We'd like this cherub to look a little more "merry." Where does she hang out?

FROM THE ALDERMAN'S OFFICE:

Wilson Yard Project

“In the last newsletter we provided you with some information about the plans for the new Wilson Yard Project. This neighborhood revitalization project will take place from Montrose to Wilson Ave. along Broadway. We are told that the construction on the Target store will begin on May 1 where they will be digging to create a foundation for the underground garage. In addition to Target, there will be 25,000 sq. ft. for another retail store (yet unnamed). There will be other small businesses along Broadway. Also, new residential areas will be created which include approximately 75-85 two-three bedroom rental units and approximately 90-95 senior rental units. This "is a completely green development, with green roofs, and the largest rental building of its kind with a built-in recycling process." Finally, the El station at Wilson Ave will be redeveloped. The proposed deadline for the entire project is early 2010.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This “From the Alderman’s Office” announcement appeared this month in a newsletter of a 46th Ward luxury high-rise. It is Alderman Helen Shiller’s update on the progress of the Wilson Yard Project to a condo association that houses many seniors.

When people question how Shiller gets re-elected, one need only look at this example of her Public Relations Machine in action. Notice:

1. While baiting these seniors with promises of future senior housing, she purposely neglects to tell them that this new rental housing is government-subsidized, low-income project housing 100% reserved for the poorest of the poor. They are left to presume that they are getting a new Hallmark when they are really getting a new Cabrini Green. And, she’s certainly not providing them related information on how to get on the subsidized housing waiting list as required to move into these buildings because that might tip her hand.

2. While stressing future proposed development deadlines, she omits to tell them that the project has missed every deadline, is in serious financial trouble, and that nothing has been built in 8 years with $52 million, all of which makes the project’s future questionable. There is no mention that the project has lost its financial backers and the city had to step in and raise the TIF contribution percentage from the standard 20% to 35%, the highest subsidy in the history of the TIF program. In fact, the Target store May 1 construction start date mentioned in the condo newsletter was missed by the newsletter date.

3. The alderman suggests that another 25,000 ft store is committed – just unnamed – and that other retail businesses are locating there. Yet, no evidence of any for-profit business presence has been obtained by any FOIA requests.

4. The alderman stresses her favorite campaign issues “Green, Green, Green” “Recycle, Recycle, Recycle.” These are nice, warm and fuzzy issues that have little downside potential and which allow her to talk about something other than Uptown’s serious, substantive issues such as a student being murdered in front of her Aldermanic Office, kids being shot dead in front of Weiss Hospital, a women being shot in Clarendon Park, cars being stolen all over the neighborhood, attempted child kidnappings, sex offenders, housing ordinance violations, zoning, housing density, and so forth.

5. Notice, the alderman refuses to speak to block clubs, CAPS, and community leaders about crime, zoning, and other serious issues or to update her website with critical information, but she does take the time and effort to send targeted misinformation and omissions to those on the Lakefront and South end of the Ward. It is clear that this is Public Relations correspondence to targeted voters.

A reader writes:

A reader forwarded us a notice about the need for donated towels and light blankets:

GWNA recently learned that many of the animal shelters need towels and small blankets for their orphaned dogs. We are doing a drive for these needed supplies with Soggy Paws. Kevin and Paul have graciously offered to accept donations at their shop from June 1-15.

Towels and Baby Blankets Needed for Orphaned Pets. The city's animal shelters are in desperate need of clean towels and washable baby blankets and other clean small washable lightweight blankets for use in their nurseries, medical department, bathing, and for special needs animals. These items will be distributed to the different shelters according to population and need.

Thanks, GWNA, and thanks, Soggy Paws!

Wilson Yard Developer Peter Holsten must be hearing two things in his head: "Tick, tock" (the sound of our Wilson Yard countdown meter), and his own voice telling the Sun-Times: "Now, construction is scheduled to start by June 1."

Second, the number on the sign for more information about this "Mixed Use Development" is listed to the Industrial Street and Alley Vacation Program at the Department of Planning and Development. (Granted, the phone number may have more than one program using it as a contact number, and we're willing to stand corrected. When we called it tonight, the DPD was already closed.)




The Uptown Broadway Building. Period. There's nothing at all for lease listed on the Baum website. Certainly nothing at Wilson Yard.

UPDATE: Thanks to a commenter, we found out there actually is a listing for "Wilson Yards" [sic] under zip code 60613. Status: "Under Construction/Proposed." Promising delivery by "3/1/2010." Check out the flyer, which mentions the new housing, but neglects to mention it's 100% low-income and very low-income. Oh, and it shows a Target store. Dream big!

A reader reports that the sinkhole at Magnolia and Leland that burst last month has finally been filled in (after a week of being open, as pictured above).

It now boasts a concrete base that should (we hope) hold back "the bubbling crude" that came shooting out of the street in April.

The Uptown Anti-Crime Rally is just eight days away. Let's make sure there's a huge turnout of Uptown residents to get the message across that we're sick and tired of all the gunfire, gang warfare and violence -- and now murder -- that have plagued our streets this year.

Please spread the word. If you want to use one of the four flyers which have been posted on Uptown Update, they're all posted here, both in .jpg format (for email and web posting) and in .pdf format (for printing out).

If you have more flyers you've designed and would like added to the page, please send them to uptownupdate@hotmail.com.

We'd also like to add posters that people can print out and display at the rally. Please send us yours!

The Tattoo Factory has opened an annex that's an art gallery, and tonight it will unveil ... drum roll ... for one night only ... The World's Largest Velvet Elvis. (Folks, could we make stuff like this up?)

Show up at 4443 N Broadway between 7 pm and midnight to see Record-Setting Vel-El and enjoy a musical performance by Ilsabe O'Connell.

For more information, click on the link in the first paragraph for the Tattoo Factory Gallery's myspace page.

This is what we're hearing from people who were at Housing Court for the Wilson Club Hotel today:

Approximately ten court advocates showed up, as well as many representatives from Community Policing. Jay Bomberg, owner of the Wilson Club Hotel, was there with legal counsel and 7-8 residents of the hotel. It was a crowded courtroom.

In a nutshell, conditions for cleaning up the hotel were imposed. Mr. Bomberg must return to court on August 14th to demonstrate that he's complied with court's directions.

Were you there? Got more details? Please post in the comments.

We also hear that Alderman Shiller and her henchman devoted aide Maggie Marystone showed up at the courthouse to defend Jay Bomberg and his business practices from the nasty, vindictive "bad apples" (that is, court advocates and community members) who believe people down on their luck shouldn't have to live in kennel-like, dangerous conditions, and who believe that illegal activities taking place inside and in front of a business shouldn't be tolerated.

However, the alderman and her aide showed up too late to actually make it into the courtroom.

Once again, the alderman hears what the community wants and demands, and comes down squarely on the opposite side. We have never heard of a "public servant" being at war with the people she supposedly represents like this. Clearly, the people who pay her salary (through taxes, not campaign contributions) and fund her TIFs are "the enemy" when it comes to throwing around her aldermanic clout. On more time, Uptown Update is outraged and disappointed in the behavior and allegiances of our paid representative.

• Both sides of Winthrop: Lawrence north for ½ block
• East side of Winthrop: Lawrence south for ½ block
• Both sides of Lawrence: Kenmore to Clifton

• Both sides of Winthrop: Leland to Ainslie
• Both sides of Lawrence: Kenmore to Broadway
• Both sides of Clifton: Lawrence to Broadway
• East side of Broadway: Lawrence to Clifton

We noticed a lot of power-washing going on along Wilson Avenue today. We stopped to chat with one of the workers, who told us he was working along our retail corridors at the request of the SSA. We're glad to see a winter's worth of grime, gunk and gum being removed from Uptown's sidewalks.

According to "EveryBlock" both "Express Corner" and "Popeyes" passed restaurant inspections on May 27 after both failing recently. Let's hope this was a wake up call to both to keep their establishments clean and tidy.

