Hebru Brantley Creating A Mural In Uptown

If you'd like to see one of the rising stars of the art world in action, you'll have a chance in upcoming days. Hebru Brantley, whose work has been shown nationally and internationally, is in the process of creating a mural on the side of the Uptown Broadway Building (4701 North Broadway) featuring his recurring character, Flyboy. He was putting some of the finishing touches on the face earlier today, as shown above.

Mr. Brantley went from being a self-described Chicago "graffiti kid" to doing work commissioned for the CTA at its McCormick Place station and designing for Nike. LeBron James and Cuba Gooding Jr are both fans. He has said that Flyboy was inspired by Japanese anime and the Tuskegee Airmen aviators.

We don't know what the finished product will look like, but you can take a look at another of his recent works, a four-story mural on Wabash in the South Loop.

It's really exciting to have an artist of his caliber working and displaying right here in Uptown. With the Wilson L art being done by Cecil Balmond, and now a mural by Brantley, Uptown's public art scene is really taking off.

Boo-ena Park Safe Trick-or-Treating Happens Again This Year

Photo by Gene Tenner

Even though Halloween is a month away, events are being planned and you'll want to save the dates for your favorites. As usual, Buena Park Neighbors will present its evening of safe trick-or-treating on Kenmore, a longstanding and much-loved tradition. We're sure they'll be putting out the call for volunteers and candy donations, so stay tuned.

This is what the last newsletter said:  "Boo-ena Park Pumpkins Halloween Event Is Saturday, October 31, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - This year's Buena Park Pumpkins Halloween event will again be at Buena Circle Park at 1049 W Buena Ave. and is a night of safe trick-or-treating.  Buena Park Neighbors hosts this event every year, and it has become an area tradition. Buena Circle Park is operation central, and from there trick-or-treaters head north and south on Kenmore to gather goodies from welcoming residents."

Trumbull School Sale Approved; Stewart Next?

Today CPS announced that it has approved the sale of the former Trumbull School building in Edgewater, and it may provide some clues about what to expect now that the former Stewart School building has gone out to bid.

Trumbull sold to Svigas Development for $5.25 million, which was higher than the property's appraised value of $4.1-$4.7 million. In its press release, CPS says that Trumbull sold for a higher price than any of the other schools that were closed in 2013.

Now, anyone who's ever watched HGTV knows that real estate prices are based on location, location, location. It's inarguable that Trumbull's location at Ashland and Foster is prime: steps from shops and restaurants and surrounded by a neighborhood with high residential home values. By contrast, Stewart is in a more boisterous spot, with the advantage of being located steps from public transportation, including two bus lines and a Red/Purple Line station that's getting a complete makeover. Its being in a TOD district will probably factor into the selling price, as well.

We don't know how long the bid period for Stewart is open (rumor has it that it's already closed) nor how many bids came in, if any. We know that CPS specified that bidders for Stewart must comply with the conclusions drawn from the community engagement process led by Metropolitan Planning Council in May 2014.  And, CPS is required by law to accept the highest bid it receives.

When will the winning bidder for Stewart be announced? We don't know. We'll keep on top of it and let you know as things unfold.

Help Tidy Up The Bird Sanctuary on Saturday

Dry Cleaners Grand Opening Specials

Uptown Dry Cleaners opened in the strip mall at Wilson and Magnolia earlier this summer, next to Subway.  To entice new customers, they are having Grand Opening specials on dry cleaning, alterations, and men's shirts.  The phone number is (773) 271-1123.

