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Archives for June 2020

Updates to One Central proposal lay dormant; Landmark gets extension for RRIF application

By Peter L. Winslow

Developers for One Central, a multibillion-dollar real estate venture proposed for the South Loop, still have their hearts set on a 34-acre site adjacent to McCormick Place, and they have received an extension for a Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan application.

Their proposal details a massive mixed-used complex comprising housing, highrise office space, entertainment venues, and a transit center to repurpose the 18th Street Metra railyard. Landmark Development has owned the air rights above the Metra tracks since 1989.

Courtesy SLCC
One Central’s FAR (floor area ratio) vastly exceeds City standards, according to
the members of the South Loop Concerned Coalition (SLCC).

Without presenting a bill to the Illinois General Assembly, lawmakers last spring authorized a backdoor route to promise public funding to the private venture. This public subsidy hinges on Landmark’s ability to secure a federal loan from the Department of Transportation’s RRIF program as well as approval by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago City Council. Planners estimate project construction will take 15 years and cost nearly $20 billion.

The original RRIF program deadline arrived Dec. 31 of last year, but the Federal government granted a nine-month extension, giving applicants until Sept. 30 to submit applications. This extension gives Landmark wiggle room to work with the City, address concerns, and factor in possible coronavirus (COVID-19) implications. A spokesperson for Landmark stated, however, the firm has no further advancements to share at this time. 

If the developers obtain these Federal funds, they can use them to construct what Landmark terms the “civic build,” which would contain the transportation facilities and project portions expected to yield sales taxes, such as restaurants, entertainment, shops, and other amenities; workers would build these features on a platform covering the railyard. Developers also may use Federal railroad loans to fund real estate development, not exclusively transportation infrastructure.

In turn, the State will use sales tax revenue from the amenities to buy the transit hub from Landmark, which will own and manage the “private build”— the residential and commercial office space. 

The transit center forms an integral feature in this proposal’s complex financing, but developers have had only preliminary discussions with transit providers such as the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and Amtrak. They have not given the City of Chicago any updates since the initial proposal presented in 2019. 

At the time State Representative Kambium Buckner (D-26th) noted neither Metra, the Regional Transportation Authority, nor the CTA has expressed a need for the transit hub. Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward) voiced concern about new transit’s “sound and physical impacts to affected residents,” whom she did not want “impacted by another train line in the area.”

The SLCC suggests an alternate plan that would include viewing corridors, pedestrian lake access, and a terraced greenway. 

Lightfoot, Dowell concerned

Lightfoot and Dowell have raised concerns as well as their desire for robust community engagement and for the City to institute a thorough vetting process.

The South Loop Concerned Coalition (SLCC), a non-profit organization comprising of 18 homeowner associations and thousands of area residents, continues to monitor One Central’s development and advocate for a more transparent evaluative process. 

“The developer has been off the radar,” said Jeffery Key, SLCC vice president. “We know they missed that [RRIF] deadline and don’t know why they missed it. We can’t get any direct information from them. We will continue to work for the community, to protect the community, and to provide transparency with what’s going on in this development.”

The development would carry zoning designations PD499, PD331, and PD883, but it drastically exceeds Chicago’s floor area ratio (FAR), as defined by the Department of Planning and Development. FAR measures the mathematical relationship between a building’s total square footage and the land area upon which it stands.

If Landmark “went with the existing FAR” rather than continuing efforts to change it to allow more density, “and did a development over those tracks…it’s not horrible for the neighborhood,” said Key.

Alternate plan 

The SLCC has suggested an alternate plan in which the development would meet existing FAR requirements; include viewing corridors, maintain east views for existing highrises; maintain pedestrian access to Lake Michigan; include a terraced greenway; and maintain the existing Mark Twain park and connect it to the greenway.

Many consider the 18th Street railyard a blemish along the developed lakefront, but until more details come to light and the City conducts evaluations, neighbors remain concerned about the megadevelopment. 

Questions percolate about the project’s feasibility the impact construction would have on the surrounding area. Some 3rd Ward constituents feel apprehensive about building height, the potential for noise pollution and traffic congestion, and whether a real need exists for a transit center in this section of the city.

Public transit controversial

Demand for public transit expansion remains a controversial topic, but such expansion could benefit South Side commuters. If Landmark and the City reach an agreement, it could be a step toward boosting access for South Side communities underserved by transit. 

Despite multiple inquiries, Gazette Chicago could not reach the CTA, the Department of Planning and Development, Mayor Lightfoot’s office, or Ald. Dowell for comment.

To contact the Department of Planning and Development, call (312) 744-3653; to reach Ald. Dowell, contact (773) 373-9273; for Landmark, log on to www.landmarkcompany.com or email info@landmarkcompany.com; and to contact Mayor Lightfoot’s press office, email press@cityofchicago.org.

Cannabis business to move away from Haymarket

By Claire Cowley

A cannabis business is considering opening at a different West Loop location after facing objections from a rehabilitation center nearby its first choice. 