Truman student slain in gang crossfire

By LORRAINE SWANSON, Editor

Faculty and staff at Uptown's Truman College are still reeling at the news of a student who was slain on the 4500 block of North Broadway on May 21, across the street from Alderman Helen Shiller's 46th Ward Service Office.

Francis Oduro, 22, of the 9800 block of South Marquette Ave., was shot twice around 9:15 p.m. by another male described as being in his late teens. Another 22-year-old male who was walking near Oduro on the sidewalk, was also shot in the back, and is listed in stable condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital.

"We're saddened that this happened," Truman College-spokesman Clifton Truman Daniel said. "Everyone is upset. Teachers and staff are in shock."

Read the rest of the story here.

From this week's News-Star "Cityside" column:

Countdown Clock

Like the vigil for Our Lady of Medjegorje, Uptown's neighborhood blog "Uptown Update" is featuring a "countdown clock" ticking down the moments to June 1, when groundbreaking for Wilson Yard is expected to take place.

We know that special silver ceremonial shovel is being shined as we speak. Or maybe it's that pair of giant scissors left over from last year's ribbon cutting for the new Aldi's Supermarket. At any rate, Uptown residents can't wait for the shovel to hit the lead-contaminated dirt.

Mayor Daley and Police Superintendent Jody Weis invite you and your group to the 2008 Block Club University and Neighborhood Assembly at McCormick Place, on Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 7:30 am until 1:00 pm.

What Is Mayor Daley’s Block Club University?
How to Beautify your Neighborhood
Tackling Community Problems
Creating New Community Organizations
Battling Problem Buildings on your Block
How Block Clubs and Faith Institutions can make Safer Streets
Safeguarding our Senior Citizens
Preventing Foreclosure in your Community
Youth Safety Programs that Your Child Should Not Miss
To register call the CAPS Office at (312) 744 4742 or send an e-mail to

May 28, 2008, Beat 2032 Meeting for tomorrow

Dear 47th Ward Resident,

This is a reminder about the CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) Meeting for Thursday, May 29th for Beat 2032. Beat 2032 is bordered by Foster to Lawrence and Leavitt to Clark. The meetings are held the last Thursdays of odd months. They are always held at Ravenswood Evangelical Church at 4900 North Damen Avenue. The meetings begin at 7pm.

Sincerely,

Gene Schulter
Alderman, 47th Ward

(click to enlarge for more information)

We spotted a new restaurant on Clark just south of Leland. "Tiztal Cafe," at 4631 N. Clark, has a sign advertising breakfast served all day and also a fresh fruit and juice bar. The photo is a bit blurry but we peeked inside and the interior has been totally redone.
While you are over in this area, be sure to check out "Thai On Clark," which is just a bit north of Tiztal Cafe and is sporting a nice, new awning. Prices are reasonable and it has some of the best chicken satay we have ever tasted. Call 773-275-2620 for carryout orders.

The Christopher House location at 4303 North Kenmore that closed last year and was sold to a developer started demolition yesterday.

Christopher House continues to operate at five other locations.

Thanks, as always, to our readers who let us know what's going on in the community and who send in photos.

of Uptown that is, a new crime blotter blog has surfaced, aptly titled the "Edgewater Crime Blotter." They provide info much in the way the Uptown Crime Blotter does, but they focus more on Andersonville, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. Also, the guys at the Uptown Crime Blotter are still on the lookout for someone to help them in their efforts. Send an email to uptowncrimeblotter@gmail.com and let them know why you should be selected to join their team and you will get a FREE POLICE SCANNER! How can you beat that?

A reader just sent in this pic from the BP at Lawrence and Clarendon. Gas for $1.47 a gallon? We have a feeling the folks at BP have rectified this situation by now.

(Thanks to a reader for taking photos and sending them to us)

Mark your calendars folks. For those of you who happen to have the day off on Thursday, May 29 or maybe you are downtown in the vicinity of the Daley Center, head over to room 1111 of the Daley Center for the housing court hearing of the Wilson Men's Hotel. It starts at 9am and court advocates (concerned residents) are needed to show the judge that this is indeed a serious issue in our neighborhood that needs attention. People who walk down this stretch of Wilson need no reminder of the blight this establishment has brought onto our community, but in case you do, check out these photos. The gentleman with the red arrow is our favorite litter-bug. He loves to chuck whatever he has been drinking down on the sidewalk when he is finished. The shopping cart full of beer cans you see below (which we photographed on Wilson) has since moved around the corner and is on the Clifton side of the Wilson Men's Hotel chained to a street sign.

Name the location of this beautiful building. We will give you one clue, it's on a corner.

CHICAGO - BUENA PARK NEIGHBORS (BPN) is pleased to announce the first of two free concerts in Buena Circle Park. Buena Park neighbors and their families will come together under the stars to listen to blues performed by the Reunion Blues Band. Additionally, Dr. Looney the Clown will be on hand making balloon animals for the children. The free concert takes place on Thursday, June 26th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Buena Circle Park concert series is organized by BPN in conjunction with the Chicago Park District. All neighbors and families are welcome.

Buena Circle Park is located at the intersection of North Kenmore Ave and West Buena Ave (1000 block West and 4200 block North). The Reunion Blues Band concert is sponsored by Nick Novich, of Nick’s Uptown Chicago - 4015 N. Sheridan, Nick’s on Wilson - 1140 W. Wilson Ave. and Nick’s Beer Garden - 1516 N. Milwaukee Ave.

BUENA PARK NEIGHBORS was founded in 1997 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit resident-based organization. BPN is dedicated to bringing together residents and working together to improve the quality of life in the area generally bounded by Montrose Avenue on the north, Irving Park Road on the south, Clark Street on the west and Marine Drive on the east.
For more info contact BPN at general@buenaparkneighbors.org

A reader writes in:
"Attached are two maps, each tells a different story - one shows the location of low-income housing by neighborhood, the other shows the violence over one weekend in April of this year (dubbed bloody weekend). When they are compared it is evident that the violence clusters around the neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of low-income housing. Unfortunately, Uptown with nearly 6000 units of low-income housing is one of those neighborhoods. Studies show it's not the low-income housing in itself but the concentrations that increase the likelihood that a neighborhood will experience more crime."
(map credit:Sun-Times)

Two readers just sent in their own designs for the June 7 Anti-Crime Rally. Some had mentioned wanting posters with more design and color, so here you go (as always, click the poster to enlarge). We think you could head to Staples or Kinko's and print these off relatively inexpensively.

Update: For those uncomfortable with the flyer showing the face of Francis Oduro, another version of the poster has been added.

We were wondering how the folks doing the rehab on the Uptown Broadway Building were going to deal with the black wrought-iron detailing around the street level windows. Much had crumbled and fallen off over the years. Looks like they made exact replicas and workers were seen installing the new gray colored iron next to the older, black iron yesterday. Impressive!

A reader sent us pics today of the newly planted trees in Challenger Park. He also caught a few Uptown residents enjoying the beautiful weather with their dogs. Looks like the dogs approve of the improvements.

In light of the recent shootings and Shiller’s refusal to speak out, let’s not forget Shiller’s quote from one year ago featured in this Pioneer-Local story:

Her Quote:
"It's going to be different," said Alderman Helen Shiller, 46th, but not with the kind of fireworks some observers have predicted. While the new crop of aldermen are raising different issues, "they're serious about learning their jobs and being effective. And 90 percent of what we do is responding to people on a day-to-day basis.

"I think it's going to be more my kind of thoughtfulness," said Shiller, a 20-year council veteran.

When politicians leave office they can do it the honorable way. They can just retire and let their seat get filled by the electorate.

Or, as seems to be the case with former State Senator Carol Ronen, they can sell out their constituents and make money to boot.

Read all about it at the Chicago Tribune:

Checking out "EveryBlock" we came across a liquor license application for "Fontana Grill," the upcoming restaurant right on the corner of Wilson and Beacon at 1329 W. Wilson. We had heard they would specialize in Italian food, but that still remains to be seen. We look forward to welcoming "Fontana Grill" to the neighborhood this summer.

