Commercial property for sale on 75th Street

For those you looking for some real estate here's a professional building to purchase at 200 E. 75th Street listed for $725k and yes although three-quarters of a millions dollars. Woah.

Some history is that it was a medical building that was owned by a medical group who eventually sold the building. There was a dentistry and dermatology practice here at one point. Current several businesses occupy the space here.

Also I want to note remember in 2009 75th Street was referred to as "Renaissance Row" a bastion of "Black Wall Street". Perhaps this is one piece of real estate where we need to capitalize on that.

Anyway Worlee shared some pics with a link to the listing over as his Concerned Citizens of Chatham fb page.

Concerned Citizen's of Chatham: It's time for an unpleasant but necessary conversation

Chatham Executive Building - 640 E 79th St

A longtime reader of ours twitter user @strannik_reb45 alerted us to a recent posting on his LiveJournal blog regarding the opening of Fleck's last month. This sparked a debate between himself and Worlee under @ccitzofchatham here is just a sample embedded below

@CCitizofChatham @TheSixthWard "will demolishing buildings attract businesses" One is about a root cause. The other is dealing with symptoms
— Strannik (@Strannik_REB45) August 4, 2013

I'm sure this exchange prompted Worlee's recent post over at Concerned Citizens of Chatham which talks a lot about 79th Street. Worlee has often discussed the many ways 79th can be improved and often it has started with better street light. The focus of his recent post was to bring more business activity to that corridor. In fact there are more comments in a post over the the Concerned Citizens of Chatham FB page.

In any case there is a question he wrote that comes out of this:

With several buildings on 79th street remodeled and in great condition and renewed interest in 79th Street, residents of Chatham have to start to have an unpleasant conversation. The conversation of "is it time to tear down some of the mixed used building to make way for new modern development".

A few years ago we talked about Chatham "Hyde Parked" (or "South Looped") and in talking about we must keep in mind that Hyde Park was a different community almost 60 years ago than it was now. And we can still ask the question is this what's necessary here in Chatham?

I often bristle at the idea of unnecesarily tearing down buildings especially if they remain viable. Most importantly my preference is to see nothing torn down unless something else is set to replace that structure. Besides Chatham has waited over 20 years to see something replace the vacant lot that once was home to the Rhodes Theater for example. I recognize that development doesn't always work like that although all throughout the south side there are vacants lots where a commercial building or home once stood with no immediate plan to redevelop such property.

In one of the comments I've seen on FB, it was noted that there is a need for a project such as the Target on 87th/Cottage Grove to make 79th more attractive to businesses. So if there is ever a need to tear down buildings on that street then perhaps we should start there.

A better idea, what could replace the Pioneer Building that was torn down last year at 7801 S. Cottage Grove. Better yet what about the recently redeveloped but still vacant Chatham Executive Building. Where could we start to make 79th Street more attractive to businesses?

115th/Michigan: What would YOU like to see here?

Southwest Corner of 115th/Michigan in Roseland

The picture shown above is the southwestern corner of 115th/Michigan Ave in the Roseland neighborhood sometime in the fall of 2012. The lot here was home to a shopping center that contained restaurants, laundromat, and retail such as Perry Drugs which eventually became a Christian bookstore and a grocery store. Further down on Michigan near a railroad viaduct was a Church's Chicken which is now gone as well. You can check out the pictures of the demolition of this area at Roseland, South Side of Chicago.

I'm interested in this area because it's the location of one of the new stops on the CTA Red Line whenever the extension is finally built. As a matter of fact there is the railroad that runs along this property which follows the approximate route of the extension. And let's not forget the Red Line South project is expected to help to facilitate the eventual extension from 95th Street. Until that time however, what could be located here when the trains are finally running?

In another picture shown below is a sign with the name of the owner Musa Tadros located on the fence of the northwest corner of 115th/Michigan. Most of us may have heard that name before as he's responsible for Chatham Village Square near 87th/Cottage Grove for example. Also we here blogged about him developing this very lot with Aldi's a possible an anchor there.

