113 W. Lawrence Ave. to hear updates on various developments happening around the neighborhood.
The March 19 community meeting was sponsored by the Uptown Neighborhood Council, a grassroots organization formed in 2003 to give residents and business owners a greater voice in development in their neighborhood.
"This is a community meeting to talk about all the good changes happening in Uptown," UNC president Katharine Boyda said. "All too often we focus on the things that aren't happening."
The "W" word-Wilson Yard-the stalled development on the site of a former CTA maintenance barn that burned down in 1996 and has remained empty ever since despite a $43 million injection of public TIF money, was off limits.
Only when Chicago Department of Transportation project manager Lynn Hollenberg mentioned that "Target was coming" did the audience burst into laughter. The retail giant has yet to make a formal announcement about whether it still plans to anchor the 200,000plus-square-foot development.
Asked where she had heard that Target was coming, Hollenberg said, "around the office."
Continue Reading:
By Lorraine Swanson, Editor, News-Star
A community meeting hosted by Truman College to unveil its revised plans for a new parking garage and student services center ended in a bare-knuckled battle of the wits between residents and Ald. Helen Shiller, 46th Ward.
More than 100 residents packed Truman's cafeteria at the community meeting on Monday night, which featured an all-star lineup that included CTA President Ron Huberman; Lynn Walker, Truman's acting president, and other officials from the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, and the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The revised plans culminated from a community meeting held last summer. The college is planning to add a building on its campus at 1145 W. Wilson Ave. that will include a nine-level parking garage for students and faculty, along with a student services center that will house the college's administrative departments, financial aid office and tutoring services.
Seven levels of the complex will be located toward the back of the structure underneath the CTA train tracks to buffer it from the campus and surrounding neighborhood. The top portion of the structure will extend toward the college's existing buildings, with two additional levels of parking and the student services center. The structure will provide 1,136 parking spaces.
Walker said that Truman has the most students of the city's seven community colleges, serving 15,000 students annually in its college credit and continuing education programs.
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23rd District Police Beat
courtesy Inside Online:
Drive-by shooting in Uptown
A victim, 24, standing on 800 block of W. Sunnyside Avenue with several others March 13 was approached by a green or turquoise minivan at 8 p.m.
The driver-side rear passenger door opened and a gunner opened fire shooting off five rounds with a handgun.
The victim then realized he was shot and flagged down a car. He entered this car along with a man, 21, a woman, 24, and another male, 16, who were with him.
That car was then pulled over by police. The shooting victim was then taken to hospital.
Officer bit
A reputed member of the Insane Mafia Vice Lord street gang, 25, was arrested for biting a police officer on the 900 block of W. Montrose Avenue March 3.
The offender, of the 1400 block of N. Larrabee Street, was observed leaving “a known drug house” after walking in and out for only one minute. He was approached by two officers for an interview and they saw his right hand clenched tightly and then placed into his pocket. The officers asked him to remove his hand from his pocket and he refused. The officers then grabbed his hand, pulled it out of his pocket, a small bag of marijuana was observed and he was placed into custody. As one of the officers unzipped the man’s coat, he bit him on the hand and the officer elbowed him in the face. He was charged with aggravated battery and possession of cannabis.
Stabbing
A stabbing occurred March 7 at 8:35 p.m. on the 4400 block of W. Sheridan Road. A woman, 32, entered a building with a key through the rear entrance. The victim, 42, has told her not to come there in the past. He confronted the woman and told her to leave while standing near the elevator with family members. She tried to walk around him and get in the elevator. He blocked the way. She then became irate, started screaming obscenities, pulled out a key, cell phone and a knife and stabbed the man in the hand causing redness and swelling.
The woman then ran out the door, threw the key to the ground and fled down Sheridan. Officers chased her down and she resisted arrest flailing her arms. She continued screaming at police and then said she was pregnant and wanted medical attention, was taken to Thorek Hospital and then refused treatment. The woman later apologized.
Pick-pocket hits train
A pick-pocket struck on a CTA train March 10 on the 1100 block of W. Lawrence. Money was taken from a victim’s pocket.
Cars stolen
Several cars were stolen recently. One motor vehicle parked on the street was stolen March 16 on the 3600 block of N. Wilton Avenue. A 2002 Red Ford focus was stolen on the 900 block of W. Lawrence March 13. Another vehicle was stolen on the 1000 block of W. Buena Avenue March 13 and a 2000 Z3 was stolen March 13 on the 900 block of Roscoe St.
Also, a 1999 White QX4 parked on the street was stolen March 14 on the 500 block of W. Wellington Avenue. A silver S40 parked on the street was taken March 13 on the 2900 block of Lake Shore Drive.
Hospital theft
A woman was arrested for theft under $300 at a hospital on the 800 block of Irving Park Road March 5 at 3 p.m.
If you haven't had a chance to check out Annoyance Theatre at 4830 N. Broadway, we highly recommend it. Here is a synopsis of their latest feature, "Bear Force One." Clever indeed.
The Annoyance pays gay homage to the classic Harrison Ford thriller “Air Force One” with “Bear Force One.”
After a series of unexpected assassinations, Buck Marshall, Secretary of Agriculture, and ninth in line for the Presidency, finds himself the first gay “bear” President of the United States. Like his chest, the world he steps into is quite hairy. The Pope has just been taken prisoner after his crack terrorist organization, the CCD, assassinated the last 8 Presidents in order to bring a message of decency back to the world.
All Buck wants to do is escape to Key West with his “First Cub,” daughter India-China, and his newly assembled queer cabinet. But as he boards “Air Force One” for some R & R, the CCD have plans of their own!
“Bear Force One” is directed by veteran director of Boston’s Improv Assylum, Leah Gotcsik. The show was written by the cast. The cast includes veteran performers from the The Annoyance, iO, GayCo, and The Second City.
Friday | 8:00PM | $15, call 773-561-HONK to order tickets.
Another Uptown resident is entering the blogosphere with the "Chicago Uptown Crime Blotter" blog. According to the blog, "This is not a comprehensive listing of all criminal activity in the Uptown area. It is a diary of what I hear when I am home and listening to my police scanner."
Bravo to you. We will add a link off on the right so you can track crime according to his police scanner.
A reader just alerted us to this handy google map they created, showing all the police beats in Uptown, and the recent shootings. Sadly, we fear this map will have to be updated even more in the coming weeks. Check it out here.
By Greg Hinz/ Crain's Chicago Business
So, your little community group wants to put its two cents in at the local park?
