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Archives for May 2020

Buckner promotes webinar to support small businesses affected by coronavirus

State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-26th) is promoting a new resource webinar provided through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) to support small businesses negatively impacted by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

 “This unprecedented health crisis has caused profound harm to our local economy and has taken a severe toll on small businesses,” said Buckner. “That is why I want to promote this upcoming webinar to provide our community’s local businesses with important information on financial assistance.”

Buckner is promoting a resource webinar that will provide an opportunity to discuss Federal and State resources for small businesses. The webinar will be hosted virtually on Wednesday, May 20 at 2 p.m. Business owners can register for the resource webinar at https://bit.ly/2y5Ky0t

  “In order to get Illinois back on track, we need to work together so that all small businesses can access financial protection and stability,” said Buckner. “I am committed to working with our business owners to ensure we have the resources we need to get through this crisis together.”

 Residents can also stay informed on developments with the coronavirus pandemic by reviewing information provided on the State of Illinois’ exclusive website at www.coronavirus.illinois.gov. Residents who want to share their thoughts or require assistance on this matter or any other issue in the community can reach Buckner at (773) 924-1755 or by email at Buckner@Illinois26.com.

Chicago Children’s Theatre unveils ‘Everything will be okay’ window installation

Chicago theater artists have transformed Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine Ave., into a bright new beacon of hope meant to lift the spirits of the people as they continue to shelter due to the coronavirus (COVID-190.

Check out Chicago Children’s Theatre any evening from 7 to 11 p.m. to see a larger-than-life, multi-color, bright new window installation that changes the colors of the rainbow around the life-affirming message “Everything will be okay.”

The Chicago Children’s Theatre installation, “Everything will be okay,” offers a colorful beacon of hope.

The window installation was programmed and installed by Chicago Children’s Theatre staff and artists using paper, stencils, and LED lights pulled from the theater’s existing production stock.

Or, tune to CCTv, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s new YouTube channel, where a new music video shares a visual symphony of rainbow colors rotating across the theater’s windows with the comforting message “Everything will be okay.” The music for the video, Rainbow of Colors, is by and performed by Chicago musician Nick Davio, and featuring Lindsay Weinberg.

The “Everything will be okay” message is an homage to and translation of the Italian phrase “Andrà tutto bene,” which children in Italy have been hanging in their windows with hand-drawn pictures of rainbows.

For information, call (773) 227-0180.

Guidebook provides answers on places to entertain kids

A new guidebook provides 111 answers for after stay-at-home lifts to the question parents ask themselves practically daily, “What on earth can we do with the kids today?”

Author Amy Bizzarri, a teacher and mother of two, opens a world of ideas for family fun in her newest guidebook, 111 Places for Kids in Chicago That You Must Not Miss. Each chapter includes a detailed description of the place, location, hours, and suggested age ranges. The majority of the places are appropriate for children ages three through 12+.

The book 111 Places for Kids in Chicago That You Must Not Miss is a collaboration between author Amy Bizzari and photographer Susie Inverso.

“This book is my invitation to kids and parents to switch off the screens and go out to find the history and culture of our great city,” Bizzarri said. “Fun places and adventures galore are just waiting to be discovered.”

Water features large in the book, thanks in part to Lake Michigan. Kayak Chicago hosts seasonal fireworks floats, where families can paddle out on the lake and enjoy the Navy Pier fireworks from directly below. Children can actually learn to surf at Montrose Beach, riding the kid-friendly waves created up by the winds blowing across the lake. For smoother waters, families can paddle across the lagoon in Humboldt Park in one of the swan boats and learn the park’s history going back to 1871. At AquaMermaid School, kids of all ages can learn to maneuver a colorful mermaid tail, including fin high-fives and diving for lost treasure.

“There are some incredible photo ops at every place in this book,” said photographer Susie Inverso. “Trust me – you’ll fill scrapbooks and Instagram feeds.”

Bizzarri also included places where kids can see and touch members of the animal kingdom. Giraffes will gently munch on kale leaves from a child’s hand at the Brookfield Zoo. Beluga whales are eager to splash around with visitors at the Shedd Aquarium. GlennArt farm in the middle of the West Side offers kids the chance to feed, scratch, and chill out with urban goats.

