Here we are just finishing the first full week of the new year and sadly we have a lot of tagging to report. We spotted much more than the 5 photos shown here. As if the Wilson L needed any help to look more blighted, taggers have struck with a vengeance on all sides of the station.
Thankfully the woman who has been living in this urine filled CTA vestibule has moved out for the time being and hopefully to a shelter. Taggers have left their scribbles in her place. We dream of the day when it is a priority of Uptown Business Partners and the CTA to clean up and rent out these long vacant storefronts. Maybe Suellen Long of UBP will note the long standing condition of our station and these storefronts when she passes by on her way from Bridgeview Bank to the UBP Luncheon with Ald. Shiller. Maybe she will drive and avoid the situation altogether. We fear the latter.
Taggers also hit Alma Pita and the condo building directly to the west at Wilson and Malden. We urge our readers to call these tags in and any others you might see when you are out in the neighborhood.
There also appears to be Latin Kings graffiti on the former Express Chicken and Ribs at 1319 W. Wilson.
Those aren't gang tags.
ReplyDeleteThey're Shiller campaign slogans.
Thanks for the tips. It might he helpful if anyone knows the addresses of these tags. Graffiti blasters works best when there is a specific address.
ReplyDeleteI know the address of Alma Pita is 4600 N Magnolia, but a guess at what the Wilson Ave address would be might be helpful. Anybody???
Shiller says to leave them alone as she wants the area to be ready for the Wilson Yard low income apartments........
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ReplyDeleteTaggers got my building too - 4715 N Racine, the back side of the Borders Building. It's been there for a few weeks, but I am calling it in tomorrow
ReplyDeleteMay I ask for uptown update to please publicly explain what suellen long’s relation to the storefronts in and around Wilson L stop are? Does she personally own them? Does the bank own them? Was there a plan she killed? Has the bank denied credit to business looking to open up there? The reference has come up many times and I am not sure what the connection is. Please be so kind to explain.
ReplyDeleteThe gangsta graffiti has to go...
ReplyDeleteAnd it sucks that it's been happening more frequently as of late...
But I've got to say, I've always thought that the "sticker bomb" artwork on the Wilson Nutshop Door was very cool (there wa some even cooler art that someone scraped off the plyboard door facing Leland this summer).
I mean seriously, that particular building is a pile of shit...a little urban art really helps to add some edge to the neighborhood. If you take a pop-culture assessment of any cool urban neighborhood, Logan Square, Bucktown, Pilsen, etc- - - you'll find that the seal of apporval is some funky street art.
I still think it's great that SOLVE was good enough to put a few stickers up on Broadway street signs....it helped give a rundown street a small dose of "this place could possibly be cool for creative-types." The operative word here is "could."
Tagging is a crime, not art. Also I am not sure if the last photo is a Latin King tag. If you look at the 2nd picture it matches the pink marker used on that tag.
ReplyDeleteI have to say those stickers are great.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the face on the goon tag, right next to the little convenience shop underneath the southwest corner of the Wilson el. Seen a few others but never knew the affiliation. Are these the same goons that show up on Craig Gernhard's blog, Goons, as in "goonings?"
ReplyDeleteStickers with an amusing face are great by me as long as the artists aren't in with the whole gooning scene(ie they're Goons like my postulated set of Goons that aren't into gooning.. the whole gooning scene and all).
May I ask for uptown update to please publicly explain what suellen long’s relation to the storefronts in and around Wilson L stop are?
ReplyDeleteMs. Long was chair of the Uptown Chamber of Commerce(Uptown Business Partners). She's still President of Bridgeview Bank.
It's a long story, but the short short version is Uptown is actually part of the the 48th and the 46th ward and the Chamber is thrilled to work with the 48th ward but consistently punts the ball when asked to address the 46th ward.
Uptown Business Partners could do so much more in the 46th, but for whatever reason it has too many interested parties in keeping Shiller either as a spectator to their affairs or on their side. Opposing Shiller creates too many problems for them with the Mayor's office.
Keep going to CAPS meetings where Shiller and /or her reps. are there only to show you how to complain on the police, and take notes on objectors to her policies. Hey Helen, to bad Alderman aren't required to take drugs tests, yea I thought you would cough on that thought. You still got your guy, the Physical Ed. instructor at Arai School/Uplift who was arrested for possession of cannabis working there? I bet he's on the LSC as a teacher rep. voting to spend the schools money on Friends of Shiller.
ReplyDeleteJust because you have a feeling don't make it so, are you people so busy complaining that you fail to simply educate your self in public knowledge?
ReplyDeleteWhat are gane sings for to mark territory or to show invasion of space and that’s all.
Every single police station has gane books and symbols and if you take time to do some research please!
The problem with tagging is first is a white boy thing not a gane thing, second the fines are so low that the offenders allowance gets them off and they are rarely get caught in the action cause they tag at night. Finally the law needs to make it a felony for tagging and vandalism and not just community service and fines like pedophiles there should be a book with picture and mark to prevent them form marking without consequences in the future.
Finally the law needs to make it a felony for tagging and vandalism and not just community service and fines like pedophiles there should be a book with picture and mark to prevent them form marking without consequences in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I sign? This is defacement of private property. No individual has any right to damange another person's or the publicly owned property.