NuMed Chicago originally proposed a cannabis dispensary at 935 W. Randolph St., located on the same block as the Haymarket Rehabilitation Center. 

Photo courtesy Urban Matter
Cannabis sales now are legal in Illinois, but some object to cannabis dispensaries being located near rehabilitation facilities.

Dan Lustig, president and CEO of Haymarket, objected to the dispensary’s proximity to the center’s entrance, citing concerns it could threaten patient recovery.

Rolando Acosta, an attorney for NuMed, said the company understood the concern and decided to bypass further debate by changing locations.

NuMed now wants to open at 1141 W. Randolph St., a location more distant from Haymarket.

Acosta said NuMed disagrees with Haymarket’s position on the business causing substance abuse patients to relapse.

“Haymarket is primarily an opiate rehabilitation center, and cannabis has been known as a possible treatment for opiates,” Acosta said. “There is no strong evidence cannabis causes addiction leading to rehab.” 

Acosta said that, from a medical perspective, the State keeps a list of conditions for which cannabis can be helpful such as stress, sleep epilepsy, and arthritis.

“For recreational purposes, it is purely another substance people can use for their enjoyment,” Acosta said. 

Jim Scarpace is executive director of the Gateway Foundation, a drug and alcohol treatment center located near where NuMed operates another facility in Aurora, IL. He said cannabis dispensaries are going to pop up, and some dispensary locations will be detrimental for some people and not for others in the community.

“They’re going to see it as another opportunity to use it recreationally, not switch to other substances and not put themselves at risk,” Scarpace said.

‘High risk situation’

Scarpace said that, for other people in the population, the more dispensaries there are, the harder it will be for those with a substance abuse disorder to stay in recovery. This situation will create high risk for those on their way to treatment, he added. 

“When you see that weed dispensary, and you’re struggling with a cannabis abuse disorder (or any substance abuse disorder for that matter), that’s a trigger for you,” he explained. “It reminds you of what it’s like to be high.”

Temptation hard to avoid

Scarpace said cannabis’s availability activates those pathways in one’s brain previously supporting addiction, making temptation hard to avoid—especially if it is so close to a treatment facility. 

“I think moving a dispensary from a treatment center area would be beneficial to patients who need help,” he said. “I think safety precautions are important.”

Scarpace noted the State of Illinois has tried diligently to keep THC, the chemical in marijuana that can cause addiction, at a measurable amount within cannabis products.

“I think how much THC that can be in the marijuana that dispensaries sell, in terms of potency, is happening,” he said. “But just because something like marijuana is legal doesn’t mean it is safe.”

When lawmakers were drafting legislation to legalize adult-use marijuana, Pamela Althoff, executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, said the State already had a thriving illegal cannabis market. Althoff and her organization argued that, because dealers sold cannabis illegally and no one really knew what they were buying, the State should consider legalization along with potential tax revenue and product safety.

Althoff said she could not say whether it was a good idea for NuMed to find another location more distant from Haymarket but believes government should be involved.

“My advice would be for any individual or organization interested in gaining access to cannabis business is to ensure they’ve talked to local government authority before making an investment of property,” Althoff said. 

She noted numerous restrictions determine where cannabis sites can operate, including local zoning and ordinances.

“There are still, in many areas of Illinois, an attitude of opposition to cannabis,” Althoff said. “The weed industry is still grappling with the belief of cannabis being a gateway drug to harder types of illicit substances.”

Communities must accept

Althoff stressed the importance of locating cannabis businesses within accepting communities. She said her association would never demand local residents and businesses accept a dispensary in an area where people were very vocal about not wanting it there.

NuMed held a virtual meeting in early May; about 40 people attended to hear questions from the community about the company’s new location. 

“The only concerns we heard were really from the proposed restaurant next door because it’s not open yet,” Acosta said. 

Chef Federico Comacchio, who plans to open Gioia Ristorante + Pastifico at 1133 W. Randolph St, voiced concern about long lines affecting his proposed outdoor sitting area.  

“We advised that we don’t anticipate lines outside the door,” Acosta said. “We have a separate room, parking lot, and onsite security where we can hold overflow individuals.”

Dialogue important

Acosta said dialogue is important because many times the dispensary management can address and accommodate concerns easily, eliminating objections. 

“If anyone wants to have another meeting, certainly we’ll have one,” Acosta said. 

If NuMed opens, the Randolph Street dispensary will be the company’s second Chicago location, as it currently owns a dispensary at 1308 W. North Ave.

Haymarket’s Lustig and the local alderman, Walter Burnett, could not be reached for comment.

To reach Acosta, call (312) 636-6937. For the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, see the group’s new website at www.cbail.org/about-cannabiz-il/ or call (815) 482-4567. For the Gateway Foundation, log on to www.gatewayfoundation.org. To reach Haymarket Center, call (312) 226-7984 or log on to www.hcenter.org. For NuMed Chicago, log on to https://numed.com/menu/.

Advocacy groups square off regarding Fair Tax amendment

By Andrew Adams

Illinois voters will have the chance to make fundamental changes to the State’s tax code this November.

