East Village Association, neighbors working together in Chicago's West Town community

Join us at Angels, in the upper room

2009-11-19T22:34:00.008-06:00

President's Message by John Scheer

As we enter the holiday season, our lives get extra busy with family and friends. And the East Village Association celebrates another year as a positive force in our neighborhood. This year, we again will mark the season by meeting for dinner at a local restaurant.

I am happy to invite all EVA members to the annual EVA holiday event at Angels & Mariachis, 1721 W. Division St. This year the EVA Holiday Dinner will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7.

A reservation is required. Please respond to holiday@eastvillagechicago.org with your commitment to join us in this holiday tradition at a new venue. Please respond by Monday, Nov. 30, so we can prepare for the number attending.

Angels & Mariachis is offering an appetizer buffet including cheese quesadillas, rolled beef tacos & rolled chicken tacos, which will allow members to socialize as the group is gathering. Then dinner from the standard menu will be offered as a sit-down service. This will include soft drinks and coffee. Drinks are available and will the responsibility of those individuals ordering. Angels & Mariachis will reserve seating in their upstairs dinning room.

In keeping with EVA tradition, we want to share with those in our community who are in need during this holiday time. Everyone attending the EVA Holiday Dinner is asked to bring a donation of warm clothing that will be collected for Northwestern University Settlement House at Noble and Augusta.

Bring anything from hats to socks, sweaters to boots, gloves, coats — you get the idea. Your donation can be new clothing or used (they must be clean and without holes) for adults or children. Please do not wrap the items so they can be viewed by size. Northwestern Settlement is dedicated to supporting families in West Town and will focus your donations to families in the East Village area. What a great way to share and care about those around you!

This December holiday event will replace the monthly general meeting for EVA. We will take this time to enjoy the life and times of our neighborhood while we support one of our many local restaurants. Please take some time to join us in this EVA holiday event and share some warmth with the Northwestern Settlement families.

Chicago Police alert: armed robberies

2009-11-16T20:46:00.003-06:00

Area 4 Detective Division released this report as Community Alert 640-09-009:

About This Crime
On 13 Nov 09 between the hours of 7pm and 9:30pm, numerous (5) armed robberies occurred in the 13th District. The victims were walking both alone and in small groups. In each incident, either one or two male black offenders would approach the victims and demand their property while displaying a handgun. After stealing the property the offender(s) would flee on foot.

Offender Descriptions:
The offenders were described as male blacks, approximately 18-25 years of age, approximately 5'06-6'00" wearing black hooded sweatshirts and dark clothing.

Locations of Occurrence:
1100 Block of N. Paulina Ave
200 Block of N. Ashland Ave
300 Block of N Oakley Ave
2100 Block of W Erie Ave
900 Block of N Noble

If You Have Information contact Area Four Detectives at (312)746-8253 or District 013 at (312) 746-8350 and always call 911 to report any emergency or suspicious activity.
If you and your neighbors would like to organize safety programs in your neighborhood, call the Caps Implementation Office at (312) 747-9987.

Area 4 Detective Division Robbery/Burglary/Theft Crimes Unit
312 746-8253

EVA archive moves from basement to Web

2009-11-12T23:14:00.004-06:00

Back issues of the East Village newsletter now are posted in PDF form.

If you have earlier newsletters or other documents to add to this archive, contact the webmaster.

Montessori pupils to cultivate Wood Street lot

2009-11-11T22:37:00.007-06:00

Minutes for Nov. 2, 2009 Membership Meeting
Submitted by Dana Palmer

Anna Viertel, urban farm coordinator for Near North Montessori School at 1434 W. Division, presented plans to use the fenced wooded area at 1102 N. Wood as a plant-based learning center and urban farm. She stated that the school plans to start clearing out the trees this month and in December to start building temporary greenhouses or hoop houses so that food can be planted and grown year-round.

Jennifer and Tom DeBower, new residents on Thomas Street, presented a problem they were having with the city Landmarks agency regarding windows they chose for their home. Jennnifer DeBower stated Landmarks has requested an opinion letter from East Village Associaton regarding windows the DeBowers have chosen. According to Mrs. DeBower, an original plan was drafted and approved by Landmarks but that she and her husband chose alternative windows they felt better suited the space. According to information distributed by the DeBowers, a permit hearing in December will review not only the windows but also the exterior lighting and entry doors. After much debate, it was proposed to have Scott Rappe, with the EVA Planning, Preservation and Development committee, to speak with Landmarks before any letter is drafted.

Guest speaker Ald. Manuel Flores (1st Ward) presented various updates regarding developments in the East Village neighborhood:
Pedestrian Retail Zoning: Alderman Flores stated that he has suggested supporting the zoning.

Polish Triangle: Flores mentioned that many ideas have been presented on how to revitalize the triangle and that the Wicker Park Bucktown special service area is working to keep it clean and to have Christmas decorations during the holiday season.

The Winchester: Flores reported that as far as he knows The Winchester restaurant has applied for permits and are moving forward as planned.

817 N. Winchester: Currently in litigation due to exceeding zoning rights for the height of the building. Flores stated that he did not support a zoning change.

Miller Lumber: The L. Miller & Son lumber company is leaving the building at 1815 W Division. Many questions were raised about restoring the parkway and who owns the parking in front of the building. However, Flores stated that he is not yet ready to decide on these issues until a potential buyer is available and he hears what their plans are for the space.