The building you see below was home to a former Hollywood Video store that has long been shuttered. It's on the same lot as Curtis Elementary School located on 115th/State and apparently it's also owned by Tadros' real estate company. One can only wonder what might attract a potential tenant to this property.

I thought about this, what if the lot on the southwestern corner was developed with "transit-oriented" development in mind. Perhaps some commercial spaces could be built with the commuter in mind. A place to buy a quick breakfast, buy some quick produce, or a news stand. Also while three bus routes pass through this intersection I could envision a terminal for those buses to pass through although who knows if that's feasible or not.

Anyway, the question to be asked here is what would you like to see here? And of course, the floor is open to any of our readers who just so happen to reside near this part of Roseland.

Crain's: Why Sears sees salvation in servers

Photo by ZOL87

 It seems Sears has an idea for the store that they plan to close on 79th Street:

Parent Sears Holdings Corp. has formed a subsidiary, Ubiquity Critical Environments LLC, tasked with converting some of the more than 2,500 Sears and Kmart properties to data storage facilities with servers, chillers and backup generators. It also plans to top all of its buildings with telecommunications towers that would serve a wide range of needs, including, ironically, those of the e-commerce rivals that Sears is struggling to match.

First up: a Sears store along the Chicago Skyway that will close in July.

If you'd like to read the whole article, there may be registration required. Hopefully there will still be some room for another business or businesses to move in. We recently got an email about another business who could utilize this building if they were interesting in expansion: Mariano's.

Progress IL: Englewood Residents Question TIF Program, Call For More Community Mobilization At Town Hall Meeting

You might have seen an image such as the one to the left on our FB page recently. On Saturday, the Resident Association of Greater Englewood hosted a town hall meeting on Englewood area tax increment financing (TIF) districts. Progress Illinois covered this event:

Property taxpayers in Englewood were furious upon learning at a town hall meeting Saturday that their tax dollars had contributed at least $44 million to the Englewood Neighborhood Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District since it rolled out in 2001. According to data from the CivicLab's TIF Illumination Project, some $44 million of taxpayer dollars had funneled to the TIF district between 2001 and 2011.

In 2011 alone, the TIF district siphoned $5 million from property taxpayers in the area, which would have normally gone to local units of government such as schools and parks, according to the CivicLab.

“The original concept is that (TIFs are) designed to have an impact on blighted areas, and just looking out the window, we know that a blighted area is all around us,” CivicLab's Bill Drew said at the TIF discussion, held at the Chicago Public Library's Hiram Kelly Branch.

Members of the volunteer-based TIF Illumination Project are traveling across the city in order to promote TIF transparency at the ward level.

There are 163 TIF districts across Chicago and an additional 280 in suburban Cook County.
...
A little more than $24 million was left sitting in the bank account of the Englewood Neighborhood TIF district at the end of 2011, according to the CivicLab’s analysis.

And that news didn’t sit well with some of the residents.

“We need an attorney,” said Etta Davis, a 50-year Englewood resident. “We know we are being had. We’re being messed over. We are being stolen from.”

Some Englewood homeowners who live in the district did receive some TIF money as part of the Neighborhood Improvement Program to make repairs to their homes, according to the CivicLab’s analysis.

But overall, TIF money was spent on little, if any, commercial developments within the district since its creation, the CivicLab found.

It seems as if the controversy over TIFs aren't going away and this article is well worth your time.

Curbed Chicago: Family housing for 73 veterans breaks ground in Englewood

This development chronicled by Curbed Chicago is called Hope Manor II located at 61st & Halsted. Not too far from the corner of 63rd & Halsted. Governor Pat Quinn dropped by to ground break this project and it seems appropriate since the Governor does care for our veterans. Primary purpose of this project:

That project has a focus on the needs of single veterans. Hope Manor II will offer on-site job training, family counseling, and health care. As depicted in the above rendering, the town homes and apartments will address the street while cradling a small park and children's play area.

