Thursday, August 6, 2009

Taggers Strike Aldi

A reader sends in this pic showing the front of Aldi at Broadway and Sunnyside today. Anyone fluent in reading tags?

Another reader writes:

"Not sure if most UU readers are aware, but our "new" TIF-funded Aldi store has been majorly tagged. The faux glass, above where the front doors were supposed to be, is tagged, as well as the parapet wall around the roof (visible from the El). I couldn't get a pic, but thought everyone should know. The graffiti has been there since at least Tuesday.

Wouldn't it be a priority of our elected official to get this removed ASAP? I mean, this whole parcel is her pet project."

39 comments:

  1. I think these gang symbols say 'Welcome Target, we look forward to shooting at and painting your store in 2010'. I encourage everyone to send pictures of what life is like around the Target's TIF and the Wilson Red Line directly to Target Corp. Our Alderbeast will not listen to us, maybe she will listen to Target's advice to clean up the 46th Ward, as they have the ear of the city. Again eveyone please send directly to Target. UU can you post Target info again? If Target did not come, I would love to hear Shiller say it was because of the pictures and emails telling Target what daily life is around Wilson Yard. Foot in Mouth, why are you masking the real problem Shiller.

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  2. I don't think that sending them to Target is going to help our community any. Let's face it, the building is up and needs to be inhabited.. having a Target fill it, is much better than it sitting empty. At this point, it doesn't seem worthwhile to try to deter Target from coming..

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  3. I agree with and not trying to stop it. I just want Target to put pressure on Shiller to clean up her act. Shiller does not listen to the tax payers of Uptown, maybe she will listen to Target. They have a multi billion dollar brand to protect, which does not go well with gang shootings, homeless drunks, urination and tagging. I cannot wait for the first news coverage of a dead gang memeber laying in front of the Target logo. They better think ahead on this sweet deal.

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  4. I don't think anyone that is Leaving Uptown should have a say in anything we do. Especially when you are hoping for someone to die just to prove a political point, that's ludicrous.

    Sending Target photos of the graffiti at ALDI is going to help because...?

    My question is "How the hell did they get up there?"

    I spoke with Aldi this morning and the graffiti will be removed soon.

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  5. Well stated Uptown Girl...

    We need to embrace Target and view them as a force to help drive positive change in Uptown.

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  6. thanks UG for being proactive in removing tagging. let's hope it gets removed soon. it's bad for everyone. the graffiti visible from the L is gang related.

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  7. Btw, I have lived for over 10 years. BTW my tax dollars are included in this project, so I have a right to say what I want. You sound like Shiller saying I have not say. It's not me leaving Uptown, it is the sigh I will be holding when Shiller gets defeated. Don't Assume - That make you an......

    I will stop posting, but will repost when you finnaly figure out that Target can be used as leverage in what everyone wants in this ward - Safe community. Bye Bye

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  8. "the graffiti visible from the L is gang related."

    Some of it.

    Some of it is crew related.

    Some of it is just for fun.

    Some of it is out of desperation.

    Generalization.

    "it's bad for everyone."

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  9. Plus, yeah, bad photo, but these tags aren't hard to read in person at all. Nice upside down handwriting guys!

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  10. Well, I suspect they stood on that fence. N/M.

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  11. Candice - the fence is surrounding the Target/housing site. Its not near Aldi (pic is a bit deceiving).

    They obviously climbed up to the roof, but how? Do these guys carry a ladder?!?!

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  12. Hmmm. A bunch of white twentysomethings, one of whom was named Eric, were climbing around our neighborhood Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, swinging like monkeys and crossing apartment decks to get to the tops of the buildings on Broadway to do some tagging. Too bad for them that a lot of people on this block are awake at 3am, and the renters whose decks were breached weren't happy at all about it. Lots of 911 calls, lots of cops, lots of punky kids taken away in the backs of squad cars.

    I do have to say, I was impressed at their climbing skills. Truly acrobatic. Maybe they can do their community service at CircEsteem.

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  13. It is too bad those guys do not have the art skills to match their acrobatic ones. All of that effort to tag a building like a dog marking its territory.

