Wednesday, August 3, 2011

More Information About Tonight

Uptown will be on the national, and to some extent the international stage tonight. People in Cairo, Illinois and Cairo, Egypt, in Dublin, Ohio and Dublin, Ireland, will read about the President's 50th birthday party with their morning coffee. So, yeah, it's gonna be a drag getting around tonight, but it's a Big Deal for Uptown.

On the other hand, we're thinking our plans for heading down to the Aragon with lawn chairs and a cooler of Sam Adams isn't gonna happen.

From Uptown United:

"President Obama's celebration fundraiser will take place on Wednesday, August 3rd at the Aragon Ballroom. Although not all security details can be publicly released, we're able to give you some information to help you plan your day:

In preparation for the evening's festivities,
  • there will be no parking on both the north and south side of Lawrence Avenue from Broadway to Sheridan from 8am to 11pm on August 3rd. 
  • Please note that there will also be no parking on Clifton Street, parts of Winthrop and Ainslie. 
  • There will also be pedestrian restrictions on Lawrence starting around 4pm - you must be prepared to show your identification to access your residence on Lawrence. 
  • Please note that there will also be potential station closures at Lawrence and delayed schedules on the Red Line during the evening event.
Thank you for your patience and consideration of this historic event for our neighborhood."

34 comments:

  1. I live right across the street from the Aragon main entrance...this is such a hassle! I have to carry my ID tonight because I have my own dogs to walk. I never carry a wallet/cash on me when I'm walking dogs. I Love how Uptown will be center stage tonight. I just wish they contacted my HOA with the specific details a week ago so I could have stayed somewhere else and out of the way. :(

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  2. Great cover calling it a birthday party instead of what it really is for. I guess the rich are invited for this one as they are about the only ones that can afford the price of tickets. I know it will be good for Uptown businesses for one night anyway.

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  3. Wiseguy, you would find the downside in winning the lottery. The lowest priced tickets for this shindig tonight are $50. $50. Try seeing McCartney at Wrigley for that. But, no, you need something to complain about.

    DogWalker, really? You have a front row seat for one of the biggest events in Uptown's history and you're complaining because you have to bring your wallet and ID with you to walk the dog for one whole day? Hey, invite me to your place to watch the President, and you can sit in mine -- no ID required -- and be far from the action.

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  4. dogwalker really? youre complainin b/c you have to carry around your ID? I swear people will find a way to complain about anything. get over it

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  5. Last night, after midnight, the police were in action at the usual druggie/liquor liquor stop on Lawrence and Sheridan down the street from the infamous Lawrence House. Squads and people lined up in the parking lot. I think this is a MUST see on the Obama tour. No need to clean it up just for him. We have to deal with it all year round!

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  6. $50. Try seeing McCartney at Wrigley for that.

    I just went to Wrigely and stood outside, for free ;)

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  7. Take a time machine, Picard. The morning of the event may not be the best time to wonder. Or try Stub Hub or Craigslist.

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  8. My drive home is going to be more awful than usual, I'm sure.

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  9. CN,

    I believe you mean find a temporal rift. Get it straight.

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  10. My friend said he saw multiple helicopters land at the Wilson Skatepark parking lot yesterday morning. Was dropping off a student and he was kicked out of the park altogether by a huge contingent of CPD. Moments later, there were marine helicopters and secret service helicopters landing as multiple black SUV's poured into the lot. Looks like they may fly Obama via chopper from Ohare to Uptown.

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  11. Per ChiTown,

    As of this morning, that parking lot was still cordoned off, and the city was plucking parked cars from along Lawrence, in the park.

    GBD tags had been white-washed from the viaduct, and the grass has been cut on either side of Lawrence, def looks as though Obama will be landing at that parking lot.

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  12. I saw that parking lot blocked off this morning by caution tape and police cars, and there were military helicopters around on Monday morning. I hope he's taking a helicopter there -- it's a smart alternative to the hassle of closing down roads to get him here from one of the airports via car.

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  13. I'm assuming the usual troublemakers, gangbangers, homeless persons, etc. will be contained (or relocated??) for the evening. Maybe the City can use this event as an impetus to make long-lasting, positive changes in the area?

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  14. I hope the gangbangers keep up there routine. Maybe if something happens during this event. We will get help getting rid of it.

    I am just curious arent there more important things going on in the US? Is there no place in DC that would host a party? I am not saying he shouldnt have a 50th B Day party, but really the expense for this is not needed.

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  15. Anyone else getting a kick out of the news coverage about the "plush" party to be held at a "$40,000 a night Chicago ballroom"?

