Truman College expansion worries some neighbors
By Angie Leventis Lourgos, Special to the Tribune, July 10, 2009
Uptown residents worry a planned parking garage complex at Truman College could become a haven for gangs and drug dealers if security is not adequate. Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave., on Monday will begin construction on a combined administrative services building and 1,107-car parking garage, to the chagrin of some neighbors who say they were not well informed about the project until site work began in September.
The $55 million McKeon Administration Building is expected to open by fall 2010 to ease congestion and centralize student services, school officials said. Residents are aggravated about a lack of street parking during construction and difficult access to the CTA "L" stop at Wilson once the project is complete. But they're most concerned about security on the construction site and within the completed garage, because they say the neighborhood is a thoroughfare for several gangs.
Residents are concerned over a college expanding? One would think this would be viewed as a positive, in any neighborhood IMO.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article. I think the building will help. There was an empty gravel parking lot there before. This will improve the area. The low income housing should be the worry of citizens in the area.
ReplyDeleteConstruction is beginning on Monday? It seems to me that they started a long time ago, did enough to screw up the street lights (and probably get an initial payout for the construction company), and then went on a really long coffee break.
ReplyDeleteGiven the gang presence in that particular area, I think there's a valid safety concern in building a parking garage there. I didn't see a whole lot of complaining about the school building aspect.(Though the irony of taking money from elementary/secondary public education to build vanity building for post-secondary doesn't escape everyone.)
ReplyDeleteThough the irony of taking money from elementary/secondary public education to build vanity building for post-secondary doesn't escape everyone.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
Amen II: the never-ending irony of building a brand new parking garage across the street from the biggest POS CTA stop in the city, while trying to promote the "green" aspects of new projects.
Short version: Trib gets a capital "F" Fail on this article and should be notified of such.
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So...many years ago, a multi-level parking structure was torn down across Lawrence from Bridgeview Bank because of drug and prostitution issues (I was told). Now, a new multi-level parking structure is being built in of one of the gang hot spots of Uptown. Good urban planning!
ReplyDeleteThe parking garage is also an administrative building. The entire first floor will house admissions, student services, and advising. The top levels will be parking. I am sure the school will be monitoring the building. There is only so much one can do. Residents can complain about a lack of parking, but Truman students drive to campus and if there is no parking space/garage for them, they will still be taking up parking. This garage will give 200+ new spaces over what was there before. This isn't a vanity building as one post called it. As someone who works there, I can assure you, more space is needed and parking is needed. The fact it will spruce up the neighborhood is just a bonus.
ReplyDelete"Residents are concerned over a college expanding?"
ReplyDeleteDid you read the article at all? Construction allegedly starts soon. This is myth. It started last fall. There have been trailers located on site since then.
It will take reportedly a year to complete. Meaning those cameras, the security guard, and the obstructed pedestrian routes will persist moving foot traffic to Magnolia with it low hanging trees, poor lighting, and known Black P. Stone Ranger territory.
Truman students drive to campus and if there is no parking space/garage for them, they will still be taking up parking.
ReplyDeleteOr ... they could be earth friendly and take the CTA.
It's not like the closet L stop isn't literally a stone's throw away, and there aren't buses running in all directions, right?
Or, Truman could continue to run those 75% empty buses to carry students to and from the parking by the lake?
Or not. Who knows?
Whatever's most convenient for Truman and Helen. That's what's important.
I guess I wouldn't have a problem with it one way or the other, expect for the fact that I helped pay for the thing while I watch the Wilson stop sink deeper into a hole and hear about how broke the CPS is - and can't afford to feed children, and read stories about city workers being laid off and the city has to sell of public assets since the general revenue is running dry cuz TIFs have sucked $1B+ from it.
But, hey. Truman got their's, and Helen got her's. And, again, that's all that's important.
I mean, the only people who are really adversely affected are those people who actually LIVE here, and PAID for the damned thing.
Spin it how you like, it's still a monstrous crock of sh*t.
I'm sure the lil' CPS kids who can't get a meal, or new books, or a teacher making a decent salary, will appreciate how much Truman spruced up the 'hood with those TIF dollars.
Well done.
Have you checked the stats on Truman? The enrollmemt declines each year, the police sight it as an open drug market and you ask why people ask why spend millions on a dying institution?
ReplyDelete