The Nov. 3 ballot will include a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution to allow for a graduated State income tax, commonly called the Illinois Fair Tax. 

Courtesy Shriver Center on Poverty Law 
A broad coalition of advocacy groups favor the Fair Tax, and polls show it has struck a positive chord with Illinois voters.

This vote on the Illinois Fair Tax amendment and its associated new tax structure comes after more than a decade of debate surrounding the issue. Representative Naomi Jakobsson, a Democrat from Urbana, formally proposed it in 2013, but the House Revenue Committee of the Illinois General Assembly rejected it. In May 2019, both the Illinois House and Senate passed a constitutional amendment, pending approval from Illinois voters, alongside a bill laying out the new tax structure. 

The reform would implement a tax bracket system, similar in structure to that of 32 other states and the Federal government. According to the bill passed by the House and Senate, the tax proposal has six brackets: 4.75% on taxable income from $1 to $10,000, 4.9% on income from $10,001 to $100,000; 4.95% on income from $100,001 to $250,000, 7.75% on income from $250,001 to $500,000, 7.85% on income from $500,001 to $1 million, and 7.99% on income exceeding $1,000,000. 

Jake Lewis, a spokesman for the nonpartisan Vote Yes for Fair Tax coalition, said the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic makes this new tax structure more important than ever. Vote Yes for Fair Tax, which consists of more than 40 labor organizations, unions, and grassroots advocacy groups, includes the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31; Illinois American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations; People’s Lobby; ONE Northside; and Shriver Center on Poverty Law. 

In advocating for the Fair Tax amendment, Lewis cited disparity between taxes paid by the richest Illinois residents and the poorest and characterized the current tax structure as “regressive” because poorer citizens pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than richer citizens. 

‘Pandemic makes it clear’

The ongoing coronavirus situation provides another reason to support the amendment, Lewis said, noting, “I think the pandemic makes it clear that, now more than ever, workers need relief.” 

Amendment supporters include prominent Democratic leaders in State government such as Governor JB Pritzker, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael Madigan, and President of the Illinois Senate Don Harmon.

Pritzker ran his gubernatorial campaign in part on his promise to implement a graduated income tax. 

Amendment opponents include the conservative think tank Tax Foundation. Jared Walczak, the group’s director of State tax policy, published a report criticizing several components of the broad tax reforms that Democrats favor. 

Proposed reforms do not include “inflation indexing,” Walczak said. He believes that omission could increase “the taxpayer’s liability as a greater share of their income is taxed even if that income has not increased in real terms, since bracket kick-in thresholds are fixed,” according to the report. In other words, without including an adjustment for inflation over time, as the amount of money taxpayers make increases with inflation, the State may tax them at a higher rate even if their income’s purchasing power has not increased.

Walczak also oversees his organization’s State Business Tax Climate Index, which measures a state’s tax code’s friendliness to business operations. If Illinois implements the Fair Tax plan fully, Walczak projects Illinois would drop in the state rankings from 36th to 48th, or near the bottom in terms of business friendliness. Walczak believes this potential drop represents a significant risk to Illinois’s economy and that the ranking measures “something real and economically meaningful—the competitiveness, or lack thereof, of the State’s overall tax structure.”

Courtesy Senator Laura Murphy
Most states have a tax structure similar to the Fair Tax. Illinois is one of only nine states with a flat income tax, which Fair Tax proponents say is a regressive tax.

Alternate conservative plan lowers pensions

In February, the libertarian/conservative think tank Illinois Policy published an alternate scheme to balance the Illinois budget, addressing some of the “failures” they see in the Fair Tax plan. Illinois Policy’s Illinois Forward plan includes provisions to lower “future, not-yet-earned” pensions to what the organization claims is a more sustainable level, adjusting which agencies have responsibility for paying future pensions, and reducing administrative staff in K-12 schools. The proposal claims these three policy shifts could save the State $21.2 billion.

All three of the most well funded ballot committees currently active in Illinois support the amendment, with more than $5 million in funds currently available, according to campaign disclosures. These are Vote Yes for Fairness (which is associated with Pritzker’s campaign for the governorship), Vote Yes for Fair Tax (a coalition of labor organizations), and Vote Yes to a Financially Responsible Illinois (which is associated with the American Association of Retired Persons). 

Polls show support

Most people in Illinois support a graduated income tax, according to polling. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University reported in March 2019 that 67% support the new tax structure. In September 2019, the University of Illinois Springfield Survey Research Office also reported 67% support. Lewis, spokesman for Vote Yes for Fair Tax, said he is confident of support from the people of Illinois.

Proponents estimate 97% of Illinois taxpayers will see their annual income tax go down under the new Fair Tax.

