New Development Proposed For Sheridan & Wilson

The SE corner of Sheridan & Wilson as we know it today

Proposal for SE corner by Clayco (from Ald. Cappleman's website)

A corner that hasn't seen residential since well before 1972, and has been home to Burger King (twice) and most recently Pollo Loco, could soon be home to a new 8 story rental development with 147 rental units as well as 7,000 sq. ft. of retail.

It was approved for new development by Cedar Street in 2015, but those plans never came to fruition.

According to Ald. Cappleman's latest newsletter:

"Clayco Developers has proposed building an 8-story transit-oriented development on the SE corner of Wilson & Sheridan. The proposal has retail along the Wilson side and an entrance to apartments along Sheridan. The Clarendon Park Neighborhood Association will review this project and then it will be reviewed by the 46th Ward Zoning & Development Committee on Monday, Feb. 27. Click here for more details."

These Uptown Kindergarten Students Have A Dream

We heard from Danielle Avvisati, kindergarten teacher at St. Mary of the Lake School, 1026 W. Buena:

"I wanted to share our Dr. King and service projects with you from St. Mary of the Lake School. I hope you enjoy. The week of January 17th, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and we participated in a week of service. Over the course of the week, we talked about what a great leader Dr. King was and the message he spread. My students expressed their own dreams about the future of their nation. I am proud of their dreams and their idea that kindness always matters. We have future leaders in my class!​"

Ross Dress For Less Nears Completion, Is Hiring

Last week, construction machinery was in place putting the final touches on the future Ross Dress For Less building at 918 West Montrose. Pretty quick work, considering that demo of the previous property at the site began last April.

If you know anyone who's looking for a retail job close to home, let them know there's a "Now Hiring" banner up on the front of the store. We didn't see anything about the new store at the website on the sign (www.rossstores.com), nor any mention of an opening date, but according to Ald. Cappleman's newsletter, Ross is projected to open in the spring.

Update: The Ross website now has jobs at 918 W. Montrose listed on their site. Apply for a retail associate here, and as area supervisor here.

Ald. Cappleman: Even More Art Coming To Uptown Thanks To Grant Money

From Ald. Cappleman's latest email:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Dept. of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) has designated 2017 as the "Year of Public Art". Each of the 50 wards is eligible for a $10,000 matching grant based on a commitment of using $10,000 in menu funds. This grant comes from Allstate Insurance Company and Terra Foundation for American Art through DCASE. Last December, Ald. Cappleman signed an agreement that will allow the 46th Ward to get the maximum amount for this grant in order to install a series of art projects throughout the ward. All interested artists who would like to submit a project are encouraged to apply. Click here for more information.

BPN General Meeting & Holiday Party, January 23

If you live in Buena Park, plan to attend the next BPN General Meeting, Monday, January 23 at 7PM at Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway!

Celebrate National Croissant Day At Baker & Nosh

The famous butter croissants from B&N, Wilson & Malden

In celebration of National Croissant Day (Monday, January 30), Baker & Nosh is offering four of its most popular croissant options, while supplies last.

The Uptown neighborhood favorite typically only offers croissants on the weekends and often sells out, but has made an exception for the holiday.

The four featured croissants will be the classic butter croissant ($3.00), ham & cheese, chocolate and almond (all $3.50).

Looking For Some New Year's Motivation?

If you are having trouble sticking to those new year's resolutions, stop by Weigh Watchers at 4444 N. Broadway and join a meeting for free. Meeting schedule and store hours are listed above.

Caravan Continues Conversion To Sports Bar

The new facade of Caravan at 4810 N. Broadway

Caravan Restaurant at 4810 N. Broadway continues its transformation from only middle eastern cuisine, to the addition of pub food like piza and burgers along with 22 HDTVs broadcasting sports. The facade has also gotten an interesting upgrade with wood planks from liquor crates like Jack Daniels and Jameson Whiskey, complete with the random markings still visible. Caravan plans to reopen at the end of January with its new concept. The updated menu can be found here.

Closeup of the new facade of Caravan

After Long 6 Years, Nick's On Wilson To Reopen

Just over 6 years ago, we reported that Nick's on Wilson (1140 W. Wilson) had shut its door. It was a nice, well-managed spot to grab a drink and chat with neighbors. Nick went on to devote his time and energy to his other businesses in the city.