You and each of your buddies will have to submit to a criminal background check — and fill out a detailed application that includes work and evening phone numbers for three non-family personal references.
Any money you raise for that new swing set must be approved in advance by the Chicago Park District, which retains the right to spend the money on something besides swings.
And forget about publicity. All interviews with TV, newspaper or radio reporters are strictly prohibited.
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Just wanted to give you a heads up and hope that you can share it with the community for their safety.
At approximately 3:00 p.m. this afternoon a resident of 4920 N. Marine Drive was approached by 5 young African-American men with stockings covering the lower half of their face. One of them was carrying a gun and demanded money from the resident. When she refused and told them to leave her alone, another one yelled at her "give him the money lady!" She proceeded into her building and closed the door behind her. She then called 911 and filed a police report and notified the management office of Shoreline Park. The resident is shaken but was unharmed.
It seems as though spring has sprung and the youth are out and about and creating trouble.
Please use caution in the area and if you see something, say something!
Thanks,
William Schendel
President, Shoreline Park Condominium Association
Uptown Updaters noticed this grey Jaguar sporting Illinois Senate District 17 plates parked on Marine at Montrose today at 10:30.
First, we wonder what we pay our State Senators these days.
Second, we hope the esteemed South Side Senator did not step into the plops left by the two persons who’ve camped adjacent to the park in the white van and black Buick for the past five months (which police and shelter services ignore)
Third, we pray for appropriations for new Wilson and Lawrence Avenue bridges.
A reader sent in this information:
Raphael Valderrama, a prostitute, performed sex acts on the 11-acre Disney Magnet School Campus, immediately outside the school’s windows and in full view of students, for over 9 months, while the 23rd Police District refused to act. To protect students, teachers were forced to hold coats and blankets to cover windows as children passed through the school’s glass-walled halls. Despite pleas from CAP’s Beat Facilitator, School Council Representatives, the school principle, and Buena Park Neighbors, the police refused to act. In community meetings, Alderwoman, Helen Shiller, demanded that the police respect transsexuals and sex industry workers rights and leave him alone. School representatives maintained that Valderrama’s behavior suggested that he was a threat to children and installed electric door locks and a “front-only” entrance policy at the school.
As anticipated, Mr.Valderrama found a child to assault. The child was a stepbrother, from his estranged mother’s recent marriage. Mr.Valderrama visited his mother and asked that he be allowed to take his new step brother for the day to get to know him. Mr. Valderrama took his step-brother to his 4035 N. Sheridan home, a building known to house prostitution. At that location he sodomized, mutilated and murdered the child; wrapped the body in black garbage sacks; and tossed it down an air shaft.
Over seventy persons appeared at the next CAPS meeting demanding accountability. Clarence Woods, a Department of Human Relations mediator chosen by the Alderman, formed a CAPS committee by public election. The Open Meetings Act was violated when the elected community representatives were forcibly ejected from the first committee meeting by Police Commander De Lopez and 4 officers. Community members were told to leave the premises because they were being replaced by other residents who lived closer to the crime scene. Ejected community member, Pam Merema, recognized the replacements as members of Alderman Shiller’s staff.
CAPS beat facilitators, Pam Merema and Katherine Nathan, filed complaints with the CAPS program alleging the Community had been eliminated from Community Policing. Ted O’Keefe, Chicago’s CAPS project manager, directed 23rd District Commander De Lopez to apologize to Ms. Merema and Ms. Nathan. The committee meetings were never re-instituted and police accountability ever occurred.
Has an artist like "Christo," who famously wraps buildings in plastic started an exhibit in Uptown near Sheridan and Wilson? We aren't sure, but we are sure of one thing, it looks awful. Call 311 folks.
The impossible was seen today in the near western suburb of Hillside. A sign on an undeveloped lot announcing a Target (SuperTarget, to be exact) that will be opening next year.
Sierra Realty Advisors, the developer, even has a web page created for this development. This is a PDF of the developer's brochure.
Maybe Sierra would consider speaking to Holsten Management about how to get Target to announce a future store opening. Maybe Sierra knows how to build developments that attract retailers since that is their expertise. Target apparently doesn't always behave bizarrely.
Check out Holsten's website for a comparison of the Wilson Yard project.
Maybe someday Uptown will see the impossible. For now, we have an empty lot.
Update: Another reader sent in pictures of the same scene, taken at 4:30 this afternoon. How long was that van there today? Let's see, we've got construction trash on the sidewalk, a dumpster in a spot marked "reserved for the handicapped," graffiti on the dumpster, and - oh yeah - a van and trailer parked on the sidewalk in a retail corridor. Way to go!
A reader writes in:
At 7:50pm I went to get some soda at JJ Peppers with my father.
While he was standing outside, 5 shots were fired at Sheridan and Lawrence. They hit a man.
There were a ton of gang bangers and all the "know" drug dealers were there!
A reader writes in:
"Thought you might like to take a look at why we are wasting over $50 million in taxpayer money on a parking facility for a school with declining enrollment and limited success as a college.
Look at the number of full time credit (college ) and the number of AA (Degrees ) in 2006 , 191 out of 5,526 . The ABE/GED/ESL numbers are equally disturbing, 225 out of 5526. I think we are getting fleeced by the administrators who claimed last night that Truman was the largest City College in the city and needs more free parking for the students who attend and don't graduate or move on to higher education."
(click image above to view document)
From Today's
Chicago Sun-Times:
A teenager was charged with aggravated battery after allegedly pushing a Chicago Police officer to the ground as the officer was trying to break up a fight involving several teenagers at a North Side fast-food restaurant Monday afternoon.
The male teen was charged with aggravated battery, according to a Town Hall police District captain early Tuesday. The teen charged is apparently a senior at a South Side high school.
A Town Hall police officer was injured while responding to a fight involving some kids about 4:15 p.m., according to a Town Hall District lieutenant. The incident started at Uplift Community High School, located at 900 West Wilson Avenue, and moved down the street to the Popeyes restaurant located at the 4600 block of North Broadway.
A group of students from the school got into an altercation and one teen sprayed pepper spray at another teen. An officer who was responding to the large fight at a restaurant was breaking it up when a male teen grabbed the officer’s vest and pushed him to the ground, the lieutenant said.
Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said the officer was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center from the incident with a possible broken hand. The lieutenant said "he [the officer] is OK, it is just a sprain."
Paramedics also responded to reports of someone suffering an asthma attack at the time of the incident, but Langford did not know if the asthma victim was involved in the fight.
