Tuesday, April 15, 2008

At Least They're Neat

The building kitty-corner from the Uptown Broadway Building, where the Uptown Snack Shop used to be, may be crumbling -- but someone's found a nifty place to store the falling bricks.

Anyone know what's going on with the planned rehab of this building?

30 comments:

  1. Does anyone know what happened to the Uptown Snack Shop sign? I'd say it was a bit of an Uptown icon.

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  2. The developers went belly up. They are trying to sell the building. It's already suffered water damage with big holes in the roof.

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  3. Its such a nice building. They had started replacing the brick in parts and then the work stopped. I had heard that the developers of 1100 Leland (just across from this) were interested in finishing this rehab once 1100 Leland sells out. According to the sign out front they must be about 80% sold so let's hope the rehab starts soon.

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  4. Is this is the Wilson Yard TIF district? Because right across the street, the Lawrence Entertainment District TIF made the Uptown Broadway Building rehab possible. Wouldn't it be great to see some TIF money go to actually help Uptown's retail corridors by rehabbing this building?

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  5. TSN-
    That's CRAZY TALK! ;)

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  6. What about making that ENTIRE building CPAN for first time buyers and use TIF money for that? How bout them apples?

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  7. No the developer did not go belly up as in financially. He passed away while the rehab was going on.He was working on the full rehab. After his death, his wife is having trouble getting everything straightened out. As to the "falling bricks" they where removed to check the staus of the Lentils.

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  8. Sometimes the sarcasm on the headings are unerving when SOME OF US, are actually trying to make this a better pace other then just posting on a website and complaining. My biggest thing is the not voting.Credibility in reporting!!

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  9. Thank you for the information, Anon 1:54. I'm sorry to hear about the developer's passing.

    Is his widow planning to continue the project, or sell it to someone who can finish it?

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  10. Well techincally he did go belly up. Oh, that was crass even for me. And, I am whipping myself now as I blog away.

    I do wish the widow and the building well.

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  11. SOME OF US can walk and chew gum at the same time.

    SOME OF US can post sarcasm AND work to make Uptown better, at the same time! Fancy that. (Oops, there's that sarcasm again. Damn you, typing fingers!)

    SOME OF US find humor in our neighborhood, because it beats being angry or frustrated all the time.

    If Uptown Update is not to your liking, then you really need to take action rather than tsk-tsk and scold. I really do, in complete sincerity, encourage you to explore other avenues if this blog isn't fulfilling whatever needs you have for it.

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  12. Lintels, not lentils.

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  13. caring neighbor,

    So what you're saying is, if Uptown Update is not to their liking...then they can just piss off?

    That seems to be the general attitude around here. However, it's not YOUR blog either, "caring" neighbor, so how about YOU piss off if you don't like the comments!

    In complete sincerity, of course...

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  14. The Uptown Snack Shop neon sign was removed by the building's owner who replaced that gem with a pigeon-pooped awning. Alex and his brothers were pretty upset about it. Some Uptown old-timers spent a weekend looking through landfills and canvassing recyclers hoping to find it but had no luck.

    I was told by proprietors of neighboring businesses that the building's owner was murdered by one of his employees, no?

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  15. "However, it's not YOUR blog either, "caring" neighbor, so how about YOU piss off if you don't like the comments! In complete sincerity, of course..."

    Harrowing neighbor... you might not know several people make occasional contributions to this blog, although Uptown Updater is the owner, publisher and ultimate authority on what flies. Check the authorship of the sarcasm that Anon 2:04 objects to.

    You misinterpret my response. I'm not saying piss off. I'm saying that people like Anon 2:04, who are unnerved by what s/he interprets as sarcasm, might be better served by starting a blog whose tone better fits his/her needs. I've always found it better to light a candle than curse the darkness. And THAT's what I was trying to get across; certainly not the "piss off" that you interpreted my post as conveying. My apologies for being unclear.

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  16. Grammarian,

    Welcome to the 'hood!