After much debate and discussion, it appears the consensus for the Uptown Neighborhood Crime Rally will be Saturday, June 7 in front of Alderman Shiller's office at 4544 N. Broadway. Be in front of the Alderman Shiller's office at 10am. We need residents to step forward for planning purposes. We already have someone willing to design flyers for the rally. Now is the time for block club presidents and organizations such as UCC, UNC, and WAMA to step forward and help in the planning process.
Update: A reader just sent in a flyer (below) that you can click to enlarge, then print and pass out to your neighbors and post in businesses in your neighborhood to get the word out.

A reader writes in:
"Last night I had locked my bike up to a street sign outside of my place at 747 Buena. I typically take it into my place, but I had a lot of other things to carry. Then this morning when I walk out the front door I am greeted with the attached picture. They had actually removed the street sign from the ground in order to steal my bike. Just infuriating."

There have been quite a few emails and comments lately about organizing a rally of sorts at Alderman Shiller's office on Broadway. Several of you have emailed us willing to help organize such an event. Please discuss that in this post. Also, remember to use the "News Media Contacts" link off on the right to notify the news media of such a rally.

A reader tells us:
"Good old Argyle El Station. It sure has seen better days. That roof looks like it's about to collapse, and whenever it rains, the attendants put buckets to catch all the leaks."

By Robert Mitchum, Tribune Reporter

Francis Oduro came to the United States to follow in his father's footsteps and take advantage of the country's educational opportunities to study engineering.

Oduro, 22, liked living in Chicago. But he was horrified by the violence he would see every night on the news, including gunplay that was unheard of in his native Ghana, his family said.

On Wednesday night, Oduro became a victim of that same violence, gunned down along the 4500 block of North Broadway as he walked to a CTA train stop from Truman College, where he had been taking classes for more than a year. Another man, a suspected gang member who police said may have been the target of the shooting, was critically injured.
Continue Reading:

After four years of kids being forced to play in the dark at Aster Play Lot on Kenmore, there is now light.
A reader writes in:
"A huge thanks to Uptown Update for all the attention needed to get Aster Play Lot's lights back on after 4 years. Today, a group of us met with Katie Fearon-Peon from the Park District, who checked with 311 and found that there were a ton of calls made over the years. Just as we figured, the calls kept going to the wrong department. Katie is now trying to get signs up on the playlots about who to call to get problems in the park addressed."

Wonder if anyone involved with zoning in Uptown will be implicated?


Read all about it at the Chicago Tribune here.

A reader sent us this photo and tells us that this latest gang scribble was done last night. It's on the Silvia Center's north wall just above Ace-Hardware. It is clearly seen from the Wilson L stop. We need everyone to call 311 and report this. The operator will ask if the graffiti is more than 10 feet above the ground, which it is. The address of this location is 4615 N. Clifton. Get crackin!

This was the scene four hours after a few young men decided two others shouldn't be allowed to live. Not a very glamorous way to leave this life.

The suds are presumably from the CFD hosing down the sidewalks after the police finished their investigation, and after one victim was taken to the hospital, the other to the morgue.

How can we put a stop to the senseless, unrelenting violence taking place in the heart of our community? Teenagers are murdering each other on our main streets. Preschoolers on the way to the playground are finding weapons on the sidewalks. The CTA is having to stop the trains because teenagers are rioting at the Wilson el station. This is intolerable.

By Lorraine Swanson, Editor
News-Star

Court advocates are being sought for a troubled transient hotel in Uptown that is headed to Cook County Circuit Court next week. Billed as one of the city's last "chicken wire" single room occupancy buildings, city building inspectors turned up 44 code violations at the Wilson Men's Hotel at 1124 W. Wilson Ave. on Jan. 23.

Violations ranged from cockroaches sited in the basement, problems with the plumbing and sewage, inadequate ventilation, holes and cracks in the ceilings and floor, loose handrails and no fire doors in the building's boiler room, according to a city building inspection report obtained by News-Star. (photo courtesy John Howard)
Continue Reading:

Update: Could our own readers be the ones who triggered this inspection on January 23? Look back at this post dated January 9 where we encouraged our readers to call the city to report the countless code violations in this building. It appears you are making a difference folks. Keep it up!

A reader writes in:
"About 6:30 pm this evening there was a major gang disturbance at the corner of Malden and Leland. I was walking my dogs and all of a sudden there was a gang of about 15-20 African Americans (at least 3 regular gang members who are at that corner every night) started yelling and running after someone with bats and sticks. At least one had a gun and there were reports that shots were fired closer to Wilson. There were many neighbors out at that time and we all called 911 and cleared out. A girl was screaming help. Several of us came back out after the police arrived (about 4 cars) and as usual the gang disbursed into one of three buildings ... the JPUSA building at the corner, the section 8 house next to it on Malden and the building across the street from it on the south corner that has an entrance on Leland. Several were taken into squad cars, questioned and RELEASED back on the street. 30 minutes later 8 of the exact same gang bangers are at the corner. I call 911 and asked for the police to be sent back out and had the worst experience with the dispatcher. He was rude, patronizing and when I asked to be transferred to the district seargent's desk he said he didn't have that information and also didn't know what police district we were in. He kept interrupting me and stated "his job was to ask questions before they send the police out" and that it didn't matter what happened 30 minutes ago or that one of the gang members who was there was seen with a gun during the disturbance.

Please be vigilant in this area. Last night there was a fight at 3 am and Monday night (4 am) gun shots fired and reported by numerous neighbors. I have lived here for 7 years and this is the WORST consistent violent gang activity at Malden and Leland that I have seen since I first moved here."

Bad scene at Wilson and Broadway. Keep checking the Uptown Crime Blotter for updates.

Craig Gernhardt tells us:

9:19 PM: Scanner reports of multiple calls. Wilson and Broadway. Two people shot.

Police are starting a a man hunt. (May 21, 2008 9:25 PM)

Victims are in critical condition. Offenders ran to Magnolia.Broadway is closed at Sunnyside to Wilson. (May 21, 2008 9:27 PM)

4543 North Broadway is ground zero. (May 21, 2008 9:28 PM)

One victim going to Illinois Masonic.The victim is staying on scene. (This may be a homicide?)
(May 21, 2008 9:30 PM)

Age of the offender: 16 to 19 years old. Basic description: Black male wearing a hoodie. No one is quite sure what color hoodie. (May 21, 2008 9:40 PM)

CAPS will be having a positive loitering event and police roll call on Tuesday, May 27th, at 6:30pm, at the corner of Wilson and Sheridan. Come talk to the police and your neighbors, as residents make their presence known on Uptown's streets. Bring the kids, bring your dog, stay for an hour or stay for five minutes.

If you haven't been to a positive loitering event, it's fun to stand around and shmooze for a bit with friends and neighbors. Seeing the police do their roll call is pretty impressive. And a bunch of residents and cops standing around pretty much puts the kibosh on illegal activities being conducted that evening.

Uptown Baptist Church has worked with the police in helping to organize the event. Bravo to them for their continuing community activity and for looking outside their church doors as they help the neighborhood move toward positive changes.

Ok, we have another challenge for our clever readers. Name the location of this beautiful building and you will win a pat on the back.

Top: 4730 N Sheridan Road, currently home to "Alternatives," a youth center serving children and young adults.
Bottom: The "Lakeside Theatre" in 1964. According to "Cinema Treasures," the theatre opened in 1915 and at one time sat over 1,000 patrons. It closed in the mid 1960's, as the photo depicts, and was bought by the dance center of Columbia College in 1970. Nowadays, Alternatives calls it home.
(photo credit: Landmarks and Legends of Uptown)

Seen today at 1124 W. Wilson.

From the Sun-Times:

Man shot near Aragon Ballroom

An 18-year-old man was shot in the arm in a drive-by early Wednesday in the North Side’s Uptown neighborhood.