Blessing of the Animals This Weekend (Updated)

In honor of St Francis of Assisi and his compassion for animals, some churches have a tradition of holding Pet Blessings near his feast day (October 4th). If you have a pet you'd like to bring to have blessed, we are aware of these opportunities in the areas including and around Uptown:

• St Mary of the Lake, Buena and Sheridan: Saturday, October 3rd at 5:15pm on the church steps. Please make sure your pets are leashed or in carriers, and please don't bring them inside the church.
• Our Lady of Lourdes, Ashland and Leland: Saturday, October 3rd at noon.  Blessings will take place in the side garden on the west side of the church.  Entry from alley off Leland. All pets are welcome: Dogs on a leash; cats in a carrier; birds in a cage. Or bring a photo of your pet. [updated time and day]
• All Saints Episcopal Church, Wilson and Hermitage: "Bring your pets of all shapes and sizes to our celebration of the Feast of St. Francis at the 9 and 11am services [on Sunday, October 4th]. The 8am service is pet-free."

Pet blessings are non-denominational and neither you nor your pet need be affiliated with the church at which the blessings are given.

FelFel Grill Opens On Broadway Across From Wilson Yard

FelFel Grill at 4429 N. Broadway

If you have been longing for a new spot to get your fix of delicious Mediterranean food since the closure of Alma Pita and Tik Tok Falafel, you might be in luck.
"FelFel Grill" is now open at 4429 N. Broadway, just across the street from Wilson Yard. The business has been in operation for a while now solely as catering, but the owner decided to switch the concept to catering and dine-in. We stopped by recently and tried the falafel and a chicken shawarma. Both were delicious and as you can see by the price list below, very reasonable. FelFel is open 11:30am-9pm Monday through Saturday. Welcome to the neighborhood!

The full menu at FelFel Grill

See Uptown-Made Lost Classic Sherlock Holmes At CIFF

Sherlock Holmes, the silent movie filmed at Uptown's Essanay Studios a century ago and considered lost for most of the time since then, will be returning to the Chicago screen in October as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. If you missed the screenings in Northbrook earlier this month, you can catch it on Saturday, October 24th, at 3pm downtown. Ticket information is here.

Previous articles on its history, rediscovery, and restoration:

• From Uptown to Hollywood – Sherlock Holmes
• Silent Movie Filmed In Uptown A Century Ago Rediscovered, Restored
• Essanay Silent Movie Sherlock Holmes Returns To Chicago In October

Can You Help Identify This Man?

A reader writes in and says,

"My bike got stolen yesterday. The thief took half an hour to saw through a wrought-iron fence and took him more than 40 minutes to finally leave with the bike. I think this is a neighborhood guy and I have photos which I would love for you to post so that I can get any information on this brazen thief." 

The reader will contact the detectives on the case with any information received. If you can help, please email the reader directly.

Update: It happened off Irving Park Road, but thieves travel everywhere. Take all due precautions in securing your stuff, have insurance if you can, and if you recognize this guy, contact the 19th District police or contact the reader above.

Chicago PD Filming Tuesday Around Sheridan L; Parking Restrictions In Area

Chicago PD will be filming just outside Uptown's south border tomorrow during the day. It may affect your driving route or your parking.  For Tuesday only, there will be:

• intermittent traffic stoppages on Sheridan between Irving Park and Dakin 11am-4pm
• no parking on Sheridan between Irving Park and Byron 8am-6pm (both sides of the street)
• no parking on Dakin between Sheridan and Seminary 8am-6pm (south side of the street only)

Lawrence Viaduct Adds Another Notch To Its Belt

The Lawrence Red Line viaduct snagged another victim this morning. That bridge has bad juju! It seems to attract more accidents than any other overpass we're aware of. If anyone in the City is reading this, can it be remeasured to ensure that the posted height clearance is correct?

Cathay Bank Opens At New Location Across The Street

According to a sign on the ATM across the street, Cathay Bank will open its new branch at 5000 N Broadway today, in the former New Saigon restaurant space. Construction was still going on Friday night, but yes, they kept the great vintage tiled floor. No sight of the Michael Jackson poster, though.

Sunday Morning Shooting At McDonald's

The Micky D's at Wilson and Sheridan was the scene of a double shooting in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday morning. Readers reported hearing five to six shots shortly before 6am, then seeing police and EMTs on the scene. News reports say a 33-year-old male and 24-year-old female were sitting in a parked car in the lot when another car pulled up and someone got out and shot the couple, then took off again. The man was shot in the shoulder and is in fair condition; the woman was shot in the buttocks and her condition has stabilized.