Another fight broke out involving some kids on Noth Broadway at the CTA station, according to the lieutenant. Police are investigating if the two fights are related.
CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said about 4:15 p.m. power was shut off to all the tracks between Wilson Avenue and Addison Street for an unauthorized person on the tracks at the request of Chicago Police. The power was restored after about 9 minutes.
"Uptown Update" was named one of the top 5 neighborhood blogs by the Chicago Tribune. We are in good company, along with "The Broken Heart of Rogers Park" and "The Bench."
Seen today on Wilson, and also near one of many vacant storefronts (Wilson and Magnolia).
A resident alerted us to the fact that shots were fired tonight around 6:30pm at Agatite and Hazel.
It seems no one was hurt, but a stray bullet flew into the first floor apartment on the NE corner of the intersection. The corner is currently closed off with police tape.
We are still hearing from residents who attended tonight's Truman College meeting regarding the planned parking garage using $10 million dollars of TIF funding. The meeting started out as a show-and-tell of sorts with Truman faculty and architects giving their take on the parking garage and why it is desperately needed.
CTA president Ron Huberman was even on hand to blow residents' minds with a plan for more retail and perhaps even a new L station at Montrose. We won't hold our breath on that one. We do ask for clarification on that from residents who were at the meeting.
One vocal resident who had the crowd nodding in agreement brought up the fact that this use of TIF dollars does not even fall into the category of what it was designed to be used for. No clear clarification on this point was given. Other residents questioned why non-Truman students whose tax dollars will pay for this lot have to pay themselves to park.
Overall, more questions were raised than answered, and the meeting did draw to an abrupt close when the questions became more heated. We invite others to share their perspective of tonight's meeting.
If anyone is interested in seeing the specs, as shown in a PowerPoint presentation, you can see them by clicking on these links: Site Map, Landscape Plan, Project Design 1, Project Design 2, and Project Design 3.
Update: Check out the FAQs handed out the Truman Meeting yesterday.
We hear....
Today a huge group fight broke out at the Wilson CTA EL stop, 4620 North Broadway, and also on the Wilson Platform at 4:25 PM. Police were called in, plus backup was called to the location by on-scene police. This may disrupt the evening commute.
A reader asks Uptown Update readers to make a quick call to 311 to remedy an overflowing dumpster situation. I found a number of dumpsters overflowing from trash, some of it with food. The address is 4750 N. Sheridan; the Institute of Cultural Affairs Building. If it was the first time, I wouldn’t make a big deal about it, but it’s not. We’ve called 311 several times before and my thought is that a fine might help them to remember to be a good neighbor to the rest of the community.
The community meeting to present plans for the Truman College parking garage and student center is tomorrow, Monday, March 24th at 6 p.m. at Truman College (1145 W Wilson), presumably in the main lobby area.
The event may have a rare community appearance by Alderman Helen Shiller. Uptown Update encourages it readers to attend, and if you have a video camera or audio recording device, we highly encourage you to use it to record the meeting. Please send us any video or audio files you record at the meeting. Since Alderman Shiller has a way of changing the meaning of her words, we think it's important to capture her exact words.
Update: Anyone is legally permitted to record this meeting according to the Illinois Open Meetings Act:
"Sec. 2.05. Recording meetings. Subject to the provisions of Section 8‑701 of the Code of Civil Procedure, any person may record the proceedings at meetings required to be open by this Act by tape, film or other means. The authority holding the meeting shall prescribe reasonable rules to govern the right to make such recordings."
Here's another rare view of Broadway and Wilson in the mid 1910's. The building on the right is the lower-level Wilson station. The tracks you see (where the current day McJunkin now stands) are heading north a bit then curved around and headed back to the south. On the top left, you can see the upper-level Wilson station house that was also later demolished. You can also see the Frank Lloyd Wright designed "Stohr Arcade" in the middle of the photo. It was later demolished to build the present day Wilson L station. The lovely 4 story building on the corner that stood where "City Sports" now stands is also visible on the top right.
(photo from: Krambles-Peterson Archive)
Click the invite to enlarge for more info or call 773-271-8400
According to business licenses granted on "EveryBlock," residents near Sheridan and Winona (5062 N Sheridan) can look forward to a "Subway" opening in the small strip mall there. Get ready to eat fresh!
"Beeper" - The Count & Sinden ft Kid Sister
Check out this music video for "Beeper" that was shot in "Shake, Rattle, And Read" at Lawrence and Broadway recently.
Rapper Melissa Young (aka "Kid Sister") won the blessing of none other than Kanye West when he made a cameo on her single "Pro Nails," and she's been signed to the label started by West's DJ, A-Trak. The buzz is that she's one of the strongest female voices in hip-hop since the glory days of Yo-Yo and Salt-N-Pepa, and fans are eagerly anticipating her debut album, tentatively titled "Koko B. Ware."
According to their web site, the Neighbors Project "is a growing movement of a generation of people living in cities who want to connect with their diverse neighbors to improve the neighborhood for everyone."
A reader sent in the following pic of the dumpster behind the Wilson Men's Club. You can tell it's behind the Wilson Men's Club by looking at the sign for the Wilson L above it. The photo was taken standing on Clifton and looking eastward toward the Wilson L.
From the News-Star:
Alderman Helen Shiller, 46th, was credited as one of two aldermen who derailed the ordinance at last week's City Council meeting, touting that it would criminalize a legal activity since the tiny bags are also used to store beads.
The proposed ban was deferred to the City Council's Health Committee. City residents can safely carry their fuma beads home from the craft store in the tiny baggies for awhile longer.
But one Uptown CAPS beat facilitator, who supports the proposed ban, reminded News-Star of one Uptown character who was arrested last fall with 23 of the tiny baggies filled with crack-cocaine stuffed in his mouth.
"Twenty-three rocks," the source said. "That must be some kind of record."
Blog quote of the w
eek:
Comment posted by "Uptown Guy" regarding City Council's proposed ban of the tiny baggies used to sell small quantities of crack, heroin and marijuana:
"If we ban the baggies, won't the head shops, like the one next door to (46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller's) office need to go next? Uptown is the only place in the city where you can buy a bong and visit your alderman in the same block."