Construction on Division: The reason there is so much construction in our area at this time is due to the city trying to modernize the sewer system.

Library: The Goldblatt's Building at 1536 W. Chicago will be the new site for a Chicago Public Library scheduled to be open next summer. The alderman mentioned that he allocated $500,000 in discretionary city funds for the project.

Post Office: The U.S. Postal Service office on Division has now moved to the strip mall on Ashland just north of Milwaukee. The previous space is still empty.

Trees for Augusta Boulevard: Flores stated that his office is still working with the city forestry inspector about obtaining trees for Augusta.

Wells Field of Hope: Wells High School has a new principal who Flores says plans to convert the open area behind the school into an athletic field.

Near North Montessori pupils plan garden

2009-10-29T19:34:00.009-05:00

Planning an East Village garden is part of this year's curriculum at Near North Montessori School, 1434 W. Division. Students in this project will describe their assignment at Monday's East Village Association meeting. The students' statement follows; learn more at 7 p.m. in the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott.

We have volunteered to be part of our school’s gardening committee. We have been presented with the task of starting a school farm that will feed our school community and provide lessons for our classrooms about where our food comes from.

The Rappes, former grandparents in our school community, have allowed us to use their vacant lots on Wood Street as a site for our school farm.

Since we are going to be neighbors, we wanted to let you in on our plans.

We plan on growing food organically all four seasons, making our own compost, holding classes outdoors, creating a sustainable irrigation system, and building natural, perennial ecosystems for students to play in.

There will be a lot of work to do to create our garden space and we plan to start soon.

The first step we are taking to make our space work is cutting the trees down and leveling out the terrain so it is adequate for planting vegetables, fruit, herbs, etc. The wood from the trees will be milled locally and used to create benches and tables as well as part of our fencing. We will also be making wood bowls and plates for eating the prized fruits of our labor.

We will be saving and pruning the crabapple tree suckers to cultivate the true apple. We will also be saving and pruning the mulberry; hopefully in the future we will gather berries. We will also be building hoop houses so we can farm all year round. This way there will always be work and food to harvest from the garden.

If you have any questions at all, please contact one of our teachers, Paul Guilianelli or Anna Viertel.

Banking on a recycling payoff

2009-10-21T23:18:00.011-05:00

By Marjorie Isaacson

Recycling in Chicago is easier than ever, if you're part of the minority of Chicago residents with the Blue Cart program. (The 1st Ward was an early adopter, but plans to expand Blue Cart recycling have been scaled back in the new city budget.)

Blue Cart is a single-stream recycling system. Different recyclable materials — paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and some plastics — all can be put in the cart together. This may sound like the notorious Blue Bag program, but it's not.

Instead of being co-mingled and contaminated with garbage, Blue Carts are collected with a separate truck and processed at a materials recovery and recycling facility (MRRF, pronounced "merf"). This type of high-tech mechanization has become the standard, and is the most economical way to process what are in reality valuable raw materials.

Like many environmentally minded people, I find recycling a very satisfying activity. It changes taking out the trash into a feel-good exercise. But statistics show not everyone feels this way. Most people recycle for economic reasons.

If trash collection is expensive, people recycle more. Historically, this has meant that people on both the East and West coasts recycle at much higher rates than people in the Midwest and South. Here in the middle of the country, where there is still plenty of vacant land, rates for dumping garbage are cheap.

The company RecycleBank is betting that people are motivated by money. It uses bar codes to track the number of recycled materials. Customers who recycle earn points toward coupons for national stores or brands.

RecycleBank is being tested on the South Side of Chicago in the 5th, 9th and 18th wards, including Beverly and Hyde Park. These neighborhoods are already have relatively good recycling rates. Beverly and Hyde Park had voluntary programs for years before recycling became a municipal service.

The RecycleBank field test began in August and will continue for six months, at which time the city will decide if it should be expanded.

Meanwhile, If you want a small piece of the action, RecycleBank has a new program called “curb-less accounts”. Go to www.recyclebank.com/how-it-works and create an account. You are able to accumulate points for joining the Gconomy (green economy).

Even without the incentive of recycling points, recycling makes sense economically. No one can put an accurate price on the real long-term environmental costs of a landfill. It's never a good idea to bury garbage.

Need a reason to meet with Ald. Flores? Look around

2009-10-20T23:02:00.009-05:00

President's Message by John Scheer

The East Village has been very busy and the East Village Association has been right there with all that's happening. You can be part of it too, by joining the November EVA membership meeting. It's scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2 at the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott. Ald. Manny Flores (1st Ward) is scheduled to speak and will be a great source of information on current events and your community interests.

There was beautiful weather and a great turnout for the Renegade Art Fair. Some of the best crafts were on Division Street, with creative solutions to repurpose selected products. If you have interest in the future use of a major street, come to the November EVA meeting to share your thoughts with Ald. Flores.

Curbs are being dug up and replaced along Damen Avenue. This is the current fix when water consistently pools above the drains. Other street work is appearing on Division, Augusta and several other streets. If you have thoughts about this or any other city transportation initiatives, come to the next EVA meeting.