For the past year, we had been hearing rumblings of this location reopening. Recently, his plans were shared in front of other business owners in Uptown, that he plans to reopen this year with security on-site.

Many of our readers have said they longed for a bar-lounge on Wilson so when this opens, we hope you will support it. This spot desperately needs more eyes on the street and foot traffic. As more details become available, we will pass them along.

In other bar-lounge news, "Larry's" will be opening sometime this month in the lobby of Lawrence House from the owner of Heritage Bicycles. Stop by the lobby to check out the progress. More to come!

Ald Cappleman: A 2016 Year In Review For Uptown

From Ald. Cappleman's 2016 year in review:

I have heard from many of you about the sudden renaissance of economic development in the 46th Ward. What we're seeing right now is unprecedented, but by no means, was it an accident. During my first term as alderman, I put in place all the needed ingredients to create more vibrant corridors for retail. This has encourage more people to shop in their neighborhoods and has provided more employment opportunities for residents. Exciting new businesses such as Ka'lish, a vegan restaurant that will have its ribbon-cutting ceremony this Saturday, focused on hiring staff who all lived within a few blocks of their store on Wilson Avenue.

NEW BUSINESSES IN 2016 INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING

• First Ascent at 4718 N. Broadway, officially opened in early 2016, and is a rock climber's paradise.
• Heritage Coffee on Lawrence provides great coffee in the beautiful lobby of the Lawrence House.
• Kal' ish, a vegan restaurant, at Wilson/Malden, opened up and will be expanding another restaurant next door in 2017.
• Pokiology, a seafood restaurant, at Wilson/Magnolia, is a quick favorite among many residents.
• The Jerk Stop, a Jamaican restaurant at Wilson/Clifton, gives another great option for food on restaurant alley/coffee bean row.
• Emerald City Coffee, a coffee and pastry restaurant with a cool vibe, located at 1224 W. Wilson
• My Chocolate Soul, a bakery that provides a very unusual and eclectic types of chocolate and pastries: 4442 N. Broadway
• Earth's Kitchen, a restaurant providing a blend of Japanese and American food, located at 3715 N. Halsted
• Selam Market & Restaurant, providing authentic Ethiopian food, at 4543 N. Broadway.
• Uptown Arcade, a bar and arcade that attracts crowds after the concerts in the area, at 4830 N. Broadway.
• Wabi Sabi, Chicago's only rotary sushi restaurant at 4521 N. Sheridan
• Finest Food & NY Subz at 4759 N. Sheridan, also offers coffee and lots of snack options.
• Ensemble Media, a creative services and multimedia production company that creates unique videos, animations, print collateral and interactive solutions at 4704 N. Kenmore.
• Futatsuki Ramen, a Japanese restaurant known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes at 4621 N. Broadway.

COMPLETED DEVELOPMENTS IN 2016 

• Lawrence House at Lawrence/Kenmore: 344 rental apartments with a beautifully restored lobby. Includes a Heritage Coffee Bar and a bar will open inside the lobby within the next few months.
• 4752-60 N. Racine at corner of Broadway/Lawrence: A Lake Point Properties development with 18 soft loft apartments
• 4027 N. Broadway near Irving Park: A 20-unit building with 1st floor retail.
• The Bachelor, a FLATS project at 1136 W. Wilson. Has 40 rental apartments and hosts frequent art shows on the first floor.
• The Firehouse, a FLATS project at 1217 W. Gunnison: 4 apartment units at a formerly abandoned firehouse.