Treasure hunts give a structure to family outings. Kids can look for all the Wizard of Oz characters in Oz Park. The Kipper Family Archeology Discovery Center is a place where kids have the opportunity to uncover historic artifacts with their fingers and brushes. Artist Hebru Brantley has painted multiple murals featuring his Flykids, and families can seek them all out across the city. At the Pullman National Monument, a planned industrial community for employees of the Palace Car Company, kids who complete a series of fun activities there can take the oath to become a Junior National Park Ranger.

The area also offers food from around the world, both savory and sweet. Families can cook their own Korean BBQ over fire on the table at San Soo Gab San and enjoy an elegant British tea party at the Langham Hotel. Kids will want to taste candies from across Asia at Aji Ichiban and luscious pastries from India at Tahoora Sweets and Bakery, or fill a unicorn piñata with traditional Mexican candies at Dulcelandia.

The book 111 Places for Kids in Chicago That You Must Not Miss invites families to explore their city in a whole new way. “The key is to walk out the door together in search of adventures, and you’ll end up creating memories that will last a lifetime,” said Bizzarri.

This book is part of the illustrated 111 Places guidebook series that presents cities, regions, countries, and specialty themes from a different and personal perspective. Go off the beaten path to find the hidden places, stories, shops, and neighborhoods that unlock a destination’s true character, history, and flavor. The series is published by Emons Publishing.

Author Amy Bizzarri is a freelance travel writer from Chicago focused on family, food, and fun, with a special interest in family adventure travel. A teacher with 20+ years of experience and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on bilingual education, Bizzari believes that learning is best accompanied by a big dose of fun.

Photographer Susie Inverso has spent many years running around Chicago photographing the Chicago Transit Authority public transit system, and photographs weddings and portraits for her company, Crimson Cat Studios.

For more about the book, go to www.111Places.com or email laura.olk@111places.com.

Chicago student organizes care package GoFundMe drive for Lurie Children’s Hospital

Delaney Brown a student at Old St. Mary’s Catholic School, 1474 S. Michigan Ave., is raising funds through GoFundMe to provide care packages for cancer patients at Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital. Brown herself survived cancer at Lurie Children’s Hospital, and now is reaching out to her community to give back. 

All money raised by this GoFundMe drive will go towards making the care packages, which will include bathrobes ($15), coloring books ($5), coloring pencils ($5), notepads ($5), and Play-Doh or stress balls ($5).

The campaign can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/care-packages-for-people-with-cancer.

A drive is underway through GoFundMe to provide care packages for cancer patients at Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital.

“I go to Old St. Mary’s Catholic School and I am a student who is working on a passion project,” Brown explained. “A passion project is putting your passions into motion and I am passionate about helping children with cancer.

“For my passion project, I have chosen to raise money for people at Lurie Children’s Hospital with cancer,” she continued. “With this money, I hope to create care packages that will make children being treated at the hospital feel better about the situation that they are in.”

“I am a kid that used to have cancer and Lurie Children’s Hospital helped me through it,” Brown concluded. “These funds and donations will make the children with cancer at Lurie Children’s Hospital feel better about the tough situation that they are in, so now it is up to you to help them!”

Community deals with aftermath of polluting smokestack demolition

By Kayla Kirshenbaum

Just as residents of Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood thought things could not get worse, they did.

A public outcry followed the April 11 demolition of a smokestack of a shuttered coal plant, the Crawford Generating Station in Little Village at 3501 S. Pulaski Rd., which blanketed the community with dust.

The plant shut down in 2012 following years of protests about air pollution that posed risks to the health of local residents who live as close as 50 feet away from the plant.  

Photo by macnifying_glass
Smoke, dust, and debris blanketed the community when developers demolished the old coal plan’s smokestack.

Hilco Redevelopment Partners, owners of the property, initiated plans to topple the smokestack last September. The firm plans to replace the former coal plant with a one-million-square-foot distribution center. These plans facedongoing protests from environmental groups, public health organizations, and local residents, who argue that the construction of a large warehouse would replace one former source of air pollution with another. 

The demolition, approved by the City of Chicago and the Department of Public Health, sent gray smoke and debris flying through a community that was already struggling under the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Kim Wasserman, executive director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO), said that scheduling a demolition in the current pandemic put the health of local residents at risk.

