Ring Out The Old, Ring In The New

Here's to an exciting year ahead.

19th District Court Advocates Changing Monthly Meeting

The 19th District Court Advocates, who have traditionally met on the last Tuesday of each month, are going to start meeting the last Monday of each month beginning in 2013.

If you have a morning or two free each month and would like to become a court advocate, which involves going to court as a group and acting as a silent presence in the courtroom, representing that the community is interested in what goes on in selected cases, please come to meetings on the last Monday of each month at 6pm, held in the community room at the 19th District police station, 850 W Addison.

No CAPS on New Years Day

The CAPS meeting for Beat 1913, which usually meets on the first Tuesday of the month, is cancelled for January, since that's New Year's Day and Truman College is closed.

See you there on February 5th!

Bike Corrals: Yea or Nay?

A reader thinks that the City's idea for "bike corrals," like the one above in the 5200 block of Clark Street, is a good idea.  Here's what Chicago's Bike Czar has to say:

Who wants an on-street bike corral?

The City of Chicago's Department of Transportation is introducing on-street bike parking corrals. On-street bike corrals are a low-cost way to provide parking for 10 or more bicycles in the same space typically occupied by a car. Currently, there are four bike corrals in Chicago, but there is a need for many more. There are many reasons why a business should get a bike corral installed, but the biggest benefit is economics. We keep hearing it in the news.

Bicyclists tend to visit their local shops more often and spend more per month with all that disposable income. Making a bicyclists visit as convenient and inviting as possible makes sense for good business.

Do you know of a business or building that would benefit from having a bike corral?

Please reply here or send any suggestion to me at tony@activetrans.org

Also check out the bike corral website!

So Board

Work is underway at the site of the former "Best Steak House" at Wilson and Broadway.  According to the building permit, it involves repair and replacement to the ceiling and drywall.  Uptown United has said that this will be the newest location of Dengeos, and we look forward to having gyros there someday soon.  Anyone know about any specific timeframe for completion?

Don't Be A Snow Flake

If you're the one who gets to shovel the snow in front of your place, Ald. Pawar's latest newsletter has a link to a pretty good article on efficient shoveling techniques from Popular Mechanics called "16 Cardinal Rules for Snow Shovelling."

Time for the yearly reminder of the city's snow ordinance:

"There is a City ordinance that requires building owners or tenants to remove the snow and ice from sidewalks in front of their buildings or vacant lots. The ordinance states that if the sidewalk is wider than five feet, only a five foot path is necessary.

"Snow that accumulates before 4:00 p.m. must be removed within three hours after the snow has fallen. Snow that accumulates after 4:00 p.m. or during the night shall be removed before 10:00 a.m. Non-compliance can result in ticketing and fines. Violations can be reported to 311."

You can read more about the particulars on the City's Sidewalk Snow Removal webpage.

Half A Building's Worth Of Condos For Sale

If you're looking to buy nearly a hundred condos/parking spaces, there's a deal for you in Buena Park. The Sun-Times reports:

"INVESTOR ALERT: Want to load up on condos in bulk? RANY Management hired Kiser Group to market 87 condos and 19 deeded parking spaces at 4180 N. Marine Drive, a building called Polo Tower. The price is $10.25 million. 

Polo Tower is a 16-story building on the lakefront, with 189 units in all. “The opportunity is in improving the current cash flow by pushing rents to demonstrable market levels, with the flexibility to sell individual units as the condo market warrants doing so,” said Matt Jones, managing director at Kiser."

New Viaduct, Same Ol' Story

Bad day for Uptown's Red Line underpasses, apparently. 

This was the scene at the Lawrence el around 2:45pm.

Look Out Below (Particularly At Argyle)

A word of warning for those crossing under the Argyle L today.  A reader found out the hard way:  "CAUTION!! I just walked under the Argyle bridge and got paint splattered on my brand new $300 winter coat! There were no signs indicating a danger. And I didn't really notice the painters until I walked under the bridge. These sidewalks need to be blocked off while they are painting! I will be complaining to the CTA. Signed, A sad, paint-splattered neighbor"

Dashing Through The Snow

Cricket Hill was the place to be after presents were opened!  The Tribune has an article about Uptown's surprise white Christmas, which was highly localized (areas south of Belmont didn't get any accumulation).  Read the article here in the Tribune.  Photo courtesy of John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune.

Slip Slidin' Away

It's the first snow since March, and it's slick!  A reader sent in this photo and says:  "Merry Christmas, UU! Just a reminder to everyone to be safe on the road. This 151 spilled out on Sheridan and took the bus bench off its anchors."

Be careful out there and make it home safe, folks. 

May Your Days Be Merry And Bright

Wishing all of our readers a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worthy of a Major Award.

