Thursday, June 11, 2009

A New Problem Building

A reader tells us that there are some serious problems with a commercial/residential building at 1014-1032 Leland (just east of Kenmore).

It started last winter, with a broken water pipe (right) above one of the businesses in the frigid weather, causing an ice river to flow out of the building onto the sidewalk.


That caused an internal ceiling collapse that caused several businesses to close (left).

And now several of the the residential units above are in foreclosure.

The African restaurant on the corner of Kenmore is still in business, as is the Nigerian video store, and one residential unit is still occupied, but the building is otherwise empty and at times unsecured. Unfortunately, it has recently become well-known by squatters, prostitutes and drug users.

Please call 911 if you see activity in this building.

16 comments:

  1. I will make it a point to drive by and each time I do and see anything out of the normal I will dial 911. It seems to be a real health and safety problem to all the residents around it. Where is Helen Shiller when it comes to buildings like this. She simply ignors many things that happen right in front of her office let alone in the streets of us residents that have to deal with it. She is unfit and a degrace to the office she holds to allow buildings like this one to exist in the area.......Our day will come on election day thats not too far off in the future.........

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  2. Call 311, and report that there are "danerous and hazardous" conditions at the property. Including the potential for further collapse.

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  3. this building is a problem indeed. it used to be daily that i'd see people smoking something in the entryway. i'd call 911 obviously. haven't seen anything within the past couple of weeks, but now there are broken windows up top. the prostitute that used to be always around there, i haven't seen her lately. chuck used to know about her...any word if she got locked up? also, gangbangers are hanging out in the early evenings across the street from this building -- outside of the Section 8 on the SE corner of Leland & Kenmore, always wearing black and blue, waiting for something...

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  4. Too bad there isn't some sort of tax increment financing available around here for businesses which fall victim to these types of circumstances.

    Don't get me wrong, I understand that these aren't anything fancy like a tattoo parlor ....

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  5. Yo, Tiffs are obviously to lure large investors who don't need the funding. It would never go to some small business to recover from damage, or even to locate their business in our area.
    They do not bring in enough money or votes to be of any interest to Helen.

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  6. "Section 8 on the SE corner of Leland & Kenmore"

    Actually, those are Habitat for Humanity homes. Good neighbors for the most part, in my experience.

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  7. Couple of notes...

    ... the door is not locked and is the building is being used by gangbangers and prostitutes...if anyone can help us out on that, we sure would appreciate it. I have called it in but nothing has happened yet..

    ... an important clarification. The homes on the corner of Leland and Kenmore are NOT Section 8, but are Habitat for Humanity homes... I have to say, they have been nothing but great neighbors...

    ... so I am sure they too are very upset with the condition of that building...

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  8. i apologize for my mischaracterization. i thought they were section 8, but definitely mean no negativity labeling them as such. one of the gentlemen dressed in black & blue definitely lives in the habitat homes. i know because i've talked to him many times. the other one(s) do(es) not. and, they're outside the fence, on leland, but close in proximity to the habitat houses.

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  9. Call Greg Janes in the Department of Law and tell him about the problem. Actually, email him gjanes@cityofchicago.org. I can't remember his number.

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  10. Oh, and don't act whiny and psycho, just be polite and ask if he can help. Maybe he can, maybe he can't.

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  11. the restaurant there now is pretty good!

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  12. Gee, Weekend, you make me sound like her john. Although I guess that could be true, she had a penis. All I know is the cops shoo'd her away and told her to peddle her wares someplace else. They must have been tired of my whining and going psycho.

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  13. I passed by there this evening and saw a "For Sale" signed posted on the window. There was also another post indicating that eviction notices have been sent out.

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  14. What concerns me about this building is that it's across the street from one of Uptown's most notorious slumlord buildings, the Sam Alexander building, which has been in housing court for more than five years and is still derelict and empty, with no end in sight. (It's amazing the loopholes and contortions that slumlords find to avoid putting money or effort into fixing up their properties.)

    Now this building, which is owned by a Mr. Mosa, has been left alone for more than six months - you can still see the Christmas decorations in the window of the collapsed-ceiling former beauty shop. I hope it's not another Sam Alexander building and that we're not looking at the same debris and excuses in five years.

    Uptown already has FAR too many buildings and properties with wealthy out-of-area owners who don't give two cents about how their crappy (lack of) maintenance and concern negatively affects OUR community. Let's hope we don't have to add another to the already too long list.

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  15. Hey UU, why is there a trash can by my comment? Can anyone delete my comment?

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  16. The trash can is there if you want to delete your comment. You and the admins are the only ones who can delete it.

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