‘Not what you do’ 

“This is not what you do during a pandemic,” she said. “Half of our community is considered essential workers, who are really sacrificial workers. My parents live in the neighborhood and they only had 24-hour notice. For days afterward, they had dust and I couldn’t guide them. We feared the worst.”

The Chicago Fire Department, which provided on-site assistance with the demolition, assured residents in a statement that promised, “extensive dust control and mitigation efforts including watering trucks, water cannons, and direct-drive misting systems.” A post from the department’s official Twitter account documented that the department was at the scene providing support. “CFD provided support on demolition of stack at the old Crawford power generation plant near the ship canal and Pulaski now being cleared for new development. Occurred at 8 a.m. April 11. No problems.” 

Many, however, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Alderman Michael Rodriguez of the 22nd Ward, argued that there were in fact problems that ensued in the aftermath of the implosion. In a statement released on Easter Sunday, just one day after the demolition, Lightfoot apologized for the consequences of a demolition that she had approved. “What happened yesterday was utterly unacceptable and the City of Chicago will never hesitate to enforce its environmental safety regulations to the fullest extent possible when encountering violations like these, big or small,” Lightfoot said. 

Rodriguez added that the blame lies with the contracting company who carried out the demolition. “The finger should be pointing straight at Hilco,” he said.  

Hilco, whose primary demolition contractor was MCM Management Corp., scheduled the demolition despite the ongoing coronavirus global pandemic. 

After receiving a $19.7.million tax subsidy from the City of Chicago, Hilco toppled the old smokestack as part of the plan for the distribution center. CEO Roberto Perez apologized for causing “anxiety and fear,” and pointed a finger at MCM Management Corp. in a cycle of blame that left residents feeling anxious and afraid. 

This was not the first time Hilco left Little Village residents feeling uneasy. In early January of this year, Hilco suspended plans for the plant’s demolition after a worker plummeted to his death at the Hilco-owned site. 

“We are going to ask the company to go above and beyond in assuring workers’ safety as well as the community’s safety,” Rodriguez said in January. “As far as I’m concerned, until that can happen, they should not restart demolition.” 

Not the first incident

The demolition restarted less than one month later, leaving residents in the dark about what safety protocols had been put in place that warranted work to resume. Wasserman, who has been a leader in the Little Village community for 22 years, said the community was still reeling from what happened in January.

“When the worker died there last year, we were told that we would get reports from them and we still have not,” she said. “To be in that same position and not getting basic information is infuriating.”

Rodriguez and City officials had previously assured residents that they would go to great lengths to assure safe conditions for workers and community residents. 

“The Alderman had promised that he would get Hilco to sign off on the Community Benefits Agreement that ensured that the project would not negatively impact the health of residents,” Wasserman explained. “He promised that it would be great for the neighborhood. Hilco was repeatedly told that they had to do certain things, and from day one with this development, there was no protocol in place.”

An essential measure in that protocol was the placement of watering devices that were to have been put in place to contain the debris and smoke. However, it was unclear if any watering cannons and misting systems had actually been put into place after photos from the demolition site’s aftermath did not show any of those dust control systems. 

Wasserman believes that the thick gray smoke covering homes and cars told a different story. “We’re still waiting for information on the [watering] cannons,” she explained. “I didn’t see any water equipment. What equipment did they have out there? What water was put out there? We want to see the emails, the communications, the permits. We want to see for ourselves what happened out there.”

For many members of the Little Village community, empty promises from City officials and dashed hopes of new protocols that prioritize the health and safety of its residents is a long-standing tradition.

‘Structural racism’ 

“This is basic structural racism,” Wasserman said. “The only way to rectify this is to change the structural issues and procedures that caused this.” 

Little Village residents, already suffering hardships stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, feared that the demolition may have caused lead in water-pipe service lines to contaminate residents’ drinking water. 

“When the smokestack fell, it shook homes,” Wasserman said. “Some of the pipes [in those homes] still have lead in them and it’s possible that folks now have lead in their water. These are things that the City should have anticipated.”

For people already struggling to get masks and food to residents who are unable to leave their homes, this intensified the already existing hardships the community has been suffering through during the pandemic. 

“On top of trying to help our people get masks, get food, and survive, now, we are also having to get bottled water to people who live closest to the site,” Wasserman said.