Whether you are spending them with family, or friends, or eating Chinese food, or seeing Hannukatz The Musical!, or working; or enjoying a day of tranquility and serenity, we wish you the best.

A reminder that TBS's 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story begins at 7pm on December 24th.

Christmas & New Year With National Pastime Theater

Christmas Day Feast and New Years Eve in the Exact Center of the Universe.
Only at The National Pastime Theater, 941 West Lawrence

Special Christmas Day 3pm Show of HANNUKATZ THE MUSICAL!  The New National Pastime Theater presents, back by popular demand, 2200 years in the making, here to fill the holiday vOY-OY-OYd!, the only rock ‘n’ roll Hannukah musical on earth. The December 25th 3pm show is followed by a Chinese Feast brought to you by one of Chicago's oldest Chinese restaurants, The Orange Garden. Music, fun and Crayons provided!  Adults $50, kids under 12 $15, post-show Chinese Feast  included with admission. HANNUKATZ THE MUSICAL! Regular run through December 30th. To Purchase tickets click here.

New Years Eve Masquerade Ball 2013 at the Exact Center of the Universe.  Bring in the new year with wild acts and exquisite food from local Chicago restaurants, a silent auction and a raucous atmosphere, all while supporting the arts. This a speakeasy style BYOB affair with a Midnight Champagne toast shared with you by George, Nick and Sam. Early in the evening live music from BLACK DOT  a Chicago based music outfit sporting razor riffs, tribal beats, and fever dream vibe in the vein of PIL, and Gang of Four.  Hurtling down the mountain like Hawkwind being chased by The Police;  this train burns wood, wire, and a heavy dose of improvisation.  This is not Uncle Wiggle Hip’s jam band… though it may still bring a smile to his melting face.

From midnight to daylight - live blues from one of America greatest delta blues musicians in a very rare Chicago show, Kent Duchaine and his LeadBessie. Check out Kent and his amazing music here. You do not want to miss the opportunity to see and hear this world class blues man just back from his latest European tour.

NPT offers a night of great music and revelry you will never forget. Mask required and available at the door if you have none.

The National Pastime Theater hosts its annual Masquerade Ball at the Exact Center of the Universe December 31st 2012. Doors open 8pm and close when the last mask drops to the floor. Tickets are $100 per couple ($50 single) in advance and $150 per couple ($75 single) after December 25th. Purchase tickets here.

Special Christmas and New Year's Eve combo tickets. Advance tickets to the Christmas Day performance of Hannukatz the Musical and New Year's Eve At the Exact Center of the Universe for $75. Must purchase by December 24th. Click here to purchase the combo.

Support Stockton School: How You Can Help

Can you sign a petition? A message from the grass-roots group, Support Stockton School:

"As you may already know, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education is in the process of selecting which schools will be closed or consolidated beginning in March of 2013.  We are a group of concerned Uptown community members who want to make sure that our community is not a part of this destabilizing school-closure process."

If you would like to see Stockton School stay open, please sign the petition on the site.  It reads:

"Stockton teachers and staff have supported our students and the Uptown community for many decades. While serving a population that is 70.9% low income, 17.5% English learners, and in which 27.6% have special needs, they have shown "Above Average Student Growth and an "Organized Culture and Climate" according to CPS's own data. Stockton students are also 9.4% above the national average in the Reading Growth category and 12.2% above the national average in the Math Growth category. 

They have maintained a positive influence on our students and families as evidenced by the testimony of those in the community and their ranking as "Organized" by CPS, despite only having one Counselor/Caseworker and only one half-time Social Worker (shared with another school). Closing this school would uproot many of our neediest children and force them to walk through an already crime-riddled neighborhood, often while crossing gang lines. 

While being listed as "underutilized" by the CPS Board of Education, those numbers are based on a target average class size of 36 students and fails to account for the 9 special education classrooms, including the specialized autism unit at Stockton. For these reasons, we the undersigned show our support for Stockton School and pledge to take any necessary steps to preserve its stabilizing presence in our Uptown neighborhood."

While the website is still in progress (although much progress has been made), the petition is now available.

A Buyer For The Chateau?

We missed this part the first time we read Ald. Cappleman's newsletter....

"Hotel Chateau Update.  At the December 4th court hearing, an attorney representing the owners of the Chateau Hotel filed an appearance and came to an agreed order with the City to address a number of the dangerous and hazardous conditions at the property.  The case was continued until January 29th at 11:00 am for case management and to give the City time to file an amended complaint.

Also present was a group of attorneys representing a potential purchaser for the property.  No further information is available for the potential buyer at this time.

Besides me attending this hearing, there were approximately thirty tenants, business owners, and neighbors who appeared in court. The presence of the community was noted by the presiding judge and resulted in a shorter court date than normally would have been issued. Anyone interested in attending the next court date should contact Dana at dana@james46.org or call 773-878-4646 for more information."