The Winchester Restaurant was given the green light for a zoning change to renovate a previously vacant property at Winchester and Chicago into a significant business enterprise. There is some evidence that the business plans have changed. After the City Council passed a zoning change, landlord Ken Lebovic says the Winchester project has not been abandoned and received building permits a few weeks ago. If you have interest in the scheduled renovation and future business options, check in with Ald. Flores at the next EVA meeting. (This paragraph contains corrected information, published October 31, 2009.)

The economic recovery is making progress. There are demolitions and new development on most blocks. The neighborhood is showing signs of resilience in spite of difficult financial times. At the same time, major developments have stopped work or bankrupted their LLC as well as their financial lender. If you're concerned about the safety of partially constructed, abandoned buildings like the project at Division and Honore, visit the EVA membership meeting to get the details from the 1st Ward alderman.

Chicago, Damen, Division and Ashland have some new businesses and some that will become memories. Greenheart has reached out the neighborhood to establish their trade and get engaged locally. The tavern Fuel seems to be history. If you want to know more about what’s coming and going in our neighborhood, stop by at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2 and ask your alderman.

Chicago fair-trade promotion gets EVA support

2009-10-13T21:50:00.008-05:00

Minutes for October 5, 2009 Membership Meeting
Submitted by Dana Palmer

Meeting Commenced at 7:07 p.m.

Presentation by Allison Havens (pictured at right) with The Greenheart Shop, located at 1911 W. Division St. According to Ms. Havens, The Greenheart Shop is a non-profit organization that offers fair-trade and eco-friendly items for purchase. They are also part of Chicago Fair Trade and were started by the Center for Cultural Interchange.

Secretary Report: Dana Palmer drafted a letter to request those past members whose membership status has lapsed to renew. Letter will be presented to board at next meeting for approval.

Planning, Preservation and Development: Scott Rappe mentioned that there are plans to save most of the St. Boniface building to use for senior housing.

Scott Rappe brought up to the group that a Community Sustainable Agriculture partnership called Homegrown Wisconsin is interested in having a drop site in the East Village neighborhood if they can get 25 people to participate. Information sheet and contact information was passed around.

Aldermanic Liaison: A member of EVA brought up the issue of having trees placed on Augusta. According to Rich Anselmo, there was a plan drafted before to have bump-outs made for trees to be added to Augusta. Mr. Anselmo stated he would go to the alderman's office to re-raise this issue but requested to have a letter signed by EVA supporting the addition of trees.

Membership: Steve Crane stated that he will be updating the membership list this week.

Greg Nagel made a motion that EVA supports the Greenheart resolution for the City of Chicago to support the fair-trade declaration. Brodi Cole seconded the motion and the group unanimously voted in favor of the motion.

Minutes for Oct. 12 Board Meeting
Submitted by Dana Palmer

Attendance -- Board Members: John Scheer, Greg Nagel, Brodi Cole, Dana Palmer, Rich Anselmo, Steve Crane and Stephen Rynkiewicz; Non-Board Members: Marjorie Isaacson, Melissa Jennings, Tom DeBower and Jennifer DeBower. Meeting Commenced at 6:33 p.m.

Alderman Flores is the possible guest speaker for the Nov. 2 membership meeting. Rich Anselmo has agreed to go to the alderman's office to receive a confirmation and to hand-deliver a list of topics or concerns that was generated to be discussed at the meeting. The list included pedestrian designation, trees for Augusta, and update on the Polish triangle, post office and walgreens as well as parking restriction changes. Dana Palmer agreed to type up the list of topics and email it to Rich Anselmo.

Membership Initiatives: Dana Palmer drafted a letter that was reviewed and approved by the board to be sent to all current or past members of EVA on the membership list asking them to renew if they are past due. Ideas were also passed around about new member recruitment. Greg Nagel suggested making poster board signs that the board members would place around the neighborhood informing neighbors about upcoming EVA meetings and events. Greg Nagel will contact Kinkos to get an estimate on how much the signs would cost to have made.

EVA Holiday: Suggestions were again passed around about where EVA should have their holiday dinner that would be held on Dec. 7. John Scheer stated that he would ask around to a few restaurants in the area about prices and availability. Some top suggestions were The Fifty/50 and Angels and Mariachis.

Membership: Steve Crane stated that he is working on updating the membership list. Brodi Cole agreed to post the final draft on Pbwiki. Greg Nagel agreed to run a report to locate the new residents of East Village within the last six months so that a letter could be sent to them informing them of EVA and asking them to attend a meeting. Dana Palmer agreed to draft a letter for this purpose. Steve Crane agreed to be the one to send those letters out.

Nonprofit eco shop to tell EVA its story Monday

2009-10-02T22:19:00.006-05:00

The fair-trade clothing, food, jewelry, accessories and children’s items at Greenheart Shop, 1911 W. Division, have roots on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza, Spain.

There the nonprofit Greenheart organization has been involved in ecology, student-exchange, and music projects affiliated with Spain’s Fundación por el Futuro.

Chicago’s Greenheart Store grew from ecotourism and fair-trade partnerships with the Spanish group. The Greenheart store sells fair-trade goods, for which wholesalers monitor work conditions and give producers technical assistance.

Its representatives will tell more about the organization and its history at Monday’s meeting of the East Village Association. The presentation starts at 7 p.m. in the Happy Village tavern, 1959 N. Wolcott.

