New Uptown Blog Surfaces

A little birdie sent us an email tipping us off to a new blog for Uptown, "Dear Helen:"
No clue as to who's behind it, but it could be interesting. Check it out here:
It's great to see other people stepping up and blogging about Uptown issues. Whether or not you agree, it is still a valuable resource for Uptown residents. Start firing off "letters" under the comment section on the blog and let the conversation begin.

Crime On The Rise, Petition For More Police Presence In 19th And 23rd Districts

Click the story above to read the article from Inside Online:

Sign the petition here:

Public Drinking Free-For-All

We passed by the "Wilson Club Hotel" at Wilson and Clifton twice today to see residents loitering as usual in front of the building on milk crates and chairs and drinking beer. Today we were able to get a shot of the aftermath of this public drinkfest...a shopping cart full of empty beer cans on Wilson in front of the building. Do the police just look the other way when it comes to public drinking in our ward?
Check out the Yahoo! Travel Review for this "hotel."

If you are fed up with the public drinking and loitering in front of this establishment, give the "Wilson Club Hotel" a ring at 773-784-0691.

There's A Kind Of Hush...

Word on the street is Uptown residents are having trouble getting straight answers when it comes to the progress, or lack thereof, on the "Wilson Yard" project. Our "powers that be" in the 46th Ward are not wanting to answer their questions and are referring to residents who challenge or question anything going on in our ward as "bad apples." The project is now definitely behind schedule, no confirmation has been received from Target Corporation on a store even planned for the spot, and our neighborhood homeless are now calling the unsecure site "home." What can be done? Give the 46th Ward office a ringy-dingy at 773-878-4646 and see what kind of answers you can get.

'Rainbo Village' Update

Well folks, the scaffolding is down along Clark, where it has been for months now, in front of the "Rainbo Village" development.
Looks like they have added plenty of outdoor space outside of the groundfloor retail level for the rumored "Panera" and hopefully other restaurants to be announced. Its a welcome addition to that area, that's for sure.

Big Money, Big Money...STOP!

By Lorraine Swanson
Pioneer Press News-Star

Alderman Helen Shiller, 46th, who faced only one challenger, James Cappleman, in the municipal election, spent $203,558 in her aldermanic campaign, enough to hang on to her City Council seat. Shiller refrained from the City Council's first living wage vote and later sided with Mayor Daley's veto, by voting against the ordinance.
"My gut sense is that (the 46th Ward aldermanic race) was a traditional fight that we've seen for the past couple of cycles when the machine makes more of a play for that seat," Morrison said.
Shiller raised $80,446 in individual contributions. State Senator John Cullerton, D-6th, State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-12th, and Del Valle transferred a combined $2,250 to Shiller's campaign committee. Shiller also received a $25,000 loan from the Bridgeview Bank Group in Uptown, and continues to carry $10,712 in debts and obligations, some dating as far back as 1988 and 1989.
Read entire article here:

Down For The Count

Just when we think the area around the Wilson El stop can't get any worse, it does. This support railing near Leland and Broadway has fallen and is down for the count. Let's see how long it takes the CTA to notice, or anyone in the 46th Ward for that matter.

Uptown Banners Appear At Last

Seen today up and down Lawrence.

Uptown Resident Sues Police Over Beating

From: The Advocate

Chicago: Gays not protected by 14th Amendment
A man who filed a lawsuit after being allegedly beaten by Chicago police because he is gay is contesting the city’s motion to dismiss his case—since the city is arguing that gays are not covered under the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause.
The Chicago Free Press reports that Alexander Ruppert sued Chicago police officers after he was arrested in March 2006, when he was escorted out of a bar. The officers were driving him to the Uptown station when he tried to use his cell phone in the backseat of the police car. Ruppert says the officers stopped the car, dragged him out, and beat him while using antigay epithets. After he began to bleed profusely, he told them he was HIV-positive. He was taken to a local hospital, where he received 16 stitches around his eye.
The motion, filed by attorneys for the city, states that gays as a group are not included under the 14th Amendment, the Constitution's equal protection clause.
The amendment states: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States: nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Ruppert’s attorney, Michael Oppenheimer, told the Free Press that the city’s position is an insult to Chicagoans. He asked for an extension to argue against the city's motion. Both sides will return to court September 11.
“When we filed the equal protection count, we knew the federal government was behind the curve in recognizing that the equal protection clause should cover sexual orientation,” he said. “We expected more from the city of Chicago.” (The Advocate)

Our thanks to "Anita Mandalay" from BPN for linking this article.