Spoil Yourself At Spoil Me Spa & Salon

If you need to get over the pre- or post-holiday blahs, we suggest a trip to Spoil Me (4668 N Broadway).  A gift certificate is also a good last-minute gift.  Here are some of their current specials:

• Package 1 Includes: A European facial, 60min massage and a Spa Mani/Pedi $200 (regularly $240 )
• Package 2 Includes: A mini facial, 30min massage and a No Chip manicure $115 (regularly $132)
• 60min. Full Body Massage w/ Aurora $65 (regularly $95)
• 60min. Hot Stone Massage w/ Aurora $85 (regularly $105)
• Book any two facials and get the 3rd facial free!!!!! (Starting at $170)
• Book any facial $85+ at regular price and receive the 2nd one 1/2 off!
• Free brow, chin or lip wax with any facial priced at $85+
• Holiday Spa Mani/Pedi $50 (regularly $60)

Happy Holidays from The Spoil Me Salon & Spa Crew!

Ald. Osterman Promotes Uptown

In his latest newsletter, Harry puts the spotlight on some Uptown shops in the 48th Ward:

"Shop the 48th Ward this Holiday Season: Uptown!

Join me in shopping locally in our neighborhoods this holiday season! Each Friday throughout December, the weekly newsletter will highlight a different area of the 48th Ward including shopping ideas and special events to promote holiday shopping throughout our community. This week we are highlighting Uptown. Here are some ideas for the unconventional people on your list who may "have everything!

Shake Rattle and Read, 4812 N. Broadway – 773-334-5311
At Shake Rattle and Read insiders peruse the chock full stacks and bins for rare rock and pop culture finds, with the help of owner Ric Addy, who can share a story or two about the legends he’s seen around Uptown over the years. You may catch the drummer for tonight’s show at the Aragon stopping by for some tour bus reading, and come away with a story of your own.

Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave. - 773-561-9500
www.aragon.com
Big Gigantic performs at its second annual sold-out New Year’s Eve show.

Sun Wah BBQ, 5039-41 N. Broadway -773-769-1254
www.sunwahbbq.com
Eating that Holiday meal at home or hosting that party but want the deliciousness of Sun-Wah BBQ on your table? Call today to order your duck now from Sun Wah! A family-run Uptown institution since 1986, Sun Wah’s Hong Kong style barbecue is roasted in-house, using premium ingredients for a taste as authentic and flavorful as its origins.

Big Chick’s, 5024 N. Sheridan Rd. - 773-728-5576
www.bigchicks.com
New Years Eve Party at Big Chicks! Sometimes the hardest part about the New Year is deciding where to ring it in....No cover, no attitude, no VIP lines--just straight up non-pretentious good times await at Big Chicks this New Years. DJ, music, dancing, champagne toasts at midnight, party favors, hot guys behind the bar... what else could you ask for?

Click here for the full listing of Uptown activities and shopping experiences."

The Manhattan Project?

A reader writes:  "I noticed the 'For Rent' signs have been taken down in the old Manhattan Liquor store at 4200 N Broadway. Any ideas what might be going in there?"

We don't know... anyone got the skinny?

Update:  There's a rumor that this will become an upscale wine store.  However, our source asked us to say it's simply a rumor, and nothing is certain yet.  Time will tell.

Chester's Chicken Now Open

A few readers noticed that Chester's Chicken has apparently opened at 4662 N Broadway, next to Spoil Me Salon and across the street from Ace Hardware.

"On my way out tonight, it appeared that Chester's at Leland/Broadway was open and serving at least one customer. The door is still missing typical signage such as hours, credit cards accepted, etc." 

You can read more about the Chester's chain here and see the menu items offered.

Chase Park Seeks Teen Singers

"Dream Big Performing Arts Workshop is currently casting for their 2013 Traveling Troupe. We are seeking strong singers and dancers ages 12-16 for this elite performance group.  Auditions by appointment only.

Audition Details

Dates: Monday, January 14th or Thursday, January 17th
Times: 4:30-6:30 pm
Where: Chase Park Theater (4701 N Ashland)

For more information and to book your audition appointment, please call 773-944-9146"

Final Day For The CTA's Holiday Train

The CTA's Santa rides the rails for the last time this season on Saturday.  He'll be on the Red and Purple Lines, making several round trips.

The train will pass through Uptown at these times:

• Southbound--
  Argyle (12:50pm), Lawrence (12:52), Wilson (12:53), Sheridan (12:55)
• Northbound--
  Sheridan (2:55), Wilson (2:58), Lawrence (2:59), Argyle (3:01)
• Southbound--
  Argyle (4:40), Lawrence (4:41), Wilson (4:43), Sheridan (4:46)
• Northbound--
  Sheridan (6:43pm), Wilson (6:46), Lawrence (6:47), Argyle (6:49)

The entire schedule is here.