Greenheart relocated this summer to the former Porte Rouge space from a smaller storefront at 746 N. LaSalle, now the group’s travel agency.

At last month’s Renegade Craft Fair, the shop sold houseplants grown at the Pacific Garden Mission. Earlier in September, the store hosted a wine tasting and beading demonstration with South African visitors.

Businesses unite on Division

2009-09-30T22:56:00.012-05:00

Eleanor Mayer, administrative assistant for the Wicker Park Bucktown SSA #33 tax district, with commissioner Wayne Janik of Janik's Cafe, 2011 W Division St.

Minutes for Sept. 14, 2009, membership meeting submitted by Dana Palmer

Meeting commenced at 7:06 p.m. Two guest speakers representing the Wicker Park Bucktown SSA gave a Powerpoint presentation about the group.

The Special Service Area is supported by the Wicker Park-Bucktown Chamber of Commerce and is the largest in Chicago. In East Village, the SSA is involved primarily with Division Street from Damen to Ashland. That includes landscaping upkeep, including the trees along Division.

The SSA is helping the city reassess loading zones along Division to grant better parking access for business patrons during the day. It's looking at solutions for safer passage at the intersection of Division Street, Honore Street and Marion Court. And it is hoping to have the fences along Division Street painted.

In the Polish Triangle at Division, Ashland and Milwaukee, the SSA currently sponsors Clean Sweep to pick up trash two times a week. There are plans to have the Triangle decorated for Christmas, with lights on the trees and snowflake ornaments on the lampposts.

The SSA leadership meets the second Tuesday of every month.

New business: A resident of EVA raised a concern about unleashed dogs in the area and the danger they bring. She agreed to write up an article for the EVA newsletter expressing her concern. Meeting adjourned just after 8 p.m.

A great haircut for only $6!

2009-09-22T23:04:00.004-05:00

By Greg Nagel

Hidden in plain sight, Baci Hair & Nail Salon is at 947 N. Ashland on the west side of the street. Leta Baci (Mom), Celnik Baci (Dad) and Marin Baci (Son) all work there along with six other stylists. Leta and Celnick each have more than 15 years of experience cutting hair.

Opened originally in 2005 at 949 N. Ashland, they moved back in May into their fancy, newly remodeled store next door. Despite the huge upgrade in the store decor, Leta explains that “We do good work at fair or better than fair prices.” These prices are $6 for a haircut, $20 for a pedicure, $10 for a manicure, and $6 for eyebrow threading.

They are very honest, polite, friendly, and hard working people that you can’t help but like. I’ve been going there for two years now, and I never heard any gossip or attitude like you often find in salons.

I have Leta cut my hair every three weeks, and being the big spender that I am I give her $10 for her efforts. Oh, and I got my haircut the day before that pic was taken.

East Village neighbors celebrate

2009-09-06T23:51:00.007-05:00

President's Message by John Scheer

Wow! What a great EVA barbecue. I think all of you who joined us for the annual August East Village Association barbecue will agree it was a beautiful Chicago evening and a great get-together for friends and neighbors.

For those of you who did not join the festivities, you will have to listen to the rest of us rave about the Boundary burgers, Piccolo ice cream and the homemade extras that EVA members and guests brought to the evening &151; so many tasty dishes including fresh-caught salmon, secret brownies and possibly the best in show, the deviled eggs. I hope our photographer got a picture of the deviled eggs before they were devoured.

I want to send out a major thank-you to all of those who helped with the planning, setup and coordination. EVA Board members, EVA members and non-members really came together and created a splendid evening in the traditional EVA spirit of neighborhood friendship and community togetherness. I want to add a big thank-you to everyone who came to the EVA barbecue and celebrated the evening with us.

And of course, one of the individual values of the EVA barbecue is to offer new members an incentive to join EVA with an extended membership. We experienced a very good turnout of new members the evening of the barbecue. Welcome to all of our new members, and please come to the next EVA meeting to support the initiative of your choice.

Having met a number of these new members during the barbecue, I was excited to find that most of them were already familiar with EVA because they had been following the EVA website for a number of months. This is a great testimonial to the value of the EVA website. Many of you have submitted articles and news updates to the website, which is actually an extension of the EVA newsletter.

Then there is our webmaster, Steve Rynkiewicz, who adds all of the extra links, blogs and wikis to extend the value beyond the physical boundaries of the neighborhood. The EVA web site has become a major asset and major credit goes to Steve for his creative genius and publishing expertise.

Looking to the next EVA general membership meeting, the Labor Day holiday weekend happens to fall on the normal day for the EVA meeting. To respect the spirit of the holiday, the September EVA meeting is rescheduled one week later to Monday, Sept. 14 and the EVA board meeting will be moved to Monday Sept. 21. I hope all of you enjoy the Labor Day holiday weekend and I also hope to see you at the next EVA meeting.

Division Street plans on tap Sept. 14

2009-09-06T23:39:00.011-05:00

Learn about your tax dollars at work on Division Street when the East Village Association surveys the Wicker Park Bucktown business district Monday, Sept. 14.