Vacant Storefront Showcase Addition

"For Rent" signs are up at the site of the now defunct "Spotted Pig Market" on Wilson at Magnolia. You all know what to do. Forward this post to any developers, restaurants or shops you'd like to see in this spot.

Welcome To The Neighborhood, 'Vis Vitae'

We stopped by the "Vis Vitae" site at Leland and Clark today and noticed a bit of progress being made. We also noticed that our local "graff artists" have placed their "welcome" on the construction sign.

Mind The Gap, And Your Heads

For those Uptowners who use the Wilson El station, you've noticed by now that the ceiling has collapsed in the main entrance on Broadway. The CTA has constructed barriers around the 2 sections of ceiling that have collapsed. We had previously noticed the ceiling in this station to be in very bad shape, and it turns out these were the sections that collapsed. How much more will it take? A little preventative maintenance on the CTA's part would have saved El passengers from this headache. We haven't received any reports of passengers being hurt in the collapse, but how much more will it take before the CTA wakes up and realizes its time to rehab the Wilson El? Oh yes, that's right, "a lot" of progress has been made. The design phase is at 30%.

Is The Camera Helping?

Have any residents near Sheridan and Wilson noticed a decrease in criminal activity since the police camera was installed? Just wondering, since we noticed this building at Sheridan and Eastwood, within a few hundred feet of the camera, covered in "graff art" on its north and west sides.

Sheridan and Leland Rehab?

We noticed this beautifully ornate building at Sheridan and Leland today, next to the ParVenu, and wondered if it was being rehabbed. We noticed the grocery store directly to the south has closed and is boarded up. Anyone in the area know what's happening here?

Any Idea What These Are?

The north side of the Riv building at Lawrence and Broadway is now covered in scaffolding. We noticed these yellow "braces" at the top of the building. Any clue as to what they are?

Update: Thanks to "Uptown Update" reader "Shawn," we know have a good idea what these braces will be used for, architectural details known as cornices. See the pic below for an idea. This building will be a stunner when finished.

Update: Today, August 29, we noticed workers installing a copper cornice on the Riv building. Looks great.

Is Putting A Park Here A Good Idea?

Seen today on Kenmore, the future site of the Graeme Stewart School park addition. Click the pic to enlarge and notice the shopping carts lining the street on both sides, although a bit difficult to make out.

The Basement's Covered

Today we noticed that the basement is almost completely covered at the Uptown Broadway Building. We expect to see the sidewalk poured any day now and the ground level windows
to be replaced.

Where Am I Located In Uptown?

Name the location of this gargoyle in Uptown.

Inside And Outside the Riv

The Riv rehab at Lawrence and Broadway is buzzing right along. More terracotta has been added to the facade and we were able to get a quick peek inside the ground level of the building where the proposed Bank of America will be. As you can see from the photo, the lower level is still being gutted. We look forward to seeing windows added to this.

Under The El Tracks

We spotted this bag full of empty liquor bottles right under the El tracks near Ace Hardware on Broadway. The same spot that is not well-lit at night, has a homeless man living behind a dumpster, reeks of urine, and has a track pillar covered in racists rants that still hasn't been removed. Might we suggest the police patrol this small area a bit more often and maybe the CTA could install more lighting under the tracks here. There is no excuse for this.

Magnolia Majesty

'Uptown Historical Square' In Need Of TLC

We have noticed the weeds around trees in Uptown have been out of control this year. And this spot at Racine and Broadway is no exception. Upon closer inspection, the weeds around these trees appear to have sprouted a couple of gin bottles as well. Even the center island in front of Border's has weeds growing and a broken concrete pylon that is STILL broken. This reflects badly on our historical district and needs some attention.

Faz's Bakery, Are You In There Somewhere?

We have been hearing vicious rumor that the owners of Faz's Bakery on Wilson are having difficulty dealing with the powers that be in the 46th Ward. We understand that they have tried contacting 311 and the Alderman's office because they need the tree trimmed in front of their store, but to no avail. This tree is definitely overgrown and is blocking the storefront and possibly deterring pedestrian traffic from even noticing the bakery is there. We kindly ask the city and the 46th Ward office to look into this matter immediately. We want all new and exisiting businesses on Wilson to thrive. If this is already in the process of being resolved, thank you.

