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| A portion of the graffiti in the loading dock area |
Last Thursday night, my fiancé and I were grilling on our balcony and we happened to look at the back lot of the Maryville Academy, where the loading bay was once located (On the western side of the building located on Montrose and Clarendon). We happened to notice 2 things. The wall facing the street leading into the loading dock has been blasted with hot pink graffiti and gang signs. It must happened sometime Wednesday night because it wasn’t there when we went to sleep. The next thing we noticed was the three individuals who have since set up residence inside the dock. We called 311 to report everything we saw but what we didn’t see is anyone coming out to do anything about it. Nor have they since. I thought Maryville was private property? I must say the lack of patrolling and disregard for the property is increasingly attracting unwanted activity.
Yesterday, my fiancé was once again on the balcony commenting on the squatters when we happened to notice an animal lying in the grass. At first we thought it was asleep, but after watching it for a few minutes we realized that it was a dead dog. Concerned that the temperature was in the middle 90s and that the body might start to decompose in the heat, we contacted Animal Control at 311 and informed them of the body. This was yesterday morning around 9AM. Today the dead dog, the squatters and the giant wall of graffiti are all still there.
Please Uptown Update, make the community aware of this. I’d rather not have to smell the rotting corpse of a dead dog and watch the Maryville Academy building turn into a den for homeless vagrants and graffiti artists."
Can it be a 911 call for trespassing? Or does the complaint need to come from the nuns?
ReplyDeleteI would call the 46th ward office about all three issues. Wow, it it nice to say that and not intend it as a joke. I bet they could help with two of the three problems right away. The trespassing issue is more complicated. But I bet the alderman's office would know who to contact about that as well. Given the current owners need the alderman's support to move forward with any plans I bet if made aware of the problem they would work to fix it. Just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteFrom the picture, I can't see any 'gang' signs. Do we know this is a gang tag? It makes me laugh when people say 'gang tags' and then refer to tho perps later as "graffiti artists." Graffiti is an art, so that much is true. But don't associate every writer with the dumbasses that are tagging gang signs. Very different. Usually the gang tags are simple and unsophisticated; graffiti takes skill and hard work. Did any of the neigbors come out for the Uptiown Graffiti Challenge last weekend in Clarendon Park? It was a perfect example of graffiti life and culture. Lots of music, paint, food, skateboarding and dancing. Thank you local legend and graf artist, Nerd, for putting that together! %99 of graffiti artists are not associated with gangs, and you can take that to the bank.
ReplyDeleteI think a 911 call about squatters in a vacant property may work. When I've called about other vacant properties, they have gone and secured it.
ReplyDeletebut graffiti artists need to stop doing graffiti on private property.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I cannot read the tag, I don't see any gang signs either.
ReplyDeleteDead dog!?! that's wrong on many levels. Animal control should be on that-perhaps not like flies-immediately.
I sent this info in to Irma Perres and Sgt. Beth Giltmier, who are our local CAPS representatives. They also have been trying to get a constructive dialogue going with the Sisters that own the Maryville property regarding these safety and upkeep issues.
ReplyDeleteThey would need to fix the fence in the ally behind the new ice cream shop. That is the way people get in. I have watched them for the past year or so going in and out of that space by that bent fence post.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank UU for publishing the letter I wrote the other day regarding the graffiti, dead dog and homeless people living at Maryville Academy. I just wanted to give an update. I called the Alderman’s office yesterday (7/6) and made them aware of the situation. A very nice staff member named Jim took my information and got back to me immediately. They have contacted the nuns about the activity and promised to keep me posted on the developments. I must say I was very impressed with his quick response and willingness to help.
ReplyDeleteYesterday a woman slugged her child in the parking lot behind the condo's at Lawrence and Winthrop.The child appeared to be about 4 and hit the ground with a thud, started to cry and then stopped presumably for being hit again. I told the lady who was about 30 and dressed up a bit...(perhaps for a meeting in the Bridgeview Bank building with a social worker??) her to relax. Calm down I said. She called me a lot of names and pulled out a shiv and told me she would murder me on my own block and that SHE runs this neighborhood GDN! she screamed. Gangster Disciple nation, I guess
ReplyDeleteWho does run this hood?