Congratulations To Greg Harris

The Capitol Fax knows a good thing when it sees it:  Greg Harris was named runner-up for the The Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Democratic State Representative.  Read all about why Capitol Fax calls Greg a star, here.

The ChainLink Offers Bike Giveaway At Pecking Order

 

Saturday, Dec. 22
Opus Bike Giveaway with The Chainlink, local area bike shops and Roll Chicago

The Chainlink will be raffling off an Opus Classico Bike, Abus Bordo Folding Lock and Axiom Pannier Set at Pecking Order restaurant on Saturday, Dec. 22nd at 4pm.

Raffle tickets are available through Saturday, Dec, 22nd at noon at seven bike shops across the city and Evanston. One ticket will be given for every $10 spent at the following bicycle retailers:

• Rudy's Cycle and Fitness: 5711 W. Irving Park
• Roscoe Village Bikes: 2016 W. Roscoe
• The Bike Lane : 2130 N. Milwaukee
• Smart Bike Parts: 3031 W. Armitage
• The Pony Shop: 1224 W. Chicago Ave (Evanston)
• Boulevard Bikes: 2535 N. Kedzie
• Rapid Transit North: 1900 W. North Ave.
• Rapid Transit South: 1305 S. Halsted

The winner of the bike will have the opportunity to select the proper size and style of Classico.

Cyclists are invited to enjoy special cocktails handcrafted by bar master Scott McIntosh starting at 1PM.

The event is part of The Chainlink's online crowd-sourcing campaign that has raised $11,000 of its $15,000 goal toward a website redesign of the popular social network for Chicago area cyclists.

Additional details can be found on The Chainlink event page here.

Uptown Stories Wanted

We heard from someone who'd like to hear from YOU.

"My name is Ilana Cheyfitz. I am a local photographer working towards my MFA at Columbia College. With my writer friend Anya Ravitz, we have been collaborating on a project on the fascinating neighborhood of
Uptown! While the project is very much in the beginning stages, we have been relying heavily on interviewing the residents of Uptown on their experiences and opinions on living in Uptown. We are currently working on interviewing as many different people as possible and we were hoping you might be able to help us

Would you like a chance to tell your story?  To describe what it feels like to live in Uptown?

A local photographer, Ilana Cheyfitz, and writer, Anya Ravitz, are recording the stories of Uptown residents and would love to hear from you.

Please contact us at: uptown.stories@gmail.com and check out uptownstories.tumblr.com for more information."

Jackie Taylor of BET

There's a very nice interview with Black Ensemble Theater founder Jackie Taylor in The Reader this week. One part we like very much:

"There's always a new goal. I want to build a community here on this street. I think Black Ensemble is the anchor for a transformation, kind of like what Old Town School of Folk Music did for Lincoln Park. We're seeing transformation now, but I think there's space for so much more." 

Read the entire interview here.

Bank Robbery Thursday

The North Community Bank branch at 4701 N Clark was robbed Thursday afternoon around 4:30pm.  The suspect is a white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing a white bandana and yellow and orange construction vest.  He was armed with a pipe and fled south on Clark on foot.

If you have any information that might help catch the robber, please call 911.

What They Said

Someone living about the former Borders space sends greetings to us all.

We heard from the resident who put this up.  He says:
"513 lights, 10 feet of chicken wire, a ton of zip ties, some lumber,
10 hours putting everything together... and voila, holiday cheer!"

"Shopping Local" Has Big Effects On A Community

From a press release from the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce on how shifting just 10 percent of your shopping to Uptown independent retailers can affect us all:

A new study in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood finds that locally owned, independent retail stores re-circulate 245% more of their revenues back into the local economy than their chain store competitors. Locally-owned, independent restaurants re-circulate 139% more.

“Supporting local, independent businesses is one of the most important choices you can make to strengthen your community,” notes Ellen Shepard, executive director of the non-profit Andersonville Development Corporation, which commissioned the study. “During the holiday season especially, people have the chance to really make a difference.”

The study estimates that if shoppers in all of Cook County shifted just 10% of their annual spending from chain businesses to locals, an additional $1.27 billion would be retained in the Cook County economy annually.

“Independents bring substantial benefits to their local economies when compared to their chain competitors,” study authors Civic Economics conclude.  “The extra dollars in the local economy produce more jobs for residents, extra tax revenues for local governments, more investment in commercial and residential districts, and enhanced support for local nonprofits. In short, locally owned, independent businesses create better places.”

The analysis shows that for every $100 in consumer spending at a locally-owned, independent retailer $46.90 stays in Chicago’s economy, versus only $13.60 for a chain retailer. This represents a 245% “local premium” to the city’s economy when consumers shop at locals.