In celebration of Earth Day during the week of April 20, more than 70 cars driven by members of local environmental groups, community organizations, and residents traveled to City Hall in hopes of stronger environmental laws for the future. 

“There are a lot more people who are paying attention,” Wasserman shared. “Folks want to see reform.”

Wasserman hopes that Mayor Lightfoot uses this moment as an opportunity for that reform. “I really hope the mayor understands that there is an opportunity here to fix this fundamentally,” she said. “I would hope that she recognizes this as an opportunity to work with black and brown communities to drastically fix these fundamental issues and do some reflection. There are problems and we need to fix them.” 

Wasserman is concerned about City officials paying lip-service to these fundamental issues without any change taking place. To those officials, she said, “Your actions speak louder than your words. You have an opportunity to do more than just talk about it. You have an opportunity to fix this problem.”

For Hilco, log on to hilcoredev.com or call (312)796-6564. For LVEJO, log on to lvejo.org or call (773) 762-6991. Call (773) 762-1771 to reach Rodriguez’s office.

Coronavirus reduces visitor numbers, but hotel construction continues

By Bonnie Jean Adams

Chicago welcomed 59.5 million visitors in 2019, with a little more than 34 million staying at least one night in hotels. The city was expecting another banner year with returning conventions as well as tourist and business traffic. When the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis happened, however, almost everything ground to a halt. Organizers postponed or canceled conventions and other events scheduled through at least June.

The number of people visiting Chicago, compared to this time last year, has dipped considerably. Between March 1 and 28, 2020 hotel occupancy is down 63% from 2019 and room demand is down 62%. Revenue per available room, a key revenue and performance success metric, is down 66%, from $108.36 last year to $36.41 in 2020, according to data provided by tourism group Choose Chicago via research firm STR.

The Chicago Plan Commission approved construction of the 16-story Standard Hotel at 1234 W. Randolph St.

“Occupancy is in the single digits at most hotels across the city, if they’re even still open,” said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA). “We’re getting more hotels each day deciding to suspend operations altogether. It doesn’t make financial sense to continue fighting the fight when you’re losing money every day.” 

While the coronavirus crisis has affected businesses negatively and delayed construction for some, West Loop/Fulton Market construction continues. 

In November 2019, the Chicago Plan Commission approved construction of the 16-story Standard Hotel. The 259-room structure, a venture by New York-based DDG and Chicago-based Marc Realty, will be located at 1234 W. Randolph St. It will include a second floor garage but no other parking options, raising concerns among neighbors about a possible surge in traffic in the already congested area.

Developers scheduled construction to start in late spring after reducing the hotel’s size from the 23 stories and 289 rooms specified by the original plan. The hotel also will offer a rooftop pool and bar, restaurant, and public plaza.

Two blocks east, Chicago-based North Park Ventures is planning a hotel and office development at 800 W. Lake St. The 19-story, 265-foot-tall tower will provide an on-site garage with limited spaces, valet parking, and an off-street drop-off area. If all goes to plan, those leading the 800 W. Lake Street project hope to welcome guests in April 2021.

Developers in both cases expect many guests and employees will use public transit or ride hailing services, rather than driving.

Officials want traffic plans

Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. of the 27th Ward and Noah Szafraniec, supervising zoning plan examiner with the City’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD), said they share residents’ concerns about traffic congestion and that, before the City signs off on the project, both developers must create a solution addressing the traffic issue. Burnett and Szafraniec want a detailed plan that covers valet parking and other traffic the hotels would bring in. 

The City’s planning department contemplated buildings rising 20 stories or higher when it created the Fulton Market Innovation District in 2014. Several residents argue such developments strain the neighborhood’s infrastructure. Developers have built four hotels in the Fulton Market community since 2014, with another seven hotels in various stages of development and planning. 

“Fulton Market is a big draw now,” said Nate Sahn, senior vice president at CBRE Hotels. “It’s also an area that historically didn’t have a lot of hospitality there. Builders will gravitate there because of that.” Brokers and analysts believe the area needs hotel development to support increase numbers of corporate offices and retail businesses opening in the area in recent years. This transition accelerated in 2013 when Google announced its Midwest headquarters would move into a redeveloped cold storage building in the neighborhood. That trend has continued with the arrivals of corporate offices for McDonald’s and Glassdoor.