The shooting occurred about 2:35 a.m. at the 4800 block of North Winthrop Avenue when someone inside a dark-colored 1996 Buick Park Avenue fired shots at the man, who was outside, according to Lincoln District police Sgt. Patrick Barker, who was citing preliminary information.

A police detective car saw the shooting and began chasing the Buick, but lost it in the 4600 block of North Kenmore Avenue, according to Barker.

At 2:55 a.m., the 18-year-old was being treated on the scene with a gunshot wound to the arm.

After being shot, the man fled to the second floor of a building at the Winthrop Avenue address.

Any bets this is the infamous 4848 building?

UPDATE from PB at Uptown Crime Blotter: "Breaking news on this, a day care worker was taking kids to a park and found a gun on the ground at 4626 Kenmore probably the gun used in this incident. Evidence recovery units are on the way."

A resident wrote in wondering if there was a need for Truman College to open their swimming pool to the public and wanted to gauge the support in the community. Currently, the only options are Gill Park and Welles Park. If Truman opened their pool to this section of Uptown, it would be more convenient. If this is something that interests you, let us know in the comments. You can also email the reader interested in organizing this at epabear@mindspring.com

Buried in this story about the city council delaying the vote on the children's museum is a reference to 3 aldermen who are currently in Las Vegas for a real estate convention. The only "real estate convention" we found going on right now in Vegas is this: 2008 ICSC Recon. We wonder if our Alderman could be one of those partaking in this "convention." If she is, let's hope she learns something about retail to apply to her own blighted ward.

We posted a photo over the weekend of the window at the JPUSA-owned building on Wilson where campaign posters had been displayed for years. This display, which was noted by many in the community, has the potential to endanger JPUSA's standing with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. Our item noted that the campaign posters were apparently removed sometime during the past week.

This is what JPUSA has placed in the window where the election posters used to be. It's got it all: taxes, pagans abusing Christian charity, a nice sense of martyrdom. We guess we're supposed to feel chastened. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Update: A reader pointed out this website, with resources from people who have since left Jesus People USA. Be sure to check out the Rick Ross website. It includes Tribune stories and comments from former members and people involved with the "Wellness Retreat," which helps those who have been "spiritually abused."

WWJD? Our guess is, not be snarky about having to comply with the laws of the land.

Uptown's going to have what looks to be a huge street fair on August 16 & 17. Clark Street from Lawrence to Leland will be closed to traffic and dedicated to "The Raven." If you want to get involved, they're seeking sponsors, local food vendors and volunteers.

Truman Square Neighbors, along with many other Uptown block clubs, got together on May 17th to pick up some of the detritus left by the long winter.

We've recently become aware that Uptown has several places where your creative side can find an outlet.

• Music: The People's Music School, 931 W. Eastwood, is a labor of love for founder Rita Simo, and provides free music lessons for its 350 students, but has limited space for new enrollment. Attendance is mandatory and students must do community service. It's the only tuition-free community music school of its kind in the United States.
  
• Art: ArtWorks, 4654 North Racine, is a community arts and culture studio that provides creative space for everything from whittling to knitting to line drawing. Workshops are $10, and Wednesday nights are free. Activities are led by School of the Art Institute of Chicago and community artists. Check out the Open House on June 1st.
  
• Writing: The Uptown Writer's Space, 4802 N. Broadway, "provides Chicago writers with a dedicated workspace and the supportive community you'd find in a writing program or artistic residency." Check out the article the News-Star ran about it a couple weeks ago.

Business Partners, the Chamber for Uptown, is holding its annual Commanders' Luncheon on May 29th, where Uptown's two police commanders (Lucy Moy-Bartosik of the 20th District and Kathleen Boehmer of the 23rd District) will be guests.

If you're concerned with the recent violence that Uptown's been experiencing and want to hear what the commanders have to say about it, this is a great opportunity to talk to them.

The luncheon is open to Chamber members and non-members, and the deadline to RSVP is Friday, May 23rd. A flyer with more information about the event is here.

Chamber members will also vote for Board members at this meeting.

Copper cable taken from lightpoles

There were two instances of copper cable being stolen from streetlights last week. Police say this crime has been an ongoing problem in the area. Between May 3 and May 5, 350 feet of wire worth $5,000 was taken on the 900 block of Agatite Ave. The criminals opened the bottom of a light pole, pulled out the wire, attached it to a vehicle and then pulled out all the cable by driving away.

The second case of the same crime occurred between May 4 and May 5 on the 900 block of W. Sunnyside Ave. In that instance, 175 feet of wire worth $2,500 was nabbed. When called May 6, Chicago Streets and Sanitation Bureau of Electricity Spokesman Matt Smith didn’t get any information about this but he said that theft of public property such as this is probably not limited to Chicago only.

An April 30 article in the Los Angeles Times says “The rampant theft of copper and other metals in Southern California has begun hitting Inland Empire freeways hard, leaving motorists in increasing danger as traffic signals and lights in underpasses and rest areas have gone dark, law enforcement and Caltrans officials said Tuesday.” Raw copper can earn scrappers about $3 a pound. The article notes many of the thieves appear to be proper workers wearing official-looking apparel.

Thieves steal seats out of car

A restaurant manager, 32, got a rude awakening when she walked to her car May 4 at 10:05 p.m. on the 900 block of W. Gunnison St. She discovered that thieves had broken in her car and cut it apart disassembling the vehicle. They stole her two front car seats and a big chunk of her dashboard. In addition, her laptop computer was also taken from the 2002 Honda convertible. Elaborate pry tools were likely used, police suspect. The auto alarm was cut as well.

Camera taken from synagogue

A synagogue on the 5000 block of N. Kenmore reported a high-end “Eiki” video camera worth $15,000 missing May 1. [Uptown Update note: This is really sad. This synagogue has been robbed many times recently and was the target of hate crimes at least twice.]

Auto parts removed

A designer, 55, reported the catalytic converter was removed from his 1997 Toyota on the 800 block of Buena Avenue sometime between April 28 to April 30. This is the latest in a string of such cases. Another converter was also reported taken from a 2001 Jeep May 2. It was parked on the street on the 2500 block of N. Stockton Drive.

Uptown gang member armed with club

Police received notice of possible drug dealing and gang activity at 7:45 pm. Thursday, May 1 on the 900 block of W. Windsor Avenue. Officers went to the location and saw a man “carrying a wooden club/ bludgeon in the low ready position upon the public way. Subject is affiliated with the Vice Lord street gang,” according to a police report. The subject, 18, lives on the 800 block of W. Sunnyside Avenue. He has a June 16 court date.

Buena Park coffee shop burglarized

The popular Dollop Coffee Company storefront coffee shop at 4181 N. Clarendon Avenue was burglarized May 3. An unknown person used a rock to break the glass in the front door. The burglar then entered the coffee shop and grabbed the cash register, took it outside, removed the contents and dumped the register in the garbage can outside. The exact total amount taken was not known, but is estimated at $71.

Today Public Enemies filmed at Bridgeview Bank, and we're a little bit starstruck. Kind of cool to be able to brag about Uptown's movie stars without explaining about Bronco Billy and Essanay Studios. No offense to Uptown's storied past as a motion picture hub... but Johnny Depp has a little more name recognition.

A reader sent us a recent report from Dick Simpson and the UIC Department of Political Science. It's called "The Independent Caucus: Breaking the Rubber Stamp Mold" and deals with the Chicago City Council and the new "independent votes."

Oddly enough, for someone who's still described as a maverick and the Council's "independent spirit," this is what it says about Ald. Shiller:

Some previous Daley opponents like 46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller are now voting with Daley 100% of the time on these key votes.

Although not mentioned by name, 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith has the same perfect record of voting with Daley on key issues over the past year.

Take a look here at the voting records of Uptown's aldermen (click to enlarge):

To see the entire report, click here.

A reader wrote in to tell us about a problem they have had at Aster Play Lot (4637 N. Kenmore) for over 4 years. A light has been burned out that long, as you can see in the pic on the left, and countless calls to 311 have yielded zilch. At a CAPS meeting 2 years ago, someone from the city even promised to get through the "barriers" and get this light fixed. No such luck.