    I guess it remains to be seen how "plush" the festivities will be but I think the international media are imagining something altogether different than the reality of our loveable, but rundown, concert facility.

    It will also be interesting if the broadcasters juxtapose the Green Mill in such a way that it really looks "across the street."

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  16. Yeah, the Aragon doesn't look so "plush" with that daycare taking up the ground floor retail space. Just sayin...

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  17. @Chambo and others: deal with 1 night of inconvenience. It won't kill anyone. Please save the whining and complaints for more important problems in our area. It's good outside revenue for the area and good exposure. Thats something good.

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  18. "Yeah, the Aragon doesn't look so "plush" with that daycare taking up the ground floor retail space. Just sayin.."

    There's always been a business there in the storefront.

    Perhaps a bit more plush than the "Family Billiard Center" from 1976? ;-)

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  19. In the little town in Southern Illinois my family is from, people complain during the annual "color drive" (tourists touring to watch the leaves change color) that the whole thing is getting out of control because they can't find parking right in front of their homes during it.

    Please, let's not be that provincial for this one night, when out of all the neighborhoods in the entire United States, the President has chosen ours.

    I am sick of seeing Uptown in the headlines only when there's a sufficient number of shootings to justify the major media coming here.

    Let's enjoy the one day when attention is on our community for a reason other than rioting in our streets or five people being shot on Halloween.

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  20. TSN: you said it much better than I

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  21. I think it's terrific he's having this event at the Aragon. He could have chosen so many other places. Kudos! I am concerned about the guests getting off at Argyle and walking 2 blocks south. On the other hand, maybe this gives the guests a birds eye view of what "other" Chicago neighborhoods are dealing with. You know, the crime, wino's passed out on the streets, the panhandlers and the dealers all over the place. Might bring them into reality and that might bring changes to these neighborhoods. One can only hope:)

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  22. "fly Obama via chopper from Ohare to Uptown."

    They always do. We see the Presidential helicopter fly right by our building every time he's in town. It's actually pretty cool to see:)

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  23. @towanda: Maybe that's part of the reason why they are having this in Uptown and not in the loop, near north, old town, etc. To remind the big $$$ donors of why they are donating to his campaign. They don't always get to see those types of things. Just a thought, could be wrong.

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  24. Come on people think positive.. This is good for the area and good for Rahm to get some support for his "music district" he is dreaming of... Stop complaining people..

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  25. @Ray: If by "why they donated" you mean "white guilt", then perhaps. I doubt you're referring to the last two years of Obama blight.

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  26. view it whatever way you prefer, luke.

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  27. So did the Aragon fix their sign for this event because if they aren't gonna fix it for the President, it must not be very important at all. I would love to see that sign back to its original condition.

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  28. I want to see a gun toting gang banger get Urlachered by the secret service on the news tonight!

    No but seriously, this is a good thing except for the tea baggers coalescing at the green mill in a pathetic attempt to pin unemployment on President Obama.

    I am all for peaceful protests and free speech but we should be blaming Reganomics, G.W. Bush and the GOP for most of the country's job issues.

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  29. UptownUnity, I agree with you. In fairness though, Clinton did his share of the damage as well by continuing to deregulate financial markets.

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  30. Excellent point Ray, thank you.

    Deregulation is another GOP strong point.

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  31. Unity - even Obama admits that the state of our nation's jobs is a bipartisan issue.

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  32. I agree Yo, unemployment is a bipartisan government issue because it needs serious help from all sides. However, I believe blaming this president for the unemployment (as the group at the Green Mill is doing) is not looking at the big picture. Obama entered his term as the world entered one of the worst economic climates since the industrial revolution and it's his fault that the job market still sucks?

    I went to the website that posted the facts of their meeting and was indirectly reacting to some of the short-sided rhetoric posted there (mostly because I did not want to create a profile on that website). Check it out, it's personally offensive to me when people write about our President (may he be Left or Right) in that fashion.

    I am a bit off topic from the rest of this thread, and now I have had two martini's so I tread with great caution. I just get so annoyed when people make such extreme accusations and finger-point so adamantly. I am compelled to argue my side, something, I don't often do in written forum.

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  33. Unity - I hear ya.

    But ... being president means taking the heat for the economy. Wrong or right.

    I don't agree with hanging this all on Obama as much as I don't agree with hanging all of this on Bush - or on Bush and the GOP - or on the Democrats.

    Everyone's fingerprints (and short-sighted rhetoric) are on this mess.

    FYI - martini logic is always encouraged (it's at least a little classier than the beer logic from which I'm working ;)

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