Another organization, Vote Yes for Fairness, elaborated in a statement: “Illinois’ current tax system is fundamentally unfair, disproportionately burdening our middle- and lower-income families while creating income inequality in our State. Under the current system, which taxes everyone at the same rate regardless of income, the top 1% of Illinoisans only have to pay approximately 7% of their income in State and local taxes. In contrast, middle and lower income families are forced to pay nearly double—around 13% of their income in State and local taxes. The Fair Tax will help lift the burden off our working families, while finally forcing the wealthiest residents to pay their share.”

To see how the amendment could affect you, the Office of the Governor has released an online tool that estimates your income tax under the new system. It is available at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/fairtax. 

To reach Vote Yes for Fair Tax, log on to www.yesforfairtax.org/ or email info@yesforfairtax.org. For Vote Yes for Fairness, log on to voteyesforfairness.com. For the Tax Foundation, visit https://taxfoundation.org/ or call (202) 464-6200. For Illinois Policy, visit www.illinoispolicy.org/ or call (312) 346-5700.

City okays Ramova rehab, fights drag racing problem

By Patrick Butler

The Chicago City Council recently approved a plan to resurrect the historic, long vacant Ramova Theater as part of a $22.9 million entertainment and dining complex. Developer One Revival Chicago LLC is planning a theater, restaurant, and brewpub in three buildings on the 3500 block of South Halsted Street.

During a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the approval “an exciting step forward for the Bridgeport community and the entire cultural life of our city.” The Ramova Theater once again will become “the beating heart of Bridgeport as it helps fuel the local economy and write a new chapter of the history of the South Side,” she noted.

The Ramova Theater will once again become “the beating heart of Bridgeport as it helps fuel the local economy and write a new chapter of the history of the South Side,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

The developers expect the project to take several months.

The 90-year-old historic buildings “will receive $6.64 million in tax increment financing to be provided on the project’s completion,” said Ald. Patrick Thompson (11th), who has worked to revive the Ramova for several years. The theatre closed to the public in April 1985 when it showed its last movie, Police Academy 2.

The City bought the Ramova building in 2001 for $285,000 and is turning over the property and the adjacent lot (valued at $765,000) to developer One Revival Chicago LLC at a cost of $1, Thompson said. The developer, in turn, will repay $100,000 in interest to the City over the first three years, with the City forgiving the principal and remaining interest after ten years, provided One Revival meets all annual compliance requirements.

The project also will include a new 5,000 square foot brewery and 4,000 square foot restaurant in an adjoining building, creating 80 permanent and about 111 temporary construction jobs, Thompson said.

Kevin Hickey, founder of the Duck Inn, a local eatery at 2701 N. Eleanor St. will lead the restaurant turnaround.

The 91-year-old single-screen theater, designed by then-prominent architect Meyer O. Nathan, features a Spanish revival style and resembles a starlit courtyard. The Ramova opened with a showing of The Desert Song and in 1940 hosted the Chicago premiere of Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator,an unflattering satire of Adolf Hitler; some historians believe movie executives may have been screened the film in the Ramova’s neighborhood location instead of downtown because the controversial leader still had American supporters in Chicago in the months before the United States’ entry into World War II.

Thompson noted that, during his last visit to the Ramova in the late 1970s, he saw Grease.

Those leading neighborhood efforts to save the local landmark include Maureen Sullivan, whose Save the Ramova organization started an online petition drive, and Ald. James Balcer, Thompson’s predecessor. Preservation Chicago also joined the battle.

Drag racing problems

In other local news, drag racing and rumbles have become enough of a concern in usually quiet Bridgeport that police are stepping up focus on areas such as Racine Avenue between 35th and 39th Streets and Morgan between 35th and 37th, according to Thompson.

“It’s an issue that’s getting special attention from the police, and not for the first time,” Thompson added, noting the City considered a traffic study last year to see if such areas need traffic lights, but nothing has happened yet. The City also installed cameras along Racine between 37th and 38th Streets and deployed additional officers to the area at night, he said.

Thompson added the neighborhood became particularly noisy when a number of revelers may have been celebrating Cinco de Mayo and Polish Constitution Day into the wee hours.

Officials in other neighborhoods also are seeing more reports of increased drag racing. A North Side resident said he witnessed drag racing in the area around Wright City College several evenings in early May.

For Thompson, log on to www.ward11.org or call (773) 254-6677. To inform police about drag racing, call (312) 747-8227.

Immigrants’ health, safety, survival concerns during coronavirus pandemic include basic needs

By Bonnie Jean Adams

Immigrants and their families are vital to Illinois, and they face increased challenges during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

One in seven Illinois residents is an immigrant, while one in eight is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent, according to the American Immigration Council. More than a quarter million U.S. citizens in Illinois live with at least one family member who is undocumented. More than 20% of all business owners in the Chicago metropolitan area are immigrants. 

Photo courtesy American Immigration Council
Immigrants’ contributions to the U.S. labor force and economy are well documented, and many immigrants’ jobs continue to expose them to the public during the coronavirus pandemic. 