(www.uptownupdate.com)
"Curves," a gym for women, is packing up and high-tailing it out of Uptown and we can't imagine why. A female gym just steps from a SRO packed with sex offenders that loiter on the sidewalk and cat-call women as they walk by? We wonder why they couldn't make it work. "Wilson Club Hotel" needs to be shut down. That needs to be top priority now folks. A good start would be getting the Chicago Fire Inspector in this building. There are reports of countless fire code violations yet someone appears to be protecting this building from inspections. We need to bombard the fire department with requests for inspection on this building at 1124 W. Wilson. Give the fire department at ring at 312-745-3705 and demand that a inspector be dispatched to inspect this hazard. You can also call 311 and request an inspection for this building but be sure to get a TRACKING NUMBER so you can check on the progress either online or by calling 311 again. Very little is going to thrive in that 2 block stretch until people feel safe to walk down the sidewalk and not have to dodge shopping carts full of beer cans and solicitors. Oh, by the way, the gentleman loitering in front of the building (marked with the red arrow below) chucked his empty Dunkin-Donuts coffee cup down on the sidewalk when he was finished. He surely takes great pride in his community. It's clear to see why the sidewalk is constantly trashed in front of this building.
Leasing agents for this space can be contacted at 312-676-1871 or 312-676-1861
Update: Check out the Chicago Tribune for a story highlighting "Heat Wave" which is playing at the Pegasus Theater now. It also features an interview with Wilson Club Hotel owner Jay Bomberg and even mentions the chicken wire ceilings. Here is an excerpt, check out the whole article and video here.
Wilson Club Hotel owner Jay Bomberg understands. He has owned the SRO across from the Pegasus, where Edward Hoffman died, for only six months. Yet he is filming his own half-hour documentary about the place, featuring interviews with his residents. Like Simoncic, he wants to raise awareness of those at the fringes.
"This documentary would establish that these men have lived here, and continue to live here," he says.
As Uptown gentrifies around it, the Wilson remains a crusty holdout: one of Chicago's last "cubicle hotels," where rooms rent for $202 a month. Chicken-wire ceilings deter the 257 men from sneaking into each other's spaces.
"Frankly, it's not a friendly environment," Bomberg says. "But if people got to know the men inside there, they'd understand it's a very friendly community."
To Bomberg, that notion of community spreads beyond the Wilson's doors. (His office is two blocks down on the 900 block of West Wilson.) Wanting insight into what his residents might've endured, he plans to attend a showing of "Heat Wave" before it closes April 6.
"I did purchase [Klinenberg's] book because I want to understand more," Bomberg says. "I zoomed right into the pages that talked about SROs and I think it's going to take another read for me. There's a lot for me to learn about the subject—and I think it deserves a full read."
He adds, noting the connection between his home movie and the stage play: "I just don't want this history lost."
The type of structural failure is up for debate. This is the L track bridge spanning Ainslie. Looks like an accident waiting to happen. Yet another example of the neglect anything CTA related receives once it enters Uptown. Our thanks to our roving Uptown photog.
This is a high-detail photo of 1111 W. Lawrence in 1929. Click the image to enlarge and view it in all it's amazing glory. It's worth framing.
(photo courtesy University of Minnesota)
For those of you wanting to enjoy a nice Ethiopian beer or Heine with your "doro wat," then you are in luck. Judging by the Heineken ad outside "Demera" at Lawrence and Broadway, they have gotten their liquor license. Enjoy. Our thanks to our new roving Uptown photog for this pic.
A reader sent in a photo that shows the latest progress on "Wilde Pug" near "Crew" at Lawrence and Broadway.
He says, "The facade to the Wilde Pug has been completely removed... not hard to imagine this place opening up later this spring or mid-summer."
Not hard for us to imagine either. If you see something going on in your neck of the hood, send in your photos. We would be happy to post them.
Here is a rare view (click for larger image) of the interior of the Wilson L station from the 1920's looking northwest from the current-day Popeye's entrance. You can see the current staircase off in the distance. Also notice the American flags draped in the windows on the Broadway side. This may have been taken around the 4th of July.
(photo courtesy Krambles-Peterson Archive)
From Chicago Sun-Times: It is unknown if anyone was injured Thursday morning when a vehicle crashed into a Dunkin' Donuts store on the North Side.
Police received reports that a vehicle struck a Dunkin' Donuts building at 1441 W. Montrose Ave. about 6:25 a.m. Thursday, police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak said.
According to the Dunkin' Donuts website, a store is located at that address.
It is unclear as of 8:30 a.m. whether anyone was injured or how much damaged was caused by the accident.
In case you haven't noticed, we added a "Upcoming Uptown Events" feature off on the right side of Uptown Update. We will post important meeting notices so they are not buried in older posts. Hopefully this will remind residents to mark their calendars and blackberries for noteworthy Uptown events such as the next CAPS Beat 2311 meeting on Tuesday, April 1 at 7pm at Truman College.
By Lorraine Swanson, Editor
News-Star
Truman College is set to host a community meeting starting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 24, to hear plans for its Student Services Center expansion and parking garage.
Plans call for expanded parking for students and faculty to relieve resident and street parking, additional green space and landscaping, new facilities for expanded continuing education programs, along with other facilities and outdoor space for hosting community events.
The school is also seeking LEEDS-certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the new structure. Some residents living within 250 feet from the city community college began receiving letters informing them of a zoning change for the planned development last week.
According to a flyer announcing the community meeting, "Per City Council requirements, community meetings take place within two weeks of introduction, which is the reason for this short notice."
Truman is hosting the meeting to discuss these plans with the neighborhood, culminating from a community meeting that took place last summer.
"We're doing an update on the project and showing what the renderings will like," explained Meaghan Harte, vice president of Illinois Operations for Earth Tech, the full-service engineering firm that will be managing construction for the project.
Harte stated that residents will be able to ask questions at the meeting. Residents will also be able to submit written questions to 46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller's office and City Colleges of Chicago if they cannot make Monday's meeting.
Funding for the project includes approximately $13 million to $14 million from the state of Illinois and $30 million from City Colleges of Chicago's capital budget. Truman has also applied for $10 million in funding from the Wilson Yard TIF District, CCC spokeswoman Elsa Tullos said.
For those of you who didn't attend the presentation at tonight's "What's Uptown" event, you might have been curious to see the specs on the soon to be completed Uptown Broadway building rehab at 4707 N. Broadway. Here they are in all their glory. "Potbelly's" or "FatBurger," if you are scouting for new locations, look no further...hint hint.
Over 100 interested Uptown neighbors and business owners came to the Kinetic Playground for a community meeting sponsored by Uptown Neighborhood Council on Wednesday evening. Based on the attendance and reaction from the crowd, the neighborhood is hungry for information about new developments around Uptown.
