Al Jazeera: How the U.S. Government Segregated Chicago

 

[VIDEO] Not exactly a pressing topic right now, though one discussed with regards to our city's history. Of course we can talk about segregation in Chicago and it's ongoing economic and social impact to this day. This video is over six years old.

Governor's mansion history from Curbed...

I liked this history of the state's Governor's Mansion and of all the work done to that Springfield house since it was first built. Of course all is noted in light of the renovations that will start this month and end just in time for the holidays. Via Curbed Chicago

After $15 million update in 2018, the Governor’s Mansion will close for more renovations. https://t.co/ktq0b7Th5o pic.twitter.com/Iqjcl1NPJ0

— Curbed Chicago (@curbedchicago) October 4, 2019

One thing to remember is that Gov. J.B. Pritzker will pay for these renovations out of his pocket!

Capitol Fax: CTU wants to negotiate affordable housing issues

I'm sorry to have missed this from Wednesday. Chicago's teachers want to address the issue of affordable housing for CPS students and their families. Of course the city doesn't think contract negotiations were the right place to address this issue. Via Capitol Fax

CTU wants to negotiate affordable housing issues https://t.co/eeWL9tFAx1

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 9, 2019

Chicago Reader: Pullman to get first new residential building in nearly 50 years

Via Chicago Neighborhoods

More changes coming to the historically and architecturally significant Pullman neighborhood.

The $18 million Pullman Artspace Lofts will be built on land that's been vacant for 88 years.https://t.co/BlW7gLqdgk

— Chicago Reader (@Chicago_Reader) July 10, 2018

The historic Pullman neighborhood is getting 38 units of affordable housing inside a new $18 million artists' enclave—some 124 years after Pullman railroad car workers went on strike over the company's refusal to lower their rents after cutting their pay.

The Pullman Artspace Lofts, a new apartment building to be built between two long-abandoned Pullman workers' housing units, sits on three-quarters of an acre on Langley Avenue, just south of 111th Street. The three-story, 32,000-square-foot complex sits on land that's been vacant for 88 years. The construction itself marks the first new residential development built in Pullman in nearly half a century. It's unique because it will house 2,000 square feet of community space intended to be used as an art gallery, meeting place, classrooms, and community room. It's expected to open in early fall 2019.

The Artspace Lofts is a home-grown project in a neighborhood that has more than its share of artists, including painters, musicians, filmmakers, sculptors, and ceramicists, said architect Ann Alspaugh, a board member and past president of Pullman Arts, a neighborhood nonprofit whose volunteers have worked on the development for the past eight years.

"It's [the result of] a lot of hard work by a lot of people," she said, noting that the project required meeting and even exceeding local and state landmark and historic district requirements, obtaining unconventional funding, and conducting detailed feasibility studies. 

 I might have a few shots of the land where these lofts are to be located to be shared in the future. There was a period of time that I strolled through Pullman either on foot or driving where I took a series of photographs. And surely the work in Pullman is still not completed at least not yet! 

A look at what $250K get you in Chicago right now

From AJ LaTrace of Chicago Magazine, and one of those pieces of real estate is in Pullman

A look at what $250K get you in Chicago right now @ChicagoMag https://t.co/0Ih0xh7SEc

— Adrian E. LaTrace, Jr. (@ajlatrace) March 27, 2018

525 E. 112th Street, Pullman

An integral community to Chicago’s role in rail, heavy industry, and labor rights, the Pullman neighborhood has another unique designation as the city’s first and only National Monument. And for $250,000, you can purchase a historic row home (pictured above) that has been fully overhauled and updated for contemporary living. It’s worth noting that this property is currently the most expensive on the market in the neighborhood—still a fraction of the amount that wealthy rail enthusiasts are spending on restoring old Pullman Palace Cars for cross-country travel.

Not far away from Roseland and you can get a house for almost a quarter of a million dollars. Pullman is a great neighborhood anyway of great historic value and it's no wonder it's part of a national monument!

News from the Red Line extension hearing

Rendering of the west option Michigan CTA station - CTA

 I didn't get to attend the recent Red Line extension hearing this past Tuesday at 211 E. 111th St, however, both the Chicago Tribune and DNA Info went. Judging only by the headlines two issues came up during the hearing the dreaded "G" word and eminent domain.

