With a ten year lease at 1923-31 W. North Ave., Piece Brewery & Pizzeria was given right of first refusal by BigFin Properties, Inc. to purchase the building.
An extension to Damen Ave. of the pedestrian zone from Chicago Ave. and Ashland Ave. to Wood St. was the basis of a meeting in Commercial Park, 1845 W. Rice. St., on Jan. 9, organized by 1st Ward Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno.
North Elston Avenue between Armitage and Diversey, along with nearby Clybourn, Western, Fullerton and Ashland Avenues, has long been one of the most traffic-choked and accident-prone areas of Chicago.
A possible Planned Development, on the site of the former Pizza Hut on the southwest corner of Ashland and Division, was presented at the East Village Assn. (EVA) Board meeting in Leona's, 1936 W. Augusta, Monday evening.
We have not had to face this question for awhile, but with tentative signs of economic improvement, East Village, Wicker Park and Bucktown are beginning to see rampant tear downs again.
Anna Shoykhet of Northbrook, owner of two heroin ridden buildings at 2719 and 2723 W. Haddon, appeared in court on Aug. 10 with a new attorney to face the possible demolition of both buildings.
City of Chicago departments, neighbors and the 1st Ward Alderman's office have been fighting for more than a year to get 2719 and 2723 W. Haddon's property owner Anna Shoykhet of Northbrook to secure and clean up the sites. A heroin den and haven for the homeless, the Dept. of Streets and Sanitation is required to go out regularly to clean it up.
With the West Town Center, between Milwaukee and Ashland Avenues close to Division, recently surrendered by Joseph Freed & Associates LLC to a court-appointed receiver in a $105 million foreclosure lawsuit against Block 37, the Wicker Park area is now touched by the feud between Freed and Bank of America Corp.
Decades ago two neighborhood landmarks, the Division Street YMCA and the Crown Theater, which stood at the southwest corner of Ashland and Division were demolished. When a Pizza Hut was proposed for the site, residents stood in firm opposition.
