Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wilson Men's Club Residents Getting Case Manager, Common Area, Kitchen

This morning, Ald. Cappleman announced that he and the Department of  Housing and Support Services (DFSS) have secured funding to provide in-house case management services for the residents of Uptown's cubicle hotel, Wilson Men's Club, located at 1124 West Wilson.

Beginning this week, Inspiration Corporation will have a case worker with an office inside the hotel on a full-time basis to help the residents obtain services they are eligible for and to become more self-sufficient.

As long-time readers may recall, the chicken-wire cubicles inside Wilson Men's Club are smaller than the City of Chicago allows residences to be (50sf, with no windows -- while the city requires sleeping rooms to have an area of at least 70sf with a window to provide light, air and an escape route).

According to the press release, the small living areas inside the hotel have been partially addressed.  "Owner Jay Bomberg is now providing a kitchen area for residents to heat up meals and dine inside the facility. He has also created room for a meeting space for different types of support groups. A larger room on the first floor will provide additional living space for the men to gather, watch TV, or stay cool during the hot summer months."

Since loitering outside the hotel has been problematic, particularly during the sweltering summer months, a cooled common area, as well as a place to eat and prepare food, seems like as good a solution as any when dealing with housing that is legally allowed to dodge the City's minimum requirements.

Given the situation, we applaud Ald. Cappleman, Inspiration Corporation, and DFSS for providing assistance for men who find themselves in a situation where a chicken-wire cubicle hotel is an option.  In a statement, Ald. Cappleman says:  "While cubicle hotels have long been criticized for their poor living conditions, we’re on the path to making life much better for these men.  As one of two cubicle hotels left in the City of Chicago, my ultimate goal is for these residences to be brought up to the same standards and requirements as all of the other residential buildings in the City."

UU Note: The hotel has been for sale for quite a few months now (for $3.25million).  According to the listing on LoopNet, it is now "in contract."  The listing on the broker's page has no such notation.  Time will tell.

13 comments:

  1. Hopefully, some of these self groups are AA meetings. It's good to see the Mr. Cappleman making some positive changes.

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  2. The same cappleman that tried unsuccessfully to shut this place down on multiple occassions using multiple tactics, but was faced with organized opposition and failed, is now taking credit for the turn-around? Oy ve.

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  3. This building is still for sale.. So, you can put in a kitchen but once the new "Wilson L" begins construction- it will get sold.. So maybe look at moving these folks to a better place- why are you adding crap on top of crap..

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  4. Terrific job Ald Cappleman!! I don't think anyone can argue with trying to better the day to day existence of the people who reside there. Its funny how people complain no matter what he does. Massive facepalm. LOL

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  5. I'm pretty sure that that 'hotel's' days are numbers as they should be.

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  6. Ok, Cappleman has to look like he tried before they shut this place down..Its good politics..this is his new approach.. I hope its sold by tomorrow.

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  7. Someone buy this building and do something impressive with it already! The new Wilson renovations will be a waste if they keep this place still running the way it is.

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  8. Right! Sell it with no affordable housing so more folks can live under Lakeshore drive. There needs to be viable solutions, not quick fixes for the"looks" if the neighborhood.

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  9. Maintaining this property as a cubicle hotel in 2014 makes no sense. I am ok with Alderman Cappleman coordinating temporary steps to improve the conditions for the men living in the Wilson Men's Hotel, but to market those steps as anything other than temporary is a disservice to the community. I really hope there is some way to fold that property into the Wilson El rehab if it does not get sold in the free market soon.

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  10. madison and halsted was skid row. look at it now

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  11. People need to give this Alderman some credit for trying. I wonder if he ever personally visits the residents at the Wilson Club?

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  12. Good Politics. The alderman aggressively pursued closure of this building, but now that he is under fire he wants to result to social services??

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  13. RealTalk, I just woke up from my five hour slumber. I'm pasty, rested and ready to deal with your stupidity. I just need to have some caffeine.

    Good.

    Why don't you go back to posting and shilling for the Denice campaign and stop playing with the grownups here. Ok?

    I'm guessing that this is Cappleman's way of attempting to help these gentlemen improve their lives before the Wilson's Men's Hotel disappears into the Uptown of old. Make it easier for them to find alternative housing as it's very likely that this building will be sold to someone who will renovate it and turn it into something else. Perhaps I'm wrong and it will remain the four star hotel it's known to be. I doubt it though.

    As for the idea that Cappleman is reacting to being "under fire". Please. The more you and Denice and the rest of the Shillerista dead enders attack him the better position he is in.

    Now Cappleman is not as devious as I am, but if he were he'd be paying Denice to run against him. It's the rough equivalent of that idiot Milk Man Oberweiss running against Senator Durbin. Oberweiss announced and Durbin likely chuckled and thanked the spirits for that bit of good luck.

    I've said it before and I'll continue saying it if you want to defeat Cappleman you need to do a number of things. First, find a candidate not named Denice Davis. Second, improve your game because right now your game ain't impressin' me. Third, consider selling your soul to Satan to secure a win. I'm not even sure Satan has the power to make that deal work. Fourth, see number one.

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