PROJECTS WITH WORK IN PROGRESS IN 2016 

• Clarendon/Montrose Development: a $125M proposal that includes rental apartments and Treasure Island. Approximately 1/3 of the $15.88M TIF will go toward rehabbing the Clarendon Park Community Center, 1/3 will go toward the Low Income Housing Trust Fund that provides rental assistance to people with very low incomes, and the remaining 1/3 toward demolition of the dilapidated Maryville site. A total of 563 rental apartments to be built in 2 stages.
• 3833 N. Broadway: an 8-story, mixed-use development with 134 rental apartments and retail.
• Stewart School Lofts at 4525 Kenmore: a 64 residential development with Morningside Group. The building became a Chicago Landmark in 2016. Plans will later include a mid-rise to be built directly north of the building with retail.
• 4635-41 N. Broadway: Lake Pointe Properties completing 14 residential units and 5 retail spaces.
• 931-33 W. Belle Plaine development with 20 units
• Pensacola Place at Hazel/Montrose: 184 rental apartments will be added to their current mix of 264 units. Town homes will be built around the perimeter of their deck located above Jewel.
• Ross Dress For Less at 918 W. Montrose (across from Jewel). Opening is expected in the spring.

PROJECTS PROPOSED IN 2016 THAT HAVE NOT YET STARTED

• 3901 N. Broadway: a Vermilion Development featuring a 10-story with 100 rental apartments and retail
• 4601 N. Broadway designed by MX3 Architects: 197 apartment units at the corner of Broadway/Wilson with retail on the first floor.
• 4420-30 N. Sheridan development: 33 units in a mixed-use development
• 3928 N. Sheridan: a Loukas Development with 54 apartment units with retail
• 1023 W. Irving Park: 5-story condo building with one unit on each floor.
• 927 W. Irving Park: 5-story with 28 rental units

OTHER DEVELOPMENT NEWS

• Wilson L Station: A $203M project has an expected completion date at the end of this year. In April, the demolition of the remaining old L track will be completed and the escalator is expected to be operational by June. All 4 new tracks will be up and running in September. A request for proposal is going out for the Gerber Building, and I am working with CTA to get that whole space rented out as one large retail space rather than have it broken up into smaller stores. A number of businesses have expressed interest for that spot.
• Uptown Square Historic District: Located within the Entertainment District, this enhances the area's prestige and property values while bringing stability and predictability for future private investment, with the ultimate goal to get the Uptown Theatre rehabbed.
• When the Clarendon/Montrose TIF passed City Council, it allowed for $4.5M to be contributed to the Clarendon Park Community Center. Per the Parks Dept, this was the only way we could get the necessary funds to jumpstart this rehab of this center that had become dilapidated.
• $14K was contributed from Menu funds to the Park District to do necessary plumbing work to allow for a dog washing business (Moxie Wash) to open up near the Montrose Dog Beach this year. 

SUCCESSFULLY PROTECTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING 

All this new development happened while we protected non-profit affordable housing in the 46th Ward. When Presbyterian Homes announced plans to sell their building at 3801 N. Pine Grove, I worked with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, State Rep Sara Feigenholtz, the City’s Dept. of Planning & Development, and ONE Northside to prevent the seniors in this building from having to move. I found an attorney who took on the case pro bono and then worked with CHA to negotiate a sale in 2016 so that no one would have to move from their home. There is now no longer any threat that they would have to move.

SAVING A HOMELESS SHELTER 

Due to an inability to raise additional funds to supplement the government dollars that Northside Housing & Support Services (NHSS) was already receiving, the shelter announced in September that they were closing in December. The Dept. of Family & Support Services (DFSS) tried getting other providers in to assist, but no other agency was willing to take it over. A generous donor stepped up with 3 years of promised support to keep them open. I will meet with the shelter's board of directors and DFSS to see how I can help them prevent this type of funding crisis again.

A NEW WAY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS

When I was elected alderman in 2011, I became very vocal with the way the City addressed homeless encampments. A host of different agencies were providing interventions with limited results of getting people off the streets and into permanent housing. Some of the people living on the streets had been there for many years and appeared stuck in the cycle of homelessness. Early in 2016, I teamed up with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky to push the City to adopt a “housing-first” strategy that places people immediately into housing with wrap-around services. In May, a pilot project was started in Uptown because it was the largest encampment in the City. Of the initial assessment of 75 individuals living at the encampments, 54 were housed, and the remaining 11 left the area on their own. To assist with funding this new way of addressing homelessness, I also led the charge to add a 4% surcharge on Airbnbs, with these additional funds going toward our efforts to get people off the streets and directly into housing. The U.S. Interagency on Homelessness had declared this approach as the best way to address chronic homelessness. This approach also is very cost effective because the cost of a person's health care dramatically drops when he or she is in safe housing.