'WAMA' Invites You To Experience Uptown

We came across the "Wilson Area Merchants Association" site and were quite impressed. The association is hosting an "Experience Uptown" event on September 7,8, and 9. You can purchase a wristband for $10 from their site which will get you discounts at Uptown restaurants and shops. For a complete list of the merchants participating, check out their site and check it out often, as the list will grow. We will be adding a link to the right side of our page for your convenience. We think that anything that promotes retail and growth on Wilson is a good thing. Check out the "Experience Uptown" flyer below.

Bus Stop Nap

Seen near the "Hotel Chateau" at Broadway and Sheridan today.

Wilson Yard Progress...Zippo

Here's a shot of the Wilson Yard site today, now featuring a new graff wall on the old Aldi. We're sure its quite hard for the "graff artists" to make their way into the "secured" site. If they get chilly at night, they can always burn cardboard like the other occupants of the site do.

Public Storage Property A Public Nuisance

By Lorraine Swanson
Pioneer Press News-Star

Uptown residents met in a drizzling rain last week to address long-standing problems stemming from the Public Storage property at 4012 N. Broadway.
In the past years, the public drinking and other illegal activities have taken a toll on area businesses and forced children to walk different routes to school to avoid the troublesome block.
With only a sidewalk separating them, members of the U-Haul Task Force and a business liaison officer from the 23rd Police District met on Aug. 8 with a group of men who hang out on the sidewalk across the street from the U-Haul rental facility looking to hustle extra money by helping people renting trailers and trucks move.
Residents who live near the Public Storage property have complained that some who congregate on the sidewalk drink, fight, sell drugs and harass passersby by aggressively panhandling or making rude comments.
While the residents have made some progress through CAPS Beat 2322 by forming a task group to address the problem, roadblocks still remain.
"In all the time I've lived here, community expectations have changed. Maybe hanging out on the street corner drinking was okay 15 years ago, but now I come through here with my kids," said David Andes, chair of the CAPS Beat 2322 U-Haul Task Force. "I have to follow the law. Why shouldn't they?"
In April, members of the Buena Park Neighbors Block Club and CAPS participants sent a letter to Vance Henry, director of the Chicago Police Department's CAPS Program, expressing their "grave concerns" about the incidences of crime that have occurred on the Public Storage property.
According to information provided by the 23rd District Court Advocacy subcommittee, some of those crimes have ranged from robberies at nearby businesses and criminal trespass to vehicles, to narcotics sales and battery, allegedly committed by individuals who are regulars in front of the Public Storage facility.
"It's not illegal to stand and hang out on the sidewalk, but it is illegal to drink and harass people, to solicit and damage public property," 23rd District Officer Carrie Von Sagun said.
Some of the men confronted by neighbors who turned out for the meeting said that although they are homeless, they grew up in Uptown and that newer residents snatching up rehabs or condos want them out of the neighborhood.
"I've lived in Uptown since 1963. Some days I can $200 helping people move. We're out here trying to make a living," said Eugene Jones. "I live in this neighborhood but I'm not part of the 'we.'"

Uptown Update Exclusive: Meadow Theatre Group

Uptown Update received this email yesterday from the proposed operator of the movie theatre planned for Lawrence and Winthrop.

Uptown Update:

This morning I spoke with Jim Gouskos regarding the progress of his Lawrence and Winthrop Street project(s). He suggested that I e-mail you and introduce myself, my sons, and the Meadow Theatre Group, as well as bring you in on our plans for the proposed movie theatre to help allay any concerns you, or other community residents, may have in regards to our operating the theatre.

I have been in the motion picture exhibition business since 1974. As of 1989, I owned and operated 42 separate multi-screen theatres throughout New England and New York State. The largest of these were 10 screen theatres that I both designed and constructed. In 1989 I sold my theatre interests to United Artists Theatres to pursue other commercial real estate development opportunities.

