Minutes – April 5, 2016
April 5, 2016 ELVN Minutes
In attendance:
Jim Spencer
Michael Zink
Patrick Nagle
Beth Murphy
Aileen Tien
Chester Kropidlowski
Bruce Handler
Terie Kata
Jean O’Neill
Tom Rothschild
Heather Way-Kitzes
Kit Welch
Maggie Koehler
Absent:
Mark Lundgren
Marty Wallace
Patrick Carlson
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
44th Ward
Ald. Tunney was present and discussed April demolition of the Park on Clark project, which is as large as the 1060 project. New lighting was installed on Sheffield from Belmont to Addison, but he does not like that the prototype is not very strong. Chester asks if the normal Openiing Day traffic bulletin will be sent, which the Alderman confirmed. Tom asked about whether the rat ordinance applies to the McDonald’s project, which the Alderman also confirmed. Patrick Nagle asked about police numbers. Ald. Tunney said that the commitment was 35 by the 3rd quarter of 2016; it is not there yet, but he and Ald. Cappelman will keep fighting for it. The total number is up to 356 now.
Ald. Tunney has talked to the new police superintendent. They are working to put young cadets in the 23rd district. In response to a question from Terie, Ald Tunney says that if the 35 promised officers do not materialize, he does not see how he can continue to support budgets.
Ald. Tunney also spoke about the Lakeview High School capital plan to make it an elite public city high school.
Cubs
Heather has Green Lot passes for game days for residents and applications for the Green Lot. People can also come to the office and pick them up. Lots have been renamed officially for specific Toyota cars.
This year there will be more communications with OEMC and Ald. Tunney that TMA must allow residents to and from their homes even if via cab. The Cubs are hoping to have consistent staff at those blocks this year.
The sound system and lights were fired up this week,since Thursday. There will be rehearsals Thursday and Friday, maybe Saturday and Sunday this weekend. They need to test the video board at dusk, but not past 8:00. The sound should be more balanced this year, but the full system is still not operational, so they are using a partial legacy system.
Gates open 4:30 on Opening Day and thus people should expect long security lines. Tickets have gate assignments and there will be express lanes for people without bags. Wrigley Field is the last baseball stadium to go online with security gates.
The bike valet is moving to underneath the Addison red line stop. There may be no stroller checks this year.
Chester says Seminary through Kelly Park to Challenger Park should be an unending path for fans to walk to and from Wrigley.
46th Ward
Ald. Cappleman was present and mentioned that the 3901 Broadway project passed all committees and is looking good for full approval.
The Irving Park lighting upgrade will proceed, with piggyback lighting over the sidewalk from Sheridan to Lake Shore Drive.
Gill Park is meeting about the play lot. The Parks Department says that it is on their radar to get it done and that most required money is there.
3700 Broadway has a vaulted sidewalk on the west side. He is working with CDOT about it, and ComEd has wiring underneath.
Regarding the no right turn sign on Halsted & Broadway, CDOT discussed it and the Law Department advised him not to ignore CDOT, so Ald. Cappelman is agreeable to removing the sign but has to defer to CDOT.
Police/budget: He says that the Mayor must show him something for his supporting budget vote, and he is holding the Mayor’s office to it.
Homelessness plan-He says to measure success is to see speed in getting someone in permanent housing. The City was doing a poor job, so he asked the Mayor for a homeless czar which has been accomplished. He will revisit how INS social services seek to bypass the shelter system and put people directly in permanent housing. We can do this because Medicaid has limits, and it costs Medicaid quadruple when someone is living on the street, so there will be serious savings in putting people in housing.
Uptown will have unprecedented economic development in the next 5 years.
Tom mentioned that the lighting on 800-900 block of Grace is very poor. Ald. Tunney says Grace (at Wilton and Kenmore which routinely have large standing water spaces) is a finalist for the Cub Fund.
New Business
Terie says that Officer Appreciation Day is May 20 all day. There will be food for every shift from 6 a.m. through midnight. All food is donated from 23rd District restaurants. There are prizes and you can mingle with the officers.
The Clean & Green cleanup for the Sheridan triangle at Sheridan and Lake Shore Drive is coming up.
Alexandria and Aristides Loukas spoke about the Dakin-Sheridan development. It is a TOD and they have hired Lucien LaGrange as the architect. He has designed a number of buildings in the Gold Coast. It will have retail, car parking, bike parking, and a loading dock, none of which is currently present. Current loading occurs on Dakin, and it will be moving inside the building. Initially they wanted 27 parking spaces, but now down to 11, and it can be reduced to 0 under TOD regulations. It will have 43 bike spaces. It is a tear-down project.
They want to sell this as one of the leading TOD locations in Chicago. There will also be a zip car in the building. For the retail space, they envision a coffee shop or other little store. Tac Quick spoke with them about a long term lease, and the space is large enough to be split into 2 retail spaces. It will also have 5 more feet of sidewalk. The zoning will be changed to an 8 story building with 54 units, with the height being the same as what ELVN approved at 77 feet. There will be masonry construction with accents around the windows. It will be shorter than the 3901 gas station building.
They are asking ELVN for support in the reduced project. A community member asks that there be no retail space for real estate agencies like those already on that stretch of Sheridan.
Beth asks Alderman Cappleman why the Sheridan el stop is being ignored. Ald. Cappelman says that because there is a curve at the stop, it is difficult to make the stop ADA compliant. He says that there was some discussion about renovations in 2019, which still would probably have no elevator which disappoints him. He agrees that it needs to be overhauled.
Old Business:
Chester says that the CAPS meeting will be April 6 at the station.
Jim introduced the 3 new board members Heather, Maggie, and Kit.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:07.
Closed Session
Nominations of officers were discussed. After nominations and votes, the Executive Board is Jim Spencer as President, Patrick Nagle as Vice President, Terie Kata as Treasurer, and Michael Zink as Secretary.
After discussion and a vote, the size of the Board was increased to 17, with the 17th seat dormant if all are present. The size will revert back to 15 if someone vacates the Board.
After discussion and a vote, the Loukas proposal was supported as presented, with one vote opposed.
The date for Oktoberfest was set for October 2 and Patrick Nagle will chair the effort.
Intraboard communication will be changed to a secured Facebook platform.