FRIENDS OF THE 46TH WARD SCHOOLS 

This non-profit organization started out as a task force to help me create the 46th Ward Master Plan, and now it has blossomed into something that has provided ongoing and much needed support to our area CPS schools. Thanks to a matching grant the Friends of the 46th Ward Schools received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, over $3,000 was raised.... all money that will be distributed to our local CPS schools.

PUBLIC SAFETY 

Enhancing public safety in the 46th Ward has always been one of my top priorities. Working with both the Commanders of the 19th and 20th Police Districts, along with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, I established a Retail Corridor Public Safety Committee, and we now have many retail establishments working together with us to reduce criminal activity in the area. In my discussions with Police Supt. Eddie Johnson, I asked for and received more foot patrol officers walking in our neighborhoods. They have strong relationships with the local businesses and community so that we can partner better together to address crime. I successfully fought for the hiring of more police officers in our last City Budget, something I knew many of you wanted. This year we were able to get an additional 52 sworn officers assigned, that is in addition to the police that are being recruited now. I worked with my colleagues and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to expand the Becoming a Man program and the One Summer Chicago program that provides employment opportunities for youth from 14 to 24 years of age.

LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

I spearheaded an ordinance to protect members of the transgender community using the bathroom of their gender preference without having to produce an I.D. I was joined by other members of the LGBT Caucus to get this passed. With the Short Term Rental Ordinance, I succeeded in getting a 4% surcharge for Airbnbs to fund homeless services. I pushed to strengthen the City's Inspector General's Office to allow for investigations of aldermen, rather than a separate one for us and another one for all other City employees.

PROTECTING THE WARD'S DIVERSITY 

The thing that people most appreciate about the 46th Ward is its diversity, with over 91 different languages spoken. Besides being the smallest geographical ward in the City, it is also the most economically diverse ward as well. The challenge is to make sure we maintain our diversity as we continue to improve the economic vitality of the ward. 

Best wishes for a wonderful and prosperous 2017,

Ald. James Cappleman

Two Proposals Given Green Light By 46th Ward Zoning Committee

Two proposals passed through the 46th Ward Zoning & Development Committee last night.

The first proposal is slated for the SE corner of Sheridan and Dakin, steps from the Sheridan red line. Plans for the site are as follows:

"Developer and owner of the property, Joe Lamanto, is requesting a zoning change from B1-2 to B3-5 TOD (Transit Oriented Development) with a planned development ordinance for a seven-story, mixed-use building with 120 apartments, and 44 interior parking spaces with a height of 79.83 ft." 

Ace Hardware and the bakery that currently occupy the storefronts are both slated to return in the new development

3921 N. Sheridan proposal (Ald. Cappleman's website)

The second proposal (seen below) that was granted the green light is from Sarah's Circle, which serves homeless women and has been a good neighbor for almost 40 years. Their first proposal for the SW corner of Sheridan and Leland called for razing the building and replacing it with something that was quite different than the much-loved building with the terra-cotta ladies. Perkins + Will went back to the drawing board and came up with a plan that utilizes much of the ornamentation of the current building and retains most of the "feel" of the current building. More details from Ald. Cappleman's website:

"The site, 4654 N. Sheridan Rd, is located two blocks south of Sarah’s Circle’s main facility at 4836-4838 N. Sheridan Road and currently consists of a two story building. The lot size is 7,290 square feet, and the building will have up to 35,700 square feet of space. The first floor will be supportive services space accessible to both Interim Housing and Permanent Housing residents with reception, staff offices, private consultation rooms, a group room, a computer lab, dining, and kitchen space. The second floor will be the main space for the 50-bed Interim Housing program and the top four floors will have 38 ADA accessible studio apartments with full, private bathrooms and kitchenettes. Additionally, there will be some shared community spaces on the residential floors. This new facility will be staffed 24/7 and will have security cameras."

