By Rodrigo Hernandez
Alderman Patrick D. Thompson on March 4 hosted a quarterly town hall meeting at Tilden Career Academy High School at 4747 S. Union Ave., addressing a wide variety of issues in the 11th Ward, which includes, all or in part, Armour Square, Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, Canaryville, Chinatown, Pilsen, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and University Village.
New businesses, construction
Thompson mentioned new businesses and construction coming to the area, including CPMH Construction, Shinya Ramen House, a new office building, and a new Greyhound bus station on an 8.2 acre parcel at 3940 S. Normal Ave. Lakeside Bank, to be located at the northeast corner of 39th and Halsted Streets, is awaiting further approval for construction this month. The building will provide a full service bank with an ATM and drive-through.
The alderman also mentioned a warehouse shipping facility destined for 35th Street and Ashland Avenue. Starbucks and AT&T will come to the corner of 31st and Halsted Streets, and the Starbucks will have a drive-through.
Concerning the Ramova Theatre development, Thompson called the project “a popular topic” in the community and displayed satisfaction in revealing the project will move forward. “The Ramova has had a lot of publicity, and I’m excited that this will be a catalyst for Halsted Street” development, said Thompson. “I know that many of our neighbors are excited” because, at a community meeting, attendees “unanimously supported the project.”
The Ramova location will include a live entertainment space, brewery, restaurant space, and a parking lot across the street that Thompson recommended the developer include. The City Council Committee on Zoning must approve the plans.
Thompson noted school improvement investments in the ward, including renovating the auditorium in Tilden Career Academy High School and creating a synthetic turf soccer field surrounded by a walking track at McClellan School. The field’s space formerly consisted of an asphalt lot that acted as a play area for kids at recess and an idle grassy area previously owned by the City. The field is open only to students and faculty during school hours, but the public may use it during after school.
Thompson has contacted school principals throughout the 11th Ward regarding needs at their facilities. “One of the biggest problems we see at our schools are they are not Americans with Disabilities Act accessible,” said Thompson. “McClellan was built in 1881 and did not have an elevator,” so workers have added an elevator to the building’s south side.
The Chicago Department of Transportation plans to improve Pershing Road between Ashland and Wentworth Avenues.
The alderman showed a map labeled with various colors to display the ward’s improved infrastructure. Each color represented a different project from the period 2015 to 2019. Projects included street and alley resurfacing as well as sidewalk, lighting, and viaduct improvements. “What I’m really proud of is the quality and amount of work that we were able to accomplish throughout the ward, not just in one area,” said Thompson, who noted he and Cook County Commissioner John Daley (D-11th) evaluate projects based on “need, equity, fairness, and making sure projects are equally distributed throughout the entire ward.”
Don Jerome has been 9th District (Deering) Chicago Police commander for more than a year, and Thompson called Jerome “very active and responsive.” Albert Oseguera recently joined Jerome’s team as captain. In emphasizing public safety’s importance, Thompson reminded the community to report any suspicious activity to the police.
“A lot of what the police do is data driven,” said Thompson. “So if we’re not reporting crimes or suspicious people or filing reports, they’re not going to see the data. If you see something, say something.”
McInerney Park improvements
London Walther, project manager at the Department of Planning and Construction of the Chicago Park District, presented two playground options for Mclnerney Park, 4446 S. Emerald Ave. Each option had playground equipment for two age groups: ages two through five and ages five through 12. The first design features a standard playground with slides and a climbing area, while the second takes a more modern approach, with different climbing areas and three slides.
Responding to the designs, a resident noted neither had swings, and she asked if it is possible to add them because many people she spoke to would love to have swings. She also suggested including benches for the elderly who babysit. Walther responded that including swings would change the design due to limited space.
Other residents addressed concerns including unused space in parks, safety hazards, and periodic inspections for painted profanity and graffiti. Thompson thanked respondents for their questions and concerns, assuring them the Chicago Park District will go back to the drawing board for McInerney Park and come back to the community for final input.
After the meeting, Walther commented on the interaction with meeting attendees, saying, “I thought it was good. We got a lot of great feedback. We’ve heard that there’s a strong need for swings, which were not a part of our original design.”
In stressing the importance of community feedback, Walther said he and the Chicago Park District wanted to see what improvements to make, and he anticipated more feedback from Thompson and the community.
“We’ll take feedback into consideration and then keep going from there,” added Walther.
The Park District also plans improvements at Armour, Bosley, McGuane, and Palmisano Parks.
Charlotte Piwowar, a high school teacher and chair of the Bridgeport Alliance, said, “As someone generally interested in development trends, civic engagement, and community, I want to be well informed, and these meetings are a great way to do so.”
Particularly interested in hearing about updates to the Ramova, new developments in the ward, and the proposed shipping facility at 35th and Ashland, Piwowar added she found the Park District presentation’s format to be a step in the right direction.
“For a while, many of us in the neighborhood have been pushing for more community-driven development in the area,” said Piwowar. “Providing a couple of options for playground styles and soliciting community input before everything is a done deal is the right idea.” While she sees room for improvement in the manner and frequency of input from residents, she felt encouraged that Thompson and the Park District are attempting to incorporate community input.
“I hope that this is a sign that deeper, meaningful input is solicited more often from neighbors regarding developments in the ward,” concluded Piwowar.
To contact the 11th Ward office, call (773) 254-6677. To contact the Chicago Park District, call (312) 742-7529. To contact Bridgeport Alliance, email [email protected].