Whatever the reason behind the attack, we are positive that these victims were targeted and it was not random violence.

This is the fourth shooting incident in recent memory to take place at this particular McDonald's, the latest taking place in late June. That restaurant is always busy; we suggest the owners invest in some really good round-the-clock security. This is nuts.

Go Big or Go Home

Some interesting and TALL things appearing on the sides of buildings in Uptown lately:

New art on the Winnemac side of Cantina 1910.
It consists of four canvases and rises over two levels of the restaurant.

We love the new scrim on the side of the Uptown Broadway Building.

Special Park Hours For Sunday's Lunar Eclipse

Photo courtesy of Sky & Telescope

If you're a skygazer and want have a clear view of the sky Sunday night for the blood moon/super moon/lunar eclipse, some good news.  The Illinois Science Council has arranged for Montrose Beach to be kept open a little late so people can watch the event with an unobstructed view and without too much light pollution.  Montrose Beach (and Rainbow Beach on the South Side) will be kept open until 11:30 to accommodate amateur astronomers.

ISC says, "Chicago’s position west of the lake is fortunate because on this occasion the moon will appear in the lower east and southeast sky that evening. The eclipse will last for 3 hours and 20 minutes from beginning to end (partial eclipse begins at 8:07pm and ends at 11:27pm). The moon will be totally eclipsed for about 1 hour 12 minutes with the maximum eclipse at 9:47pm. Ideal viewing for Chicagoans is at the lakefront or high enough over trees and buildings to have a view of the eastern horizon."

Read more about it here.

A word of warning: In past years, the police haven't gotten the message about the special hours and have emptied the park at 11pm, as usual. Even if this happens, at least you'll be able to see most of the eclipse.

And it shouldn't have to be said, but some people need to hear it:  "No swimming or entry into the water is allowed at the beaches during this event."

Flu Season's Coming, Be Ready! (Updated)

Updated 9/26/15: The City of Chicago just posted its list of walk-in flu clinics, so these are the ones in Uptown and the surrounding areas.  If you have an insurance card, bring it, but it's not necessary to have one to get your flu shot.

• Monday, September 28:  Lakeview, Britton Budd Apartments, 501 West Surf, 9am-2pm
• Thursday, October 1: Edgewater, 48th Ward Service Office, 5533 North Broadway, 9am-2pm
• Friday, October 9: Downtown (for those who are 9-to-5'ers), City Hall Second Floor Lobby, 121 North LaSalle, 9am-2pm
• Wednesday, October 21: Downtown (9-to-5'ers), FUMC Temple, 2nd Floor, 77 West Washington, 11am-3pm
• Saturday, October 31: Uptown, Truman College, 1145 West Wilson, 9am-2pm
• Thursday, November 5: Uptown, Weiss Hospital Medical Building, 4700 North Marine, 10am-2pm
• Wednesday, December 9: Downtown (9-to-5'ers), City Hall Second Floor Lobby, 121 North LaSalle, 9am-2pm
• The Uptown Neighborhood Health Clinic at 845 West Wilson, Lower Level, offers free flu shots weekdays. If you have insurance, it will be billed. Hours are 8:30am-3:30pm M-W-F and 9:30am-4:30pm Tu/Th. They are closed the second Wednesday of every month between noon and 4pm.

There are locations all over Chicago offering shots, so if these dates and places aren't convenient, check the list to find one that might be better for you.

History and Gardens: Bike Uptown on Wednesday

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike... If this is you, then please join Slow Roll Chicago on its "Sustainable September" group ride next Wednesday, September 30th. Called "From Roots to Fruits: Exploring Uptown's Historic Landmarks and Community Gardens," participants will meet at 6pm at Clarendon Park (4501 North Clarendon) and the ride will commence at 6:30.  It is brought to us by Slow Roll Chicago, Chicago Sustainability Leaders Network (CSLN), & LISC Chicago, in partnership with Institute of Cultural Affairs & Go Edgewater. Please read more at the Facebook Events page.