A 2020 report by the Center for Migration Studieseffectively documented immigrants’ contributions to the U.S. labor force and economy. In Illinois, 19.2% of the foreign born work in what the report described as “essential critical infrastructure” jobs, defined as being so vital to the U.S. that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, the national economy, national public health, or safety. Many immigrants’ jobs are on the front line during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Jessica L. Boland, director of behavioral health services at Esperanza Health Centers and a licensed clinical social worker,explained that “Immigrant families are significantly impacted. Many of them work in jobs that do not care for their employees’ health needs, such as in factories, and as they are desperate for income to support their families, most do not have the privilege of staying at home, or else risk not paying the bills or having food to put on the table. 

“Far too often, we hear that our patients are at work, even while waiting for the results of their COVID-19 test—and with a 53% positive test rate, that means exposure risks continue to stay sky high,” Boland noted. “Sadly, these families do not qualify for Federal stimulus checks, and there are very limited resources available among the social service organizations trying to help.”

Essential services

“I am aware, particularly in times like these, of how much we rely on our immigrant community to provide essential services and how much they are underappreciated,” said Peter Zigterman, director of family services at World Relief Chicago, an organization that helps immigrants navigate paperwork and provides food and rental assistance. “Only when we begin to realize how important those jobs in agriculture, industry, manufacturing, and health care are to our own survival do we begin to realize immigrants’ contribution. On a policy level, on a personal level, this needs to change.” 

Despite making up less than a third of Chicago’s population, Latinos now account for 42% of all positive coronavirus cases in the city. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said her administration is focused on curbing the virus’s spread in neighborhoods recording the biggest spikes such as Little Village and other communities with large Latino populations. Community health centers such as Esperanza, which are open to everyone (including undocumented immigrants), are crucial to this goal. 

Boland noted, “The City is increasing its testing capacity—along with other health centers on the South and Southwest Sides—which means we are getting a better scope of the virus’s spread. At the onset of the pandemic, we were one of the only non-hospitals offering testing. We have been able to ramp up those efforts and are now testing 150-plus patients per day, seven days per week. We need to continue testing as much as possible and need large-scale community outreach and education efforts—especially among the businesses in these communities.” 

Lightfoot said she intends to work with local agencies trusted within the community. Boland agreed about this effort’s importance. “There is a sense of distrust and confusion around what seeking care means, or does not mean,” she said. “For example, we hear from some families that they do not want to get tested for fear of having a positive result reported to the government. Others do not want to risk getting care for fear of jeopardizing their legal immigration chances, due to the public charge rules handed down earlier from the current Federal administration.” Immigrants whom the Federal government deems may become a “public charge” may be denied visas or citizenship. 

“Many are quite reluctant or outright refuse going to the hospital for treatment when they are seriously ill, as they believe that the hospital equals a death sentence, and no one wants to die alone, away from their family,” Boland added.

Photo courtesy Third Coast
Immigrant and refugee rights supporters marching before stay-at-home directives. During the pandemic, immigrants and refugees are under even more stress.

‘Always in fear’

Immigration attorney Susan Fortino-Brown confirmed that “The undocumented are always in fear. Many have family-based businesses and fear ICE [Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement] raids. They fear for the health and safety of their loved ones currently in detention. With undocumented clients, there is no ability to get a green card. Undocumented immigrants cannot apply for a green card within U.S. borders. But if they leave the U.S. to return to their country, and apply at a U.S. consulate, they could be ineligible to return. Sometimes, the only chance to get a green card is to return to their home country and then apply, but it all takes time.”

“Everything that the City provides is available to all residents, regardless of immigration status,” stated Lightfoot at a recent town hall meeting. For those without transportation, without English language skills, and fearful of applying for aid because of how it could affect their status and their stay, however, professionals working with the immigrant community feel these words provide insufficient comfort and still no broadly implemented, workable solutions—which makes local efforts and solutions critical. 

“All we have is community,” said Elizeth, who requested her last name not be used. A resident of Little Village, she talked about Increase the Peace, a community organization of young leaders, who began a GoFundMe campaign for the Covid-19 Relief Fund for Street Vendors. The fund already has reached nearly the halfway point toward its $65,000 goal.

A Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient currently attending Dominican University, Elizeth said she realized she was fortunate but knows so many in her community who are not. Her mother is a street vendor who has a regular corner where she goes every day to sell homemade tamales. “People in the community help by buying, and we help by feeding them,” Elizeth said. “What is sad is when people we’ve known for years stop coming because of being sick or dying of the virus.”

From the age of ten, Arias, who also requested her last name not be used, remembered going out every day, walking the streets with her mom to sell homemade cakes and traditional breads. Also a DACA recipient, Arias is in her second year at Georgetown University but does not know if she will be able to return. With the stimulus check she received, Arias was able to buy food for her family of five and pay the rent. She does not know what will happen now and noted she might have to quit school and get a job. 

“You can just see the pain in my parents’ eyes,” she said. “There’s no type of assistance. They’re just trying to keep a roof over our heads—trying to make a living.” 

Workers without jobs must rely on savings, their families, or private charity to survive. Job loss affects not only individuals and their families but communities.  