According to the Hope Manor II page linked above this project is a partnership between "the City of Chicago and Alderman JoAnn Thompson of the 16th ward".

EVENT: Chicago Bungalow weatherization grant workshop!

This event is for those of you who own a Chicago bungalow that was built before 1940. If you own such a home then you may be able to get a $4000 grant for some weatherization work. One side of the flyer is posted below, however, you can get both parts of this flyer at this link!

Tribune: CPS may sell downtown headquarters

Considering that CPS is seeking to close some schools, this is an interesting development:

Chicago Public Schools officials are looking at moving out of their downtown headquarters as another way to ease a projected $1 billion budget deficit.

The district has requested bids from real estate brokerage firms to help sell its building and scout for a new headquarters location. CPS says it has cut 30 percent of its staff since 2009 and with a little more than 1,000 employees has too much space at its present location, 125 S. Clark St. in the Loop. Potential savings from a move were estimated at up to $3 million annually.

The district's move to Clark Street was also made to save money. CPS purchased the 20-story building that formerly housed Commonwealth Edison in 1998 for $8.2 million. Before that, its main offices were in a former Army distribution center at 1819 W. Pershing Road. The cost of heating and cooling that massive edifice was $6.2 million a year, leading to the move downtown.

District officials hope to sell the present headquarters. If they are unable to, the building will be leased, said CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll.

If they were to sell the building, where would they go?

REMINDER: February 5th event with the Cook County Assessor

We posted about this event January 15th. It's being heavily promoted by the Greater Chatham Alliance and will take place February 5, 2012 at Whitney Young Library - 7901 S. King Drive - from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Refer to flyer below for more details!

Sun-Times: County edges closer to buying up vacant, foreclosed properties

A Cook County land bank was mentioned in an open letter from 6th Ward Alderman Roderick Sawyer back on January 15. Do you believe this to be a good idea in communities that have suffered as a result of the real estate crash and the current recession?

What is being dubbed the nation’s largest landbank — an independent agency set up to acquire vacant land and foreclosed homes and commercial property in Chicago and the suburbs — moved one step closer to setting up shop Tuesday.

The Cook County Board’s finance committee signed off on creating the new landbank – in hopes of cleaning up neighborhoods and returning abandoned property to the tax roles. Because the finance committee’s membership is identical to the full County Board, the measure is expected to sail through final approval during Wednesday’s meeting.

County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, credited with taking the lead on the measure, said the cash-strapped county government wouldn’t have to fund the landbank. Instead, the roughly $15 million in seed money needed during the first three years of operation will likely come from local foundations and grants.

The money will be used for anything from hiring staff to purchasing property to rehabbing or demolishing it.

We learned that as far as this proposal goes the Greater Chatham Alliance has some reservations about it believing there could be serious repercussions for south side neighborhoods if there is little community input on such a program. What do you think?

SAVE THE DATE: February 5th event with the Cook County Assessor

A special tax event with the Cook County Assessor's office to take place at Whitney Young Library 7901 S. King Dr from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM on February 5th, 2013. Information courtesy of the Greater Chatham Alliance. Refer to flyer below!

Curbed Chicago on the recent NY Times story on Chatham

While Worlee was where I had first discovered a story about Chatham from the New York Times, Curbed Chicago had something to say about it:

A shocking 2010 murder threatened to derail the proud neighborhood, but strong social ties prevailed. As criminologists see it, Chatham has "ecological advantages" in its small single-family housing stock— more familiarity among neighbors, less blight from vacant lots. Dennis Rodkin recently put Chatham atop a list of neighborhoods with housing on the rebound. And new businesses are cropping up. Will the trend hold? Not even the mighty Times can say.

No one can say, but we can only continue to work towards a rebound.