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  14. There is also graffiti on the TCF Bank building in addition to a few roof mounted structures on top of the properties from 4601 N Broadway to 4621 N Broadway.

    I called 311 yesterday to report it. If you're calling you will also want to mention these tagged locations.

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  15. Who cares how they are able to manage to tag buildings? The only thing we need to care about is removing the tags when they occur. One way to possibly eliminate the high numbers of tagging would be to remove Shiller. She's the ugliest "Tag" on the entire Uptown area. Because of her lack of leadership, you'll continue to see an increase in tagging; I guarantee it. Anyone know a good power washer?

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  16. As I've said in posts I have not been a full time resident in sometime,nor am I a property owner.I'm hoping to come back full time and love Uptown and it's possibillities.Maybe a wall could be dedicated for tagging for all the erstwhile Picassos',where they won't put themselves at risk of arrest or injury. Just a thought and of course no gang graffiti.

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  17. I don't think anyone that is Leaving Uptown should have a say in anything we do.

    What a wonderfully ignorant thing to say.

    It's almost like Helen or Denise were here (ahem).

    So, you're discouraging free speech, disregarding tax payers' rights and overlooking the fact the "leaving" implies "haven't left yet", or better yet, "still here".

    Beyond that, who's this "we" that's trying to do anything?

    If by "we" you mean Helen, her staff and her pets - that's one thing.

    If by "we", you mean people on this board, let me remind you that those "we" are constantly ignored, harassed, harangued and ignored.

    But don't worry, we know you're just following orders, it's cool.

    Nothing personal, sweet cheeks.

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  18. It is just some graffiti - so what?!

    Kids tag all over all the time.

    It sucks

    Its wrong

    It gets removed

    The people who put it there are to blame for the graffiti, no one else.

    Why all the vitrol, animosity, and seeking to blame and condemn others over some stupid graffiti?

    Some people posting here have bigger problems than the punk kids who tagged Aldi.

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  19. Hey Yo,

    I was in no way trying to discourage peoples freedom of speech. I don’t believe LeavingUptown had anything to say that would actually help the situation at hand. Hoping that people die and sending photos to Target didn’t sound like it would help the graffiti disappear of the side of Aldi. But by all means, you are absolutely right about people having the right to say what they feel, that is if UU will actually post it.

    And for the record, I have my own opinions and my own brain. I don’t mindlessly follow anyone.

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  20. Hey UG,

    Of course you were.

    You simply didn't expect to be called on it, that's all.

    But, reread your statement and fell free to tell me how I'm misinterpreted what you'd said.

    And, even if you weren't, at what point in time were you put into a position to determine if someone's comment had validity to the argument, anyway?

    I know you're smart. I assume that you do have your own brain/mind and such - but just because you've been a paid consultant to the alderman doesn't mean you're allowed to act like her -- or worse, Denise.

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  21. Years ago I voted for Helen,I thought she at the time was the best person for the job.Now I believe she has become so unresponsive to the concerns of her constituents it is time for someone new.If a person works or has worked for an individual in power it should not negate an opinion expressed here.I believed Helen was a positive once,I don't now.

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  22. Sean, do you live in Uptown? If so, you may want to work on your street smarts because graffiti is generally not good and gang graffiti is very bad. Gang graffiti marks territory. By the way, the word for bitter/angry language is "vitriol", not vitrol.

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  23. If a person works or has worked for an individual in power it should not negate an opinion expressed here.

    I'm not saying it invalidates the argument. I'm poking fun at the fact that it completely changes the perspective I had of previous comments.

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  24. The 'funny' and perversely ironic thread, in Uptown life, is the location of the 46th Ward office.
    Smack between the greasy, pee-soaked Wilson L stop, and the now-defaced Aldi.
    One would think that Broadway, between Montrose and Wilson would be a shiny diamond?
    But it's the worst-of-the-worst.

    Is there anybody out there who honestly feels comfortable, let alone safe....walking this 'strip' when the sun sets? Not me.

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  25. You don't get called out on everything you post (as you'll see, I've agreed with you more often than not) - but, the cackles get raised when you try to stealth in the Shiller rhetoric w/the tasty and tolerant flourish of Denise Davis.