Uptown Square Landmark Designation To Be Considered at October 1st Meeting

Owners of property in the proposed Uptown Landmark District near Uptown Square (see map and addresses here) recently received letters about the next step in the process: a meeting on Thursday, October 1st, at City Hall.  The letter from the Department of Planning and Development included this excerpt (click to enlarge):

In addition to the contact information in the letter, you can read more about what's involved in a landmark district here.

BPN General Meeting On Monday

One of the cooler things about having the Cubs as a neighbor to your block club is that they tend to give good gifts.

Such is the case with the Buena Park Neighbors' general meeting on Monday, September 28, when an autographed baseball will be raffled off among attendees.  It takes place at 7pm at The Shift, 4101 North Broadway.  Besides the awesome swag, it's a chance to meet new neighbors and talk about neighborhood issues and businesses.

Featured speakers will include:

• Lisa von Drehle, President of the Buena Park Neighbors Association,
• Alderman James Cappleman, who will update us on ward issues,
• Julianne Scherer, Chair of the Wilson L Public Space Committee, who will address plans for the redevelopment of the Wilson L and how we can get involved to make it better,
• John Squeo from Thorek Hospital, who will share details on its current business plans,
• Mike Breheny, developer of 4027 Broadway, who will give an update on the development,
• Local business owners from The Shift, see3 Communications and La Boudoir.

Following the presentations and discussions, everyone is invited to stay for refreshments and socializing.

Slippin' On By On LSD...

If you're going to be taking Lake Shore Drive on Saturday night, make sure you're stone cold sober, belted up, and doing the speed limit. The CPD's DUI Strike Force will be out in force along the Drive from 7pm to 3am, looking for impaired drivers, and can conduct blood alcohol tests on the spot. Flunk and you'll be heading to a lock-up.

As the press release says, "The purpose of this program is to saturate a pre-designated area with roving police officers that continually monitor vehicular traffic for signs of impaired driving. Patrols also place emphasis on speed, alcohol-related and safety belt violations. Police vehicles equipped for speed detection are deployed to apprehend speeding violators."

Lake Shore Drive's speed limit on the North Side is 40mph.

Want To Walk With Weiss? It Happens Friday Morning

Bringing the importance of heart health closer to home, Weiss Memorial Hospital is engaging its Uptown neighbors in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk with a walk of its own Friday, September 25th, starting at 11am. Participants will meet in front of the hospital’s Medical Office Building, located at 4700 N. Marine Dr.

Two options are being offered to walkers.

• a one-mile trek around the park across the street from the hospital, for people who are limited in time or walking abilities
• a three-mile walk along the shores of Lake Michigan

The purpose of the walk is to raise funds and awareness. Proceeds will go toward heart disease research and education.

Weiss’ move to host a satellite walk in Uptown this year – instead of going to Soldier Field for the main Chicago walk – gives local residents and hospital employees a more convenient way to get involved and get moving.

For additional updates or questions, check the Weiss Hospital website, visit Weiss Hospital’s Facebook page or call (800) 503-1234.

More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Stewart School

Graeme Stewart School, circa 1915.

In looking up information about Graeme Stewart and its future sale, we found a lot of information about the former school that might be interesting to Uptown history buffs and/or former Stewart students among our readership.

• Future famous people went there. The school taught both Harrison Ford (who grew up at 922 Sunnyside) and director William Friedkin (4826 Sheridan). There's anecdotal evidence that other alumni include actress Gloria Swanson (who got her start at nearby Essanay Studios), screenwriter/director Philip Kaufman (best known for The Right Stuff), and author and humorist Dan Greenburg.
• When it was built, its design was considered radical. The school's construction was completed on October 11, 1905 (other sources say 1908, but we'll go with the oddly specific 1905 date). It was designed by famed architect Dwight Perkins, who came up with the plans for many Chicago schools, including nearby Trumbull School and the beautiful campus at Schurz High School. Perkins designed schools in a way that was considered bonkers at the time: auditoriums should be on the first floor, to encourage their use as community centers; classrooms should be spacious and sunny; and schools should be surrounded by open space.