Presentations included:
Former 20th District Commander Kathleen Boehmer, who has years of experience working with the LGBT community, replaced Gary Yamashiroya as commander of the 23rd District. Yamashiroya is now commander of the Area 3 Detective Division. The Town Hall District is located at 3600 N. Halsted, meaning that it is practically next door to the Center on Halsted.
By Amy Wooten - Windy City Times
The Town Hall Police District, located in the heart of Boystown, has a new commander who made history by becoming the first woman to lead that particular district. The development resulted from new Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis' recent massive department overhaul.
From Uptown Neighborhood Council:
A reader who's usually in the know writes us:
Vacant Lot Magazine has a new article (Wilson Yard: Decisions and Divisions) on the long and on
going saga of What To Do With Wilson Yard, looking at the history of the project and interviewing both Alderman Shiller and Katharine Boyda of the Uptown Neighborhood Council.
Read it for yourselves, but this is our favorite part so far, quoting the alderman:
She was not shy in highlighting her quest to bring, in her own words, “community control with justice.” When confronted with the question of what changes have been made to the plans for Wilson Yard, she responds that “There have not been many changes. In fact there have hardly been any changes at all. You’ve read a lot of stuff that has confused you.”
(Courtesy: Charles E. Keevil photo, Walter R. Keevil Collection)
A reader just sent in this pic from Staples at Clark and Wilson. He surmises the tags are from the "Latin Kings" who are prevalent in this area of Uptown. It is about gang initiation time, isn't it?
Uptown Update has been named the 14th most influential political blog in Illinois, per "Blog Net News.com"
Click here for a link to all the blogs that were rated.
Created by former USA Today editorial writer Dave Mastio, it lists the most often clicked, most often linked, most active, and most influential (by its own mathematical metric) blogs in Illinois.
Thanks to all of our readers who constantly send in story ideas and are not afraid to dig for the truth!
We just got a back issue of "First and Fastest," a publication of "Shore Line Interurban Historical Society." This particular issue is devoted solely to the Wilson L station, and its history starting as a small wooden house to it's current "condition." We will feature some photos from this issue but we highly recommend getting this issue in its entirety entitled "Wilson Avenue Uptown Union Station." It is considered a "special insert" so the cost is a mere $2 plus $3 shipping and handling. Click here for order info.
"The arrival of Chicago newcomers MSG Entertainment and C3 led the longtime Chicago-based promoter Jam to move to hold the mortgage to the troubled Uptown Theatre, 4814 N. Broadway, if only as a defensive position. But if the City of Chicago were to acquire the Uptown under eminent domain — as many of the theater’s boosters desire — that could open the way for a different entity to take over the venue, possibly the concert promoter Live Nation, which could use its own mid-size indoor venue. According to sources familiar with the current rearrangement of the Chicago live-entertainment business, a restored and reopened Uptown is looking more likely now than in recent history. According to a recent report in Billboard, midsize venues such as the Chicago, Congress and Uptown have been showing particular strength of late. Billboard said that Radio City Music Hall rung up $87.6 million in concert grosses during 2007."(photo courtesy "Flickr")
From Today's "Theater Loop" Chicago Tribune
Click here to see a preview of "Gold Coast Reality" featuring the "Dover Court Condominiums" at 4601 N. Dover.
Folks, we just got back from Express Chicken & Ribs at 1319-21 W. Wilson (Wilson and Beacon) and are happy to report that the owner has offered a 10% discount to our readers. Just go in and say you want the "Uptown Update Special" and you will get 10% off your order, excluding specials.
We can report that the food is made fresh and the interior is clean and inviting. The owner, Abbey Olukoya, lives on the southside and commutes to Uptown each day to work. He is also looking to expand into breakfast and is in talks with the powers-that-be to get outdoor seating.
We had the chicken tenderloin (strips) with turnip greens and cole slaw. Yum! Call ahead at 773-275-5760 for carry-out orders or dine in their spacious dining area. Go check it out!
You may be wondering. A reader wrote in with some interesting info on just this subject:
"Let me give you some background on this study. It was conducted by Loyola University's CURL department (Center for Urban Research and Learning) in December 2002. You can find the study in .pdf format here (after clicking link, select "save file to your pc" on the bottom right). It's called the Uptown Housing and Land Use Study. It was commissioned by Larry McKeon and O.N.E. We got a hard copy of this study from a community meeting in 2003. The statistics are taken from the 2000 Census.
This study was supposed to substantiate how much subsidized housing had disappeared from Uptown and why more subsidized housing needed to be built. What it actually revealed was the opposite--there was very little impact on the subsidized housing since most of the condo development was built on vacant land or was smaller unit conversion.
So the Loyola folks had to back pedal since they were hired to show exactly the opposite. What they did was bury the facts in a bunch of statistics.
IF you very carefully look through the report, you'll find the key information on Uptown's housing stats are found on:
* Chart 15 (page 32) percent of home ownership versus renters
* Chart 32 (page 45) Government subsidized housing by # of buildings (NOT # of units which is the key) This is the one Shiller uses.
* Map 18 (page 46)--this the KEY to the extreme concentration of subsidized housing in Uptown. You may not be able to read it easily since it's blurry on-line. Census tract 312: 1,236 units of subsidized housing--43% of all housing, Census tract 315: 1,683 units of subsidized housing--37% of all housing, Census tract 316: 352 units of subsidized housing--24% of all housing.
As you can see, the majority of the 46 ward subsidized housing is concentrated between Montrose/Foster/the Lake and Magnolia. Most of the subsidized housing is in very large high rise buildings. For example: Lakeview Towers at 4550 N. Clarendon is a 500 unit building. Uptown is home to almost 6,000 units of government subsidized housing units.
Uptown's concentration of poverty is close to 40%, almost twice the percent recommended by HUD for building new subsidized housing in a community. But that's another story."
(image courtesy "ms2400" on Flickr)
This poor old building housing "Majestic For Men" has seen much better days. The building (at Leland and Broadway, the retail "equatorial line" of Uptown) has a lot of potential and features some ornate terra cotta detailing but it is crumbling into disrepair. We spotted this large chunk of terra cotta that has fallen off onto the Leland side of the building today. It's a sad statement on how we take care of our buildings in Uptown. We can only hope that someone is willing to help the owner repair the exterior of this building. There were grants available for business owners to do just that.