Now we call on you, good readers of Uptown Update. Flood the alderman's office with calls asking why our children have to play in the dark, especially in this time of heightened criminal activity. Do 46th ward officials care about the safety of children playing in Aster Play Lot? Time will tell.

A reader just sent in the following pic from the second floor of one of the JPUSA owned facilities at 935-939 W. Wilson. The windows had been displaying numerous Shiller election posters for years, which is a big no-no for a not-for-profit. Numerous readers had contacted the IRS informing them of this apparent violation. It's good to see these signs removed.

The front of the menu shows a website for "Viet Bowl" that is not yet up, so in the meantime, use this handy menu to plan your dine-in or carry-out meal.

Just a reminder that many of the streets around Lawrence and Broadway will be unavailable for parking Sunday evening and Monday. It's a tow zone, so don't be caught!

If you park on the street, you might want to locate a legal spot now, because you won't be able to street park from 7 p.m. on Sunday until 11 p.m. on Monday. (Click the link for a complete list of the streets affected.)

We spotted these temporary-looking doors covering the revolving doorway normally in use at Bridgeview Bank at Lawrence and Broadway. We can only assume they are in place for the Johnny Depp, "Public Enemy" filming taking place in the bank.

The six story condominium plus retail space development planned for the corner of Clark and Lawrence is all but a dream now...at least from the old developer. The lot is now for sale again. Interested parties can contact Doug Van Vleet at the number below.

We spotted these leasing agent signs on the Uptown Broadway Building. If you need 10,000 square feet of office space with parking, call the number above.

A reader sent in the following pic from Beacon and Wilson showing sewer work taking place there. In the background you can also see the future home of the Italian restaurant in the high rise on the corner. Workers there have since moved the entrance from Wilson to inside the enclosed fence area. The reader peeked inside and noted that the inside has been totally gutted, recessed lighting and exposed duct work have been added. They also noticed a fountain being installed outside and electrical cables for outdoor lighting being added. If you are out this weekend, we suggest you stop by Express Chicken & Ribs in this same building. Mention "Uptown Update" and save 10% off your order.

If you haven't been by El Pollo Loco at Wilson and Sheridan lately, we suggest you take a stroll over that way. We will wager that this is the best the landscaping in this spot has looked in years. If you go and partake in some flame grilled chicken, make sure you tell the management how nice their landscaping looks. They are a good neighbor.

A nice view of Uptown from Clarendon, yesterday.

Unique So Chique, at Wilson and Magnolia, is announcing new hours and a "high tea" served from 5pm till 9pm and also at 8pm. The high tea includes 4 traditional english style entrees.

This “Wilson Yard” comment appeared on the Chicago Tribune’s Commentary page in the Thursday May 15, 2008 edition. It was selected for print by the editors as one of nine notable comments related to the Children’s Museum’s Battle for Grant Park space.

Commentary: The Battle for Grant Park

Analyze this

"I've got a perfect location for the Children's Museum: Wilson Yard in Uptown. It's right on the Red Line and on the bus lines. The 46th Ward alderman seems to think that enormous concrete high-rises for low- and extremely low-income families would be best for Wilson Yard. Those of us who live in the neighborhood (a group that, interestingly, does not include our alderman) feel otherwise."

--Ellen DePodesta

Chicago

Since Uptown's about to be the home to gangsters again this weekend (the kind in spats, that is), we thought it was time to revisit our mob history.

Thanks to Richard Lindberg's Return to the Scene of the Crime, and its sequel, Return Again to the Scene of the Crime, for telling the stories about infamous places all over Chicago, and allowing us to find out who walked these streets and inhabited these buildings before we did.

Machine Guns on Agatite: Verne Miller was a former lawman turned killer who freelanced, working occasionally for the Capone bootleggers and "Machine Gun" Kelly.

In June 1933, he went on the run after four FBI agents were killed when he attempted to spring a bank robber from custody in Kansas City. (He also managed to kill the bank robber he was attempting to free.)

Miller (now at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted List) and his girlfriend holed up in Apartment 211 at the prestigious and luxurious Sherone Apartment Hotel at 4423 North Sheridan (at Agatite) when an informant tipped the Feds off that he was in town.

So they set up a sting ... seven agents were waiting in the lobby and around the building. The informant would drop his keys as a signal.

November 1, 1933, 9:00 p.m.: Miller appeared in the lobby. Keys clattered to the floor. Miller was expecting the trap and ran for it. He went out the side door onto Galt (now Agatite) while the FBI shot at him. "When an FBI agent let loose with his machine gun, it marked the first time that a representative from law enforcement used the deadly weapon in the streets of Chicago."

Miller's girlfriend was waiting outside for him in an idling car. The shootout continued as they sped east on Agatite, then hopscotched around on Clarendon, Montrose, Vista Terrace (now Dayton), and finally back to Montrose, where their car blew a tire. They escaped by the time the FBI caught up with them.

(Didn't do ol' Verne much good. He was killed by mobsters just four weeks later. He was only 37.)

Places near Uptown that we learned surprising stuff about:

• The (infamous) Hotel Chateau, 3838 N Broadway, was home to sisters Pat Cherrington and Opal Long, "molls" to mobsters Red Hamilton and Dillinger gang member Russell Clark. Dillinger and his gang often hung out there, and when Red Hamilton was killed, Dillinger sent Ms. Cherrington an envelope full of cash there.
• The Wigwam, the triangular building at 3751 N. Broadway, used to be the Marigold Hotel, which housed (briefly) the headquarters of the O'Bannion-Moran-Drucci gang. Street level (probably where the flower shop is now) held the Club Southern nightclub, a frequent hangout for the Dillinger gang and their girlfriends.

The overhead canopy on the platform of the Wilson L is being replaced. If you are caught up there during a rainstorm, the northern section has the old roofing still. We have to admit, our decrepit L station has received more TLC this year than arguably in the last 20 years. We doubt that will still keep folks from voting it the most disgusting L station in the Sun-Times. It has a lot of potential and residents look forward to the day when the CTA cares enough to actually RENT OUT THE VACANT STOREFRONTS (doesn't the CTA need money?) and repair the crumbling facade.

Judging from what has been accomplished at the upcoming Graeme Stewart Park, it may be finished fairly soon. It looks like a cul-de-sac and a sidewalk in front of the school has been added thus far. Hopefully, this park will be a nice addition to the neighborhood and not used for other purposes.

Name the location of this colorful ornamentation in Uptown.

And to think it all began with this post. Today marks the one year anniversary of Uptown Update. Time does fly when you're having fun. We are thankful to live in such a vibrant and interesting neighborhood that never ceases to amaze us. We know that this past year was pivotal in Uptown history and are glad we were able to document it a bit for you. 2008 promises to be just as monumental. Thanks for making us one of the premier sources of information in Uptown.

A reader alerted us that the famous Potholes Of Filth And Destruction have finally gotten some fixin'.

We went past Windsor and Sunnyside to see for ourselves, and -- while they're far from perfect -- at least pets, small children and MiniCoopers no longer need fear their wrath.

We were sad to hear of the death of our former State Rep. Larry McKeon today. From the Tribune:

Former state Rep. Larry McKeon, the first openly gay member of the Illinois General Assembly, died Tuesday, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie announced Wednesday on the state House floor. McKeon, 63, a Chicago Democrat, did not seek re-election in 2006 because of health struggles that included cancer and an AIDS-related digestive illness.

Update: Mary Schmich of the Tribune did a column on how McKeon opened the door to allow openly gay cops on the CPD.

Good news if you are a resident of the Graceland Wilson Neighbors Association (GWNA). The boundaries for this block club are Montrose to Wilson and Broadway to Beacon. A block club meeting, one that is long overdue, is planned for 7pm, Tuesday, May 20 at the Bridgeview Bank conference room at Lawrence and Broadway. For more info as it becomes available, check out the GWNA website.