For every $100 in consumer spending at a local restaurant, $72.70 stays in the local economy, versus $30.40 for chain restaurants. Ten local, independent Andersonville retailers and three local, independent Andersonville restaurants participated in the study.

The Andersonville study is part of a larger analysis of ten communities across the United States, sponsored in part by the American Booksellers Association and locally by Women and Children First Bookstore.  The aggregate national numbers show that local retailer and restaurants circulate 231% more money into their local economies than their chain counterparts. The Andersonville study and the national results can be found at www.civiceconomics.com/aba-study-series.

Roller Skate With Santa

Well, the weather will be more appropriate for blades than wheels, but we'll take what we can get.  From the Park District's website:

Come out to Margate Park and [roller] skate with Santa!

Friday, December 21, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Margate Park Fieldhouse, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
312-742-7522
Fee: $5
Age Range: All ages

Come out to Margate Park and get active with Santa! For only $5, you can skate with Santa, munch on popcorn, a hotdog, and a drink! If any patrons have their own skates, please feel free to wear them!

Holiday Savings At Luna Spa & Cafe, 1217 W. Wilson

(click to enlarge)

JDL's Renderings Of Proposed Maryville Plan

Those who attended last week's meeting with JDL Development about their plans for Maryville have already seen these.  They're large files, so click on them to see a larger version, and download if you'd like.  We scaled them down from the original size, but tried to keep them big enough so that the details could be read.

CTA's Holiday Train Runs On The Red Line Today

The CTA's Holiday Train makes its last trips through Uptown this week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.  Here's the schedule, as far as we know it:

• Tuesday, December 18 (schedule):
  Southbound on the Red Line, stopping at
  Argyle (3:57), Lawrence (3:58), Wilson (3:59) and Sheridan (4:02)
  Northbound on the Red Line, stopping at
  Sheridan (6:11), Wilson (6:14), Lawrence (6:15) and Argyle (6:16)
• Wednesday, December 19 (schedule):
  Southbound on the Purple Line, no stops in Uptown. 
  Passes through between 4:35 (Howard stop) and 4:49 (Belmont stop)
  Northbound on the Purple Line, no stops in Uptown. 
  Passes through between 5:38 (Belmont stop) and 5:53 (Howard stop)
• It will also run on the Red and Purple lines on Saturday, December 22, but no exact schedule has been released yet.  Check here for updates.

"Save Stockton School" Group Organizes

Photo courtesy of Zol87 on Flickr through Creative Commons license

From a group called "Save Stockton School":

In light of CPS's recent inclusion of Stockton School (4520 N Beacon) on the list of schools they deem "underutilized," we are banding together to fight for the future of Stockton School. As you well know, Stockton Elementary, along with the Child-Parent Center (affectionately known as "Little Stockton") has been a fixture in the Uptown neighborhood for many decades, providing a safe-haven of learning for our students.

The outpouring of support from parents, students, and community members so far has been incredible, with Stockton having one of the largest contingencies at last Friday's meeting at Horner Park. The best way to ensure the future of Stockton and our students is to stand in solidarity and show that our Uptown community won't stand idle while these unelected outsiders attempt to destabilize our community. The closing of bus routes may only be the beginning. It appears that there is intent to go after our schools next.

In an effort to display our solidarity and support for this vital part of our community, the website www.supportstocktonschool.wordpress.com will soon go live. Our intent is to highlight all of the good that Stockton and its teachers do for our children, our community, and our children. As this site is assembled over the coming days and weeks, I am asking for the following information:

• Statistics and information about Stockton School utilization
• Demographic information and school performance
• Retention rates and transitory/homeless population data
• Anecdotal stories on the positive impact of Stockton School on students, families, and the community
• Local businesses that would like to be listed on the website as "supporters of Stockton School" (this is not a sponsorship and there are no costs involved)

Along with the website, an online petition is also forthcoming for individuals to sign supporting Stockton School.

Please send any information that might be helpful to save.stockton.school@gmail.com and keep an eye out for the debut of our website, www.supportstocktonschool.wordpress.com. Please spread this email far and wide! We look forward to your continued support!

UU Note:  The 12-panel mosaic mural featured above was done by Uptown artist Ginny Sykes, who also did the Sunnyside Mall mosaics, and is entitled "Over The Rainbow."

Baker & Nosh on "190 North"

Love B&N's croissants as much as we do? Here's a chance to see how they're made. Fast forward to the 1:50 minute mark.  The ABC7 link is here.

The Snow Angel Comes To Shake Rattle & Read

As always, the window at Shake Rattle & Read (4812 N Broadway) celebrates the season.  Ric Addy explains, "The 'Snow Angel' in the window has a chunk of ice in her hand that she is grating ....causing snow to fall on the village below."  Stop by to see the window and buy a book or record while you're there.