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  17. you might not know several people make occasional contributions to this blog, although Uptown Updater is the owner, publisher and ultimate authority on what flies. Check the authorship of the sarcasm that Anon 2:04 objects to.

    Well, I can't see any way to check the authorship, but I assume by your statement that the post was yours. I am aware that others contribute to this blog, and that includes anyone leaving a comment. What I find irritating is the suggestion that if the content is not acceptable to a reader, that they should just leave. What is so wrong with a poster letting you know that they find something offensive or unnerving...is Uptown Update not open to suggestions about how to make the blog better for everyone?

    I'm saying that people like Anon 2:04, who are unnerved by what s/he interprets as sarcasm, might be better served by starting a blog whose tone better fits his/her needs.

    But how does starting one's own blog solve the problem of sarcasm being unnerving on this blog? Or are you just overlooking the possibility that the poster actually likes this blog, but was trying to share one aspect that they would like to see improved?

    I've always found it better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

    Perhaps bringing up that they find the sarcasm unnerving constitutes a lit candle? Why can't they light a candle on THIS blog, rather than being banished to their own blog?

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  18. I am glad people went looking for the sign. I'll bet it was sold to a salvage yard. Who knows, we might even come across it when we visit NYC!?

    Nevertheless, it should be here.

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  19. Oh, goodness some people should grow up. That headline is unneverving? my goodness. What's next.

    This is a blog. It has a point of view and doesn't hide it. It's popular because it has proven to be the best damn news source about this neighborhood. On the one hand, kudos to Uptown Update. On the other hand, that's a sad commentary about our official news channels that a blog has so easily surpassed all of them.

    I'm pretty sure you don't try to dictate every phrase or word of the Sun-Times or the Trib, so grow up and try not to do the same here. The others are right. If you find the tone of this blog so offensive, start your own (they are free to start!). Maybe you might become the next great news source for the neighborhood. Google did replace the mighty Yahoo! after all. Until then, let's stop with the petty high school b.s./p.c. games. UU posted about a development that was obviously abandoned halfway through. I appreciate anon 1:54's comment, although anyone who watched this thing would have suspected financial trouble from the beginning.

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  20. This is a blog. It has a point of view and doesn't hide it.

    Umm, yes it does, based on the two comments on this thread that were deleted late last night. The first of those comments was a response to me from "caring neighbor" (an author on this blog, and I believe the author of this post), and the second was my response to him/her. Do you regret your comment, caring neighbor?

    It's popular because it has proven to be the best damn news source about this neighborhood.

    It's a good source of news, there's no denying that, but it's not journalism. Comparing it to journalism is like saying Bill O'Reily represents journalism. I'm not really criticizing UU here, it's just a fact. This is a one-sided opinion site, which more often than not remains fair, if not balanced. It serves a purpose in Uptown, and I appreciate that...

    I just wish they could handle criticism better, because often times it is valid. Uptown Update promotes itself as THE news source of Uptown, which is why this "get your own blog" attitude towards criticism is crap. If the Tribune responded to criticism by saying "go buy another paper", then they'd already be out of business.

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  21. I'll let "caring neighbor" respond to most of your comments, harrowing neighbor, but I just want to say I think it is interesting that you bring up the Tribune. In a way, they HAVE said to us "go buy another paper" and it seems to me that Uptowners have dutifully done so. Blogs are alternative, if imperfect, media. However, no one here thinks this is "journalism" and I don't think even the blog owner would categorize himself as a journalist.

    This is a community forum, harrowing neighbor, and I am interested to know what you feel you bring to the community? You seem to spend a lot of time bashing UU and fellow posters. We all engage in a little snarkiness from time to time, but I am interested in hearing something positive from you. Do you have Uptown information to share? Do you have a unique perspective on the topics at hand? In short, why do you keep coming back and why should people keep engaging you?

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  22. However, no one here thinks this is "journalism" and I don't think even the blog owner would categorize himself as a journalist.