A reader wrote in with the following question regarding "FOIA" (Freedom of Information Act) and the contract between Target and Holsten:
"On March 2, 2008 I again requested through FOIA “Target’s letter of intent or any other communication indicating Target’s interest/commitment to lease or purchase space at Wilson Yard.” I have also requested “All contracts for the purchase or lease of property by Target (or it’s agents)."
I have talked to Tony Binns at the Department of Planning about this request and basically he’s saying that he cannot send it because they do not have it. They do not have it because this is an agreement between Holsten and Target. I read through the Illinois FOIA law and it only covers Public Documents. Any agreements or contracts between Holsten and Target would not be a public document. If anyone has advice or suggestions please let me know but at this point I believe we cannot get these documents through FOIA ."
Unique So Chique, located at 4600 N. Magnolia Ave. Suite C is having a 50% off retail sale. This sale does not include restaurant, tea or tea accessories. We are having this grand sale through the end of March. Why are we doing this you ask? Well, for a couple of reasons. One is that we all know the economy is sluggish. So, we figure let's help our business and the community. We will be able to generate revenue for our business and make necessary changes to the boutique and our customers leave our store with great product at extremely discounted prices.
Second, is since we were denied by the Alderman's office for our outdoor parkway English Style Tea Garden, we have decided to eliminate more retail and add more stools for the chocolate area so we can accommodate more guests. Our hopes was to have an elegant outdoor setting this Spring but since we were told "it would take away from our green space" on the parkway in front of our business, we will bring our business inside. So, changes are on the way. Please come join us for this great sale and to learn what is store for Unique So Chique.
By Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times
Photo Courtesy Dom Najolia
Tiny plastic bags used to sell small quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and other types of drugs may not be banned in Chicago after all.
Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) said Thursday she joined her colleague, Ald. Helen Shiller (46th), in sandbagging the plastic bag ban at this week's City Council meeting because it would "criminalize legal conduct."
"I've seen these little, bitty, tiny plastic bags. You know they're selling crack cocaine in it. But we've got enough laws we can't enforce. We don't want to make any more or criminalize legal conduct."
Shiller could not be reached for comment.
Ald. Ed Smith (28th), Health Committee chairman, said he held the matter in committee because some of his colleagues have reservations and want another hearing to air those concerns.
"Drugs are handled and passed along in other [containers], rather than just a particular bag, and they had some concerns about that," Smith said.
Asked if he still supported the ban, Smith said, "Oh, sure. I do. Any measure -- whether it's minuscule or whatever -- that can make a dent on the drug activity, we need to do it because it is killing this country. Not only the young people."
Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd), sponsor of the plastic bag ban, which has been the subject of nationwide ridicule, could not be reached for comment.
Last week, Fioretti convinced the Health Committee to ban possession of "self-sealing plastic bags under two inches in either height or width" after picking up 15 of the bags on a recent Sunday afternoon stroll through a West Side park.
Wow folks, we may be on a roll. MDT Architects were pioneers on this blighted stretch of Broadway and now we are receiving word that workers were seen hauling out debris from this beautiful building in the 4600 block of Broadway, next to Thai Uptown. This is the same building our alderman wanted to stick "Labor Ready." Let's hope it's something beneficial for everyone. We will have our spies over there soon to see what we can scrounge up. Stay tuned.
From Chicago Police Department News Release:
CHICAGO - Chicago Police Superintendent Jody P. Weis today announced additional staff changes within the command ranks of the Department. Sixteen district commanders were promoted; 8 district commanders were re-assigned or remain in place, and one district commander is expected to be named in an acting capacity. All of these changes were made in an effort to strengthen the Department’s on going efforts to reduce crime in all of Chicago’s communities.
Looks like Kathleen Boehmer will be replacing Gary Yamashiroya as 23rd District Commander. Yamashiroya will be serving as Area 3 Detective. Anyone have info on this replacement? Jami perhaps?
A reader writes in:
"I received an interesting phone call from a Mr. Nick Carbone of Medill Journalism School, who is following the day labor situation for a possible story. He filed an FOIA and got all the docs presented at the appeals meeting.
I brought up the ‘about 50 letters’ that Ald Shiller said all supported the facility.
He stated that in his FOIA finding that there were 80 letters in opposition and 7 in support (after discounting ONE, which we now know did not support this)."
Good news for folks living in Sheridan Park. You will soon have a new ITALIAN restaurant to dine in. According to the building manager of the high-rise at Wilson and Beacon, a new italian restaurant will be opening soon at 1329 W. Wilson. He would not divulge the name but stated the owners had a location in New York City as well. The manager also stated that the outdoor area would be utilized. That's AMORE!
Update: Upon further inspection of the building permit, the contractor listed, "The Lochert Company" has a website and is located at 2650 W. Belden Avenue. They specialize in exotic hardwood floorings, which leads us to believe that this space will be undergoing quite a transformation.
We'd like to say "salute" to Holsten Management Corporation, frequent visitors to "Uptown Update." As you can see below, at least 111 visits to be exact. Thanks for stopping by!
By Sara Olkon
Read all about it at the "Chicago Tribune."
For those of you keeping track of our most needed addition in Uptown, that being a park near Broadway and Wilson in front of Graeme Stewart School, not much has been accomplished as of late. We spotted some empty beer cans strewn about, "IceHouse" no less, which appears to be the drink of choice in this area (in the lower section of the pic). A bit of foreshadowing perhaps? All of this being brought to you by your tax dollars, of course. Does anyone else think that there was a much better use for those TIF funds just to the north of there at our Wilson L stop? Nah. That's crazy-talk.
A reader writes in:
The weather was perfect today for an afternoon stroll. We thought we'd check out our favorite empty lot, Wilson Yard. The green tarps on the fencing have all but blown off. The few pieces that remain are flapping in the wind, some almost 4 feet into the sidewalk. This empty lot has also given our most esteemed residents a place to chuck their empty beer and wine bottles after a fun night on Broadway. Azusa Liquor is just across the street and Wilson Yard has made a convenient dumping area for their empty booze containers. It's always good to look for the positives in things, right?
Between "Wilde Pug" and the Riv rehab, Lawrence and Broadway is bustling again. Workers were seen outside the building today bricking around the entrance to the right of the main theatre entrance. The plywood that has been covering the ground floor level is also being built out about 2 feet so the windows can be installed. Now let's hope the momentum spreads to the south a bit towards the Uptown Broadway Building, and hey, while we're at it, even FURTHER south.