Court Advocates Meeting Moved To Tuesday

The 19th District Court Advocates, who normally meet on the last Tuesday of the month, will meet on Tuesday, December 18th, instead.  Seems that having a meeting on Christmas Day is a little hard-core, even for them.

If you're free during the mornings and are interested in going to court several times a month, occasionally, or just for a specific case, please join them at their meeting at 6pm in the Community Room of the Police Department at 850 W Addison to learn the ins and outs of court advocacy.

Timely Reminder About Tow-Away Parking

With all the holiday shopping, it's a good time for brush-up on parking in privately owned lots.  A reader writes:

My mother-in-law was running errands and stopped at Walgreen's on Clark and Wilson, purchased a few things, then ran across the street to pick up dry cleaning.  In under ten minutes she was back in the Walgreen's/Staples/US Cellular parking lot and could not locate her car.

The nice folks at the US Cellular store told her that it was not stolen, but the consumer-friendly folks at Walgreen's contract with the towing company "Rendered Service Inc." at 2119 Rascher Ave.  The deal is, a customer of one of these fine establishments steps off the shopping plaza property, and a gentleman stationed and waiting in an on-site car gets on his walkie-talkie and immediately calls Rendered Service.

I went to pick her up, and brought her to Rendered Services (we found it by following another tow truck from the Walgreen's parking lot).  The cost?  $198.  And they were doing BRISK business.  Four people in front of us, and three more tow trucks delivering vehicles while we were in line to get her car.

So, happy holidays.  Save yourself a few hard-earned dollars and avoid this exceptionally predatory corner of Uptown.

This is completely legal, but quite Grinch-like.  Yup, it's legal, but to tow a customer -- your customer -- who has just patronized your business, and who obviously will be back after picking up dry cleaning, just steps away?  If that happened to me, Walgreen's -- all Walgreen's -- would lose a customer for life.

In addition to the lot at Wilson/Clark, we are aware that similar policies are in place at the strip mall on Broadway and Gunnison and at the old KFC at  Broadway and Buena.

If you need to park for the dry cleaner's at Wilson and Clark, it's owned by the Rayan Family, and you can park in the lot behind Rayan Liquors, just across the street.

To Our Readers

Sonic Chooses Uptown For First Chicago Restaurant

No, there's not a Sonic Drive-In sign in the empty parking lot at Kenmore and Wilson -- yet -- but there may be one there soon.

In August 2011, UU broke the story that Sonic was considering opening its first Chicago restaurant in Uptown, one of three locations it was looking at.  Then nothing happened.  We gave up on it.

Now we are hearing from a reader that it's back on, and it's looking like it's close to being a done deal.

"Hello!  I went to a meeting with a representative from Sonic, Alyssa from Uptown United, and some other Truman Square residents at the alderman's office last week.  Sonic has chosen Uptown as the location of its very first Chicago store!  It will go into the large parking lot at Kenmore and Wilson (1016 West Wilson), across the alley from McDonalds.

The representative of the franchise group, Mark Kinnare, showed us some drawings and plans.  He also answered our questions.

Why Uptown?  Uptown was chosen over other site contenders because of Target and the new Wilson L.  The first Sonic in Chicago will be a big deal and heavily promoted!  Sonic was looking for a central location where people from Lincoln Park and Rogers Park already come, and Uptown's Target is a proven draw that brings people to Uptown from all over the North Side.  The plans for the new improved Wilson L, just a block away, solidified Uptown's appeal.

Why not the old El Pollo Loco site at Wilson & Sheridan instead?  El Pollo Loco signed a long-term lease at that location that is bringing the owner a very big rent check each month, in excess of the current market rate.  The owner would lose a ton of money if he terminated his guaranteed lease with El Pollo.  Alderman Cap has tried to get him to budge and rent to another business at that corner, but he is not willing to break his very lucrative lease with El Pollo, and I can't say I blame him.  Unless he has a change of heart, he will wait for the lease to run out before anything new can go there.

What about zoning?  The lot at Kenmore is already zoned for a business like Sonic, so no zoning change or approval is needed.  The drive-through will require a special use permit.  They will also need to get approval from CDOT for the entry and exit curb cuts onto Wilson.  That's something that changed from the plans presented last year, which had an entrance/exit onto Kenmore.  Neighbors didn't like that, so they changed it so all traffic enters and exits onto Wilson instead.

When will it happen?  The soonest it can open is August 2013, and that's if everything goes perfectly with the permits from the City of Chicago, which has been very red-tape-y lately.  It takes about 75-80 days to build a Sonic.

