Once upon a time, Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) formed a public school initiative–Grow 47, co-chaired by Dan Hynes and Paul Rosenfeld. In 2011, they came across a golden goose: $10 million in state funding for an annex at Bell Elementary and $10-13 million in TIF dollars allocated for a Coonley Elementary annex. Now, with...
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Pizza D.O.C, 2251 W. Lawrence Ave., is celebrating Kappenabend (think German Carnival) with a Crazy Hat Night, Feb. 8, 7 p.m. Wear your crazy hats, celebrate Mardi Gras and welcome Chicago’s German Prinz Franz Josef and Prinzessin Sandra. Enjoy live music by the Phoenix and dine on a special menu just for the occasion:...
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Oh the irony of the term Bus Rapid Transit, given how long it might take to move this concept from idea to reality in Chicago. But BRT just gained some much needed traction with an endorsement from the Metropolitan Planning Council, which included BRT among the organization’s policy initiatives for 2012. MPC, an independent...
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“Who drinks Miller Lite anymore?” Certainly not Derek Lindskog, one of the lucky 525 craft beer lovers who snagged a coveted ticket to the inaugural Winter Brew, held last Saturday at DANK Haus. A joint effort of the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce and the Square Kegs Home Brew Club, Winter Brew was, by...
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We’re not sure Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., got the memo about how to counter-program for Super Bowl Sunday; think a Jane Austen marathon on PBS or back-to-back-to-back airings of The Notebook on Lifetime. Instead, Signal is offering a special production of its world premiere play, Motion, which is, get this, all...
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The Chicago Department of Transportation is assembling a master plan for bicycling throughout the city. To determine where the city should focus its resources, CDOT is hosting a series of open meetings to discuss the plans; the final opportunity for public input is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N....
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Fifty thousand fans. Fifty thousand pounds of BBQ. Twenty-five hours of fun and music. Ribfest Chicago is returning in 2012 with more smokin’ music and barbecue than ever before. The Committee is cooking up some new twists for Chicago’s favorite festival, which will take place: Friday, June 8, 5 – 10 p.m. Saturday, June...
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For the second time in as many months, a developer is proposing the construction of apartments, not condos. First the Ravenswood Terrace project on Lawrence Avenue was announced as rentals, and now Earthwood Development is presenting revised plans for 4232-38 N. Western Ave., currently the site of a vacated laundromat. We smell a trend....
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Convened in August 2011 by Ald. Ameya Pawar, the 47th Ward’s Permit Parking Task Force has now released its assessment, which boils down to: can’t live with it, can’t live without it so let’s try to fix what’s broken. Findings and a plan of action going forward were originally presented Jan. 18 and will...
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On the market since October, the 1931 mixed-use building at 2215 W. Lawrence Ave. has a 2,700 sq ft. of commercial space and two two-bedroom apartments at top. First listed at $595,000 in October, owner Tai Phan has since dropped the price to $524,000. The beauty supply business on the first floor, owned by...
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Operating out of rather ramshackle headquarters on a lonely stretch of Rockwell Street, tiny Haymarket Books may exist well outside the center of the publishing universe but its ongoing advocacy for social change has placed it firmly in the midst of the current “99 percent” movement. “All the books we’ve done support struggles for...
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We’re not saying there’s any connection to a certain boy wizard, but surely it’s more than coincidence that local auction house Potter & Potter, 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., specializes in magicana (collectibles related to magic and magicians). This Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10:00 a.m., curiosity seekers will have the opportunity to bid on items...
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You’ll have to excuse Bill Brandt if he’s more than a bit giddy about the impending debut of his new baby. It’s only been gestating for the past two years. Assuming all goes well with a final task force inspection by the Health Department, Brandt and partner Nick Kantalonis will finally open Big Bricks,...
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Chicago theater companies have gained a reputation for debuting new works by up-and-coming playwrights. Adding to that tradition, American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St., will stage the world premiere of Disgraced, January 27 – February 26. Written by Milwaukee-born author, filmmaker and actor Ayad Akhtar, Disgraced centers around a Pakistani-American lawyer struggling to climb the...
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As the annual, nation-wide, Catholic Schools Week is nearing, St. Matthias Elementary School, 2310 W. Ainslie St., is preparing in many capacities to embody this year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Faith, Academics, Service.” The highlights of the week include: a “Saintly Wax Museum,” put on by the 4th grade students; the 6th-8th grade Science Fair; and...
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