This is one of our favorite views of Uptown, as seen today from the large window on the second floor of Borders. If you enlarge the pic you can see that Crew is now blue, and the Riv building has a full window advertisements for Bank of America around the entire first floor. Oh, and the police "caution" tape is still hanging from the light pole in the center island after being reported countless times.

We spotted this sign today in the window of Express Corner at 1111 W. Wilson, right under the L tracks. We suspect that the "remodeling" has something to do with the fact that they failed inspection on May 1. Hopefully the remodel will correct all the violations found by the city.

Wow, folks. We just got back from lunch at the newly opened "Viet Bowl" at 1122 W. Wilson and are utterly amazed. The food was delicious. The interior was immaculately redone in granite and marble, very modern lighting throughout and even features several waterfalls built into the walls. The service was friendly and attentive and we were told that for the first month, non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary with any order. They also specialize in smoothies and we saw quite a few folks sampling them. These entrepreneurs spent some serious cash on this establishment and we encourage our readers to check it out! They also have installed quite a few security cameras throughout the restaurant so this will hopefully cut down on the excessive loitering due to their neighbor to the west. Call 773-271-2272 or carryout orders.

From Business Partners, The Chamber for Uptown, we have learned that Universal Pictures will be filming in Uptown this weekend and parking will be affected.

No Parking signs will be posted on the following streets, Sunday, May 18, 7pm to Monday, May 19, 11pm:

• Both sides of Broadway from Lawrence to Leland


• Both sides of Racine from Broadway to Leland


• North side of Lawrence from Clifton to Winthrop


• South side of Lawrence from Broadway to Kenmore


• West side of Winthrop from Lawrence to ½ block north


• Both sides of Winthrop from Lawrence to Leland

By Jim DeRogatis, Pop Music Critic

In a poorly designed attempt to rein in underground party promoters in response to the E2 tragedy in 2003, the City Council is rushing to pass legislation that will make it more difficult and sometimes impossible for responsible concert organizers to present music at many legitimate licensed venues in Chicago.

In comments that have been echoed in hundreds of posts throughout the blogosphere and dozens of angry phone calls to aldermen since the so-called "promoter's ordinance" was approved last week by the Committee on License and Consumer Protection, activists from the Chicago Music Commission lashed out at the law and said they plan to protest it before the City Council vote on Wednesday.
Continue Reading:

Ever since we read this description on Metromix, we've been curious about one of Uptown's oddest landmarks:

The "notable arrests" newsletter is out for April, and the uptick in crime is reflected in the four pages (39 arrests) for the 23rd District.

It's of interest to us that the 23rd District runs from Fullerton to Lawrence and has one of the lowest overall crime rates in the city. However, of the 39 "most notable" arrests, all but two of them are connected to Uptown. (The other two are in Wrigleyville.)

Next time you're told by a politician how low the crime rate is for the 23rd District, filter that out and ask about the crime rate in Uptown. It's a whole 'nother story.

As always, the newsletter "is designed to inform interested members of the community with timely information regarding individuals who have been arrested and charged with the commission of a crime that occurred within our area. We emphasize that unless otherwise noted, these individuals have already been taken into custody, formally charged, are awaiting trial and are NOT WANTED at this time. Should you observe any of these individuals committing criminal acts, please contact the police via 9-1-1 immediately and take no further action."

UPDATE: Per request, the 20th District "notable arrests" have been added to the linked document. Also, a link to the 20th District's home page has been added to the links at the right side of the page.

A reader commented:

A reader clued us in to a post on Rogers Park Bench, which highlighted WLS radio host Jerry Agar's attempt ... to get the Chicago Aldermen to state their position on whether or not the Children's Museum should be allowed to relocate to Grant Park ... The results of our calls - we called each office more than once - are below. Call the aldermen yourself, especially those who didn't call us back and give your opinion.

WON’T CALL US BACK OR ANSWER QUESTION

Ward 46 Alderman Helen Shiller 773-878-4646

Our reader opined: "I gotta give Helen credit - she's damned consistent."

Dr. Ron Ruffo of the Chicago Police Department will present a Street Safety Seminar at the Bezazian Library (on Ainslie one block west of Broadway) at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22nd. This is the same seminar he gave to Clarendon Park Neighborhood Ass'n a few weeks ago, and we hear it was both entertaining and informative.

If you missed it the first time around, catch it at the Library. It's a freebie!

Please join your neighbors and friends as we kick off our fundraising effort for a Dog Park at Clarendon Park. Clarendon Park Neighborhood Association hopes to bring a Dog Park to Clarendon Park because the current Dog Parks are reaching capacity. We also believe this Dog Park will give area neighbors a place to get to know each other better, and improve the safety of Clarendon Park by creating a healthy community presence.

The fundraiser is to be held at The Driftwood, 1021 W. Montrose from 6-9pm on Friday, May 30th. CPNA is asking for a donation of $15 to benefit the Dog Park. There will be drink specials like $2.50 bottles of domestic beer (and others yet to be determined).

If you believe Dog Parks are a good idea for the building of community and increasing the safety of our neighborhood, please consider attending or sending a donation.

We were poking around the City of Chicago's website today and found out that Uptown will have a farmers' market again this year. We'd really like to see this succeed, i.e., attract more fresh produce and vendors than last year's. Fingers crossed for a greater selection, since this is something that can benefit everyone if it ever gets ... good.

Uptown Farmers Market
1145 W. Wilson (4600 N - 1145 W)
Truman College
Thursdays, June 19-October 23, 2008 - 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Other markets in the area include:

Lincoln Square Farmers Market
Lincoln/Leland/Western (4700 N - 2400 W)
City Parking Lot adjacent to Brown Line Station
Tuesdays, June 10-October 28, 2008 - 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

North Center Farmers Market
North Center Town Square
Belle Plaine/Damen/Lincoln (4100 N - 2000 W)
Saturdays, June 14-October 18, 2008 - 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Edgewater Green Market
6034 N. Broadway
Saturdays, June 28-October 18, 2008 - 7 a.m.-Noon

Southport Green Market
Blaine School - 1420 W. Grace
Saturdays, June 14-October 11, 2008 - 8:00am-Noon

From "Jazz Age Chicago"
Rainbo Gardens
4812-4836 North Clark Street
Opened ca. 1920

Host to a variety of amusements and some of the early twentieth century's best-known celebrities, Fred Mann's Rainbo Gardens was one of Chicago's premier entertainment venues. Located at 4812-36 North Clark Street, Rainbo Gardens lured patrons from across the city with its eclectic mix of traditional vaudeville acts, trendy jazz bands, extreme sports events, and easy-going dance and liquor policies.
(photo credit: Chicago Daily News Archive)

A reader writes in:
"Set Designers are hard at work preparing the Rotunda of the Bridgeview Bank for a scene in the upcoming film "Public Enemy" starring Johnny Depp. Shooting is slated for May 12-16th. If you look at the photos I've sent you'll notice they have taken down the HUGE chandelier that hung from the ceiling. What a job that must have been! They are also assembling lots of other things that I am not privy to...see the other photos I shot this afternoon...just for your blog! Should be a fun week at Broadway & Lawrence!"

A reader sent in the following photo showing a retail space for lease sign at the Wilson Yard site. Is it just us, or does anyone else wonder why the "sign of the beast" is in the phone number on the sign? Naw, couldn't be anything. We look forward to seeing a "Target Coming Soon" sign just like this.

Clarendon Park Neighbors (CPNA) wants to spread the word:

Hi Neighbors,

Next Wednesday's CAPS meeting will also function as our next Neighborhood Watch training.

This training will give everyone a chance to ask questions. The Police will give us tips on how to conduct an effective and safe neigborhood watch.

We ask everyone to bring a list of dates you can be available for the neighborhood watch. For instance, if you let us know that Wednesday afternoons are usually good for you, or that you can cover Monday evenings this week, and Thursday evening the next week, that would be great.