Refer to last night's post for more about the NY Times article. The photo above was from a CBS Chicago story last year about Chatham.

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Will the Independence Bank building survive?

7936 S. Cottage Grove -photo by Eric Allix Rogers

Worlee wrote yesterday about the coming takeover by Urban Partnership Bank of the former branch of Northern Trust Bank located at 7801 S State St.:

The corner of 79th Cottage Grove is currently experiencing challenges because of several large outdated structures. These structures attract nefarious activity and leaves a lot to be desired. Also, east on 79th street,is what is considered the worst beat in the City of Chicago by the Chicago Police Department. So the question that many in the Chatham community are asking will Urban Partnership abandon the Independence Bank Building for the old Northern Trust Clock Tower Building. Calls to Urban Partnership have gone unanswered, so we will have to wait and see what will happen.

What will happen to this nice building once Urban Partnership sets up shop at their new digs on State Street?

Citizen: Chatham Movie House Closed, Owners Evicted

I wonder why this wasn't said in the mainstream press? The Chicago Citizen fills us in on why there were eviction notices at the Chatham 14 almost two weeks ago:

According to documents available on the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website, the owner of the Chatham theater property is 210 W. 87th Chicago TH, LLC and eviction proceedings began in March. According to the electronic docket, the Starks owe at least $725,000.

When more quotes came out in various press releases it seems that the Starks' deny at least owing amusement taxes and even money to distributors. I wonder what was the nature of this debt.

Woodlawn Wonder: Race, Real Estate and The Bank Of America

It was in the news recently that Bank of America takes better care of foreclosed properties in white areas than they would in Black or "minority" areas. Here's a story from the Tribune:

A national fair housing group has added Chicago and two other cities to its complaint charging that Bank of America Corp. takes better care of foreclosed properties in white communities than those in predominantly minority neighborhoods.

The inclusion of Chicago, along with Milwaukee and Indianapolis, brings to 13 the number of cities included in the National Fair Housing Alliance's complaint originally filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in September involving eight cities. Two other cities were added earlier this month.

The Washington, D.C.-based alliance, a consortium of private, nonprofit fair housing groups, alleges that the lender "has a systemic and particularized practice" of handling foreclosed properties differently depending on race and color, and the practice has occurred at least since 2011.

Meanwhile in commenting on this story the Woodlawn Wonder at her blog  - I Hate My Developer - offers her 2 cents:

Yesterday the Chicago Tribune reported that Bank of America has been accused of taking better care of foreclosed properties in predominately white neighborhoods than they do in minority neighborhoods.

Oh boy here we go.

Topics of race and racism are always incendiary.

Nonetheless, when I do discuss issues of race with people I don't know (which I rarely do), I take an emotionless position. Instead of ranting and raving about institutional and casual racism I discuss facts.

Most commenters on this story were saying that the issue was not about race but rather one of return on investment (ROI) or sound business principles.

You should read the rest of her posting, so now we go down the road of race in talking about foreclosure in "minority" communities. She had the right approach in not allowing emotion to enter into a discussion such as this. This became a racial discussion when she only noted that foreclosed properties should be properly secured, but there are those who think such properties would only be broken into in many minority areas.

All the same, many in this area have seen the effects of foreclosure. We've covered squatters although I could drive around certain neighborhoods and note all the boarded up properties that are seen on this part of town. To be sure, I'm not entirely certain if vandalism is an issue.

Still all the same, any property that doesn't have anyone living on the property - especially a foreclosure - should be properly secured. There shouldn't be an argument on whether that should occur in a "minority" community or not.

What say you?

CTA Opens Produce Market At Ashland/63rd Station « CBS Chicago

Photo via Chicago-L.org

CTA Opens Produce Market At Ashland/63rd Station « CBS Chicago

The CTA is trying something new at one of its ‘L’ stations — a produce market.