Concerns over gentrification:

Activist Lou Turner, though pleased the project is going forward after decades of discussion, said he also wished it hadn't taken so long and had concerns that some residents may get pushed out by gentrification once the L goes through.

"There could be unintended consequences," said Turner, director of undergraduate and graduate studies in the African-American Studies department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "This area has the largest stock of affordable housing in the city."

Turner said the CTA's draft environmental impact statement on the proposed $2.3 billion project does not address the issue of gentrification, which has driven up property prices by as much as 48 percent in some areas along The 606 trail on the city's Northwest Side. A final environmental impact study is needed to secure federal funding.

"It's a concern, but at the same time I am very happy," said Turner, who like Jones had pushed for the extension with the Developing Communities Project, a group that once included President Barack Obama.

And then of course the properties CTA would need to purchase to build the extension:

Under the east option, the CTA elevated structure would be built east of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect 260 parcels, including 106 buildings, 90 of which are residential, officials said. Under this route, more single-family residences would be affected, officials said.

Under the west option, the line would run west of the Union Pacific Railroad from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect more commercial and industrial properties, some 205 of them, officials said. About 46 would require building demolitions; 26 are residential.

Those homes and business owners would be compensated, including for moving costs, under federal regulations.

Roseland resident Aaron Mallory discovered his four-unit building could be demolished under the extension.

“It’s an investment property, so I have mixed feelings,” he said.

Mallory said he doesn't want to lose the building, but he also supports an extension of mass transit.

By next year it's said we'll know which option east or west the CTA will pursue as their preferred routing. That way any property owner will brace themselves for the impact. Thus anyone in the way would have to move.

If you want to know more about this project click this link.

DNA Info: Roseland Teens Help Fix Up Abandoned Homes To Rent

Something you may have seen on our ig

I think this is what we'd all like to see more of in our communities. No more stories about the youth causing trouble in our neighborhoods more about them deciding to help build it back up. That's what the young men in this story are doing.

Simeon Career Academy senior Hakeem Day would rather be working with his hands than in the streets.

“I’ve been interested in construction since I was a little kid and this gives me the opportunity to practice for the future because I plan on doing this in the future,” said the 18-year-old Roseland resident.

He is getting that opportunity through a new youth and trades After School Matters program.

Aaron Mallory, 28, of Roseland started the program through his nonprofit God Restoring Order, or G.R.O. He’s working with a group of high school teens from schools including Simeon, Morgan Park and the Noble charter schools

The goal is to improve the community one block at a time by rehabbing the abandoned homes, and Mallory is doing just that with the help of local teens. They’re finishing up work on their first home near 109th Street and Wentworth Avenue.

The reporter for this story Andrea Watson has a poll up asking "Should our teens learn the trades?" My answer would be yes, we need carpenters, mechanics, pipe fitters, plumbers, etc. Trades in addition to helping our young people get into college. Different programs and different options.

At that learn a trade and be a value to our community and earn some community service credits. I forgot about getting valuable job experience.

Read the whole thing.

Vacant building on 111th & Edbrooke

This residential building is on the corner of 111th & Edbrooke. The next street over is Michigan Avenue. Literally here is an abandoned house/apartment building literally open to the elements as the windows on the top floor are broken. The building beyond this one is in a similar state.

You can check out these properties via Google Streetview

 

There are previous years shots of those buildings and they seemed to be in better condition than they were on my recent walk to Pullman. Wow what a difference a few years makes.

So on my recent walk to Pullman brought me past Shedd School to the Walmart in Pullman where I took shots of the future site of the Whole Foods Market distribution center. Then back west on 111th Street to hop on the Michigan bus to go back north. There are more shots to share.

Chicago housing crisis...

Recently DNA Info did a story about living alone in Chicago. You can refer to this link to see where you can afford to live in apartments of varying amenities in this city. So is this city getting more and more expensive to live each year.

There for it leads me to this Chicagoist post which talks about a new development in the Cabrini Green area. You have to afford to live there now and especially at that proposed development. The final paragraph:

With Chicago in the midst of a housing crisis we can't help but see the promises of these luxury developments coinciding with the displacement of Chicago's working class and the hastening demise of its affordability for anyone making less than $72,000 a year (that's how much you'd have to make to reasonably afford a studio apartment at $1,825 a month, based on this popular rental formula).