We will try to fashion a schedule from there and get that information out to everyone. Also, please be ready to share your home, cell, pager, or work number, plus your email address, as we will need these to communicate amongst groups who are watching together. We are trying for groups of 5 or more for each date. It will be up to each group to contact each other in advance to discuss any specifics for that day.

The CAPS meeting is Next Wednesday, May 14th, at 7pm at the Clarendon Park fieldhouse (Sunnyside and Clarendon). Please be there at 7pm.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

Some major progress has been made lately at Broadway and Lawrence. Several readers contacted us to let us know the Riv building was getting its ground level windows installed today, and as you can see, they are large and welcoming.

Update: This is what the building looked like a couple years ago. Some difference, huh? It must have been easier to slap some metal panels on it when it started deteriorating than pay for the extensive and expensive rehab. A tip of the hat to GB Properties (corrected!) (and its deep pockets) for seeing it through. (photo courtesy of karbon69 on Flickr.)

A bit further north on Broadway, Crew was given a fresh coat of gray paint and the flower boxes for the outdoor seating area were being repainted also.

There's an article and a short video on the Green Mill on Open Mic Travel, a video magazine.

Cool Things We Did Not Know:

• The Green Mill used to take up the entire building, from the corner of Lawrence to north of where the Uptown Theatre is now.
• It started as a roadhouse for people who were traveling to the "country" to attend burials at St. Boniface Cemetery.
• The video is a couple years old, but it points out that someone had just shot a bullet through the front window of the Green Mill on Christmas Day, when it was (thankfully) closed and empty.

From "Arthur Gerber: Insull's Transit Architect" by Tom Burke and Graham Garfield

"Gerber's Wilson station was grand and impressive enough in design and execution that the "Terra Cotta Service Bureau" elected to use it on an advertisement promoting the use of terra cotta in buildings ("Build with TERRA COTTA for Beauty"). The richly detailed parapet served as a landmark in Uptown for decades. (photo from the JJ Sedelmaier Productions Collection)

Uptown Residents Sue Zoning Board
Complaint Alleges Error In Labor Ready Decision
By Lorraine Swanson

Read All About It Here

An astute reader sent us this link, showing the 44th Ward's "master plan." Notice how the block clubs are highlighted in the 44th Ward plans. It got us wondering...what is the 46th Ward's "master plan?" And be nice.

For those of you living near 845 W. Montrose, you may have noticed this rehab taking place. According to the sign out front, it is called "Harbor Way" and features 3 and 4 bedroom units. Looks like the developers have done a great job restoring the building.

Name the location of this amazing terra cotta detail. Win the admiration of your neighbors.

Seen today in the 4400 block of Broadway. There are two other storefronts to the south of this that look just as horrible.

Our loitering friends whose favorite hangout has been the guard rail in the parking lot of Dearborn Grocers near Broadway and Montrose have since moved a few feet to the west and are now hanging out in this doorway. When 911 was notified of their new hangout, the dispatcher said, "Oh there are always people loitering there, we will send the police over." Nice.

Seen today at Clark and Wilson. This Currency Exchange has shut down and the space is now for rent.

A reader writes in (but we can't find the email, so we're paraphrasing) that the corner of Montrose and Malden has just undergone road patching for the umpteenth time, and not only is it a really poor job of roadwork, but ... it stinks!

She honestly can't tell if it's sewer smell or a skunk over in Graceland Cemetery. Now that's bad.

Anyone else in the area experiencing malodorous waftings of springtime sewer gas or skunkage?

Looks like we have another business looking to open up in the gorgeous Uptown Broadway Building. Read on for more info:

"The Clever Boar Wine Bar (CB) will be first and only wine bar in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Upon opening its doors in the fall of 2008, the CB will provide a wine list with depth and value, smart service, and distinctive small plates, all in an incredibly historic setting that separates it from its peers in Chicago. The mission of the staff at the Clever Boar is to provide, “Excellent Drinking, Revelatory Casual Dining, Professional and Unpretentious Service, all in the Neighborhood”
Located in the newly-restored, Uptown Broadway Building (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) at the south-end of the Uptown Entertainment District, it will premier as Chicago’s only boutique wine bar modeled after the intimate and bustling urban wine bars of the cosmopolitan cities of Europe. The Clever Boar’s small, 920- square foot space with massive windows and soaring ceilings will become a destination for novices and connoisseurs alike who are in search for the highest-quality food and beverage (organic whenever possible) at reasonable prices."

We wish we understood the irresistible urge to park on 800-900 West Wilson Avenue sidewalks. The concept is not difficult: Cars and trucks park on streets; people linger on sidewalks. Yet, in this stretch of Uptown, the roles are often reversed.

Just as we’ve gotten the Community Housing Partner’s contractors off the walkways, the City of Chicago’s General Service vans have taken up the sidewalk parking trend. They are not responding to emergencies. No, they’ve just been installing new cable / wiring at the Uptown Neighborhood Public Health Center for past two months.

It’s time for these city workers and their outside contractors to set a better example and comply with their employer’s laws.

Streets and Sanitation electricians worked today to replace the stolen wiring that caused street light blackouts at 900 W. Agatite, 900 W. Sunnyside, and 4500 N. Hazel. We hope this is the last of Uptown’s public utility wire thefts, but somehow we doubt it.

A reader sent in the following info from Area 3 CAPS Building Coordinator Meg Gillman:
The next court date is August 7, Daley Center - Room 1111 at 9:30am. The owner (Jorge Petroni) must arrange for an interior inspection prior to the next court date. There are still a number of building violations; the owner is applying for the necessary permits. Previously, the owner was told to do a better job of tenant screening and a better job of managing the building in general. The owner installed a fence at the back of his property. Improved security measures such as cameras were discussed, but Corporation Counsel Judy Dever's advice to the owner has been to focus on getting the building violations fixed. Neighbors have been calling 911 to report suspicious persons and suspected gang and drug activity, and they should continue to call 911. Corporation Counsel's staff will meet with the owner to discuss problem tenants and suspected gang activity outside the building. DGHES Counsel Judy Dever had previously encouraged the owner to attend Beat meetings and U-Haul Task Force meetings. I plan to attend the hearing and look forward to seeing you there. Feel free to contact me by phone at (312) 744-4247 or on my cell phone at (773) 820-2223. Thank you!

Meg Gillman
Area 3 CAPS Building Coordinator

If you are needing to renew or replace your Illinois driver's license, you can avoid going to the DMV and take care of it at Bridgeview Bank at Lawrence and Broadway on Friday, May 9 from 10am-2pm in the rotunda area. For more info, click here.

by Adam Verwymeren, May 06, 2008

A community group in Uptown has sued the city in an attempt to shut down a planned day-labor site, claiming the city picked the site without proper community input.

The plaintiffs in the case, Mary Anne Phelan and Cynthia Lynn Anderson, who run the Web site StopLaborReady.com, say the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on February 15, 2008, did not allow for sufficient community input.

They claim that only four local residents opposed to the site were allowed to speak and that the community was not given sufficient notice to mount a case against Labor Ready, the company attempting to set up shop at 4834 N. Sheridan Road.

Read the entire article here.

Our favorite part is the oldie-but-goodie: "Shiller was unavailable for comment."

A reader sent in a pic today of "Express Chicken & Ribs" at Beacon and Wilson and noted that the front door had been covered in plywood and the restaurant was closed. We hope this wasn't a senseless act of vandalism or robbery and that they will be back to serving up great chicken soon. We will keep you posted.

We spotted workers outside Crew today at Lawrence and Broadway. Workers were sanding down the exterior and we can assume a fresh coat of paint will soon be added. The Green Mill next door was just refurbished on the exterior, and with the addition of Wilde Pug, this stretch of Broadway will be looking great in no time.

This afternoon we came across this gentleman who had settled down in the bus stop at Broadway and West Sheridan, just in front of Gill Park and steps from the Hotel Chateau. He had a large bag of clothes in the bus stop with him and was chugging a couple beers. We called 911 and unfortunately after two calls, no police came to check this out. We heard him swearing at pedestrians passing by and carrying on conversations with no one. We wonder why this is allowed to continue steps from a children's play lot.