The cranes are not going anywhere, said Rebecca Thomson, regional vice president of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. “The trend to see headquarters move downtown for this live-work-play concept — no signs indicate that’s going to change,” she noted.

To reach Burnett’s office, call (312) 432-1995. For CBRE Hotels, log on to www.cbrehotels.com. For more on Coldwell Banker, log on to www.coldwellbanker.com. For the DPD, call (312) 744-3653. For the IHLA, log on to www.illinoishotels.org or call (312) 346-3135. For more information about Marc Realty, log on to www.marcrealty.com or call (312) 884-5400. For North Park Ventures, log on to www.northparkventures.com. 

IEPA delays on MAT Asphalt public hearing

By Rick Romano

Switching attention to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) indefinitely postponed a public hearing on the controversial MAT Asphalt plant at 2055 W. Pershing Rd.

Plant opponents, who had hoped to air their complaints at the hearing originally scheduled for March 23, said the delay to focus on the pandemic health crisis could strengthen their environmental justice concerns argument. The plant is running on a temporary operating permit.

Photo courtesy MAT Asphalt
Because of the coronavirus, the Illinois Environmental Protection agency has postponed a public hearing about the MAT Asphalt plant.

A notice of cancellation by the IEPA noted the agency “plans to reschedule the hearing for a later date when a better assessment of the COVID-19 situation is known.” Rescheduling may take several months, as notice of public hearings requires a 45-day lead time.

In a March 26 memorandum, IEPA hearing officer Jeffrey Guy said the IEPA will hold the hearing at a “future yet undetermined date” and “The State of Illinois will continue to take proactive steps to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois residents as this situation develops.”

A grassroots group of McKinley Park area residents formed Neighbors for Environmental Justice (N4EJ) after MAT established the plant in 2018. The group alleged the plant exceeds emission standards while producing an unpleasant smell amid smoke that affects the park and nearby homes.

Although 2019 statistics are not yet available, IEPA 2018 statistics show plant emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic material fell well within the limits of an original temporary permit.

In a statement, N4EJ said, “Although our organization and community was organizing in preparation for this hearing for months, we understand the necessity of canceling the hearing due to the public health crisis, and we always support actions that are taken to protect the health of our community”

Anthony Moser, N4EJ board member, said governmental actions to contain the coronavirus have “shown what we are capable of when we are serious about protecting public health. The coronavirus has mostly amplified the dynamics. If you can close a school, you can close an asphalt plant.”

Linking coronavirus and alleged public health dangers from industry, a number of local elected officials, health care experts, and an environmental group representative sent or endorsed letters to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Governor JB Pritzker.

Citing the the U.S. EPA’s March 26 decision to suspend the nation’s pollution regulation infrastructure, the letter noted, “Your leadership the past several weeks has ensured that the State of Illinois is doing everything in its power to stop the spread of COVID-19.” The letter also noted, “We urge you to use your executive powers for our respiratory health and that of our residents as we fight to survive this pandemic with our families unbroken.”

Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward), State Senator Tony Munoz (1st District), and State Rep. Theresa Mah (2nd District) endorsed the letters, which alleged pollution by several companies in the city.

“Yes, MAT Asphalt is one of those,” said Sigcho-Lopez, “We should not be waiting to address this. We have so many people in our area suffering from asthma and other issues.”

He said, as of mid-April, the mayor and governor have not responded to the letter.

“I know they have a lot of issues they are dealing with,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “We hope they can address this soon.”

Munoz said coronavirus “has underscored the issues with unregulated pollution,” noting the effect on a neighborhood’s quality of life.

Mah said she supports residents opposing MAT Asphalt as well as the broader issues in the letters.

“I firmly stand with the neighbors and had planned to be at the March 23 meeting,” Mah said. “Then everything else happened. I’m really concerned about MAT Asphalt. I live in McKinley Park, and I have an office there.”

MAT Asphalt owner Michael Tadin Jr. said he looks forward to a public hearing.

“I really wanted the meeting to take place,” he said. “I wanted the opportunity to show that we are complying with the EPA standards.”

Tadin said his plant is operating well within legal environmental standards and with new technology far below similar, older plants in the region.

“I want everybody to be healthy,” he said. “We need to get rid of COVID-19 and get the economy running.”