Now it makes me wonder where are rents in this part of the city range. For those who want something affordable in a safe and good community would it still be out of reach for those looking for a place to live?

Mid-century modern homes in Chatham

8459 South Michigan - Eric Allix Rogers

In 2012, I posted about the modernist architecture legacy of Chatham over @ The Sixth Ward. The many homes that were outside of the general character of that Black middle-class community had been documented over the years. And recently was documented at New City with the photography of one Eric Allix Rogers. I'd suggest you give it a read.

The takeaway is that 60 or so years ago Blacks were finally able to move away from the then Black Belt what we call Bronzeville today. While there may still be a dearth of housing options for that generation of Blacks even in spite of the end of restrictive covenants many found a place to create the suburban lifestyle they sought but weren't able to access.

Chatham was one place many were able to not only purchase a home in a nice area, they were also able to build a home. Probably a matter of buying an empty lot or tearing down a building to custom build a home. How many places in Chicago would one be able to do this today?

DNA Info: Pullman's Comeback Putting Homes in Higher Demand

This is something I could only hope for interest from both potential residents and realtors in a very historic and architecturally significant neighborhood. It probably helps that select lots in this area is now a US National Monument.

Some residents hope Pullman could be the next hot neighborhood on the South Side if things continue to look up.

President Barack Obama's designation of Pullman as a national monument earlier this year, along with the new Method Soap Factory has helped put Pullman back on the map, residents and Realtors said. A new Wal-Mart and other retail stores have provided more shopping options to the neighborhood.

“I think it’s going to be the next big thing outside of Hyde Park,” said Aundrea English, 36, who has lived on the 10700 block of South Champlain for the last three years.

What attracted her to her home was simple, she said. The neighbors were friendly, and she fell in love with the make of the historic rowhomes. The solid foundation, the bricks, the “east coast feel,” all had her sold after touring her house for the first time.

“I wanted to be in something trendy, but it had to be affordable,” English said. “I can’t afford Hyde Park, I can’t afford Bronzeville. ... so this was perfect.”

The neighborhood is improving, she said. When she first moved in, there were a lot of renters, but now just about everyone owns their home. She said it makes a difference.

And with the Walmart and Methods factory mentions Ms. English is looking for something else to round things up here:

"I can’t wait to see what’s next," English said. "All we need are some live music places, and a couple of places to stay, some sit-down restaurants. Those things are coming."

Perhaps they can finally come up with a plan for the Hotel Florence. In the meanwhile what are the realtors saying:

Mike Wolski, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker, has been selling homes in Pullman for 10 years. He said that he has seen more people taking an interest in the area's rowhouses.

“The neighborhood is one of a kind,” Wolski said, “It was built as a company town in the 1880s, and virtually almost all the original houses made in the 1880s period are still standing. Most of the houses are in good shape and people want to be a part of that. The architecture is really and truly one of a kind. There’s nothing else like it in Chicago.”

He said homes have been selling at prices between $75,000 to $140,000, depending on the condition.

On Aug. 29, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) and Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago partnered together to host an open house and block party for some newly renovated homes. Three such homes were for sale on Bolton’s block, and now only one is left.

Sale prices have gone up in North Pullman, said Brian Caron, a managing broker with AMS Realty because “newly rehabbed homes are in demand in Pullman.” Between 2011-2014, the average prices on their renovated homes has gone up, from under $70,000 to now $95,000, Caron said.

Wolski said increased list prices of these homes are a huge improvement over the foreclosure sales that the block saw in previous years.
...
The excessive amount of vacant homes have attracted developers, said Conrade Carpenter, of City & Suburbs Realty, who know the homes will be in demand once they are rehabbed. That is showing up in the higher prices being paid for those properties, which are some cases as high as they were in the 1960s, said Carpenter, who grew up in the area. He said the resurgence is happening even with the stigma that the area sometimes gets because of crime.

“I have seen the changes of the neighborhood over the years, [especially] with the new development things going on and Pullman being historic," he said. "It's coming back."

Here's hoping the future of Pullman can only serve to change the future of Roseland that is to the east of Cottage Grove.