We've been wondering for some time now what was coming to the vacant storefront to the east of the dreaded Wilson Club Hotel. Now, judging by the nice signage added to the storefront, we can expect "Viet Bowl" to open soon. We hope the store owners can keep the Wilson Club loiterers at bay, especially the ones who sit on the gas meter directly to the left of this new business entrance. That will surely keep some business away if it isn't nipped in the bud. We look forward to some good noodle soup on Wilson!

A reader writes in:
According to Ald. Shiller's website, her office is open from 9am-11am on the first Saturday of every month, and it specifically lists last Saturday, May 3, as one of those days:
Alderman Shiller's Office Hours
Yet, my husband goes to her office this past Saturday at 10:30am and it was closed.

Seems when there's nothing else to do in outer space, the astronauts grab their cameras and take photos of earth through a window in the the International Space Station. NASA has put examples of astronaut photography on the web, including Uptown. (click the image for a larger version)

The little dark blotch slightly to the left of Montrose Harbor? That's Graceland Cemetery, where the residents don't need lights at night. The larger blotch north and west of Graceland is Rosehill Cemetery.

Ray Kozicz, a Streets and Sanitation worker, demonstrates how the blue containers are dumped, after an announcement of new recycling efforts at a news conference at Margate Park on Friday. photo by Charles Osgood

By Laurie Cohen and Kristen Kridel, Chicago Tribune

Mayor Richard Daley's controversial blue bag recycling program will end this summer, and the city will expand suburban-style recycling across the city by 2011.

City Hall slowly has been moving toward replacing the blue bag program, which has been marked by cronyism and lack of participation, and has been a continuing embarrassment for Daley, who prides himself on being one of the country's greenest mayors.

Environmentalists said the blue bag program, which began in 1995, was so bad that they aren't concerned that its demise leaves the city without another system fully in place for the next few years.

"The blue bag program was so ineffective it's a minimal loss," said Julie Dick, president of the Chicago Recycling Coalition, which has long pushed the city to adopt suburban-style recycling.
Continue Reading

Sheridan Park Beat 2311 CAPS meeting will be held this Tuesday, May 6th at Truman College from 7-8. (Please ask the guard which room, as this info has not been provided yet to us.) At 8 o'clock, a representative from a camera security company will come to talk about the options residents have to put security cameras both in and outside of their buildings. We will also be discussing upcoming positive loitering events and an upcoming street safety seminar.

Note: Sheridan Park 2311 CAPS beat is from Lawrence to Montrose and from Clark to Broadway.

A reader writes:

Incorporating both those sentiments, the Uptown Crime Blotter folks are busy organizing the next "get out and meet your neighbors" event. They've posted a list of needs for volunteers on the Blotter.

Interested in helping "be the change" in Uptown? Take a look and see if there's anything you can do to help 'em out.

On Friday, May 2nd, Uptown residents filed suit in the Circuit Court of Cook County against the City of Chicago, the Zoning Board of Appeals and Labor Ready Midwest. The Court has been requested to examine the transcripts of the February 15th ZBA hearing, as well as all documents submitted, and determine whether the ZBA acted appropriately in reaching its decision to grant a special use permit to Labor Ready. Because the matter is now in the realm of the courts, the Uptown Chicago Commission and StopLaborReady will be restricted as to the information they would normally share with the community. When there is news to share, it will be communicated through email communications and postings on this blog. Thank you to all the residents who organized the community, wrote letters, attended the ZBA hearing, and made contributions to the litigation fund.

Our local Borders is getting more involved in the neighborhood and wants to pass along some information on events of interest:

• Story Time every Wednesday at 11am. Stories & snacks for young kids. Most are 6 & under, but we can set something up for other groups. It's great to have advanced notice of large groups so we can prepare snacks for everyone.


• May 3, 2pm Ted Okuda will be having a discussion & book signing of "Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows." This is his book about classic horror tv shows like Svengoolie.


• May 10, 2pm D. Smith (local family & author) will be signing & discussing his book "On the Job." This book is about the Chicago Police Dept. & is based on research & interviews.


• Also, we recently started an Open Mike night. I will have to pass on more details.


• Book drive for McCormick Boys & Girls Club (on Sheridan). The club is working to expand their library for kids to utilize. We have partnered with them to achieve this goal. Customers simply select a book from our store & at the time of purchase inform the cashier it is for the B & G Club. We are collecting books for another week & then taking them to McCormick.


• We are also open to community input & ideas of other ways we can better serve our neighbors' needs.

From a story in Inside Online on a new community project:

The developer: “We understand the importance of keeping the community, area residents and businesses informed about the project. Not only do we want to be able to share information on the proposal with the public, but we want to get their feedback as well. We hope the site will serve as a source of information for everyone interested in the project.”

The alderman: “The residents, businesses and community organizations ... need a place to learn the latest news on proposed developments and a way to communicate their suggestions or concerns. Development in the ward cannot move ahead without community involvement and input. We welcome the debate and feedback on this proposal.”

This crazytalk is going on just one ward to the south, in the 44th. Once again, Uptown Update reflects on how much difference a ward boundary makes in the attitude toward its bad apples residents.

Interested in what your alderman does on the side in addition to their $100k+ salary? Check out "Clout Street" here and scroll down to find your respective alderman.

We just added a fun widget off on the right that will countdown the days and minutes till Wilson Yard developer Peter Holsten stated we will see the latest groundbreaking for his development at Broadway and Montrose. Mr. Holsten stated the project would break ground on June 1 in a recent article in Crain's Chicago Business. The clock's running.

We aren't sure of the exact date of this photo, but assume its from the 1940s. The vantage point is Broadway looking north from the L tracks that cross at Leland. You can see the Uptown Broadway Building being constructed on the right, and the now vacant building that housed the Uptown Snack Shop on the left. (photo credit: Chicago Daily News Archives)

Update: Looks like this photo is even older than we thought. The Uptown Broadway Building was constructed in 1926 and it clearly is not finished in this photo. We can assume that this is sometime in the mid 1920s.

There's a Burglary Prevention Seminar tonight "with an emphasis on our newer condos" in the 20th Police District building's Community Room, 5400 North Lincoln, 7pm, May 1st. Call 312-742-8770.

We can't help notice that both Gene Shulter (47th Ward) and Tom Tunney (44th Ward) send out email blasts weekly with this sort of information (in fact, this is precisely how we were alerted to this event). The last email blast we received from Helen Shiller (46th) was one of a hundred or so sent right before the election in February 2007.

Maybe we're just not on her A-list; does anyone receive regular notification from her office about events taking place in the 46th Ward?

Fashion Accessory

There's a new fashion trend sweeping the Far North Side. Lakefront residents are buying police scanners, spurred on by the one-month-old Chicago Uptown Crime Blotter (http://uptowncrimeblotter.blogspot.com/).

"I bought a scanner a couple days before the blog started," said blogmeister PB. He organized last Saturday's "positive loitering" event at the Sunnyside Mall in Uptown. "I was in Radio Shack buying an iPod accessory. It was an impulse buy. I've always been interested in a police scanner."

PB said that once he figured out how to get the scanner tuned into Zone 2 (channel 460.0500) which covers police calls in the 20th and 23rd police districts, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I thought, what if I started a blog to tell other people what I was hearing," PB said.

If you're going to spend money on a police scanner, PB recommends one with triple trunking because the radio listens to three channels at a time."It gets pretty crazy. It takes some time to program, but then you can start listening to some wild stuff, like a big cocaine bust," said PB.

Since starting the Chicago Uptown Crime Blotter blog, others have sent e-mails to PB telling him they also purchased scanners and asking which frequency to tune into.

"I think people want to know what's going on in their neighborhood," PB said. "We live in a society when you want to know something right now, you get on the Internet and find out. Otherwise you have to wait two weeks to get the police reports and crime stats. You see police across the street and it may or may not be a reported incident."