Where better than a cemetery to reflect on the impermanence of life and what you want to accomplish during your time here?
The wall at Graceland Cemetery gives residents a chance to put into writing your aspirations "BEFORE I DIE." It's located on the back wall, in Challenger Park, next to the Challenger Bark dog run, and just west of Buena Park Circle (at Buena Avenue).
While you're there, check out the Graceland Wall art installations, some of them created during Uptown Art Week last June. See below for some examples:
Join the 47th Ward office for a paper shredding and electronics recycling event from 10am to 1pm Saturday, October 8 in the Jewel parking lot at 4250 N Lincoln, located across the street from the ward office. Thank you to Jewel for providing space and Midway Moving and Storage for providing the shredding truck.
This clinic will offer flu and COVID-19 vaccinations (including the Bivalent booster). Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Please register in advance here: https://events.juvare.com/IL-IDPH/xjdne/1416329/
For more information, please contact harry@48thward.org.
Come to a Nonprofit Networking Happy Hour present by three Chambers of Commerce!
Hosted by The Admiral At The Lake
Presented by:
Nonprofit professionals and nonprofit board members are guests of honor as the Admiral at The Lake hosts three presenting chambers of commerce and their members for a happy hour this Thursday, September 29th from 5pm to 7pm. This event features a hosted happy hour in the Admiral’s lakeside residential tower. Valet parking is available for those who register.
The Andersonville, Edgewater, and Uptown Chambers of Commerce are proud to have nonprofit industry leaders call our communities home. Advocates, service providers, arts producers, faith communities, educators, musicians, attorneys, financial, legal, and medical professionals – these mission-focused and locally-led organizations set the bar for excellence.
Attendees outside the nonprofit sector are welcome, too! Our annual nonprofit networking events are well attended and provide individuals an opportunity to develop relationships within their industry with drinks served starting at5pm this Thursday, September 29th at 929 W. Foster. That’s correct. 9/29 at 929.
Non-members interested in building their professional networks and interested in learning more about their local Chambers are welcome to join. Visit the event host at https://www.admiral.kendal.org
Visit the three chambers at:
LinkedIn event: https://lnkd.in/gTdqni6F
The City of Chicago is collecting new items to help set up these asylum seekers in homes and shelters, particularly in smaller sizes of clothing. A complete list of new items that are needed is here.
Collection sites include the offices of all three of Chicago's aldermen during regular business hours:
A complete list of all collection points is here. Thank you for any help you can provide!
*Ald. Martin's office is not on the city's list, but according to his weekly newsletter, his office has begun accepting donations as of September 26th. |
St. Mary of the Lake/Our Lady of Lourdes unveiled a new sculpture in front of the church at 4220 North Sheridan earlier this month.
It's called "Be Welcoming" and depicts a stranger with a bag of belongings on his back, extending his hand, as seen from the side closest to the street. On the other side, the stranger is revealed to be an angel. The sculpture depicts the Bible verse Hebrews 13:2, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
The sculpture is by noted Canadian artist Timothy Paul Schmalz, whose work is displayed internationally, including at the Vatican. He is best known for "Homeless Jesus," a provocative sculpture seen in many places around the world. He says that "Be Welcoming" was inspired by the plight of refugees and migrants in today's world.
The sculpture was donated to the parish by long-time parishioner Mark Losher and installed by the men of Seguidores de Cristo (Followers of Christ) ministry.
St. Mary's invites all to "take time to view, reflect on, pray and sit with this interactive sculpture and how you can Be Welcoming to all those whom you encounter in this world!"
You can't miss it -- it's bright!
In addition to the raised planters, the shipping containers for storage, and the new mural, workers have been creating pathways by reusing bricks that were in the original alleys surrounding the garden.
Ribbon-cutting on the big renovation will take place on Saturday, October 15th, at 11am.
More than 500 Uptowners, and 26 businesses, took part in Taste of Uptown on Wednesday, and it was a blast. Perfect weather for strolling and noshing on some of the best our little part of the city has to offer.
A reader sent us a few photos he took along the route, and some comments. Can't wait for next year!
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| "The man who made the best Manhattans and served delicious Wagyu beef sliders at The Reservoir" |
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| "Even my carnivore self liked the Up-N-Down vegan burgers at XMarket, and the vegan ice cream. The store will be remodeling and will have a new layout in three months." |
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| "Jake's had the BEST broasted chicken wings. My friends' first time there!" |
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| "RawNrgy had three kinds of juices. It was our first stop, so we could step off the stroll with a healthy choice. The Watermelon Mint was very tasty." |
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| Pokiology served up tuna with rice on its surfboards. |
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| "Marina's Cafe and Rum Bar isn't ready to open, so they took over the yard kitty corner from the mall. Arroz con gandules with pork -- muy delicioso. Marina's will be opening in late November, according to the owner and chef!" |
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| "Emerald City had tasty tea, but I wish I'd gotten a picture of the hot... fresh... blueberry muffins. The best thing on the walk, in my group's opinion, with their mini bagel sandwiches coming in a close second." |
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| click to enlarge |
While this isn't technically part of Uptown, it will affect both drivers and pedestrians coming to our community. In his latest newsletter, Ald. Martin writes:
"The Chicago Department of Transportation will begin installing left turn traffic calming improvements (LTTC) on Ashland between Wilson and Cullom next week.