In 2000, I resumed operation of one of the theatres that I sold to United Artists. This location is currently being operated by my sons (Joshua and Alex) and me. Joshua, a licensed Florida attorney, works with me in all administrative and accounting functions necessary for the orderly operation of the theatre. Alex (now a producer for Feld Entertainment, Inc.) served as the on-site manager of this theatre for three years and was responsible for the operation of the theatre and maintenance of physical plant. Additionally, Alex was (and still is) exclusively responsible for “booking” the movies from the distributors and was responsible for all advertising and public relations for the theatre.

We have excellent relationships with all the major, and minor, film distributors (Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, Sony, New Line, etc.) and have been assured that first run motion pictures are and will be available for this proposed location, without any delay (that is, if a film is to open nationally on August 17, it will open in our theatre on August 17).

One or both of my sons will move to Chicago to become the on-site theatre manager(s). This will ensure excellent ‘hands-on’ ownership/management. Our operating projection model reflects first run film availability and ‘state of the art’ digital sound and video equipment in nine stadium style cinemas. We expect to make a multi-million dollar investment in the theatre equipment and the accompanying appointments to the building itself.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Philip W. Meadow
Meadow Theatre Group, LLC
Phil@MeadowTG.com

From Asia to Africa

The former Charming Wok restaurant at the corner of Lawrence and Broadway appears to be getting a new tenant. Workers installed an exterior sign for Demera Ethiopian Restaurant. They will be a nice addition to the already ethnically diverse Broadway dining scene. No word on menu or opening dates, but there is an application for a liquor permit posted on the door.

Crime Is Down In Our District, Right?

Check out the 1100 block of Wilson and the 4600 block of Broadway. Notice something?

Broadway and Wilson

Source: http://www.chicagocrime.org/

'Heart Car' Email And Other Useful Hotlines

An "Uptown Update" reader wrote in to share these useful and valuable email addresses and phone numbers you can use in various situations. Save this post for future reference.

The 23rd District would like to announce a new email address for our HEART car, which handles issues of homelessness. Questions or information pertaining to this issue can be emailed to:homelesscar23@hotmail.com
Source:

Another person to contact with homelessness issues needing special attention is:
Mental Health and Homelessness Officer
P.O. Don Zalinski
312-744-0064

Police Department Hotlines
For whatever reason, some people may not feel comfortable using either 9-1-1 or the police non-emergency number 3-1-1 to report information regarding crimes. That's why the Chicago Police Department created various telephone hotline numbers as another option for reporting information.
These hotlines protect the anonymity of the caller and help simplify the process of reporting crime information. The hotlines are easy to remember and require only that you leave a message, give information, or state the purpose of your call -- all without having to identify yourself or your location.
However, the hotlines should never be used to report crimes in progress or other emergency situations. 9-1-1 is the appropriate number for these situations.
Here are the Police Department's most frequently used hotline numbers:
Bomb & Arson Hotline: 773-533-FIRE
Used for reporting information about arson, suspicious incendiary devices, potential bombs, and related criminal matters.
Chicago Anti-Gun Enforcement (CAGE) Hotline: toll-free 877-CPD-GUNS (877-273-4867) Used for reporting information about individuals and locations involved in gun trafficking or the illegal use or possession of firearms.
CRACK44 (Drug) Hotline: 800-CRACK44 (312-747-3673/TTY)
Used for reporting information about individuals and locations involved in drug trafficking. You may also report drug activity anonymously using the On-Line Drug Activity Form.
Gang Hotline: 312-746-GANG (312-746-4276/TTY)
Used for reporting information about gangs and gang-related activity.
Superintendent's Hotline: 312-939-5555
Another option for reporting narcotics activity and related crime information.
Source:

Prepare To Be Shocked Yet Again...

Click Here:

Wilson Yard Development 'Fact Sheet'