“I believe that the universe and a higher source is giving us a chance to think about how we want to rebuild our world and our community,” Elizeth said. “This is a time to look within, to see what our values are, and to help each other to be better. We’re all living in uncertainty. Unfortunately, we’re used to it.”

Area immigrants face even greater hardships during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic situation.

“Federal relief has done little to nothing to help undocumented families in this country who are struggling to keep food on the table and to keep their families sheltered and healthy during this pandemic,” said Marie Newman, who won the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional district in March. “The disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on black and brown communities is stark in Illinois. In Chicago, 25% of COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the Latinx community and statewide 40% of all deaths have occurred in the black community. These stats underline the inequalities that have long existed in our healthcare system. As we emerge from this crisis, we must advocate for a universal system of care that we can trust will provide the highest quality of care possible to every single person in this country.”

The Unsheltered Chicago Coalition/COVID Rapid Response Team is working on ways to prevent or mitigate coronavirus outbreaks in shelters. The coalition includes such local health providers as Cook County Health, Heartland Alliance, Lawndale Christian Health Center, Rush University Medical Center, Salvation Army, and University of Illinois Health.

UI Health and Mile Square Health Center have opened evaluation and testing sites in South and West Side clinics to serve communities that have been hit hard by the pandemic. In Pilsen, the UI Health Pilsen Family Health Center Lower West, located at 1713 S. Ashland Ave., has been converted in to a COVID-19 evaluation and testing center. In South Shore and the Illinois Medical District, Mile Square clinics have also launched testing sites. At its main clinic, located at 1220 S Wood St., the testing is a drive-up site, so that people do not need to leave their cars for a test. In its South Shore clinic, located at 7037 S. Stony Island Ave., testing is open to all community members. All testing sites are by appointment only, to limit crowds and promote social distancing.

For the American Immigration Council, log on to www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org or call (202) 507-7500. For the Fortino-Brown law firm, log on to sfortinolaw.net or call (312) 341-9009. For the GoFundMe campaign for street vendors go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-relief-for-street-vendors. For the Center for Migration Studies, see www.cmsny.org or call (212) 337-3080. For Esperanza Health Centers, log on to www.esperanzachicago.org or call (773) 584-6200. Call UI Health at (866) 600-CARE. For the Unsheltered Chicago Coalition, go to https://twitter.com/CovidRRTChicago. For World Relief Chicago, visit www.worldrelief.org or call (773) 583-9191.

Police name new commanders for local 1st and 2nd districts

By Andrew Adams

Over the past few months, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) has announced several organizational reforms ranging from command staff changes to restructuring, reassigning, and “regionalizing” more than 1,000 detectives, according to the department. These reforms include new leadership in two local police districts. 

Commander Jake Alderden now leads the 1st (Central) District, and Commander Joshua Wallace heads the 2nd (Wentworth) District. Both started their new positions in mid-February. 

Michael Pigott previously led the 1st District; he won promotion to commander/executive officer of Area 3. Wallace takes over from Dion Boyd, who stepped up to commander/executive officer of Area 1. 

The 1st District holds the Loop, South Loop, and Near South communities. It is bounded by the Chicago River on the north, 31st Street on the south, the lake on the east, and I-90 (the Kennedy Expressway) for almost its entire western border. The 2nd District covers Bronzeville, Douglas, and Hyde Park. It is bounded by 31st Street on the north, 60th and 61st Streets on the south, the lake on the east, and I-90/1-94 (the Dan Ryan Expressway) on the west.

First District Police Commander Jake Alderden.

Meet the new commanders

Alderden has served with CPD since 2001, working as a tactical lieutenant and field lieutenant in the 1st District and a watch operations lieutenant in the 2nd District. He said these experiences will give him insight into his new role. “Having been able to have the background, you’re able to understand everyone’s role,” Alderden said.

Alderden has lived in the 1st District for many years. “It’s helped me to live down here to really understand,” he said. “I call this home.” Alderden has a bachelor’s degree in business from Calvin University. 

He was among the officers who responded to a mass shooting at Mercy Hospital in November 2018, which ended with four deaths, including one police officer. He and two other officers received honors from the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation to recognize their bravery in the situation. 

Second District Police Commander Joshua Wallace.

The 2nd District’s Wallace has worked with CPD since 1999, and he began working in policing 28 years ago in another locale. Wallace started with CPD as a patrolman. “It took me 12 years to become a supervisor,” he said. He has worked in the 6th District, Narcotics Division, and Summer Mobile Patrol Unit, a special unit deployed in summers to address seasonal changes in crime patterns. 

Wallace lives in the 2nd District. He has a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement management from Calumet College and is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command. 

According to the Invisible Institute’s Citizen’s Police Data Project database, Wallace has received 28 honorable mentions or awards, more than 80% of officers. Alderden has received 76 honors or awards, more than 93% of officers.

District plans moving forward 

The unique responsibilities of policing the 1st District include overseeing the city’s busy center. Alderden said two of his primary focuses are public safety surrounding large events and what he called “quality of life issues,” which includes “people loitering, drinking in the public way, and public urination.” 

