[VIDEO] It ran on the red line over the past weekend and will be in service through Christmas and there is a holiday bus that will also be in service through Christmas. You can find a schedule for the holiday train and bus here.
Meanwhile you can check out what artistmac recording when the Holiday Train stopped at 47th Street on the red line recently. I do hope this raises your spirits this holiday season.
I would like to see the shopping strip south of 111th Street at least get the attention it needs. From Chicago Public Radio:
Roseland is the last of the 10 communities targeted for redevelopment under the city’s ambitious INVEST South/West economic program; Michigan Avenue is a centerpiece. Compared to other neighborhoods struggling with vacant land, this part of Michigan Avenue has comparatively few – only 10 empty lots, according to my informal count.
The city owns three vacant lots in the vicinity, including the former Gately’s department store at the corner of 112th and Michigan. The city’s vision for that location is housing with retail stores. The planned CTA Red Line extension is a few blocks south near 116th and Michigan, and the city wants to develop the land next to it. And there’s a third vacant lot that was the site of a movie theater that Cox sees as a blank canvas.
Other elements of the city’s revitalization plan include affordable housing, transit-oriented development and retail connected to the emerging medical district anchored by the nearby Roseland Community Hospital. Normally when the city looks to redevelop land it owns, its department of planning and development, which Cox leads, puts out a request for proposals.
“We found that that was an unfair barrier for a lot of Black and brown developers,” Cox said. Instead Cox says the city is asking for a request of qualifications for Michigan Avenue. Developers and architects will then be matched up to create a joint venture. Those teams will each get a $20,000 to $30,000 stipend from a philanthropic foundation to pitch a proposal.
“We eliminate that barrier of smaller emerging developers from being able to compete and having to advance those dollars to come up with their proposals,” Cox said.
The community will hear the proposals by March 2023.
Read the whole thing. Perhaps this is something that those candidates running for Alderman in Ward 9 where this strip is located can express their ideas.
Oh and there is a theater in the neighborhood still standing waiting for redevelopment although if that vacant lot that once had a theater is the State Theater perhaps if they could make a good deal with the Post Office.
A poll showing the standing amongst likely voters of the candidates running against incumbent Mayor Lightfoot also who do Chicago's likely voters view the crime issue. Is the crime issue important to them?
Chicago poll shows crime and public safety far above any other issues for voters https://t.co/9iO4jMcAsJ
— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) December 13, 2022
[VIDEO] Obligatory update on the Red Line extension via CTA. The extension is moving forward towards securing funding. You see footage of Mayor Lightfoot announcing a TIF that would contribute towards building the Red Line extension to 130th Street. This was uploaded to CTAs YouTube channel two days ago.
We also see a concept of the new stations on the extension. Seems lofty to see at least in the distant future new residential development and a coffeeshop named for Makayla. Hmmm I seem cynical?
Well I like to see where some of these communities will be especially if projects like this come to fruition. Perhaps there will be a Makayla Coffeeshop in the community in the near future and hopefully other amenities beyond that. Wait I like the idea of a Roseland Coffee House, and right on the same lot where the old Coffee Pot restaurant used to be.
Another term that has come up in this video is equity. Equity in public transit and equity in as far as who gets contracts to build this new infrastructure.
My deal, however, is when will this project get the federal funding and go forward?
[VIDEO] Are you experiencing issues with CTA bus services on the south side?
According to this report from ABC 7 Chicago absenteeism is the reason why buses are delayed. Absenteeism out of the 77th Street garage are at 18% out of the 103th Street garage it's 17.6% however on the north side at North Park it's 10%. CTA has about 1000 vacancies for frontline positions with the majority of these open positions for bus drivers.
[VIDEO] A scandal at a far south side hospital. Roseland Hospital is at the center of a scandal where the hospital billed for coronavirus testing that was never provided. Jermont Terry reports on WBBM-TV.
[VIDEO] Today's Throwback Thursday we discuss the long gone ICE Theaters. In 1997 the company partnered with Cineplex Odeon to open three theaters two on the south side and one on the west side bringing movies back to underserved inner city neighborhoods. I used to enjoy going up to their theaters on 87th Street as opposed to going to the General Cinema (now AMC Theatres) at Ford City.
Eventually the company partnered with Marcus Theatres and later went independent and experienced a reversal in the fall of 2012 the company was evicted from their 87th Street location thanks to a dispute with a silent partner.
So ICE Chatham 14 became Chatham 14 Theatres which was later owned by the Texas company Studio Movie Grill and currently under the ownership of Michigan based Emangine Entertainment and the location is currently known as Cinema Chatham.
The location formerly located at 62nd & Western - if you're familiar with that area it's on the same lot that contained a Sears store has been demolished. The location in Lawndale near Kedzie & Roosevelt Rd (or 12th Street) was under the ownership of another company is currently vacant.
It's great to see this policy trailer preserved on YouTube you may have seen it in the community tab on @sixthward's YouTube Channel recently. I seen this enough times as a customer on 87th Street I always wondered if this would ever get updated.
Today, Lori Lightfoot has filed her papers to run for a second term as Mayor. [VIDEO]
[VIDEO] Over the summer he had been one of the first candidates to announce his run for the mayor's office. Yesterday he had dropped out of the race stating that a crowded field could help Lori Lightfoot get a second term as Chicago Mayor. Well while I could be disappointed that's he's dropping out, he is running for re-election as Ward 15 Alderman and well it'll have to be another candidate who could potentially defeat Mayor Lightfoot.
Earlier this month Congressman Chuy Garcia announced another run for Mayor.
Meanwhile this week candidates seeking an elected office in Chicago have started filing their petitions. You can check out them out here at the Chicago Board of Elections.
These two candidates are running for Alderman of Ward 9. Ald. Anthony Beale is running for re-election and so far Cleopatra Draper has filed to run against him. Time to start that Ward 9 elections page.
Also I see also on the ballot next year in 2022 is three positions in 22 Chicago Police Districts around the city. I'm sorry but had no idea about this, when did this start? Anyone reading this blog running for a seat on the Chicago Police District council?
BTW, I wish I could create an iniative no more of this alderperson junk. Let's just change the job title of Chicago alderman. Find something that is "gender neutral" and a bit more logical to say...can't get used to it!