• There used to be a street where its lawn is now.  Newer residents might not realize that the green space in front of the school used to be Kenmore Avenue. In 2008, using $1.64 million in Wilson Yard TIF funds and Open Space Impact funds, Kenmore was filled in north of Sunnyside to create a green "front yard" for the school. There used to be a not-entirely-traffic-friendly three-way intersection at Broadway, Sunnyside, and Kenmore.
• Despite predictions, it's still standing. In 1968, both Stewart School and Stockton School (now Courtenay) were scheduled for replacement within 20 years. Instead, nearly 50 years later, Stewart's next use is being determined, and the Stockton building received a massive makeover a few years ago to bring it into compliance with ADA and safety regulations.

• Its namesake was a pretty important guy in turn-of-the-century Chicago. Graeme Stewart was at one time the President of the School Board; was a confidant of President McKinley; ran for mayor against Carter Harrison; and was the driving force behind Illinois being awarded Great Lakes Naval Training Facility, out of 37 other possible sites. There was also a CFD fireboat named in his honor, which helped rescue survivors of the Eastland Disaster.
• It went from wildly, insanely overcrowded to "underutilized" in less than four decades. This last bit is what we found most surprising. As most of us know, underutilization was the reason given for consolidating the student bodies of Brennemann and Stewart when Stewart was closed after the 2012-2013 school year. Stewart was only 41% utilized at that time, according to CPS. But for most of its lifespan, the school was constantly overcrowded. It's surely a reflection of Uptown's changing demographics and Chicago's dropping population (there were a million more residents in 1950 than there are now). Consider these statistics:

• In 1939, Stewart was so overcrowded that land south of the original school was bought and an addition was built, opening in 1941. There were so many students that the only way to fit them all in was to convert the school's basement into classrooms and have students attend half-days.
• In 1953, citing a booming birthrate and a population influx (this was during the period when many Appalachians migrated to Uptown), some CPS schools were forced to go on double shifts, including Stewart and Goudy. The specific reason given for these two schools being overcrowded was that landlords were starting to subdivide Uptown's large apartments into two or more smaller units, allowing more families to move into the area.
• In the early 1960s, Stewart had so many students that an annex was created at 708 Montrose. That's parkland! The "annex" consisted of trailers parked on the grass that were used as temporary classrooms. 
• Brennemann School opened in 1962 for the specific purpose of relieving the overcrowding at Stewart. When it opened, it had 825 students, 779 of whom came from Stewart, which was still at capacity after that.
• Even with Brennemann taking on more than 800 students, there were 1,300 children enrolled at Stewart in grades K through 6 in 1967.
• In 1968, there were 31% more students in Uptown's schools than the previous year, and 17 "mobile classrooms" were forced into use. The Department of Urban Renewal recommended building three more schools to handle the huge number of CPS students -- one at Hazel and Wilson (Arai Middle School opened in 1974 and was closed in 2006, citing "low utilization of both Arai and the four Arai feeder schools"), one at Leland and Magnolia (never happened), and one at Lawrence and Kenmore (ditto).
• Contrast those numbers with 2012-2013, the last year Stewart was open: There were just 256 students in the building. That same year, CPS said both Stewart (41%) and Brennemann (320 students, 51%) were operating under capacity, and combined the two student bodies. The latest figures we can find show Brennemann having 470 students after the consolidation. What a change in just the last 50 years, going from overflowing classrooms and building additional schools to schools being combined and still having room for more students. All communities are in constant flux and Chicago has lost over a million residents; nowhere is it more evident than in the number of students attending Uptown's public schools.