Public events in the 1st District have gone down dramatically due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Alderden said the reduction “started with St. Patrick’s Day, and we haven’t had anything since.” Officials canceled the usual tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green and holding a large parade downtown. Nevertheless, Alderden and the 1st District officers continue preparing for large events later this year. “We’re working to make sure all the festivals” organizers and the City do not cancel “are safe,” he said.

The 2nd District also is preparing for summer, a busy time for Chicago police officers, according to Wallace. “When you take over a position like this, you want to hit the ground running,” he said, noting his overarching goal for the coming months is crime reduction. “You should be able to walk these streets without worry,” he said. 

Policing in the age of coronavirus 

Generally, a district commander oversees operations and officers within the district’s geographic area. Wallace describes the job as highly administrative, saying, “normally, we attend a lot of meetings…a lot of reading reports and addressing concerns.” Wallace added that recent responsibilities have “changed to more protecting the community with regards to the pandemic, protecting our officers with regards to the pandemic.” 

The evolving coronavirus pandemic has changed how police departments across the country operate. Wallace noted a shift he has seen. “I think it’s more educational,” he said. In the 2nd District, officers are “conducting daily checkpoints” to educate residents about the pandemic and relevant State and City orders, including the stay-at-home order. “It’s all about flattening the curve,” Wallace said. 

Alderden said he places “emphasis on officer safety.” In both districts, the CPD has issued officers personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves. According to Wallace, equipment includes N95 masks. Alderden’s experience has been surreal. “No one, at least in my circle, knew what an N95 was,” he noted. “I never would have ever believed it would be like this.” Police and cleaning personnel regularly decontaminate common surfaces such as light switches, radios, and patrol cars.

Wallace added he is focusing on trying to understand what will come after the pandemic, asking himself, “What is policing going to look like? Honestly, it’s hard to tell. You want to say, we’ll go back to business as usual, but I don’t know. We have to protect the community.” 

The 1st District police station is at 1718 S. State St. Call (312) 745-4290 The 2nd District police station is at 5101 S. Wentworth Ave. Call (312) 747-8366.

GBMA organizes to provide help during virus crisis

Greater Bridgeport Mutual Aid, a network of more than 150 volunteers, has organized to provide free grocery delivery, direct people to resources and information through a telephone hotline, provide digital enrichment for students during remote learning, and do neighbor support check-ins. 

The GBMA network serves residents in the Bridgeport, Chinatown, Armour Square, and Canaryville neighborhoods. Services are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

“While everyone has been affected by the pandemic, it’s clear that those who were more vulnerable or had fewer safety nets before the pandemic are being disproportionately affected,” said coordinator Jianan Shi. “We are a group of neighbors who want to show support and love to our neighbors.” 

Community members can request services on GBMA’s website or by calling or texting its hotline at (312) 818-1393. The hotline team counts 16 volunteer operators, who answer live calls and texts 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Another volunteer team delivers groceries and pharmacy items to area seniors and others with reduced mobility. Recipients can get up to $50 worth of food at no cost if they have financial need; GBMA asks all others to reimburse the volunteer at the time of delivery. Volunteers sanitize all products prior to contactless delivery.

GBMA also offers neighbor-to-neighbor support for those dealing with loneliness or anxiety or anyone desiring a regular check-in call. The digital enrichment effort provides supplemental educational and artistic opportunities for children during the remote learning period.

In addition, GBMA offers small-scale financial assistance of $200 per request for those experiencing financial hardship that prevents them from meeting basic needs.

To volunteer or request aid, visit www.gbmachicago.org to fill out a sign-up form. To learn more or contact GBMA, visit its social media pages at www.facebook.com/GBMAChicago and www.twitter.com/GBMAChicago or email info@gbmachicago.org. Donations of funds are welcome; to donate, email GBMA.

SNAP recipients may purchase food online

Starting June 2, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients can buy groceries online following adoption of new rules for the program pushed by State Representative Sonya Harper, D-6th.

“Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have pressed to allow families using SNAP to purchase their food online,” Harper said. “Residents are appropriately concerned about the risks of visiting the grocery store, and they should not be forced to put themselves potentially in harm’s way because they are on SNAP.”

SNAP recipients now can order food online, allowing them to stay safe at home while making sure their families are fed.

Harper helped lead the fight to expand purchasing options for SNAP users, and as co-chair of the Illinois House of Representatives’ bipartisan food accessibility working group encouraged the governor and State agencies to prioritize making online SNAP purchases a reality as quickly as possible. This advocacy led to a May 20 announcement by the governor and the Illinois Department of Human Services that the State has received Federal approval to enable 1.8 million SNAP recipients to buy food online from participating grocery retailers.

Walmart and Amazon are among the retailers agreeing to accept online orders in Illinois. Retailers interested in participating can learn more information and apply at www.fns.usda.gov/snap/online-purchasing-pilot.