Taxes fund improvements on both side of Division through the Wicker Park Bucktown Special Service Area. A look at future plans, and how local residents can affect them, will come from Eleanor Mayer of the WPB group and restaurateur Wayne Janik of Janik's Cafe, 2011 W. Division St.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Happy Village Tavern, 1059 W. Wolcott.

A tale of 3 East Village demolitions

2009-08-22T06:32:00.011-05:00

By Scott A. Rappe

Despite the recession, continued financing difficulties and a glut of condominiums, demolitions continue unabated in East Village.

In the span of two weeks, three unique buildings have been lost forever, each for a different reason, all with the same result: a vacant lot that forever breaks the continuity of the past with the present.

A story of greed and waste

1546 W. Augusta was a truly striking building: a gorgeous prototypical East Village red-brick two-flat complete with its original cornice, porch and windows. What vintage building owner doesn’t wish theirs still had these original features intact?

This lovely building is the latest victim of Ald. Walter Burnett’s methodical spot upzoning of the area east of Ashland Avenue. This portion of East Village was downzoned to R-3 by former Ald. Jesse Granato more than a decade ago.

The zoning change helped buildings like this one survive the recent development boom because they offered an important advantage over new construction. They were larger than the new structures that might replace them could be under the new zoning classification.

Unfortunately, Ald. Burnett sealed the fate of 1546 W. Augusta by increasing the zoning an egregious three classifications to RM4.5. Density is a highly desirable goal in our urban environment, and one that should be encouraged, but it is not the issue here.

The new building will not be any larger than its predecessor; it will simply provide three units where two existed before. This will add to the glut of unwanted small condominiums and reduce the number of units that available for families, ultimately contributing to a more transient population.

The real irony is that the new building will be constructed under the Chicago Green Permit program. Nothing could be less "green" than tearing down a perfectly serviceable structure.

It is widely recognized among building professionals and sustainability experts that even the most energy efficient new construction may never offset the embodied energy lost in demolition. Using the Teardown Calculator at www.thegreenestbuilding.org, I estimated that the energy lost in just this one demolition is 6,248,400,000 BTUs, or about what it would take to heat an average-size apartment for more than 200 years. One step forward, two steps back.

A slumlord prevails

920 N. Winchester represents the polar opposite situation. With no desire to sell or develop his property, absentee owner Vujovic Petkovic was content to simply allow it to deteriorate. He refused to secure the building and allowed it to become a nuisance.

Some neighbors, having lost their patience with Petkovic, demanded that Ald. Scott Waguespack force the building into demolition. I do not want to diminish the plight of the neighbors because this was a difficult problem, but demolition was not the proper answer.

Destruction of a sound vintage building should never be an option for solving the short-term problems caused by a particular owner. East Village has endured several cycles of decline; if we had torn down every building that at some point had a neglectful owner, nothing would be left.

This building served its community for a century and could have continued to do so in perpetuity with proper care. The fact that it was not currently receiving that care does not negate its value or long-term potential. But its loss has precluded its eventual return to proper care and service.

The vintage East Village building stock is among the highest quality in the city. Its locally fired brick, old-growth wood framing and high-quality design never will be seen again, and certainly not in what would likely replace this building now that it is gone (particularly if Petkovic was to rebuild). Our vintage buildings are resilient and highly resistant to neglect, though they may appear decrepit.

As with 1546 W. Augusta, the materials and embodied energy stored within a structure like 920 N. Winchester are a valuable resource made all the more precious by the current scarcity of such materials and growing concern for the environment.

Ultimately, the neighbors clamoring for demolition got what they asked for. Only time will tell if a trash-strewn vacant lot is better than a neglected building. All of us are the worse for the loss of this classic building, except Petkovic. His property, taxed at a ridiculous $2,500 per year, can now be reassessed lower as vacant land.

A rush to demolition

1726 W. Augusta was a typical three-story common brick structure with a gabled roof, modified perhaps in the 1930s with a yellow brick facade. At the rear of the lot stood a fascinating gable-roofed coach house, a unique structure that would not be built under current zoning codes. This building was no landmark, but even vacant it played an important supporting role as the authentic infill between more important buildings.

In our debates over which buildings to preserve, we often lose sight of the role these "background" buildings play in setting the stage for the drama of true landmarks. I am not arguing that every building be preserved; there are legitimate reasons to replace buildings, even at the loss of significant embodied energy.

What is troubling about this demolition is that no permit application for a new structure has yet been filed. Despite the rush to demolition, it this property will probably remain a vacant lot for a very long time.

When construction does resume, I hope that what is built favors community over individuality. Urban landscapes once were ruled by a self-imposed civility in which important buildings deferred to each other. Now even insignificant buildings vie for our attention. Too often developers build as if theirs was the only building on the block, and architects (on the rare occasion when one is involved) draw as if each were the only building they will ever have the opportunity to design.

What do we lose when we lose buildings like these? Buildings connect us to the long-forgotten people who built this place and lived, laughed, loved and died here before us. Our predecessors are gone, and when their buildings disappear, this place becomes just like any other: anonymous, unanchored and drifting.

When we lose what makes our community unique, we face oblivion just like our forgotten predecessors. The excellent design, material quality and physical integrity of these buildings make the loss ever more tragic. The very fabric of our neighborhood has been diminished.

Scott A. Rappe chairs EVA’s Planning, Preservation and Development committee. The opinions in this article are his own.