    Do you know the blog owner, saskia? Just curious. I don't know if anyone has actually called Uptown Update journalism, but there have been comments that UU is unbiased, which is simply not true. Good or bad, they have their bias, just like any opinion site must.

    This is a community forum, harrowing neighbor, and I am interested to know what you feel you bring to the community?

    Well, it's not actually a community forum. It's a blog. A blog, or at least this one, does not allow non-bloggers to post, just to comment. I don't have a problem with that, until the authors start to suggest that I and others should stop commenting and get our own blog. If UU wants to claim to be a community forum, that's fine--but if that's the case you can't hand pick the community that's going to contribute. I mean, it's supposed to be about the Uptown community, not just the "Uptown Update is GREAT!" community? Right?

    You seem to spend a lot of time bashing UU and fellow posters.

    You get that from what, three posts on this thread? Who have I "bashed" here, other than caring neighbor, who did a bit of bashing as well (oh, wait--that was deleted). Incidentally, what you call "bashing" I view as legitimate criticism, which you might see less of if the responses were more helpful and less snarky themselves.

    I am interested in hearing something positive from you. Do you have Uptown information to share? Do you have a unique perspective on the topics at hand. In short, why do you keep coming back and why should people keep engaging you?

    All right, here's something positive: I think the Broadway Building looks great! I can't wait for Wilde Pug to open! I will do (and have done) anything I can to help the entertainment district achieve it's full potential. I am a business owner and resident of Uptown, after all. Seriously, I think this neighborhood has more character and potential than any other I have lived in. Believe it or not, I even think Uptown Update has great potential...although I wish they would practice what they preach more often.

    There, was that a positive enough response? Speaking of positive, I thought my comment at 10:57 was very moderate compared to my initial comment, and I thought it deserved a rational response rather than the abusive (and deleted) one that it got. What do you think?

    Look at the comments on any thread on Uptown Update, and calculate the positive versus negative ratio. My guess is that it will be less than one. Over half the comments on Uptown Update are negative...have you asked them all this question, Saskia?

    Is it fair to turn the question around Saskia? What do you feel you bring to the community? Again, I just ask out of curiosity, because I'm not sure what kind of answer you expected from me.

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  23. You've got so much anger, harrowing neighbor! Although I don't know what your business is, if you are a business owner chances are you are among friends here. So many people who read this blog and write in with comments want to see you succeed!!! Yay you! Thanks for opening up a business in Uptown! Thanks for being a place where we can purchase the goods and services we need locally! Thanks for working together with other business owners to make our streets pedestrian friendly and vibrant (if you are involved in those efforts)! XOXOXOXO

    Now, as for me, if you check back on the posts you will see that I asked UU what was up with any deleted posts. I know he deleted some when we had a troll who was making racist comments. I applauded that. However, I realize that this is his blog and that monitoring discussions is a tricky business. I am willing to accept that as I am willing to accept that the ability to post anonymously has its drawbacks too. If UU has decided not to make any comments on your issues---what are you gonna do? As somebody else already said...we are playing at his house.

    I have no affiliation with UU whatsoever but I really, really appreciate that this blog exists. I love Uptown. It has so much potential and so many good people who want to make this a great place to live for people of all walks of life. I believe that all of the negativity you see here comes from passionate love for this place. I know it is the reason in my case.

    So, now I will tell you a bit about myself. I simply can't stand by and watch a part of this community be silenced. I am following Wilson Yard, the Truman Parking Garage and the effort to keep Labor Ready out issues closely. I have given money to the latter. Since you are a business owner, have you?

    All in all, I desperately want this community to find balance. There is true and legitimate interest in social justice for all here. Unfortunately, Helen Shiller is a phony who has sold out to the machine and has largely abandoned her own ideals. This is a place where people are having a bit of fun and awakening to the fact that there are others out there like them. I want to be a part of that in virtual reality and in real life.

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  24. Saskia,

    First, thank you for your long and honest answer.

    You've got so much anger, harrowing neighbor!