CTA riders already can buy plenty of newspapers, coffee, doughnuts and candy at many CTA stops, but now one train station will be selling apples, bananas, citrus and salads. It’s not in a trendy neighborhood, either, but at the hardscrabble Ashland/63rd terminal on the Green Line.

It’s a one-year experiment by Lunderman Produce, but if it works, CTA President Forrest Claypool said you might see more. What he hopes he does not see is more apple cores and garbage aboard Green Line trains as a result.

“We don’t want people littering our trains and eating their fried egg sandwiches on the train,” he said. “That’s just common sense.”

Via Curbed!

Bungalow for sale in Roseland Heights

For $59,000 you can have this 5623 sq ft home that was built in 1918:

1 Story, Bungalow - CHICAGO, IL 

Your Vision, Your Dream Your Design + This Solid BRICK 3 bed Bungalow w/ EXTRA WIDE lot....on the PARK = Abundance!!! Estate settlement is your opportunity w/ Newer windows, Parquet floors,cabinets and remodeled bathroom. Sold "As is" for convenience of family.

And again since this is Roseland Heights the L is nearby, Abbott Park, Shedd School branch, Harlan High School, and Chicago State University.

More on using eminent domain on foreclosures...

Steve Bartin of Newsalert writes this recent piece over - entitled "New Chicago Machine Scam In the Works: Eminent Domain Seizure of ‘Underwater’ Mortgages" at New Geography, with regards to using eminent domain on foreclosures:

If this passes, the potential for corruption will be unlimited in Chicago. Alderman Burke controls Chicago’s tax code. But, the conflicts are even more pronounced. Alderman Burke slates all the judges in Cook County which means a Burke-slated judge will hear the property seizure case. Even that’s not all; Alderman Burke's day job is running a property tax appeals tax firm. Being a client of Alderman Burke’s probably will be a good way to avoid a ‘takings’. Expecting a fair appeal, in court, on the seizure? Alderman Burke’s wife, Anne, is a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court. Expecting help from the Illinois state legislature to clamp down on Alderman Burke’s conflicted lifestyle? Alderman Burke’s brother, Daniel, is Assistant Majority Leader of the Illinois General Assembly.

Calling Black Talk Tony!

RELATED

• Using eminent domain to fight foreclosures...
• Alderman wants to explore fighting foreclosures with eminent domain

Using eminent domain to fight foreclosures...

Consider this post a follow-up to a previous post regarding a proposal by Ald. Ed Burke with regards to using eminent domain on those foreclosed properties. I would like to refer you to a comment on this from Black Talk Tony who is a frequent commenter. Do you agree or disagree?

Below is a graphic found over at the Chicago's Woodlawn Community FB page. It shows how eminement domain would be used on foreclosures. Apparently this solution is being proposed in the California cities of Sacremento and San Bernardino. Do you think this is what's needed in Chicago? Black Talk Tony has his opinion, but we're also interested in other comments as well.

The Atlantic Cities: A Greener, Safer Empty Lot

Site of the former Rhodes Theater Fall 2009

 Something to consider with vacant lots in our area: 

Vacant lots in neighborhoods can mean trouble. Often overgrown and kind of creepy, these places can be magnets for crime, with tall grasses and bushes that can conceal criminal activity or serve as hiding places for weapons. They may even be good places to stash a body.

But not all empty lots breed crime. New research suggests that vacant lots that are cleaned up and maintained see reduced crime in their immediate surroundings. Cleaning and greening empty lots can even make people feel safer, according to the study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, published this week in the journal Injury Prevention.

The research is based on two separate clusters of vacant lots in Philadelphia – one set that was eventually cleaned up and maintained and one that wasn't. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society helped by removing debris from some sites, planting grass and trees, building fences and doing maintenance every two weeks. The researchers analyzed police records for these areas for the three months before the empty lot greening and the three months after and found a decrease in total crime as well as drops in assaults with and without a gun. Residents living near the greened lots reported feeling significantly safer than those living near the untouched empty lots.

Read the rest!