Sunday, August 26, 2007

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?

3 comments:

  1. I lived at that intersection when I first moved to Chicago, and never heard anything about rehab. There are several businesses operating inside, including a barber shop facing Leland and the wonderful hole-in-the-wall Siam Noodle & Rice.

    It is a lovely building. If they do decide to renovate it, I hope that it's not at the expense of Siam...

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  2. From what I understand, that landlord is in housing court for countless violations. Although there's been renovations, one wonders whether they are the minimum needed to avoid further trouble as there seems to be no real efforts to finish anything and get someone in there.

    Someone from Truman Square Neighbors or UCC can probably confirm if this building is the one in housing court and if so what the story is there.

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  3. The building has been in housing court for years and the owner was recently given a $15,000 fine due to all the many years of the serious violations that have been ignored for years. The place is not livable inside. Many incidents of drug dealing were also occurring on the property. Kids would break in during the school day and have parties. Water would be periodically shut off because bills weren't paid. Efforts to get these matters addressed in the past were futile.

    Some of the renovations had been poorly done. When the new windows were installed, they were not attached to the building, so a gust of wind blew one of them out rather easily, and had a person been on the sidewalk then, there would have been a death. It is fortunate this was all redone before the recent wind storm.

    This building is now getting needed attention in larger part due to CAPS, court advocacy, and the involvement of the area residents.

    Here's what the Uptown Chicago Commission stated about it: http://uptownchicagocommission.org/e_news_8_07.html

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