Wilson Yard Development Fact Sheet

Crowd Reviews Uptown Proposal

By Lorraine Swanson
Pioneer Press News-Star

More than 100 residents crammed into the Aragon Ballroom lobby on a hot muggy night to hear plans for a proposed development slated for the properties at 4738-50 N. Winthrop Ave. and the southeast corner of Lawrence and Winthrop.
Uptown resident and developer Jim Gouskos, who owns the Kinetic Playground, wants to build a 21-story, mid-rise condominium building on the 4700 block of North Winthrop, and a seven-level parking structure with retail and movie theaters across the street on Lawrence Avenue. Gouskos has already completed a historic building rehab at 1101-1113 W. Lawrence Ave., that houses a Chase Bank.
Plans for the development were first presented two years ago, when Gouskos was granted a zoning change to allow for increased density at the Winthrop property. At that time, plans for the Lawrence Avenue property included a parking structure and one floor of retail, not to exceed 110 feet. With the loss of the movie theaters at the Wilson Yard development, plans have expanded to include a nine-screen movie theater on the fifth, sixth and seventh levels, along with parking for 499 cars. The height of the building will not change.
Gouskos said he wanted the community's input into the type of retail that will be offered at the Lawrence Avenue property. He is shopping for a grocer to lease the ground floor, and a restaurant to lease part of the roof level, overlooking a "green" roof.
"This is my way of making my mark in the world, right here in this area," Gouskos told residents on Aug. 9. "I don't want this to have anything to do with politics, no matter who is alderman, mayor or ward committeeman."
But the evening did take on a political tone, as some residents questioned the logistics of the parking structure, wondering if it were enough to accommodate shoppers and movie-goers, as well as those attending shows at the Aragon, which will reserve 300 parking spaces will be reserved on concert nights.
"Traffic studies have been done and people aren't driving as much. This isn't a destination spot. People will walk or take mass transportation. We know from pre-sales of the condos how many people have bought parking," Gouskos said.
Residents also questioned the viability of the movie theater, since the Kerasotes Theaters planned for Wilson Yard fell through.
"The movie theater will help create critical mass for the retail," said Alderman Helen Shiller, 46th. "What happened to the movie theaters at Wilson Yard, we found a theater company that is comfortable creating theaters in the 1,800 to 2,000 seat range. I completely understand and it was one of the reasons we came to the conclusion that it wasn't viable there."
Gouskos said he has already been approached by the Meadow Theater Group and has a letter of intent.
"They said the numbers work out with the mass transit and density, more than any other theater that they've done," Gouskos said.
Gouskos does not yet own the Lawrence Avenue property, which has been held in escrow to determine if it is eligible for TIF money from the Lawrence-Broadway TIF District. Once the sale is finalized, the proposed planned development will go before the city's Community Development Commission. The commission will review the plans and recommend action to the City Council, including TIF financing for the Lawrence Avenue property.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in Spring 2008, and will take about 18 months to complete both structures, Gouskos said.

23rd District 'E-Line' Address

Folks, here is a good email address to use to send off emails to our 23rd district police officers. If you see something that needs attention and do not feel that 911 is helping enough, then try 23districtehotline@chicagopolice.org
Be sure to let us know how responsive they are.
Update: We fixed an error in the email address, we apologize for any inconvenience.

'Watercolor Residences'

You may have noticed a large development on the east side of the El tracks going southbound between Wilson and Sheridan, just before the curve at the Sheridan stop. Thanks to the detective work of our friend, the "IrishPirate," we now know whats coming, "The Watercolor Residences." This development is located at 4150 Kenmore. Check out the pics above.

Question Of The Day

An "Uptown Update" reader writes in asking the following:

"Question of the Day: What is wrong with this picture?

Answer: Yet another child sex offender is living in the Salvation Army Men’s shelter across the street from an elementary school.
Will this ever end? Why doesn’t this get prevented instead of caught by me after the fact? How long has this guy been here with no one noticing?

There is only one way that he can be listed there. That is if he is solely using the Salvation Army as his mailing address and really living on the street (isn’t that comforting?) In that situation he is supposed to be designated as such by being listed as a Shelter registrant on the Illinois Sex Offender Website. This gentleman does not have this designation listed."

Name These Wings

Name the location of these wings in Uptown.

Recognize This Mural?

Seen this afternoon at Sheridan and Broadway.

Buena Pointe Garden

On This Site in 2007 Nothing Happened

The Wilson Yard site, seen this afternoon.

A Tale Of Two Currency Exchanges

Let's play "compare and contrast" folks. Let's compare two currency exchanges within a few blocks of each other. One at Broadway and Wilson and one at Broadway and Montrose. What differences can you spot in the two pictures taken this afternoon? Be sure to click the pics so they are enlarged for the full effect.

Aldi, You Got Tagged!

Sent in by an "Uptown Update" reader.

Overnight Parking