N4EJ’s Moser said, “We don’t want the economy to open without solving this. What good is economic recovery if it shortens your lifespan?”

For the Illinois EPA, log on to www.epa.illinois.gov or call (217) 782-3397. To contact MAT Asphalt, call (773) 577-7000 or log on to www.matasphalt.com. For N4EJ, visit www.n4ej.org.

Whitney Young names athletic complex for Michelle Obama

By Ivette Sandoval

Whitney M. Young Magnet High School named its new athletic complex for alumna and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Last year, before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Obama had been touring the country to promote her memoir, Becoming, and one of the stops here in Chicago was her alma mater, Whitney Young. She visited the school on two occasions, the first to a larger crowd and the second to speak to 20 female students. Whitney Young’s principal, Joyce Kenner, took the latter opportunity to share the news with Obama that the school administrators would name their new athletic complex in her honor.

Artificial turf fields will allow year-round outdoor use at the Michelle Obama Athletic Complex at Whitney Young Magnet High School.

Michelle Obama’s sculpted arms were the envy of many when she was in the White House, and with her athletic build she motivated many to get fit, including children, through her “Let’s Move!” national fitness campaign to help fight childhood obesity. Even though Obama did not participate in any sports at Whitney Young, Kenner thought that, because fitness was such an important issue for Obama, naming the athletic complex for her would be a fitting tribute.

“After the conversation with the 20 young ladies, I told her that we would love to name our new athletic complex after her, and she just smiled,” said Kenner. “She seemed so humbled and so honored that we would even think about doing something like that.”

Construction of the athletic complex cost $4.3 million. The complex includes artificial turf baseball and football fields, a track, fencing, gates, bleachers, and new lighting and scoreboards. Kenner said the school’s football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and track and field teams will use the complex.

The athletic complex also will welcome the community to use its amenities.

“I think it’s great that this facility will be open to the community to use because I live just a few blocks away and have children that will benefit from having this much needed green space,” said Armando Chacon, real estate professional, West Loop resident, and president of the West Central Association.

He is excited about the new athletic complex, as he feels this was a “long overdue” project and a boost for Whiney Young’s sports teams.

“It’s more than fitting to be named after Michelle Obama since she is an alumna, and she’s not only adored by the community but is one of Whitney’s great success stories,” Chacon said. 

Michelle Obama always loved fitness. “She is very physically fit, and prior to becoming first lady, she used to work out at the same gym as my husband, and he would tell me stories about her carrying kids up the stairs on her shoulders,” said Kenner, adding that motivating others to work out and eat a healthful diet was a priority to Obama when she was first lady.

Obama graduated from the school in 1981.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds were used to pay for the project, according to the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.

For more information, call Whitney Young at (773) 534-7500.

Related Midwest unveils Phase One of The 78, addresses Roosevelt Square delay

By Eva Hofmann

Related Midwest, developer of mixed-use properties, recently revealed plans for Phase One of The 78, a new riverfront neighborhood on 62 acres that have been vacant for nearly 100 years. 

“Our vision for The 78 is to create Chicago’s next great neighborhood,” said Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest.

Graphics courtesy Related Midwest
The 78 will feature a community forum area to give the 62 acre development a neighborhood feel. Plans also include an innovation and research center.

Planned with Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, “The 78” refers to Chicago’s existing 77 neighborhoods, with the mega-development increasing that number by one. The area is bordered by Roosevelt Road to the north, Clark Street to the east, 16th Street to the south, and the South Branch of the Chicago River to the west. 

Discovery Partners Institute

As part of Phase One, Related Midwest has donated land to the University of Illinois System’s Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) to build an innovation and research center at The 78. 

DPI is designed to cultivate and retain new-economy talent, expand the diversity of Chicago’s tech workforce, and boost research and development activity. DPI’s 500,000 square-foot headquarters includes classroom and lab space for thousands of teachers and students. Related Midwest expects the DPI facility will attract some 2,000 national and international student scholars annually. 

“DPI’s decision to anchor in Chicago is a vote of confidence in the talent of our people and strength of our diverse, local economy,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot.  “We look forward to collaborating with them on our shared goals of developing inclusive, long-term economic growth through an array of investments that will create jobs, start companies, and help shape the future of our city.”

DPI, which is part of the Illinois Innovation Network, plans to begin construction in the next 12 months. 