The long, secret life of disposables

2009-08-19T20:07:00.004-05:00

Eco-Tip by Marjorie Isaacson

A simple, but far from easy, rule of environmentally responsible living is to avoid throwaway items and substitute reusable items instead.

It's difficult to follow because disposable items are so handy and relatively inexpensive. To put convenience items in perspective, think of their real cost — an analysis know as life-cycle or cradle-to-grave economics.

For example, manufacturing processes often cause environmental damage and produce harmful byproducts that we don't pay for directly. The real costs aren't clear.

It can be easy to overlook tradeoffs of time and energy in using disposables. Consider disposable plates, glasses and silverware: Is it really easier and less time-consuming to go to the store, select and purchase items, transport them home from the store, and later take them out to the garbage, over and over again? The short-term economic costs of garbage pickup are significant enough, much less the long-term cost of landfill disposal.

One easy change is to use cloth napkins instead of paper ones. Many people are reluctant to make this change because they don't want more laundry. But you won't have to use a new napkin for every meal. Many people who use cloth napkins reuse them several times before they wash them. I first learned about this while traveling in France. The family I visited tied or folded their napkins in different shapes after using them. They were kept in a basket between meals and reused until they were washed or you decided you needed a new one.

Napkin rings with different designs are another way to keep personal napkins identified. I use a wooden set decorated with different carved animals. (Note: this is for dining en familia. Guests at my house always get clean, fresh napkins!)

If you want to reduce and reuse even more, you don't need to go out to a housewares store and buy new cloth napkins. Make your own from leftover fabric. I've made napkins from the unworn sections of old sheets. For everyday use, you don't even need to hem them. A fringed edge is a common decoration on store-bought napkins.

Board meeting minutes for Aug. 14, 2009

2009-08-16T22:32:00.006-05:00

Submitted by Dana Palmer

Attendance
Board Members: John Scheer, Brodi Cole, Dana Palmer, Stephen Rynkiewicz, Rich Anselmo and Scott Rappe
Non-Board Members: Marjorie Isaacson and Brian Thompson

August barbecue review: Approximately 120 people came with 10 new memberships acquired that evening earning $200 for EVA. Suggestions for improving next year's barbecue were to have name tags and a possible raffle for those who join that evening.

Monthly membership meeting for September will be moved from the first Monday, Labor Day 9/7/09, to second Monday, 9/14/09 at same place and time.

Possible speakers for next meeting: New businesses in East Village such as Urban Joe's, Jam, Division Ale House and Green Heart. John Scheer will attempt to speak with new businesses about doing an introduction at membership meetings. Also, Chamber of Commerce or the SSAs for Bucktown/Wicker Park and Chicago Avenue were suggestions for the upcoming membership meeting.

Dana Palmer will send an email notice to all members of EVA regarding the change of date for September membership meeting.

Brodi Cole and Steve Crane will work on consolidating the membership list to include the new members from the barbecue.

John Scheer shared that the library to be established in the Goldblatt's building has been put on hold due to a study regarding the load limit for book and bookcase storage.

The EVA monthly newsletter will be printed and sent to all members without an email address before the end of each month. Dana Palmer will print and send them. It was also agreed that each month's newsletter should be printed for archiving.

Planning, Preservation and Development: Scott Rappe reported that 1142 N. Wolcott is under structural review regarding possible demolition. He also shared that 1810 W. Cortland has a new owner who has applied for demolition. Scott is asking for phone calls to the alderman to request landmarking due to it being Richard Nickel's home. Rich Anselmo stated that 920 N. Winchester has already begun demolition.

Goldblatt's library conversion delayed

2009-08-11T22:10:00.007-05:00

By Aaron Bilton

The last time that I received an update about the new West Town library, I was informed that the work would begin this summer and that the library would late first quarter 2010. After going by the Goldblatt's building and not seeing any work being done, I decided to call and see what was going on.

The latest update is that the city is still going ahead with the conversion at Chicago and Ashland avenues, but the timetable has been pushed back. Construction is expected to start early in 2010 with an opening next summer. The reason I was given for the delay:

Originally the city hoped the structure could hold all the books. However, a structural analysis found the building would need reinforcement for bookcases. Now the city is looking at options on the best way to do that, and is hoping to begin construction in January.

Confirming that the project is still active, Mayor Daley mentioned the library this weekend as one of the infrastructure projects to be performed by the city in the next year, according to the Sun-Times.

Green Music Fest in Eckhart Park

2009-08-11T20:23:00.004-05:00

Art Brut, a European rock band often compared to Franz Ferdinand, headlines the Green Music Fest Saturday in Eckhart Park, 1330 W. Chicago.

Sunday main attraction for the two-day event is Memphis alt-country band Lucero. Music extends from noon till 10 p.m. both days.

The West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the West Fest and Do-Division fairs, bills the event as a gathering of "environmentally-conscious bands" booked by the Subterranean nightclub, with an Eco-Friendly Vendor Village.

Tickets are $15; $25 for a two-day pass. Children under 12 attend free with adult admission. Discount advance-sale tickets are available via ticketweb.com.

St. Boniface restoration on Eckhart Park agenda

2009-08-11T18:22:00.004-05:00

Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. will discuss plans to save St. Boniface Church at the Aug. 18 meeting of the Eckhart Park Community Council.