What about security?  They are very aware of the "challenges" Uptown presents and will have security officers on the premises at all times.  Mark specified that only experienced security personnel will be hired.  It is not a cookie-cutter Sonic store, it was designed especially for the site, and security for customers and employees was a high priority when they designed it.  I remember how safe Pollo Loco was, so I believe they will be able to achieve this if they do it right.

So, what makes this design different?  It will have an indoor/outdoor dining area in front, with a 12' canopy over the outside part.  It will be a 2700sf building, and the bathrooms will be inside rather than outside, as in a regular Sonic layout.  Most Sonics rely on the drive-through, but in the city, so few people have cars that this one will concentrate much more on pedestrian traffic.  There will be a double drive-through because that's what people expect these days, but the store will be much more focused on carry-out and eat-in orders than the usual Sonics.  It will have a six-foot stockade fence on the north and east sides of the lot, a wrought-iron fence on the south and west sides, and 10-12 drive-up stalls.  There will be a bike rack, many trash cans, and a lot of landscaping, particularly on the north side of the lot, to help keep noise down.

Speaking of noise....  The Sonic will be competing directly with McDonalds, so it will probably have the same hours:  Dining area open until around 10pm, with a 24-hour drive-through.  The drive-up stalls, served by carhops, will be on the east side of the building.  They will turn off Sonic Radio, that plays through the stalls' speakers, at 10pm or 11pm, to avoid bothering the neighbors.  Mark said they have angled the speakers in the drive-through away from the buildings to minimize noise, as well as putting in fences and foliage to help keep it away from the homes.  I asked if the drive-through speakers could be moved to another part of the lot, farther from people's homes, and closer to Wilson or the alley, and he said no, but that he would be willing to discuss with the community ways to keep it quieter, and is open to a sound study.  He stressed that Sonic believes in working with the neighbors, because the neighbors are their best customers.

What about jobs?  Sonic puts a high priority on local hiring, and expects to hire about 90% of the workers from Uptown.  Mark expects about 100 workers will be hired to start, with all the promotion that Sonic will put into the first Chicago store.  After a while, it will level off to about 65-70 employees.

Local advantages?  The last time the lot was used for anything was way back in 1980.  It hasn't produced any sales taxes for more than 30 years.  The new Sonic will put a lot of money into the tax rolls and bring people to Uptown who may not have been here before.

Mark said in email later:  Please let the community know how excited we are to be building the first Chicago Sonic in Uptown.  We'll get through winter and permitting, and hopefully be in the ground building the newest Sonic before we know it!

There will be a meeting for people living in Truman Square (since they are the ones who will be most affected by the new store) to ask questions about the project, see the plans, voice their concerns, etc., on Monday, January 14th, time and place TBA.  Please check Truman Square Neighbors Facebook page for more details as we get closer to the date."

click to enlarge

Update:  RedEye Chicago has a little more information about Sonic.  So does Huffington Post, which credits UU for the info (always appreciated!)

One Week Later... Some Healing

It was last weekend that many of us were horrified to read about the random attack on an Uptown resident, allegedly by someone who just happened to be riding by on a bike and saw her arriving home for the evening.  We were grateful to hear that her neighbors came to her defense in the moments before the police arrived, almost certainly saving her from worse injuries.

We have heard from the parents of the young woman, and we are passing along their note with their permission.  Please keep them, and the victim, in your thoughts and, if you are so inclined, your prayers.  (We are identifying the woman as Bryna, meaning "strong one," although that's not her name.)

"Dear UU,

I'm Bryna's father, and on behalf of her mom and the rest of our family, I'd like to express our deepest gratitude (although mere words are woefully inadequate) to all who have supported her this past week:  the police and paramedics, the staff at Illinois Masonic, the State's Attorney's personnel, and above all, the ultimate first responders, Tom Schabow and the other members of the community who selflessly aided a neighbor in need.

Truly, we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers.  We cannot carry on and grow as a community if we are not connected to and care for those around us.  Thank you all.

Surrounded by family, friends (and lots of flowers), Bryna is recovering, both physically and emotionally, about as well as one could hope for. 

Tom stopped by the hospital (photo attached) to check on Bryna.  I can't tell you how heartening it was to have Tom, the beat officers, and the ER personnel come by to follow-up on Bryna's well-being.  Her path back is paved with the kindness shown by those who are no longer strangers.

Again, our thanks and appreciation to all involved and well-wishers everywhere."

First Glimpse At JDL's Maryville Plan

via Curbed: Looking NW from Montrose & Clarendon

You're getting a first glimpse at JDL Development's plans for the Maryville site. Kevin Dickert at Curbed Chicago has a full rundown of the building's updated specs. Interesting to note that the number of affordable housing units has dropped from 20% to around 5% requiring JDL to pay into the city's affordable housing fund. The parking podium has also been reduced in size.