Construction already is underway at The 78 on the Wells-Wentworth Connector, the project’s main thoroughfare that will become a pedestrian-friendly streetscape with protected bike lanes linking the Loop to Chinatown. Other Phase 1 infrastructure improvements include: construction of LaSalle and 15th Streets through the site; renovation of Clark Street; relocation and enclosure of Metra tracks; and reconstruction of the Chicago River seawall.

Phase 1 will bring some 2.8 million square feet of commercial space to the northern half of the site. This includes DPI, 1.5 million square feet of office space, and 700,000 square feet of residential, which includes a 20% affordable commitment. Also planned are 100,000 square feet of fitness, retail, hospitality, and restaurant space. This will be interwoven around what will eventually become 12 acres of public green and open space.

Phase 1 is targeted for completion in 2024, and will create approximately 9,500 trade, construction, and professional services jobs and be home to 9,000 permanent jobs. Related Midwest said it will also contribute $25 million into the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund. The City allows contributions to the fund as an alternative to developers meeting affordable housing requirements in new developments.

Future phases will add another ten million square feet of commercial and residential space and a new CTA Red Line station within the development’s boundaries, rather than at the southeast corner of 15th and Clark Streets (a location to which South Loop residents had objected).

Community seeks direct benefit 

The 78 is housed in the 25th Ward, and residents are troubled by the project’s being proposed and approved without community input.  To address neighborhood concerns, Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez has assembled a community advisory council to oversee the mega development. “This group will help shape the project in a way that is beneficial to our neighbors and to Chicago,” he said. 

The alderman cited the languishing Roosevelt Square project, another Related Midwest development. Roosevelt Square is a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) project, and Mayor Lightfoot recently appointed Tracey Scott as the agency’s CEO.

“Now that they have a new CEO, we have to have a conversation with CHA about the pending units that have not been built,” said Sigcho-Lopez. “There is a huge need for affordable housing.”

What’s going on with Roosevelt Square?

The Roosevelt Square development is housed in the 28th Ward. Alderman Jason Ervin could not be reached for comment despite multiple attempts to do so.

“At our last neighborhood meeting, our Roosevelt Square concerns about the lack of this project being implemented and relayed to our community was directed towards Alderman Ervin for the umpteenth time,” said Joseph Esposito, president of the Little Italy Chicago Neighborhood Association (LICNA). “He assured us that he was in agreement and on our side with these concerns and that basically, the lack of progress is a financial problem that exists for CHA. 

“I cannot speak for everyone but many of us feel as though CHA should sell the land to a private builder who has the funding to move forward with a united plan that the City, CHA, and local community—Little Italy—can agree upon,” said Esposito. “At this point the lack of progress that was promised to us many, many years ago is having a huge negative impact on our local businesses that are closing down in recent times at a rapid pace. For such a wonderful centrally located neighborhood with awesome residents, this is probably the most ignorant and disrespectful lack of concern, which can easily be rectified.” 

In October 2019, Related Midwest submitted an application to the City of Chicago for financing for the next phase of mixed-income development at Roosevelt Square. Recently, Chicago’s Department of Housing (DOH) announced 11 projects selected under the City’s improved Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). The 2019 QAP was designed to help developers apply for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Each year, the City of Chicago receives an allocation of federal LIHTC to create affordable rental housing. Among the selected projects are one Roosevelt Square development property, Roosevelt Square 3B, 1201 W. Taylor St. 

According to a spokesperson for Related Midwest, the firm, in partnership with CHA, has developed 664 homes – mixed between rental and for-sale – as well as 40,000 square feet of commercial space and over two miles of new streets at Roosevelt Square.  “Last year, we completed the Taylor Street Apartments and Little Italy Branch Library, bringing a total of 73 apartments, including 37 CHA units, 29 affordable units, and seven market-rate units which are 100% leased and occupied,” the spokesperson said. 

For more information on The 78 and Roosevelt Square, go to https://www.78chicago.com or http://www.relatedmidwest.com. To contact Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, go to https://www.25thward.org.

Coronavirus shows need to ‘Lift the Ban,’ says coalition

By Claire Cowley

Community leaders urged Governor JB Pritzker to lift the State ban on rent control and to declare a rent and mortgage holiday, providing relief for many households during quarantine and for three months after. 