“In the midst of this terrible economic situation, we have to proactively give families options to keep themselves fed and healthy,” Harper said. “I’m glad to see this commonsense approach has been adopted. Let’s continue to help families in need during this crisis.”

Contact Harper’s office at (773) 925-6580 or repsonyaharper@gmail.com.

St. Laurence hires Kristy Kane as new principal

St. Laurence High School has hired Kristy Kane as the school’s next principal. She will replace Jim Muting, who will retire as principal effective July 1, 2021. Kane and Muting will work alongside each other for the 2020-21 school year to allow a full year of transition. 

Kane, the third lay principal and first female principal in St. Laurence history, brings nearly 20 years of experience in education to St. Laurence—15 in a Catholic school environment, eight of which have been as an administrator. She most recently served as assistant principal and dean of instruction at Aurora Central Catholic High School.

Kristy Kane will become principal of St. Laurence High School.

“For the past seven years, I have gained a great deal of experience in curriculum development and feel blessed to have the opportunity to transition to a principal’s role at St. Laurence,” Kane said, noting that “St. Laurence is devoted to developing an educational culture that fosters higher order thinking skills while still focusing on the growth of the whole person.”

Kane led Aurora Central’s project based learning program, providing students more authentic and engaging learning opportunities. Kane also spearheaded dual credit partnerships with colleges and universities, along with a professional development partnership for teachers with Loyola University Chicago. Notable accomplishments include doubling the number of students taking advanced placement classes while adding new classes as the AP coordinator and increasing interest in the sciences among female students through curriculum modifications she implemented as assistant principal.

“Kristy was the ideal choice to be our next principal because she demonstrated that she would fit immediately with our culture and challenge us to grow in excellence as an academic institution while also putting our students first,” said St. Laurence’s president, Joe Martinez. 

Kane emerged as the top candidate after a national search conducted by Patrick Callaghan of search firm HR Partners and led by principal search chairwoman Mary Tolan, founder/managing partner of Chicago Pacific Founders and trustee for Loyola University Chicago and the University of Chicago. 

She lives on the South Side with her husband, Joe, a Chicago Police sergeant. She earned her master’s degree in instructional leadership from Loyola University Chicago and her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in secondary education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also previously taught at Rosary High School and Mount Assisi Academy.

St. Laurence is located at 5556 W. 77th St. Log on to stlaurence.com or call (708) 458-6900.

Harrison Square to open soon at Old Cook County site

Despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, work is progressing on the Harrison Square development project, and parts of it will open soon.

In 2016, Civic Health Development Group, a private developer group led by Murphy Development Group and including Walsh Investors; MB Real Estate; Plenary Group; Granite Companies; and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, formed a plan to redevelop a 13-acre parcel, now called Harrison Square, that includes the Old Cook County Hospital building.

Parts of the Harrison Square development project at the site of the Old Cook County Hospital building will open soon, as construction continues.

The building will serve as the keystone for a mixed-use, transit-focused development. Two years ago, the team broke ground to restore the 342,000-square-foot structure as an adaptive reuse project to feature a food hall, a Bright Horizons child care and early education center, offices for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, and 210 Hyatt House and Hyatt Place hotel rooms.

Several developers involved with the renovation commented on updates at the Old Cook County Hospital building at 1835 W. Harrison St. 

Jackie Koo, principal of KOO, explained her firm operates as the interior designer for the project’s dual branded hotel portion. “We are in the throes of finalizing the installation of all millwork, finishes, furnishings, and art work, stated Koo. “It’s really coming together now, and the restoration of the historic details is beautiful.” 

While the coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected many businesses, KOO and other firms in the development team continued working on the project. “Regarding COVID-19, construction is an essential service, so the project has remained mostly on track,” said Koo. 

The project faced several challenges due to the pandemic, yet operations remained stable. “There have been a number of products that as interior designers we have had to re-select due to sudden lack of availability or delays in delivery, but considering the amount of tumult in the world, the project is progressing well,” added Koo.

Harrison Square’s Hyatt House/Hyatt Place portion will feature various modern amenities for guests.

“Our design staff is working from home, and the transition has been surprisingly smooth,” she said. Besides the hotel portion, KOO is the architect for the food hall which workers have just started constructing. 

Karoline Eigel, senior vice president of MB Real Estate, agreed, noting that “The Harrison Square project, which includes the redevelopment of Old Cook County Hospital, is well under way.”  

Eigel gave tentative dates for various project stages. The hotel will open this month, with the food hall ready in mid-July. The day care center remains in the planning phase with no start date yet. The Cook County Health and Hospitals System office will open sometime in July. 

Opening dates remain subject to change, pending changes in State coronavirus mandates.

So far, construction has been moving forward without delay, Eigel said.

“The old Cook County Hospital redevelopment currently does not include a multifamily component; that component will be in future phases of Harrison Square,” she noted. 

For more about KOO, log on to www.kooarchitecture.com or call (312) 235-0920. For MB Real Estate, log on to www.mbres.com or call (312) 726-1700. 

—Rodrigo Hernandez

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