State of the South Loop

Second Annual State of the South Loop
The Second Annual State of the South Loop meeting took place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, November 20, 2010 at Britten Banner, 1420 S. Michigan Ave. There was a meet-and-greet, with coffee supplied by Overflow Coffee Bar, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The meeting was planned and organized by the Greater South Loop Association.

 South Loop residents came out in force for the State of the South Loop

Aldermen Present the State of Their Wards
The main speakers were 2nd Ward Aldermen Bob Fioretti and 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell. Both gave overviews of their wards, the current challenges ahead, and their respective accomplishments. Fioretti pointed to the Pete’s Market in development at Madison and Western and the Target at Jackson and Racine. Fioretti also talked about the road repair work on State and S. Indiana currently taking place (both Fioretti and Dowell are responsible for this work). Dowell took pride in the development and construction of the Columbia College Media Production Center at 1600 S. State, as well as the establishment of the DayStar School at 1550 S. State. Both aldermen reiterated that there are many challenges ahead, in part due to the downturn in the economy. In spite of these challenges, their outlook was optimistic.

Ald. Bob Fioretti, Greater South Loop Association president, Deb Soelig, and Ald. Pat Dowell

Neighbors, Organizations, Local Educators, and Schools
Other speakers included Eve Kronen, a South Loop realtor, Gail Merritt from the Alliance for a Greener South Loop, Pam Focia from the South Loop Dog PAC, and Bill Van Emburg from the Prairie District Neighborhood Watch. There were additional brief presentations from Tara Shelton, principal, South Loop Elementary School, Danielle Croyer, law teacher at Jones Prep, and Julie Murphy from the Local School Council.

Board Holds Annual Election

Following is a release from the Greater South Loop Association on their annual elections.

The board of directors of the Greater South Loop Association received nominating petitions for the board of directors and held an election on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Britten located at 1420 S. Michigan Ave.

Deb Soehlig will continue to serve her second year of her term and has served on the board for a total of 5 years to date. Priorities for this year will include our "Shop the South Loop" initiative, hosting candidate forums for the upcoming aldermanic elections and, as always, "bringing neighbors together."

• Effective October 9th, Gail Rutkowski continues as vice president, Eric Westberg, secretary, and Bob Wilson, treasurer
• Other directors on the board are Dennis Beninato, Jeanette Johnson, Jeff Key, Joe Leamanczyk, Mark Stern, and Norma Jordan.
• Bill Van Emburg is newly elected to the board and will focus on safety and community policing efforts. Bill manages the "Prairie District Neighborhood Watch" and looks to offer his leadership to other areas of the South Loop that are looking to establish similar programs.
• Special thanks to Gail Moody who has served as the Bash on Wabash Volunteer chair for the past two years. We wish her continued success in her new job at Private Bank!
• We invite all community members to attend community events, neighborhood and association meetings, and by supporting our local businesses.

For more information, please contact Jeanette Johnson at 312-296-7563 or info@greatersouthloop.org.

www.greatersouthloop.org

Park Plans Presented to Community

Plans for a new park at 16th and S. Wabash Ave. were revealed last night, November 17, 2010, at the 1st District Chicago Police Station, 1718 S. State St.

Beth Meier Tomlins, Project Manager, Planning and Development for the Chicago Park District, introduced the park plan championed by Second Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti. The actual conceptual plans developed by Altamanu Inc. and Terra Engineering were presented by John Mac Manus.

Meeting attendees mingle after park presentation

Mac Manus presented two concepts: A and B. Concept A was “curvilinear” in its design. It contained separate fenced areas for small and large dogs. It also included trees in raised planters and artificial turf. The artificial turf would be resistant to germs and bacteria. An earthen berm would face north toward 16th St. as a people space and a buffer for noise. The feature of  Concept A that seemed appealing to most in attendance was the path circling the fenced in dog spaces.

Concept B was more straightforward with clearer delineated spaces for dogs and people. It incorporated a lot of the same features as Concept A (trees, artificial turf), but it appears from the design that Concept B may utilize the space more fully. Both concepts included a water feature.

The plans are still in the conceptual stage. Tomlins and McManus took questions from South Loop residents in attendance, encouraging feedback. The majority seemed to be in favor of the park, although there were several who took issue with the need for a dog park, sighting noise and other factors. Some expressed their desire to combine the dog space with a people space, and still others voiced their desire for a park specifically for children.

According to Tomlins, construction on the new park could begin next summer. The funding is through TIF money. The project cost is estimated between $2 to $4 million, including environmental remediation.

Around the South Loop

To those visiting Chicago for the first time, it's a revelation. Those of us who live and work in the city, sometimes forget how beautiful it really is. The mild fall we've had has brought forth some vivid leaf colors all around town. And because we live in a "living" city, things are constantly changing: old buildings come down, new ones go up; old businesses close, new ones open to take their place.

Below are just a few recent shots of Chicago and the South Loop.

Did you notice these beautiful trees along Michigan Ave. just south of Randolph St.?

Construction of the new school at Old St. Mary's

A look at Museum Park in the early morning

Johnson Publishing celebrating Ebony Magazine's birthday

The grand staircase at the Sante Fe Building

Planter showing beautiful fall colors in front of the Blackstone Hotel

Columbia College Buys Johnson Publishing Building on Michigan

Johnson Publishing Company has announced that they've sold their building headquarters at 820 S. Michigan Ave. to Columbia College Chicago. The publishing company's most famous publications include Jet and Ebony magazines.

Johnson Publishing has been at 820 S. Michigan Ave. since 1972

Although the exact cost of the sale has not been revealed, it is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $8 million. Johnson Publishing plans on leasing the building for 18 months before moving elsewhere. Like many publishers, Johnson has gone through a period of downsizing and restructuring.

New Park Meeting Tonight November 17 at 7:30 p.m.

New Park Coming to 16th and Wabash

Alderman Fioretti and the Chicago Park District have scheduled a meeting to discuss the proposed park at 16th St. and Wabash Ave. The meeting will take place on Wednesday November 17, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the 1st District Chicago Police Station, 1718 S. State St.

Dog and People Friendly
This park is a long time coming, but it promises to be a great addition and asset to the residents of the South Loop, whether you're a dog owner or not. Although the park has dogs and dog owners in mind, the CPD will present a park design that will benefit and accommodate pet owners and non-pet owners alike.Two recently park additions to the city, Mary Bartleme Park (Adams-Sangamon) and Lakeshore East, have successfully integrated dog areas into the park designs. For pictures of the Mary Bartleme Park in the West Loop, click here.

Residents that have questions prior to the meeting are encouraged to contact Maritza Garcia in the 2nd Ward community service office at 312-263-9273 or maritza.garcia@cityofchicago.org.

2nd Annual "State of the South Loop" Saturday November 20 at 9 a.m.

The 2nd Annual State of the South Loop event will take place on Saturday November 20 at 9:00 a.m. at Britten Banner, 1420 S. Michigan Ave. Featured speakers for this event include 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti and 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell. Both will give updates on their respective wards.

Additional South Loop Community information will come from the following individuals, groups, and organizations.

• Grant Park Advisory Council, Bob O’Neil
• Real Estate Overview, Eve Kronen
• South Loop Dog PAC, Doug Freyman
• Alliance for a Greener South Loop, Gail Merrit
• Prairie District Neighborhood Watch, Bill VanEmburg

Coffee service will be provided by Overflow Coffee Bar.  Contact them to place an order for coffee beans and they will deliver them to you at the meeting with a 10% off discount.

To print a flyer to post in your building or office, click here.