Countdown ClockLike the vigil for Our Lady of Medjegorje, Uptown's neighborhood blog "Uptown Update" is featuring a "countdown clock" ticking down the moments to June 1, when groundbreaking for Wilson Yard is expected to take place.
We know that special silver ceremonial shovel is being shined as we speak. Or maybe it's that pair of giant scissors left over from last year's ribbon cutting for the new Aldi's Supermarket. At any rate, Uptown residents can't wait for the shovel to hit the lead-contaminated dirt.
Would they really break ground on SUNDAY, June 1? Do groundbreakings ever occur then? Sounds fishy to me.
ReplyDeleteBefore The Uptown Update we might not have heard anything for another few weeks. But I bet there is a mention by someone in the City about a delay due to Zoning, planning, or a supply problem. A reason that is general and nonspecific. But don't worry "Everything is going well and it will be just another 45 or 60 days before all the construction starts."
ReplyDeleteI have emailed the Alderman's office TWICE to ask about the details of the groundbreaking ceremony, with no response.
ReplyDeleteDon't hold your breath on this one. What an embarrassment this would be if anyone in the local government actually cared.
ReplyDeleteThis whole Wilson Yard farce reminds me of a movie where everything is blowing up, and the voice (which I guess would be Peter Holsten's, in this case) keeps saying over the loudspeaker: "Five minutes until launch and everything is going fine."
ReplyDeleteOr, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. Go - before I lose my temper! The Great and Powerful Oz has spoken!"
Of course, the truth is probably more like: "I'm a very good man. I'm just a very bad Wizard."
We should rally at the site on June 1 -- y'know ..? To celebrate the breaking of ground into a new era for Uptown.
ReplyDeleteWe can have food, and drink ..., clowns to entertain the kids; ferris wheels .. the whole sha-bang.
The mayor can come down to celebrate with us. Heck, invite the entire city council to come down and partake in the fruits of their labor.
I'll bake some brownies, and a pie .. oh! It'll be a lovely day - the stories of which will be passed down generation to generation.
Heck, I may even kiss Helen square on the mouth for giving something long overdue to the community.
'Cuz, of course, she'll want to be there, as well. This is her baby after all.
I can't wait.
It'll be like Christmas.
That is not a bad idea. Of course I think the violence that takes place in the area should get our focus right now. But how interesting would if be if we could get someone in the media to start asking questions to her about Wilson Yard and why there is no ground breaking ceremony. When the next community meeting is, why it costs so much and on and on. Anyone know how many times the time line has been changed in the last 4 years?
ReplyDeleteMy question would be why is it that the affordable housing is more expensive than any market rate housing found in Lincoln Park (and why do public officials tolerate this)?
ReplyDeleteIf there's any remote way that Helen could stick it to the bad apples, she will be sure to start WY construction today. Sad to say, I can only believe that would be her primary motivation to start. The hail storm that is expected this afternoon might put a damper on things however.
ReplyDeleteThe family housing portion is built on a house of cards with all the multiple layers of funding dependent upon one another. I doubt Shiller's buddy Ben Jarkowsky from the Reader will say anything, but I wonder if other reporters in their quest to spot corruption & mismanagement will make note that the cost of building the housing portion is dramatically more expensive than market rate and luxury housing.
What do you bet that, with the state of the economy, Target backs out and this turns into 100% housing - or the plan continues to stall on for years and nothing happens (the 2nd is my best hope). If she would just come to her senses and get rid of the housing (none exists there now anyway) and make it all retail, they probably could start construction next week. The housing portion is what is dooming this plan. Imagine if it was just Target, Kerosotes could have built their theater on the south end (they backed out due to the cost of buildind on top of Target) - but nooooooo, gotta have the housing.
ReplyDeleteOh but wait. At 11:00a.m. Friday May 30, 2008 city workers installed official city glorification signs touting the new buildings and their new addresses. The signs were installed on the corner of Montrose and Broadway. That's progress isn't it?
ReplyDeleteCity workers also installed city glorification signs at Twin Towers 4550 N. Clarendon.
The signs have Mayor Daley's name all over them so let's all bow down and glorify his highness and our tax dollars at work.
Didn't the State of Illinois just ban the practice of spending Illinois tax dollars on project glorification signs that credit politicians? Perhaps we should consider a city ordinance to do the same.
Putting a pole in the ground to hold up a sign is a lot different than putting a shovel in the ground.
ReplyDeleteThat's progress isn't it?
ReplyDeletemaybe not the politician's names, but more honest signage is progress, I think
previous Mayors made sure the City took credit for every City-subsidized project, this Mayor low-keys his hand-outs
if taxpayers saw that every new development had a taxpayer subsidy we would all be better off