    Then, on cue, when the rhetoric wilts against a decent counter argument, thoughtful responses get replaced with insults.

    It's so predictable as to be boring.

    You're entirely too intelligent to be using those two as your role models.

    You were in the unique position where you could have offered insight to the UU community that we simply could not get from the alderman (heaven knows how we've tried); but, you thought it better to be sneaky.

    Like someone said at the WYTIF meeting (where you so graciously assisted at the sign in table, thank you), the prime issue facing Shiller (and her staff) is one of trust.

    When you sacrifice trust for personal/professional ambition, you'll eventually lose more than you'll ever hope to gain.

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  26. Toning it down I guess...

    **So, you're discouraging free speech, disregarding tax payers' rights and overlooking the fact the "leaving" implies "haven't left yet", or better yet, "still here".***

    1) Anybody can say whatever they want, but we don't have to take stupid advice.

    2) I think UG’s interpretation of “LEAVINGUPTOWN” is perfectly reasonable.

    This is the present continuous form of the English verb, "To Leave." The tense is defined as, "Things that are happening now, at the moment."

    So interpreting this to mean that they are "still here" or "haven't left yet" is wrong. It would be more accurate to interpret this to mean that they have already left, but they are still in the process of leaving. Maybe if it was "AMGOINGTOLEAVEUPTOWN." That would mean "still here" or "haven't left yet" but the person is planning on leaving at some time in the future.

    It is possible, though unlikely, that “LEAVINGUPTOWN” is using the future continuous tense. The future continuous tense is used to describe an activity that will be in progress at some point in the future. I doubt that that much though went into it, because that would imply that the person was planning on leaving Uptown at a future date, but that for some reason the process would occur over an extended period of time. Why would anybody care about that? That puts the emphasis on the time the process of leaving will take as opposed to the actual leaving part.

    One could solve this dilemma by interpreting LEAVINGUPTOWN’s other comments. However, after reading and trying to interpret them, (I am not sure how long one could hold a sigh) it is clear that LEAVINGUPTOWN knows not whether they are coming or going.

    Yo, are you one of those people who argues Obama wans't born in the US? Sounds like it.

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  27. Riding the red line to and from work over the last week has shown me that all up and down the line taggers hit about 40-50 buildings. I stopped looking out the window once I reached Belmont. However, there is a heavy presence of graffiti all up and down the line from Berwyn to Addison.

    You can even see cans of spray paint left behind. Fingerprints?

    The only thing that bothers me about graffiti is the blatant destruction of private property and the gang tags. After that it can be a terrific form of self expression as long as property owners can agree on a space where the work can be displayed.

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  28. Meh - we can split infinitives all day long, if you'd like; but, I disagree with your assessment.

    Yo, are you one of those people who argues Obama wans't born in the US? Sounds like it.

    If you honestly think that, then your powers of perception are entirely out of whack.

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  29. shillsgang...well pardon me. I unfortunately am one of those less than perfect people, unlike yourself, who quite often makes typos and fails to edit my postings.

    I am very familiar with Uptown and live here and have been here for a long time.

    Did you notice my comment where I wrote that the graffiti is wrong and it sucks? Or were you in too much of a hurry to condescend to someone to pay attemtion. Condescending is fun isn't it? Gives us all a smug sense of superiority to counter the deep seeded feelings of inadequacy, huh?

    Is that all you got from my post, the false assumption that I am indifferent to graffiti, am lacking in street smarts, or don't know that gangs employ graffiti to mark territory, among other reasons? (also, it is not just gang members who tag like this, thought you should know)

    The gist of my post was that I felt there was an abusrd overreaction to this particular tagging. I see I lot of graffiti in Uptown. Have you noticed the graffiti on the garage door of the condo building on Leland and Kenmore? That one seems pretty nasty. Why isn't there a thread dedicated to that one? Is that what this web site is for? Identifying and blogging about all the instances of graffiti in Uptown? Really?

    I have seen a lot of graffiti around here. Eventually it gets cleaned off or painted over. I myself don't lose much sleep over it. Life goes on. But to each their own and everyone else is welcome to let their blood boil and scream and shout as much as they'd like over every single instance of tagging.