Previously, the 27th Ward alderman reported that the Archdiocese of Chicago and the City of Chicago have been negotiating a potential land swap. The city would take possession of the property and identify a developer to restore or adapt the church building at 921 N. Noble.

However, the Roman Catholic archdiocese has the necessary permits to demolish the church and remaining buildings.

The East Village Association has called for restoration and reuse of the church, which it fought to save in a demolition threat a decade ago.

The meeting is 7 p.m. at the Northwestern Settlement House, 1010 N. Noble. Updates are posted at saintbonifaceinfo.com.

2009 EVA summer barbecue photos

2009-08-06T22:22:00.005-05:00

View slideshow from 2009 EVA Summer Barbecue

Turnout was estimated at more than 100 at the EVA summer barbecue. Thanks to those that joined or renewed their membership (if you did not, renew at eastvillagechicago.org). Thanks also to sponsors Happy Village, The Boundary Tavern & Grille, Cafe Piccolo and Dominick’s Finer Foods.

Aug. 3 barbecue: This grilling bring comfort

2009-07-21T22:13:00.008-05:00

President Message by John Scheer

August is the East Village Association annual tradition for the summer barbecue. This year, comfort comes from burgers provided by EVA members from The Boundary, side dishes from you and your neighbors — bring one of your favorites to share — and some gelato from Cafe Piccolo.

The barbecue is open to all neighbors and is one of the annual events designed to encourage new EVA memberships. In addition to an evening of good food and neighbors, new members who join at the barbecue will receive a membership through 2010.

Everyone is encouraged to reach out to neighbors who are not currently EVA members and extend a personal invitation to join us Aug. 3 at the Happy Village. Special invites have been extended to our aldermen to join their constituents for an evening of food and fun.

The EVA board has been working on other entertainment for the evening. So come join the tradition and join EVA.

East Village Association
Summer Barbecue

This is a personal invitation to the
annual East Village Association (EVA)
Summer Barbecue

Monday August 3, 2009, 7:00pm
Happy Village Tavern
1059 N. Wolcott
(Wolcott and Thomas)

Please feel free to bring your neighbors and your favorite side dish or dessert.

Main food dish provided by EVA and our sponsors.

Become a member and qualify for an extended membership term!

Please RSVP with your number of guests and your side dish to:
bbq@eastvillagechicago.org

__________________________________

East Village Association
Summer Barbecue

The annual tradition continues!

Come meet old friends and neighbors.
Meet your new neighbors.

Support your local businesses that are contributing to this year’s barbecue:
Happy Village
The Boundary Tavern & Grille
Cafe Piccolo
Dominick’s Finer Foods

Division Street mends fences

2009-07-21T20:43:00.010-05:00

By Marjorie Isaacson

The fences enclosing the Division Street tree pits will be getting a new coat of paint, thanks to funding from the Wicker Park/Bucktown Special Services Area.

The SSA authorized $10,000 for this work at the July 14 commissioners meeting. These fences, essential for protecting the street trees from sidewalk traffic, have become rusty in the years since their installation in 1997.

Public beverage-recycling containers will be installed soon, another long-anticipated project.

Wicker Park/Bucktown SSA #33 is a tax-supported group that promotes business-district improvements. It has open monthly commission meetings, and committee meetings throughout the month where much of the work is accomplished. Committees are:

Clean, Green & Safe
Promote Wicker Park-Bucktown
Promote the Arts
Transportation: Bikes
Transportation: Pedestrians & Passengers
Guide Development

Crime focus shifts to East Village thefts

2009-07-14T21:27:00.015-05:00

After 15 months as East Village's police commander, Judith Martin says she was "naive" about the rigors of the job when she was introduced to East Village Association members in June 2008. But she appeared no less frank in a return question-and-answer session.

Minutes for July 6, 2009 Membership Meeting
Submitted by Dana Palmer

Guest Speaker was Commander Judy Martin with the 13th District Chicago Police Department. Commander Martin presented a brief update on crime in the East Village neighborhood and the 13th District.

Commander Martin stated that for the most part, crime is down about 11-12% since June 2008 and that homicides are less than 200 for the year to date, which has not been the case since about 1965. She mentioned that the East Village neighborhood and the 13th District predominantly suffer from property crimes and have several “frequent fliers” in the area who continue to be caught and then re-offend.

Commander Martin presented a Community Alert handout regarding an armed robbery and mentioned a CPD sponsored “Safe and Sound” program that presents information about why someone may become a victim. A handout provided key safety tips.

Auto theft is related to the higher number of people coming into the area for entertainment. CPD is using a parked car as bait for thieves. Commander Martin explained that when someone tries to break into and steal the bait car the doors lock and it won't start, leaving the person locked inside until police arrive.

Other crime-fighting tactics include a footman that walks the streets from Ashland to Webster in the afternoons, a bike team and the use of all-terrain vehicles. CPD has its own site similar to Twitter but more secure called Nixle, where people can receive up-to-date information from CPD.

Commander Martin also informed EVA group about a new ordinance regarding what she called “dooring.” When a biker is hit by someone opening their car door, it is now illegal and that person who opened the car door can be issued a citation.

When asked about budget cuts, Commander Martin stated that she has yet to lose any officers other than 7 crossing guards. She mentioned that she is, however, taking 12-15 unpaid furlough days.