Sarah's Circle proposal for Sheridan and Leland as seen from Leland (Perkins + Will)

Cornerstone Sells "Leland House"

4654-56 Malden

An eagle-eyed reader noticed something afoot at "Leland House," the Cornerstone managed and owned permanent shelter at Leland and Malden. A new management sign listing PARK INC was installed on the building. New sod was laid this past fall and construction dumpsters were outside for some time. Now what has happened is even more clear judging by new apartment listings touting beautiful finishes, granite countertops, in-unit washer/dryer, central HVAC and more with rents starting at $1,600 a month for a 2 bedroom.

Cornerstone appears to have sold the building because they owed $249,786 as of May 13, 2016 on a line of credit on the property that apparently was not repaid, according to the yearly audit of Cornerstone Community Outreach. Inquiring minds would like to know why our local activists didn't protest this sale?

The newly remodeled units starting around $1.600 for a 2 bedroom (Spaces Realty)

Uptown Business Partners "Member Mixer" At Emerald City Coffee

Uptown Networking Mixer
Wednesday, January 18 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Emerald City Coffee Uptown, 1224 W. Wilson

Join us Wednesday, January 18, for a networking mixer at Emerald City Uptown! Meet business owners and community members while enjoying light food and drinks generously provided by our host. Non-members welcome! Our monthly networking mixers build community among Uptown businesses, non-profits and neighborhood groups, strengthening our local economy through the development of strategic partnerships.

About Emerald City Coffee: Emerald City Coffee offers locally roasted coffee and delicious scratch made pastries in a fun and welcoming environment. Whether you’re just in the mood for a quick coffee, looking for a simple yet delicious lunch, or perhaps seeking a place to write the novel you've always wanted to write, we’ve got you covered. We’re dedicated to being a center of the community, and are always ready with a nice kick in the pants to get you over that finish line.
Click here to RSVP! 
Click here for Facebook event! 

Ald. Cappleman: Iyanze Closed Until Further Notice & Investigation

from Ald. Cappleman's latest email:
"On Sunday, January 1st at 4:25 a.m., two individuals shot each other in a dispute at 4623 N. Broadway. Both men died as a result of their injuries later that morning. 

Public safety is crucial to the vibrancy of our neighborhoods, which is why I have asked Commander Buslik and Superintendent Johnson to enforce the "problem building" ordinance, which I had supported when it was passed in May 2015. This ordinance only allows for the closure of businesses in the most extreme of circumstances, including a homicide taking place within the business. 

Due to previous nuisance complaints from residents and neighboring businesses, I met with the operator of Iyanze this past June to discuss the late night parties that they were holding on premise and how they were disruptive to the neighborhood. Additionally, we discussed the limits of their business license and issues that may result if I continued to hear complaints about noise and other nuisance issues. I also asked them to participate in our Wilson Corridor task force of businesses, which includes the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, to promote public safety, which unfortunately they did not attend. Many businesses on Wilson and Broadway in this area are active participants on this task force which has made a major, positive impact on public safety in the area. 

The incident on New Year's Day was incredibly alarming due to the nature of the crime and the resulting gun fire that spread out into the street. We have not had an incident like this which resulted in a murder within a business since I have been Alderman, and I hope we never have one again. To protect our community and underscore the severity of this occurrence, I have asked the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, Eddie Johnson, to close Iyanze until the Chicago Police, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and the community have a full understanding of what happened. The business must also create and submit a nuisance abatement plan that includes reasonable steps to prevent another violent occurrence. 

We have many wonderful businesses on the 4600 block of Broadway. Please join me in continuing to visit these businesses and let them know how much we appreciate their continued effort to be a part of the community and their work with residents to increase public safety and economic development."

Laundromat Unveiled At Wilson & Magnolia

A sneak peek at the upcoming laundromat at Wilson & Magnolia

We shared the news this summer that according to building permits, to expect a laundromat in the corner space of the stripmall at Wilson & Magnolia. This space was most recently a small grocery store, and before that, vacant for many years.
Butcher paper was up on the windows but it was easy to see that lots of work was taking place inside.
Well, fast forward to today and the paper is down, and we are getting our first view inside. Although it isn't the most exciting retail, it will definitely be a welcome sight to see lots of new patrons utilizing this strip mall.
"Loads" of new high capacity washers and dryers fill the space and new lighting and ceiling tiles were going in. Might be a good place to take any large items that don't fit in your building's washer or dryer.