News in Bucktown & Wicker Park

News from the West Town Chamber of Commerce...

DOMINICK'S DEVELOPMENT

5/1/06 Dominick's closed on the last piece of the land assembly (Perez property) necessary for them to proceed with the development. Having now invested well in excess of $1.5M on the project, the company is anxious to take the next step in the planning process. They estimate approximately 12 weeks to complete their plans and a further 60 days in the final building permit process. Subject to formal parent company approval, they are hopeful to begin construction soon, with a planned opening for late this year.

THE HISTORY:
The City's Committee on Zoning APPROVED the zoning change that Safeway needed in order to proceed with the Dominick's development on Chicago Avenue. The matter went before City Council on March 9th, 2005.
1st Ward Alderman Flores supported the zoning change after lengthy negotiations with Safeway. Safeway removed the non-competition clause from their lease and agreed to all of the conditions and recommendations made by the 1st Ward Alderman's office and by the West Town Chamber of Commerce.

CHICAGO AVENUE STREET IMPROVEMENT UPDATES

Construction has begun on the street improvement project for Chicago Avenue (between Laramie and Milwaukee Avenues). The 1st segment of the construction took place between Grand Avenue and Damen Avenue. The second phase of construction began in March '06 from Damen Avenue east to Milwaukee Avenue and from Laramie Avenue east o Grand Avenue. They will be working on one half of the street at a time - so there will be just one lane for each direction of traffic on Chicago Avenue within the work zones. The curb line will remain in place, pavement will be resurfaced to improve drainage, light poles will get painted, some sidewalks and curbs will get repaired, and signals will be updated at Noble, Ashland, Paulina, Wood, Damen, Leavitt, Oakley, Western, Rockwell and California. CDOT expects to finish all construction by July 2006.

To review, CDOT held a public meeting to present plans for improving Chicago Avenue between Milwaukee and Laramie in January 2003. Many residents and business owners were in attendance and it was clear that the majority had concerns in regards to one aspect of the plan: to widen the street thus reduce sidewalk width. Widening of the street was one of the Federal guidelines for the project in order to increase safety; however the majority of WTCC members did not want to see a reduction in sidewalk width nor a reduction in parking in order to accomplish this. The WTCC sent a letter to CDOT sharing our members' concerns; and CDOT shared our concerns with IDOT; thus IDOT approved to keep the existing cross sections of sidewalk on Chicago Avenue between the Kennedy and Pulaski. For more information call Mae Whiteside at CDOT 312-742-8122.

www.westtownchamber.org/page2.html