Our inbox is flooded with readers wondering what is going down on Lawrence between Sheridan and Broadway. Lots of firetrucks and police are in the area. Add any info in the comments and avoid that area if possible.Update: Order was just given to open all the streets up. Still not sure what the incident was.
Update #2: Looks like this was all related to a fire that has since been extinguished at Lawrence House (Lawrence and Kenmore).
Walked up there and talked to a cop. There was a fire in the Lawrence House (tall building right past JJ Peppers on Lawrence). They have to call out all those trucks so the guy said it looks worse than it really was.
ReplyDeleteFire is out, btw.
I don't mean to be sarcastic but the award winning
ReplyDeleteLawerence house was most likley on fire. I feel bad for the
senior citizens and the some what independent mentally I'll that live there. It's a big dump.
MFM is right, I was just by there, in taller buildings they have to go in force. Also with the Weezer concert activity and hoopla they just shut down the street.
ReplyDeleteThe police and fire are our friends.
The Lawerance House has a lot of challenges, it is not a 5 star hotel, with 5 star revenue. Its a difficult proposition to say the least running a facility such as that on a budget. The conundrum is as the economy suffers the number of people needing such housing increases, and revenue stays the same or decreases.
The elderly and mentally ill need a home right, we can't just raise their rent or put them to work can we?
Sarcasm is fine, I use it all the time un-bias and the residents deserve better your right, I can tell your heart is in the right place.
Lawrence House needs some costly upgrades, not as costly as moving the residents to another location which actually does not exist.
There is a shortage city-wide in this category of housing.
What to do?
Don't know if my last comment took or not. The last month or so I lived at Lawrence House there were major disrepair issues, like a literal waterfall coming out of a light fixture on the first floor, by the cargo elevator. They had a giant trash can catching all the water. I wonder if that wasa fire hazard or not?
ReplyDeleteLawrence House is run by a for-profit company...isn't it? Something's not right here... Shouldn't it be held to higher standards?
ReplyDeleteLawrence House is already in Housing Court with many, many code violations to account for.
ReplyDeleteWe don't know if yesterday's fire was due to those violations or not.
I agree, it's a horrible situation, but with a new alderman who's (hopefully) won't turn a blind eye to the follies of low-income housing providers, and Housing Court judges and inspectors already on the case, Lawrence House can become respectable again.
These services and housing providers who've been turning their backs on the community for years and circling the wagons against accountability and the concerns of the neighbors had better get a "come to Jesus" call real soon, because -- with any luck -- it won't be the same-ol' same-ol' around Uptown in a few months.