The intersections receiving improvements are on Ashland at Wilson, Sunnyside, Montrose and Cullom. CDOT is installing locations throughout the city identified as having a history of crashes involving left turns.
LTTC helps guide drivers to take a slower and safer path when turning left, reducing conflicts with pedestrians and improving drivers’ visibility of them. We're excited that these are the first locations outside of downtown where the city is installing this treatment."
During this hour-long event, experts from the League of Women Voters of Chicago will share how to take back your voting power. Members of the Campaigns, Inc. artistic team will also lead a discussion to explore why this play is not only a perfect start to TimeLine's 2022-23 season, but also to election season 2022.
Attendance is FREE, but reservations are required.
Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you've seen Campaigns, Inc. or not. Making a free reservation will put you on the list to receive any updates as well as the Zoom info to join before the event. If you can't make the event but want to watch later, RSVP anyway and the organizations will be sure to send you the recording of the day's events.
With a federal election coming up in November and a Chicago municipal election coming up in February, it's a great time to learn. Hope to see a lot of you there!
"replaces the existing turf lawn with native prairie and savanna plantings, begins with the removal of invasive plant species in Fall 2022, and continues with the installation of native shrubs and seed installation, and the development of interpretive signage.Mowing maintenance and additional planting of native plants will continue through Fall 2023. Existing trees and shrubs will not be removed as part of this project."
"While the upcoming native planting project is a big ecological preservation benefit for our community, we also recognize that some of our residents currently reside in tents within the natural area and are impacted by relocation prior to construction beginning.The Chicago Park District and Department of Family and Support Services are actively coordinating and working with social services to assist these individuals with housing, shelter and other supports. In addition to these services, residents are also being offered alternative solutions funded through our $100,000 micro-grant program focused on addressing chronic homelessness.Our office will continue to work with various City departments and sister agencies to ensure that the City of Chicago is using evidence-based best practices to address chronic homelessness. To learn more about addressing chronic homelessness in the 46th Ward and greater City of Chicago, read our newsletter. This will also be Alderman Cappleman's priority for the upcoming 2023 City budget."
The much-loved, much-used, and much-deteriorating Clarendon Park Fieldhouse (or Community Center, as it's formally known) officially started its rebirth today with ground-breaking ceremonies that kick off repairs and massive improvements.
In a ceremony Tuesday morning that was attended by, among others, 46th Ward alderman James Cappleman, Clarendon Park Advisory Council president Katharine Boyda, and Chicago Park District president Rosa Escareno, it marks the beginning of a rebirth for the fieldhouse, which dates back to 1916 (as a facility for bathers in Lake Michigan, which at that point was located just east of the facility).
There have been renovations over the years (some quite ill-advised), but no work has been done on the fieldhouse for more than 40 years, and it shows:
All these issues will be corrected, and the fieldhouse will be improved for the community's needs. And, oh yeah, the great model railroad room will remain!
Check out the PDF presentation highlighting the issues and the renovations here.
Thanks goes to so many who made this possible, including Preservation Chicago, who not only took the photos accompanying this post, but also advocated for saving this piece of Chicago history as far back as 2015.
We look forward to having this building around for a long, long time! It's a good day.
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| Just Tires, 4809 N. Broadway (Google) |
Although details are still developing, we recently learned about an surprising real estate sale that may lead to the loss of a longtime Uptown business.
Just Tires, which has been just north of the intersection of Lawrence and Broadway for well over 20 years, appears ready to close as West Coast-based developer The Krausz Companies acquired the property for $4,200,000.
The zoning classification of the property, B3-5, was a likely driving factor in the sale of the lot, along with the central location in the middle of the entertainment district and across the street from the Uptown Theatre.
No proposal for redevelopment has been brought forward at this time, but it seems all but definite that Just Tires will close. We are working on digging up the plans for the lot and the adjacent lot, which is also headed to residential after completion of the CTA track and station rehab at Lawrence.
It is notable that the developer can build residential on the lot using the existing B3-5 zoning. If they do so, the city's affordable requirements will not be triggered. If a zoning change is requested, there will be a chance of affordable units on-site or an in-lieu contribution to the Low Income Housing Trust Fund.
Read more at REjournals.
UU Note: The stretch of Broadway that became the Just Tires property in question is visible in this 1932 Uptown aerial shot. The building on the right with the Aragon advertisement stands today and is home to Demera. The storage facility on the left still stands as well.