When asked about outdoor patios and beer gardens in the area, Commander Martin stated that they are allowed to be open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and until 12 a.m. on weekends. However, no music is permitted. A handout was also provided regarding that issue.

Aug. 3 is the annual EVA BBQ. John Scheer stated that EVA has Dominick's gift cards to help out with food and supplies but that The Boundary will be providing the burgers and cooks for the BBQ. Also, Piccolo will be providing gelato for the event.
Scott Rappe with Planning, Preservation and Development presented four buildings that are up for possible demolition or zoning appeal:
- 1041 W. Damen Ave. which is a special use building with 6 units went to the zone of appeals to estabalish a dwelling unit below the first floor. EVA was not notified of this variance.
- 1726 Augusta is already under demolition.
- 1546 W. Augusta is currently up for demolition but has no permit left. Mr. Rappe is asking that emails be sent to alderman Burnett in opposition of demolition.
- 920 N. Winchester (pictured) is being rushed into demolition by Alderman Waguespack due to other neighbor concerns with the look of the building, primarily the coach house. However, Mr. Rappe and other EVA members felt strongly that there are better solutions to the problem versus having the building torn down. Again, requests for emails to be sent to the alderman asking for alternatives to the demolition.

Meeting adjourned.

Minutes for July 13, 2009 board meeting

2009-07-14T21:20:00.003-05:00

Submitted by Dana Palmer

Attendance
Board Members: Greg Nagel, Brodi Cole, Dana Palmer, Rich Anselmo, Scott Rappe, Steve Crane and Stephen Rynkiewicz
Non-Board Members: Marjorie Isaacson and Joe Hunnewinkel

August barbecue: The EVA annual barbecue is set for August 3, 2009. The Boundary will provide burgers and buns as well as staff for cooking. The barbecue will be held at the Happy Village at 7 p.m. Joe Hunnewinkel is currently working on the invitations that will be printed off at Piccolo. Joe agreed to confirm with Phil at Piccolo regarding Phil's contribution of ice cream for the barbecue. He will also finalize the artwork on the invitation including an RSVP to the EVA website. Joe also agreed to help arrange a list of groceries that will be needed.

Greg Nagel agreed to reconfirm with the Happy Village regarding reservation of the outdoor space for the barbecue. He also agreed to coordinate distribution of the invites and confirm with Dominick's about their sponsorship.

Rich Anselmo stated that he would invite the aldermen to the event and ask them to include the event on their regular e-mail list. Brodi Cole will look for the Dominick's gift cards that EVA already has. She and Steve Crane will provide a bag toss game for the event. Steve Crane agreed to speak with the non-members of EVA at the barbecue regarding becoming members.

Dana Palmer will assist both Greg Nagel with the distribution of the invites but also Joe Hunnewinkel with shopping for groceries that are needed. She will also prepare a premade list of EVA members with their names and contact information to ease the sign-in process at the event. All present agreed to meet one hour prior to the barbecue to help with set-up.

No membership meeting will be held in August. The barbecue will count as that month's meeting.

In regards to membership, Stephen Rynkiewicz will invite Steve Crane to wiki so that he can view the updated membership list.

Scott Rappe informed the group that 1142 N. Wolcott is up for possible demolition. He also brought up 1041 N. Damen that is currently up for a special use zone change. He stated that he would draft a letter to the alderman requesting changing the B3-2 zoneing to a RM4.5 and will discuss it further with the group next meeting.
Meeting adjourned.

Police commander checks in with EVA July 6

2009-06-20T22:01:00.007-05:00

President Message by John Scheer

OK! Summer is finally here. The sun has come out and the weather has warmed up. The sidewalk cafes are packed and the street fairs are profitable. Looking around, you would never know the economy is in such bad shape.

Maybe this is a sign of good business planning and a popular neighborhood.

Whatever the reason, there is also an increase in crime. The most recent Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy report indicates that crimes against people are down but crimes against property are significantly higher. I’m not sure if there is a theory as to why one goes up while another one goes down, but it is a clear message that fighting crime is every ones responsibility.

For you own protection, follow the standard recommendations to keep cars, doors and windows locked to prevent easy access. Many crimes are referred to as crimes of opportunity just because something is easily accessible it is an easy target for a crime. Remain aware of who and what is around you when out on the street.

Other recommendations and safety guidelines can be picked up at the monthly CAPS meeting. Beat 1322 is held at Wood Street Police Station on the first Wednesday of the month.

Commander Judith Martin of the Chicago Police Department 13th District will be the guest speaker at the July EVA meeting. Expect the commander to share some of the improvements around the district, as well as updates on current crime investigations and trends. Please plan to attend the July meeting for current information that may improve your safety.

The July meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, July 6 at the Happy Village, 1059 W. Wolcott. In the past, the commander has been very interested in hearing from neighbors about crimes and issues that impacting all of us.

Plans are also under way for the August EVA meeting which will be the annual barbecue. The menu is coming together and everyone should be pleased.

This annual barbecue is the largest EVA event focused on increasing new memberships. Everyone is encourage to bring their neighbors as an opportunity for these neighbors to meet more of the EVA members and join the community group to be part of the neighborhood destiny. Watch the EVA web site for more information and details relating to the August EVA barbecue.