#TBT -- One Uptown Kid's Worries, Circa 1953

Throwback Thursday! Back to the Eisenhower era, before Amber Alerts and security cameras.  From the June 30, 1953 Chicago Tribune:

BOY, 11, FEARS FLUNK;
UNDER BOAT TWO DAYS

Juvenile Officer William Cribbins of Town Hall police yesterday urged Thomas Wellmac, 11, of 843 Belle Plaine av., to stay at home the next time he faces a crisis in his academic life. 

Wellmac was found Sunday, sleeping under an overturned rowboat at the Chicago Yacht Club, after he had been missing from his home since Friday morning. Wellmac told Harbormaster Herbert Eldean, 5745 Wilson av., who found him, that he left home because he feared he would not be promoted from the fifth to the sixth grade at the Stewart Elementary school, 4525 Kenmore av. 

He learned he had passed when he was returned home.

Sheridan/Dakin TOD Gets New Design

Transit-oriented development is something you'll be hearing a lot more about, particularly if the City Council passes the expanded TOD ordinance, as it is expected to do. With the Red Line going through Uptown, expect to see big changes in the way properties located within a quarter mile of each L station (Sheridan, Wilson, Lawrence and Argyle) are developed.

In his latest newsletter, Ald. Cappleman brings up a new wrinkle in the proposed development of a vintage apartment building half a block from the Sheridan station. You may remember that Loukas Development proposed a modern rehab of one of its existing properties at 3934-38 North Sheffield in February 2014. While the new building would have reflected the style of the one directly across the street, it was controversial. Some people loved the new look; some hated to see a vintage property go, although it was in poor condition. After going through the ward approval process, the plan was dropped. But in yesterday's newsletter, Ald. Cappleman says:

"The 46th Ward has one of the highest number of people who have decided to forgo owning a car, which is one of the major reasons why transit oriented developments (TOD's) are becoming so popular in this area. All indications show that we can expect this trend of people going "carless" to rise, and with that has been an increased interest in transit oriented developments. 

A third proposal for a TOD is scheduled to be built next door to the Sheridan L Stop. East Lake View Neighbors reviewed and approved this proposal last year, but the developer made some small changes based on community feedback that postponed moving forward until now. This development will contribute to our tax base and encourage more businesses to open in the area. The 46th Ward is going through an unprecedented amount of development and TOD's are helping to make this happen. Click here to see the plans." 

The new design has more of a vintage look than the previous design, On the inside, it adds four parking spaces (from 23 to 27), has fewer apartments (54 rather than 60), a larger footprint (9625sf vs. 9200sf), and a smaller commercial area (from 4252sf to 3053sf).

Putting Some Polish On A 91-Year-Old Treasure

After a three-year-restoration, the Bridgeview Bank building gets some freshening up at the corner of Broadway and Lawrence. It's a beautiful day to be a power washer!

Ald. Osterman On Proposed City Budget, Town Hall Meetings

From Ald. Osterman this afternoon:

"Dear Neighbor,

This morning, Mayor Emanuel unveiled his proposed 2016 city budget.

In his proposal, the mayor looks to address our police and fire pension obligations with a property tax increase of $543 million over four years as well as new fees on garbage collection, e-cigarettes, ride-sharing services and taxis. To increase savings, he announced the elimination of 150 vacant positions, the move to a grid sweet sweeping system, TIF reform and several other proposals.

At the same time, the mayor is calling for some new investments, including continued expansion of after-school programming and reassignment of more than 300 police officers currently performing desk jobs back to street patrol duty.

I'm very concerned about the magnitude of the proposed property tax and the effect it would have on renters, homeowners and small businesses in our community. My City Council colleagues and I will be spending the next month going through the budget process, and we will be working together to look for alternative ways to increase revenue to fund city government and provide important city services. I welcome your ideas and feedback.

I also will be holding a series of Town Hall meetings in October:

• 6:30 pm Thursday October 8 at Unity Lutheran Church, 1212 W. Balmoral Ave.
• 6:30 pm Tuesday October 13 at Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
• 6:30 pm Wednesday October 14 at the Somerset Place Apartments, 5009 N. Sheridan Rd.
• 7 pm Thursday October 15 at Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N. Sheridan Rd.