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| CTA Aerial of Uptown, 1932 |
This Tuesday, September 13, is the official groundbreaking for the Clarendon Park Community Center rehabilitation project.
After receiving the go-ahead in late August, the project, which has been more than 7 years in the making, is finally ready to revive the building and ensure that it lasts another 100 years.
Once again, this happened thanks to the work of many, including the Clarendon Park Advisory Council, Preservation Chicago, Alderman Cappleman and his staff, and a significant monetary contribution from the developers of the 811 Uptown building.
We came across a book of urban scavenger hunts going through 17 neighborhoods, including Uptown, and mostly on the North Side and Central Chicago areas.
The publisher says of Chicago Scavenger, by Jessica Mlinaric:
"Decipher the clues and track down the photos leading you to over 300 little-known museums, vibrant public artworks, nature areas, overlooked historical markers, charming cafes, architectural oddities, and more.
Visit the nation’s first Black art museum and a B&B run by monks. Raise a glass at Chicago’s smallest bar and take a stroll down a real yellow brick road. From Pullman to Rogers Park, seek the thrill of discovery in Chicago’s unique and diverse neighborhoods."
All the sights can be found outdoors, so it's especially good if you're being a COVID-cautious adventurer.
You can order the book directly from the publisher or through Amazon.
Taste of Uptown is back for the sixth year, and it's grown!
Celebrate Uptown's cultural diversity with three hours of strolling, small plates, and samples from some of our many restaurants on Wednesday, September 21st, between 6pm and 9pm.
There are two routes of small bites, each costing $35:
PLATE ROUTE
BOWL ROUTE
This one-day culturally focused event on Argyle Street (at Winthrop) intends to add value and meaning to the Asia on Argyle District in Uptown. It's sponsored by HAIBAYÔ, a creative initiative that aims to energize the historic Asia on Argyle corridor through innovative cross-cultural, multi-generational collaborations.
Join us for a wide range of musical acts, cultural performances, live art painting, youth lantern making sessions, artisanal vendors, and an immersive light experience.
🕑 5:00-6:30pm
📅 9/7/22
📍 900 W. Wilson
George Pullman, who invented the railway sleeping car, also created a company town in Chicago (now the aptly named Pullman neighborhood). To increase profits during the 1893 recession, he cut workers' pay (he was their boss), but did not decrease their rents (he was also their landlord) or the prices at the stores (which he also owned).
This didn't make ol' George a popular man. In 1894, tens of thousands of workers belonging to the American Railway Union walked off the job, and almost immediately most of the nation was negatively impacted, as passenger and freight trains came to a sudden stop. Talk about a supply chain issue!
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| U.S. troops firing on American workers (Harper’s Weekly/Public Domain) |
In response, the workers burned hundreds of railcars. Cleveland ordered the troops to fire on the crowds. 30 people died, and many were wounded. The strike was broken, but at a terrible human cost.
Naturally, this didn't make Pres. Cleveland or Congress very popular with, well, anyone, so they extended an olive branch and created a holiday to honor the workers of America, to be celebrated on the first Monday of September.
Spare the victims of the Pullman Strike a thought while you barbecue, shop the sales, and otherwise enjoy Labor Day.
(Interestingly, while most other countries celebrate International Workers Day on May Day, the U.S. government chose another day to honor its workers. The Haymarket Affair -- another Chicago labor uprising -- was closely connected with May 1st, and with anarchists. In effect, Labor Day was chosen to compete with May Day, and has largely eclipsed it in this country.)
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| Photo by DeborahDennis/Find-A-Grave |
Three years after the Pullman Strike, George Pullman died of a heart attack. He died a hated man in this city.
He was laid to rest at night in Uptown's Graceland Cemetery. Not only that, "Pullman’s coffin, covered in tarpaper and asphalt, is sunk in a concrete block the size of a room. On top of the block lie railroad ties and even more concrete. Why so secure? The family feared that Pullman’s angry workers [...] would resort to skullduggery at the gravesite."
There are benches and plenty of room to sit and relax on George Pullman's spacious monument. Drop by, bring a picnic lunch, and let him know what you think about him.
Happy Labor Day!
It looks like the Community Paint Day at the Winthrop Family Historical Garden was a success!
Sunday, September 4th:
Friday, September 2nd:
Back in 2014 (via Google Streetview):
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| 4600 N. Marine (Valerio Dewalt Train Architects) |
A reader writes "the permit to begin construction of the foundation for 4600 N. Marine has cleared review and will be issued shortly."
That means construction is about to begin on the upcoming 303 unit, 12 story development. The building will rise on the site of a mostly unused former Weiss Hospital parking lot at Wilson & Clarendon.
Just yesterday, construction barriers were erected around the property and the site has been cleared in anticipation of digging for the foundation.
More to come as the project progresses!