Lawrence and Broadway is once again bustling with activity and visible progress. "Wilde Pug," the new bar from the owners of "Crew," is going full steam ahead now that the "stop work order" was sorted out. The front of the building has been removed and workers were heard inside hard at work. Plans are to open in mid-May.
The "Vis Vitae" development near Clark and Leland is buzzing right along. We stopped by today to check on the progress and were surprised to see that the building has grown to 3 stories, with one more story to go till it's topped out. A resident who was checking out the model units discovered that it appears "Starbucks" has pulled out of the development. Look elsewhere for your latte.
Is this an improvement over the previous sign that had been hanging in disrepair for a long while? We wonder. That's up for debate. At least now it's quite clear what goes on in this building, with the added bonus of "DUI services." This adds so much to our bustling retail corridor on Broadway for sure.
This is an interesting read. Too bad the "theathres" are no longer part of the project.
The bonds for the senior housing portion of the Wilson Yard development were increased a while back. We assume it will be news to some residents. Check out the documents here.
Update: Also check out "What The Helen?!" for an interesting analysis of this little tidbit of information.
A letter to the editor of the News-Star:
Our history with Ald. Shiller is that when it comes to zoning changes, she creates the scenario to fit what she wants. As the situation gets 
played out, those who disagree with her would be labeled divisive, polarizing, and against the poor. And so yet another repeat of this same story, different version, surfaced last week when Labor Ready's request for a zoning variance came before the Zoning Board of Appeals. When Ald. Shiller unflinchingly made her false claim that she had the support of O.N.E, she didn't count on them to be so bold as to correct her version of the truth.
Block clubs can be ignored because they are just residents. Uptown United can be ignored because they promote stronger retail. But O.N.E.? This organization that prides itself in being a voice for the voiceless dared not support a decision that Ald. Shiller clearly had already made long ago.
While Ald. Shiller is applauded by those living outside the ward for being brave to "stay on the hot seat," many of us who live here are not impressed with her different versions of truth, her lack of transparency, and her inability to help the community find consensus.
James Cappleman
Uptown resident
By Lorraine Swanson, Editor, News-Star
After weeks of frenzied anticipation, not to mention the two guys wearing chicken suits beckoning passers-by to come try the flame-grilled chicken, El Pollo Loco, a national restaurant chain, opened a new franchise on the corner of Wilson and Sheridan March 3.
With more than 390 restaurants, El Pollo Loco, based in Costa Mesa, Calif. is famous on the West Coast for its signature, fresh, natural, citrus-marinated flame-grilled chicken served with warm tortillas and fresh salsas, according to the company's press release.
Judging by the long lines and packed dining area at the new restaurant last Friday evening, Uptown residents are "muy loco" for the "crazy chicken."
"It has been packed since we've opened. So far it has been a success," said Sergio Miranda, El Pollo Loco's general manager. "People like the chicken (mascot). They're not used to seeing a chicken in the streets."
In a neighborhood where residents say there are too many empty storefronts and too few dining options east of Lawrence Avenue, the first sign that something monumental was afoot was a Feb. 24 announcement posted on the neighborhood "Uptown Update" blog informing visitors that Uptown was about to get even crazier than it already is.
Continue Reading:
Mark your calendars, the Truman College Parking Garage community discussion is now planned for March 24, 2008 from 6-8pm at Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Avenue.
Click on the meeting notice for a full-size version.
The information is provided by the college, not the alderman's office. There's a blurb at the bottom that reads:
*Per City Council requirements, community meetings take place within two weeks of introduction, which is the reason for this short notice.
We hope to see a large turnout at this meeting from the community whose tax dollars are paying for this garage, through the Wilson Yard TIF.
Update: Click HERE to see renderings of the proposed "green" parking garage that will house 1,138 parking spaces just steps from the Wilson El stop.
This makes for interesting reading. Thoughts?
Please take a moment (seriously, it takes maybe 2 seconds) and voice your opinion against a tax hike that would give Cook County the highest sales tax in the country (10.25%). Votes are cast via an automated phone system, here are the instructions:
CALL 1-312 -603-6400.
Press option 1, then option 2, and then VOTE AGAINST INCREASE (OPTION 2)
Courtesy: Chicago Methods Reporter
The city’s decrepit El infrastructure won’t get the repairs it desperately needs in the next few years because the money needed won’t be there, CTA officials said Wednesday.
The CTA plans to recommend that its capital improvement program be slashed by $94.5 million this year and by a total of $200 million over the duration of the five-year program. The recommendation is expected when it’s the CTA board meets next week.
Continue Reading:
This was the last known sighting of a 46th Ward Zoning Committee Meeting. Click the image above for a trip down memory lane.
A blighted neighborhood in Washington D.C., Columbia Heights, recently became home to the first Target store in the District. A renewal and redevelopment project for the neighborhood, named DC USA, created a pedestrian-friendly development for the neighborhood.
This is the description from the developer: "DC USA is a 540,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex being developed on the west side of 14th Street between Park Road and Irving Street in Columbia Heights. The dramatic three-story complex will be anchored by the 2-level Target of approximately 180,000 square feet and will include high quality specialty retailers, larger big box uses, restaurants and various other entertainment and recreational uses in an architecturally distinguished structure. Other large tenants will include Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Marshalls, Staples and Washington Sports Club. DC USA will enhance the shopping and entertainment opportunities currently available in the District. DC USA is a pedestrian-oriented retail destination where most of the stores will be entered directly from the street. The 4.9 acre site has 500 feet of frontage along 14th Street, 225 feet along Park Road and 500 feet along Irving Street."
See an article from Forbes about the significance of this project.
The most startling aspect - it was proposed in 2004 and completed in early 2008! Wilson Yard - proposed in 2003 and construction not even started in 2008 with 2010 as the latest projected opening date.
Below is 
the response an Uptown Update reader got from Ald. Shiller's staff about the parking garage to be built at Truman College.
If TIF funds are paying for this, we're wondering how a new community college garage is expected to aid in revitalizing the retail situation in the 46th Ward. We also wonder why this information isn't posted on the alderman's web site, and if the community meeting will be held at a time when the majority of the community's residents will be able to attend.
Hello Ms. XXXXX,
Thank you for your email.
There is a community meeting being planned for the week of the 17th. I will email you with the specific details once everyone is confirmed. If you do not hear from me by the end of the week, feel free to send me another email as a reminder.