Read more at Curbed

A Flock Of Pigeons, and Their Feeders

It was all over the news yesterday:  Ald. Cappleman introduced an ordinance to make pigeon feeding on the public way illegal, punishable by heavy fines and up to six months in jail.  Some people have been wondering why this is a big deal.  Well, this is our opinion:

This isn't Grandmaw sitting in the park throwing leftover crusts to the birds.  This is big pigeon business.  We hear every week from people who have seen Young Kang and Ed Gross, her driver, making the rounds of their feeding spots, where hundreds of pigeons await them and follow them.  We've heard from four different people who have been assaulted by Ms. Kang when they tried to prevent her from dumping pigeon food, everything from her grabbing a broom out of their hands and hitting them with it, to her taking a bucket from a small business owner and throwing it at him.

Each day, Ms. Kang (who has been a passive participant ever since she's been on probation) and Mr. Gross drive around Uptown, from 7am until dark.  They carry large bags of crumbs and rice in large tote bags with them and restock during the day.  If you ever wonder where they are, just look up at the sky for the swarm of pigeons that follow them on their rounds.

From a financial perspective:

• When Ms. Kang moved from her residence on Magnolia to another home north of Lawrence, we started hearing from neighbors about the excessive amounts of bread and rice left on the the parkways near their homes.  Parked cars, building windows, and sidewalks are left covered with pigeon droppings.  Who pays?  Her neighbors, Streets & San, and the condo associations/block clubs who must clean it up.
• Many readers complain that the vertical Aragon sign often has burned-out letters.  Wonder why?  One of the most popular pigeon feeding points for Ms. Kang and Mr. Gross is just west of the Aragon.  Pigeons poop inside the Aragon's marquee, leading to the letters short-circuiting.  (Pigeon excrement is one of the most corrosive substances you can find.)  Last time the Aragon had the sign cleaned out and rewired, it cost $5,000 to get all eight to ten feet of droppings cleared out.  Who pays?  The Aragon, which passes the expense on to the consumer.
• 
  The CTA sends crews out on a regular basis to powerwash the sidewalk under the Lawrence L and the Wilson L, sometimes on weekends.  That's because of all the pigeon droppings caused by pigeons, who enjoy being fed at both locations.  Who pays?  The CTA, which says it's broke and is cutting routes and raising fares.
• Heavy-duty pigeon netting will be installed at the newly rehabbed Lawrence L station.  Who pays?  The CTA (see above). 
• The ceiling of the former Majestic Store For Men, another popular feeding spot, has partially collapsed and the future of the building is in doubt.  It's a beautiful building, nearly a century old.  The ceiling collapse was partially due to corrosion caused by pigeon droppings.  Who pays?  The CTA (see above).
• Both Ms. Kang and Mr. Gross have been arrested numerous times, and the car they use has been impounded.  In court, they use public defenders because they say they can't afford attorneys.  Who pays?  The taxpayer.
• TIF funds were used to turn the 4500 block of Kenmore into a park for Stewart School.  Kids can't play in the north end of the park because of the pigeon droppings; the cul-de-sac on Kenmore is yet another favorite feeding spot.  Who pays?  The taxpayers who pay into the Wilson Yard TIF.

From a quality of life perspective:

• Have you ever walked on Wilson Avenue when it's raining and encountered the wet "carpet of poo" under the L viaduct?  To say it's disgusting doesn't do it justice.  It's like a skating rink, and the idea of falling in it is beyond imagining.
• It's been documented that kids in urban settings have a high incidence of asthma.  One of the most common reasons for asthma?  Pigeon droppings.

It's a hefty price we pay when Ms. Kang and Mr. Gross make their daily rounds.  They've each been arrested, to the point where the judges recognize them by sight, and they go right back to feeding the birds on the same day they are released from custody.  Obviously they are not thinking like reasonable people.

One thing is clear:  Whatever measures the community, police and courts are taking now aren't working.  Ald. Cappleman's proposed ordinance is all about changing the game, and that may, just may, have an effect on their behavior.  For that, we applaud him.

Late-r Night Andersonville Tonight

If you missed Late Night Andersonville a couple weeks ago -- or had so much fun you want to go back -- tonight is "Late-r Night Andersonville," with shopping, discounts, free entertainment and refreshments.  You can see all the festivities, both on the Edgewater side (north of Foster) and the Uptown side (south of Foster) here.  There's a coupon page here, too.

SHE Art, located at 1519 W Foster, is offering 50% off on select items (paintings, prints, sculptures, etc.) and 20% off all items (except local art work).

Other Uptown businesses participating in Late-r Night Andersonville include

• Four Sided
• Revive Massage Therapy & Spa
• Sifu Design Studio
• Milk Handmade
• URBAN Mischief