All the meetings will start with a “state of the ward” presentation, followed by a significant time for Q&A on any subject, including the budget. I hope you will join me.

In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at 773-784-5277 or Harry@48thward.org with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Harry Osterman
Alderman, 48th Ward"

Details on the proposed budget can be seen on the City's website.

Missed It? Don't Be Mad - See It At The Bezazian

Godzilla Invades Uptown

Look what's coming to the former site of "Bangkok Video & Grocery"! Godzilla Sushi Bar confirms that its new location will open at 4617 North Clark, and they're hoping for October.

Picture of the work in progress from Godzilla Sushi's Facebook page.

The family-owned sushi bar opened in Jefferson Park earlier this year, with a menu that features everything on the menu for $2.95, and billed as "Fresh. Fun. & Fabulous."  If you can't wait for them to be in Uptown, you can check them out at 4945 North Milwaukee, right by the Jefferson Park transit center.  Or if you're the patient sort, check out the menu and figure out what you'll be ordering first when it opens in Uptown.

The 4600 block of Clark is slowly turning into a nice little restaurant row, with Tiztal Cafe, Thai On Clark, and El Ranchito. As the reader who sent us this photo says, "Now if only someone would buy the lovely Heidelmeier building."  We agree!

Darkness Falls Across the Land, The Midnight Hour is Close at Hand

First rehearsal for the Thriller flash mob dance in Buttercup Park is this Wednesday, September 23. Details and sign-up are here.  You must attend at least two rehearsals to participate on Saturday, October 10th.

Expanded TOD Ordinance Passes Through Committee, Could Mean Big Changes Near Red Line

Remember the proposed ordinance to expand TOD boundaries?  According to a tweet from Ald. Cappleman today, "The amendment to the Transit Oriented Development passed unanimously through Zoning today, which will expand the boundaries." We assume it will need the approval of the whole City Council now.

Basically, TODs are a way of encouraging developers to build housing and retail near rapid transit (in Chicago, near Metra and L stations). This ordinance will expand the areas which qualify for TODs to a quarter-mile of the stations. It's meant to encourage population density near public transportation, and the ordinance increases incentives for developers who include affordable housing units in TODs.

With the new Wilson L being built, and the proposed rebuilding of the Red and Purple Lines north of Wilson beginning in 2017, this could mean a big change in the way Uptown grows.

Related articles:

• Transit Oriented Development Reform Proposed By Mayor Emanuel
• Effects of the Proposed TOD Expansion on Uptown

Stewart School Goes On The Block This Week

Ever wanted to own an old school?  The City of Chicago is accepting bids on the former Stewart School and its grounds beginning Wednesday, September 23rd.

Now, there are a few strings attached:

• The school is over a century old, so it's not in the best shape. 
• Ald. Cappleman tells us that the feedback generated at community meetings held by Metropolitan Planning Council in May 2014 will influence future uses for the school.  You can read MPC's final report here, which was done with an eye towards TOD (transit-oriented development) in the area.

There were hopes that Chicago Public School Decatur Classical would move into the building, but according to Ald. Cappleman, the costs of bringing another CPS school in were prohibitive. Here's why: CPS requires extensive changes be made to the building, which dates back to 1905.

Bringing the building up to CPS's rigorous code requirements would have cost between $12 million and $15 million. (This is consistent with CPS's 2013 estimate that it would cost $16,500,000 to update the building.) The required improvements would have included adding another elevator to meet ADA guidelines, and installing air conditioning throughout the building, as well as other costs involved in bringing a 110-year-old building up to 21st century standards.

CPS is cash-strapped and is already cutting back on the money allotted to other Uptown public elementary schools, McCutcheon in particular. Finding another $12-$15 million to bring Stewart up to the level CPS requires would require someone with very deep pockets indeed. Considering that CPS, the city, and the state are all operating in the red, it's just not going to happen. (If you happen to have that kind of money tucked away or can figure out a scheme to get it, we're sure Decatur and CPS would love to hear from you.)