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  30. It occurs to me now that this thread really has nothing to do with graffiti and it was just created to give people more opportunity to express their hatred for the alderman.

    It seems to me residents of uptown have plenty of legitimate reasons to be angry with or oppose the alderman.

    I feel I have legitimate reasons for opposing the alderman.

    However I feel when people start grasping at every and any little thing to assign blame to and condemn the alderman, such as this instance of tagging, the start to lose some legitamacy in their overall opposition and come off as irrational zealots. Sometimes reading comments on this site is like reading comments posted on the Fox News website about Obama and the Democrats. You eventually stop taking people's views seriously, even when they have a legitamate point.

    There are enough legitimate reasons to criticize Shiller - the whole TIF issue as well as her lack of respect and responsiveness to the community. When you start blasting her because someone tagged Aldi, you start sounding like the Birther zealots and it becomes harder to maintain respect for your opinions. Afterall, as Brennan pointed out, there is a lot of tagging in other wards as well. How many of those ward's alderman are being blasted for it?

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  31. However I feel when people start grasping at every and any little thing to assign blame to and condemn the alderman, such as this instance of tagging, the start to lose some legitamacy in their overall opposition and come off as irrational zealots. Sometimes reading comments on this site is like reading comments posted on the Fox News website about Obama and the Democrats. Sean

    Agree that an "I hate Helen" approach doesn't work and it does discount efforts to gain credibility with the press.

    What has Helen publicly said or written on her website about graffiti? What has Helen publicly said about the nead to stop gang activity? What has Helen said about aggressive panhandling and public drinking that occurs all along Broadway and Wilson? What specific steps has she taken to address any of the above issues?

    Silence = public anger & distrust

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  32. Sean, I love your irony. You take issue with what you call an absurd overreaction to graffiti and then have an absurd overreaction to my comment regarding your misspelling. You did, however, stumble upon the basis for my unfair attacks on your spelling ability - deep seeded feelings of inadequacy. You are one smart cookie. I hope that your attack on me made you feel better.

    The initial post referenced graffiti and made a comment regarding poor leadership. My comment referenced graffiti. It makes sense to report sightings of graffiti to the city and try to do something to promptly remove it. If we can be proactive, instead of apathetic, our ward will be a better place. If you see graffiti, report it.

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  33. I always thought the term was 'deep seated'. This thread is degenerating into pettiness.Yo you appear to me to be an extremely intelligent man concerned for the neighborhood and I like that about you.UU provides a forum to discuss the ward and everyone has a voice to express what they believe,a good thing.What's needed is a candidate to back to take down Ms.Shiller,who once elected will listen to the residents.I hate to admit it but I get afraid and walk faster after dark here.

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  34. Yes, it is deep seated. I used Sean's terminology but did not want to take issue with Sean's usage again.

    I think the key to making Uptown a better place is taking responsibility for our owns actions, along with observing and reporting problems. Shiller's antics should not overwhelm every post.

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  35. In my opinion, all tagging is bad. It is destructive and requires about the same aptitude as a monkey with a spray paint can (my apologies to the simian population for likening them to taggers).

    I do believe there is such a thing as good graffiti, although I have yet to see any in Uptown (or in most of Chicago for that matter). To give you an example of good graffiti, here is a recent review in the New York Times of the latest graffiti installation in Manhattan:


    A World Springs to Life on an Urban Wall

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  36. Sean: I wouldn't try to apologize for Alderman Shiller on graffiti. Other alderman do get blasted on issues they repeatedly fail to respond.

    I don't even bother to alert the Alderman's office in the 46th Ward. I don't really need to. I get a live human being when I call 311.

    I really think that if Shiller's office just called residents back when they call her office a lot of this tension would be moot. I would correct for one little detail. If you're a resident AND an employee or volunteer with one of the local non-profit organizations not named WAMA, then you could get a call back.

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  37. Brennan,
    well I certainly did not mean to apologize for shiller. But you bring up a good point. It has never occured to me to call any alderman's office about graffiti as I always thought that was one of the things 311 was for. Same as any criminal activity, call 311 or 911 in any alderman's ward to report it.

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