The Lift the Ban Coalition wants the governor to use his executive power to repeal the 1997 Rent Control Preemption Act, which outlaws local rent control regulations.

Jawanza Malone, a coalition organizer, said this crisis revealed this State law never should have existed in the first place.

“When you look at the fact City leaders are unable to help their residents through canceling rent or mortgage, and the only reason they can’t do it is because this law exists” shows it “is completely irresponsible,” Malone said. 

Malone also said that, had the act been repealed, City leaders would be more able to respond more nimbly to the current crisis.

“We have this multi-layer process people have to go through to just get relief…people who need it desperately,” Malone said. 

The governor announced that the State has received 513,000 unemployment claims since the beginning of March, which is more than the entire years of 2018 and 2019, Malone noted. 

Regarding the governor, when asked by reporters how he was going to help people saddled with rent costs they cannot pay, Malone said, “His response was he can’t do anything about it. The implication is he would love to do something about it if he could, but he can’t…so he won’t.”

Malone said the governor can in fact do something, should do something, and the community needs it right now.

“We are in an unprecedented time where you have national trade publications saying a third of renters did not pay April rent,” Malone said.

Malone mentioned reports of landlords putting people’s belongings out on the street.

“How can someone of good conscience evict someone from their home when a virtual murderer,” the coronavirus (COVID-19), “is in the street killing people at random,” Malone said.

Renters threatened 

Jonathon Raffensperger, the supervising attorney at the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH), said his organization has worked with applicants who lost their income, received termination notices, and have even received threats.

“Even though the courts are not currently hearing eviction cases, there’s no law in place preventing landlords from filing cases,” Raffensperger said.

The LCBH favors lifting the statewide ban on local control of rent regulation so local government has the ability to keep renters and homeowners housed, Raffensperger said.   

Regarding eviction and foreclosure moratoria in place with Cook County courts, he said they are valuable steps to prevent immediate loss of housing but are “only a Band-Aid.”

Only rent and mortgage forgiveness will allow residents to regain financial footing after they go back to work, Raffensperger said.

Adriann Murawski, a representative and government affairs director for the Chicago Association of Realtors, said mortgage forgiveness is not likely to happen.

Mortgage forbearance, an agreement made when a borrower has difficulty meeting payments, may occur when a property owner has to work out possible delays in payment with his or her mortgage servicer, Murawski said. 

“If this occurs the property owner still has to cover the cost or it will be tacked on later—the costs do not go away,” Murawski said. “I think there are ways to accommodate different scenarios on a case by case basis.”

Murawski said she has received messages regarding what her association can do about landlords who apply for the same benefits as tenants, putting landlords and tenants in the same boat. She believes any approach must consider all parts of the spectrum and will require continued communication.

Landlords must pay to meet various requirements and keep up their property but are taking a reduced rate based on what a tenant might be able to pay, Murawski noted. 

Her organization recommends working out an agreement between landlords and tenants to make sure no one gets put out. 

“Any attempt to skip payment does much more harm than the intention,” Murawski said. “It has an impact on the economy.”

She noted programs such as rental assistance can help people in need.

“Rent control is not the solution,” Murawski said. “We need a conversation prioritized to strengthen programs.”

City assistance

Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez of the 25th Ward, who is treasurer for the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus, said the City’s rental assistance counts for very little, given the need.

“We are at the beginning of a great recession, and the State government should provide a safety net for families, create a demystified culture, and take action for constituents in each municipality,”
Lopez said. 

The Latino Caucus is requesting emergency measures such as a pro-perty tax extension, incentives, and legislation for renters and homeowners alike, Sigcho-Lopez said. 

“I do hope Chicagoans understand we need to look at the big picture,” he noted. “This is a time to lift our city, shoulder to shoulder.”

The complexity of seeking action from a legislative body unable to meet due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) has created the potential for legal challenges, he said.

For the Chicago Association of Realtors, call (312) 515-3639 or log on to https://chicagorealtor.com/. For more on the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing, call (312) 347-7600 or log on to www.lcbh.org/. The Lift the Ban Coalition can be reached at (312) 805-4326 or www.ltbcoalition.org/. For Sigcho-Lopez and the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus, call (773) 523-4100 or log on to www.25thward.org/ or www.ccclatinocaucus.org.

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