Selling the school and its grounds would add money to CPS's coffers, rather than create a multi-million-dollar expense. So the City of Chicago, as legal Title Holder of Record, will attempt to sell the property through a public bid process.

Chicago Waldorf School, a private school, expressed an interest in buying the Stewart campus, since they've outgrown their current Rogers Park location. Being a non-CPS school, they don't have the same stringent requirements for the building that CPS does.

Waldorf submitted a bid to to purchase Trumbull School in Edgewater, but Svigos Development outbid them and will transform Trumbull into apartments and market-rate condos, with TimeLine Theatre taking over the first floor. We wonder if Waldorf will have a renewed interest in the Stewart campus now that Decatur Classical is out of the running?

(One thing we find curious: It was widely publicized that Svigos' bid was accepted, but we can't find anything saying how much they offered. We'd love to know how much aging schools go for.)

So, stay tuned. It will be entertaining to see how many bidders are interested in the former Stewart School. Grab the popcorn and settle in. The fun all starts on Wednesday.

Better Late Than Never

Things got a lot more colorful on the columns that have been the entrance to Sunnyside Mall off of Beacon for 20 years. A reader sends us these photos of the now completed mosaics on the 4 columns by Uptown artist Ginny Sykes.

The Sunnyside Mall Facebook page has more on how this came to be:

"20 years ago, when first installed, these columns on Beacon St were originally supposed to have mosaics installed on all 4 sides but only ended up on 1 side. Thank you to Ginny Sykes for holding on to the additional mosaics all these years. Now the columns are finally complete after 20 years... and they look amazing!"

We agree!

Welcome To Uptown, Sprint!

The first Sprint store serving Uptown and Edgewater has now opened at 1025 West Sunnyside, across Broadway from Target. After decades of housing a non-profit (Salvation Army) and then being boarded up, the building is now contributing both property taxes and sales taxes into the city's coffers.

The Sprint store's phone number is 773-561-4046.  Its sales/repair hours are 10am-8pm Monday through Friday, 10am-7pm Saturday, and 11am-5pm on Sunday.

Missing Ch'ava? Help Is On The Way

When Ch'ava Cafe closed last January, it left a hole in Uptown's caffeine-imbibing, pastry-eating community. Well, Ch'ava devotees, get ready to meet Bella.

The former Ch'ava space at Leland and Clark will soon be home to Bella 'Mbriana, which will serve a variety of coffees, pastries, sandwiches, gelato, and meals.  We met the new owners briefly at the beginning of the summer, who have been doing renovations on the space and told us they were looking at an autumn opening.

According to the sign on the door, it won't be too long from now. We'll let you know when we have more information.

Bella's website is here and its Facebook page is here.

"Martinis That Matter" Fundraiser For McCutcheon Special Olympians

The Most Important Construction Sign Of Them All

The construction is rough on locally owned businesses, who see a reduced customer base when the fences and barriers go up.  Please be sure to especially support those located near where the el tracks are under construction.  Just to name a few: Dalia Food Mart, Spoil Me Salon, Ace Hardware, Uptown Bikes, Gigio's Pizza, Viet Bowl, Elim Wigs, Thai Uptown, Uptown Underground, Iyanze, Palla's Grill, Liberty Tax Service.... Small businesses are the backbone of any community, and while we're thrilled to have improved public transit in the works, we don't want to lose any of our businesses while construction goes on.

Six Months, Three Views

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

May 2015

April 2015

Three photos shot from the same vantage point (in front of Viet Bowl on Wilson) show the changing scene and the progress made on the new Wilson tracks. One crumbling concrete bridge, gone. One modern metal span to replace it, underway. And a truck named "Steven" photobombing.

Are We There Yet?

We're so glad that these metal tracks with their support pillars will go away when the tracks currently under construction are completed.  The best of 1907 technology!  To put it in perspective, there is no one alive who remembers what Broadway was like without them. They had a good run, but Uptown is ready for Broadway to be brighter, sunnier, and pillar-free.