So, Stu, you did call the police on her for aggravated assault, right?
ReplyDeleteHey all, here's some info from Sgt. Giltmier in our CAPS office regarding the two issues (dog and graffiti):
ReplyDelete"The city service request numbers are 11-03320771 for the graffiti and 11-03320821 for animal control - if the dog is not removed soon please let me know."
She said that animal control only has one mobile unit per watch, and it is often most busiest with live vicious dogs, but the CPD officers will also try to keep it to the forefront.
Anyone can use those above city service numbers when calling 311 to check on these issues getting resolved.
Stu, I believe the G Stones or something like that run the neighborhood. My police neighbor told me they all dress the same so the police wont know who has just committed the crime. They need to stop selling spray paint in Chicago to these urban youths. No spraypaint equals no graffiti.
ReplyDeleteNancy, a call to the Alderman's office is always a great place to start.
ReplyDeleteLiving on the Magnolia/Malden alley for all these years, I am painfully aware of the "Twilight Zone" antics that go on and on.
Lesson learned......call and complain!
americanlt, spray paint is not sold in Cook County already (not at any major hardware chains anyway).
ReplyDeleteMy partner works for Home Depot in the paint department--they don't even carry spray paint in their city stores because it's mostly illegal. The only spray paint I've ever run across in the city is locked up, and purchase requires proof that you are either a contractor or a property manager.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, cross outside the city boundaries and spray paint isn't illegal. Guess what? Every tagger and graffiti vandal either has a car or knows someone with a car to go buy spray paint outside of the city limits. So spray paint is already illegal, but it doesn't make any difference to people who are determined to buy and use it.
BTW, the Gangsta Disciples "territory" is Lawrence and Winthrop; the Black P Stones "territory" is west and south of Truman College.
A city without graffiti isn't a city at all!
ReplyDeleteSpray paint isn't the problem, nor are graffiti artists.
Gangbangers and 'taggers' who write barely legible gang signs everywhere are the problem.
Most graffiti is visual pleasing, in my humble opinion.
@UptownSuperhero,
ReplyDeleteIn your humble opinion? That's odd, because nothing about your post was humble at all. In fact, it was pretty disrespectful and sounded like it came from the mouth of a self-righteous snob that doesn't know two bits about the 'urban aesthetic'. Visual violence?! Haha, yes because all these blank walls are so appealing.
The thing about opinions that I love are the fact that I am entitled to my own. And I could care less what you think is 'stupid' and I could care less that you call me an idiot. In my opinion, you sound like a spoiled brat!
"visual violence," superhero?
ReplyDeleteLet me be another voice chiming in on the graffiti-versus-gang-tags debate: I wholeheartedly agree with ChiTownPhilly's arguments. There is a HUGE difference between graffiti and gang-affiliated/motivated scrawl.
I'm only marginally sorry for the damage you incurred (there is worse that could happen, but what the fuck ever, right?).
If you'd like to press flesh with me, in the form of a hearty handshake, let's agree to meet at a Positive Loitering event in the neighb'. That way, you'll know that I'm actually a 30 year-old, white, lesbian female; possessing none of the racial characteristics with which you must believe ChiTownPhilly to possess. You know... given his penchant for defending the gangbangers, and all...
Pointless correction on graffiti timeline: It was there by Tuesday afternoon when I drove by before leaving town.
ReplyDeletewow! sticks and stones. poor dog
ReplyDeleteDid the poor doggie get cleaned up yet?
ReplyDeleteI've seen some really beautiful graffiti around the neighborhood. It makes me sad when it gets painted over just so that another brown or gray wall is back in place. Bland colors make for a sad city.
ReplyDeleteThen paint on your own home, or on properties where the owners have given you written permission.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti on other people's property is a crime and makes for pissed off property owners who love to press charges. It also costs millions for the city to remove.