    I actually don't see what you view as being so angry in my last post. I thought it was rather friendly, albeit still critical of Uptown Update.

    Although I don't know what your business is, if you are a business owner chances are you are among friends here.

    It's a community, right?. Like any community, some here are my friends, and others not so much. I don't view many here as the enemy, however.

    So many people who read this blog and write in with comments want to see you succeed!!!

    I agree. Others probably want Uptown to succeed, but see this blog as a place to only complain about the bad. From what I've observed, this attitude (while not universal) is fostered at times by the authors of this blog. I just don't personally see this as the best approach, which is why I am sometimes critical. I'm not critical because I want this blog to fail, as some seem to believe.

    I know he deleted some when we had a troll who was making racist comments. I applauded that.

    I applaud that too, and I also applaud that he deleted the death threat the poster Hugh made against the Chamber. That is different. It is not the same thing as deleting comments just because they are critical or embarrasing to Uptown Update. It is their right to delete whatever they want, but I don't applaud it.

    If UU has decided not to make any comments on your issues---what are you gonna do?

    I won't hold it against him, since I don't think he has an acceptable answer anyway. However, I'm going to continue to post criticism when I consider it valid, whether I get a response or not.

    As somebody else already said...we are playing at his house.

    True, but Uptown Update promotes this blog like crazy. If Uptown Update is inviting the community into his house, then I expect to be treated like a guest--not shot for trespassing, or thrown out by a "bouncer".

    I believe that all of the negativity you see here comes from passionate love for this place.

    I believe this as well, but I also believe it is a bad idea to foster such negativity. I think Uptown Update should be a place to channel this negativity into positive action, not to breed more negativity. In many ways, UU is a positive place--I just see room for improvement.

    I am following Wilson Yard, the Truman Parking Garage and the effort to keep Labor Ready out issues closely. I have given money to the latter. Since you are a business owner, have you?

    I have been following (and protesting) the Wilson Yard debacle for over six years. I haven't given money to the Labor Ready effort, at least not yet. However, I have given money to other Uptown-related activities. I have volunteered 100s of hours of my time in Uptown to improve the community.

    This is a place where people are having a bit of fun and awakening to the fact that there are others out there like them. I want to be a part of that in virtual reality and in real life

    I see this site as a branch off of the online community that already existed at Buena Park Neighbors, and the Beacon Street board before that. Many of the posters are obviously the same. I have no affiliation with Buena Park Neighbors, but I do miss the fact that on that board everyone had an equal say in what was posted. Here, all I can do is comment on what the three authors post. I accept that, but forgive me if I get a little ticked off when I'm told to go somewhere else because they don't like my comments, or tell me things like "this is off-topic", when I obviously have no control over what the topic is. I was just as critical of Buena Park Neighbors at times, but they seemed to be able to handle that criticism gracefully.

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  25. I think Uptown Update should be a place to channel this negativity into positive action.

    Agreed. I try to do my bit and try to rise up from the negativity when opportunities arise. People do suggest things to act on from time to time here. Is it perfect? No. But I, for one, am enjoying the romp and have faith that much good will come out of the time many of us spend here. Cheers, harrowing neighbor.

    -Saskia

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  26. The owner was killed by one of his employees???? DId this occur here in Uptown???

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  27. Back to the subject....

    It's too bad the owners of the building kicked out the Snack Shop...they could have at least had some revenue to help keep up the building (instead of having holes), and have a place for their contractors to eat.

    Instead, they added to blight, and removed one of the few places in Uptown where people of different backgrounds truly can come together.

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  28. JP, I miss the Uptown Snack Shop as well. But blaming the owner of the building for kicking them out is a little callous. He's passed away. Maybe that should be the statute of limitations on blame-and-shame.

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  29. I don't think it's callous to talk about him, just because he's dead now.

    Maybe that should be the statute of limitations on blame-and-shame.

    Can I quote you on that? It could apply to so many other topics in Uptown...

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