Best,
Michilla Blaise
City Services Coordinator
46th Ward Service Office of Alderman Helen Shiller
A reader comments:
If you have any doubt about how much influence an alderman has on creating good decent vibrant retail streets--walk to the corner of Broadway and Leland. Broadway and Leland is the four-corners dividing line between the 46 & 48 wards. North: 48 ward. South: 46 ward.
So here's a three-block stroll down Broadway, from Gunnison to to the Wilson el stop.
Can you tell where the line is between the 46th and 48th Wards? And how much influence an alderman has on the quality and quantity of the retail in each ward?
There is a lot of important "stuff" on the 46th Ward website. Not much else going on in Uptown besides the Chicago Public Library getting a new website, Earth Day being everyday, National Consumer Protection Week, and "Earth Hour" on March 29. At least that's according to our Alderman.
A reader writes in:
"Shiller strikes again with yet another last minute zoning change, this one for Truman College's student parking garage. Seems to be a zoning frenzy in the 46 ward right now. This convoluted, confusing letter was sent out, as required by law, to some of the property owners within 250' of Truman. Not even on letterhead stationary. What's the time frame that these letters are supposed to go out prior to filing the application? Will forward you the GWNA block club newsletter that covered the one community meeting last summer. Another meeting was promised to address resident concerns and issues.
By the way, Shiller has earmarked $10 million in TIF money to build this student parking structure. And how much TIF money is going to rehab the Wilson El station?"
Here is the letter received by some of the nearby residents:
On February 26, an 8-year-old boy walking to school was approached by the driver of a black SUV i
n the 4600 block of North Beacon. The driver approached the victim, rolled down his window and told the victim to "get in" and asked how far the victim's school was. He told the victim that he had "shovels in the back seat."
The victim then ran to a nearby crossing guard, who describes the subject, from a profile view, as a male white with curly hair who was wearing a black jacket. The victim also related that the vehicle had the letters "J E E P" on it so the vehicle may be a black, or dark colored, Jeep.
The offender is described as a male black with light complexion or maybe a male white, unknown age, unknown height. He was wearing all black with a red tie. Offender had light facial hair under his lip and short black hair.
If you have any information about this incident, call the Area 3 Detectives at 312-744-8200 (RD# HP-195144)
From Uptown Neighborhood Council (UNC) E-News:
Save the Date
What's Up –– Uptown?
Wednesday, March 19
7 PM
The Kinetic Playground–1113 W. Lawrence
Good things are coming to Uptown! Come on over to The Kinetic Playground on March 19 to hear about the newest bars, buildings and retailers in the works for Uptown. Socialize with your neighbors and meet the business owners who are excited and dedicated to making Uptown a thriving place to be...one street and building at a time.
JOIN US MARCH 19 AND LEARN MORE ABOUT.....
New high-rises, movie theaters, retail and more. Plus a whole new look for one of Uptown's major streets.
More information to come next week Please forward this info to your neighbors.
"Heat Wave" - Pegasus Theatre at Truman College, through April 6, $17-$25.
Remember that awful summer of 1995 in which over 700 people, some from the Uptown area, died while city officials did their best to downplay or ignore the tragedy? Pegasus Players, in collaboration with Live Bait Theatre, is presenting a haunting re-enactment of that shameful chapter of Chicago history. If you've ever wondered why a slight uptick in the temperature during July or August brings on news reports of "cooling centers available" and "checking on elderly neighbors," here's why. This play should be seen by theatre buffs and Chicago history students alike. With enough luck maybe the run could be extended through this summer!
Check out the 2003 "Corridors of Vision" plan for Uptown here. What from this plan has been accomplished thus far?
From ABC7:
That's the question that's ricocheted around the state this week after state funds earmarked to restore Pilgrim Baptist Church went to the wrong place.
Another religious leader is also accusing the governor of breaking a promise.
Rabbi Philip Lefkowitz says, as a religious man, he's not going to accuse Governor Blagojevich of lying to him but believes he did break a commitment made at a Seder. The rabbi claims the governor offered him $400,000 to build a long-dreamed-about, non-sectarian community center in Uptown. That was more than two years ago.
Continue Reading:
Our friends over at "Great Expectations" had a great post the other day. Are we giving too much good? Check it out here.
The "Broken Heart" has a statement from Commissioner Larry Suffredin here.
Has anyone checked out "El Pollo Loco" yet? Today was it's grand opening. Curious if anyone had a chance to partake in some flame-grilled chicken. Sounds good to us!
Folks, you know the drill. We need everyone to attend the CAPS meeting this Tuesday, March 4 at 7pm in the room off to the side of the cafeteria at Truman College. There will be representatives from HRC (Housing Resource Center) to discuss with residents the proper course of action to report problem-buildings to the HRC. Please spread the word and bring your neighbors. Let your voice be heard! Also we are reminded to call 911 when you see anything suspicious as many complaints are made about buildings in Sheridan Park, but there are relatively few 911 calls in relation to that.
"Yelp" is a website full of reviews from restaurants and businesses to shopping and nightlife. The best part is the reviews are made by ordinary folks who have tried these places out. Lots of Uptown locales are featured, but today we will showcase "Silver Seafood" at 4829 N. Broadway, right across from the Uptown Theater. This restaurant was also featured on WTTW's "Check, Please!" Read the reviews here and if you get a chance, check out "Silver Seafood."
The weather today was perfect for a Sunday stroll. The snow is melting, spring is just around the corner, and the sidewalks are covered in trash, furniture and dumpsters. Dumpsters still parked in handicapped spaces, mind you. Why are the owners of 927 W. Wilson permitted to do this? Give 311 a ring and let them know that this blatant use of our sidewalks as junkyards will not be tolerated.
Another fun historical photo showing how much the 4600 block of Broadway has changed. While we are on the topic, many readers have expressed interest in the history of Uptown in general, and also history on the many hotels in Uptown that now serve as affordable housing and SRO's. "Jazz Age Chicago" is an excellent resource for Uptown history. Check out links on Uptown history here, and Uptown hotel history here. We will also add "Jazz Age Chicago" to our useful links.
(Upper photo courtesy of Google Maps)
(Lower photo courtesy of "Chicago Historical Society")
In case you missed it, here is the latest update on Wilson Yard a resident received from our Alderman's office:
"The date for completion has been pushed back to 2010, but all plans remain the same. The developer has made some progress on excavation, but once the weather breaks, we are expecting them to begin full steam again. Target is still on board as the anchor of the retail portion. If you would like to phone Holsten Developers, their telephone number is 312-337-5339 and my contact is Joe Dunn."
