Crain's: Seaway Bank buyer rolls dice on African-American acceptance

www.seawaybank.us

It's almost been two weeks since the formerly Black-owned Seaway Bank was purchased by the Dallas, TX based State Bank of Texas which is owned by an Indian-American family. We already know that the Seaway name will be retained primarily in an effort to maintain some of the predominantly Black customers.

What does the "bank black" movement stand for? The Indian-American family that just took ownership of Chicago's largest African-American-owned bank is about to find out.

Dallas-based State Bank of Texas, a lender mainly known for making loans to Indian-American operators of hotels around the U.S., was tapped Jan. 27 by federal bank regulators to assume the deposits and most of the assets of Seaway Bank & Trust, based on Chicago's South Side.

A large percentage of Seaway's depositors are drawn at least in part by its status as African-American-owned. Seaway's "bank black" campaign last year brought in at least $8 million, with new customers depositing their money at the bank on the basis of its ownership even though its financial condition was rapidly deteriorating.

How many of those depositors will want to stay with a Seaway Bank under Indian-American ownership?

Sushil Patel, president of State Bank of Texas, acknowledges the potential issue.

"I'm not a black bank," he says in an interview. "I'm not a white bank, but I'm definitely not a black bank."

The most important consideration for depositors, he says, is whether their money is safe.

"Banking is still banking," Patel says. "I respect the idea of depositors wanting to put money into a bank that will put money back into that community."

We learn for the first time one of the other bidders of Seaway:

There was competition in the bidding the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. held for Seaway's assets and deposits. The three other bidders included another black-owned bank, Liberty Bank & Trust of New Orleans, according to an FDIC disclosure.

The agency didn't say how much Liberty bid or even whether its bid met the FDIC's specifications. Other bidders were Republic Bank of Chicago, owned by Greek Americans, and Raleigh, N.C.-based First-Citizens Bank & Trust, a publicly traded, $31 billion-asset lender.

Usually, regulators take pains to try to find a buyer for a failed minority-owned bank with the same ethnicity. That was the case in 2014 when State Bank of Texas took over failed National Republic Bank of Chicago, also an Indian-American-owned lender. Likewise, Seaway was the chosen buyer for Milwaukee's black-owned Legacy Bank in 2011.

In its deal with State Bank of Texas, the FDIC effectively paid the bank more than $40 million to take ownership of most of Seaway, according to the purchase agreement (see the PDF).

That will incentivize State Bank of Texas to work out Seaway's bad loans as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

The FDIC contacted 350 banks, including 102 owned by minorities, to bid on Seaway, a spokesman says. The Texas bank's was the lowest cost for the agency, which by law had to accept it, he says.

As with many Indian-American-owned banks, State Bank of Texas' lending expertise is chiefly in the hotel industry, accounting for about 60 percent of its loan portfolio.

Otherwise, it mainly makes commercial real estate loans, so it has little experience in Seaway's bread-and-butter business loans and mortgages.

"At the end of the day, it's still lending," Patel says.

Once Seaway's bad loans are charged off, sold or worked out, the bank will continue making the same kinds of loans it used to, he says. The Patels won't install a new bank president for Seaway. Instead, the three family members—Sushil, his father, Chan Patel, who is chairman and CEO, and his brother Rajan Patel, chief lending officer—will take turns being in Chicago and running the operations, he says.

Liberty Bank has a branch on the west side where the former Community Bank of Lawndale/Covenant Bank was headquartered. Seaway won't have their own management team for the time being as you saw in the excerpt.

In recognition that this is a business we're talking about my hope is that in the next few years State Bank could possibly set up Seaway for a sale to a Black-ownership group. This is their business for now as you see in the screencap above so it's ultimately up to them whether or not they want to eventually sell.

In the meanwhile, we see that in this article Illinois Service Federal is setting themselves up as the only locally Black-owned bank here in Chicago. Also we see in this article actions taken by the community whenever a Black-owned financial institution is taken over by someone outside of the community - for example the former Community Bank of Lawndale.

What many of us should be concerned about particularly customers are the status of the many jobs that could be at stake during the course of this transition. State Bank doesn't have as many branches as Seaway so it's possible there will be some layoffs.

I suggest you read the whole thing.

Did top gang thugs in Chicago really send a message to the White House...

You know this is all fine good, but there are some questions about this statement made yesterday at the White House:

Dr. Darrell Scott, senior pastor of New Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was a guest of Trump’s at an African-American History Month meeting at the White House. He said he is a “black Trump supporter,” and claimed he was “contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down.”

Taking a swipe at former President Obama, who began his political career as a community organizer in Chicago, Scott said the gangs “want to work with the administration … they believe in this administration; they didn’t believe in the prior administration. They told me this outta their mouths.”

“They reached out to me, because they’re associating me with you. They respect you. They believe in what you’re doing, and they want to have a sit-down about lowering that body count. So in a couple weeks, I’m going into Chicago,” Scott said. “I said we’ve got to lower that body count. We don’t want to talk about anything else; get that body count down, and they agreed that the principals that can do it – these are guys straight from the streets, no politicians, straight street guys – but they’re going to commit that if they lower that body count, we’ll come in and we’ll do some social programs.”

The questions were who were these top thugs? Why didn't they approach anyone here in Chicago? And do they not think there would be resistance to this by those activists and ministers here in Chicago?

Then I see Dr. Scott had to walk back these comments:

An Ohio pastor told FOX 32 that he "misspoke" at the White House. He created a national sensation by telling President Trump Wednesday that Chicago gang leaders would "lower the body count" if given new federal programs.

FOX 32: So, there are no gang leaders offering to reduce the body count in exchange for federal funds?

“No! I mean, c'mon now! (laughs) No!” Pastor Darrell Scott said.

...

Pastor Darrell Scott also told FOX 32 a lack of sleep caused him to tell President Trump that Chicago gangs had offered to "lower the body count." He said he actually spoke to one former gang member, and not to any gang leaders.

While the truth seemed to have gotten murky there, I'm glad to see a federal focus on the crime and violence here in Chicago.

 

Seaway Bank's website is back up...

Click for larger resolution

Down since Friday as of Wednesday the online home of Seaway Bank is back up with a descriptor "Welcome to the State Bank of Texas". Seaway Bank was closed by the FDIC and state authorities with the bank taken over by the Indian-American owned State Bank of Texas.

How appropriate that we start Black History Month talking about Black-owned banks with a column by Mary Mitchell. The loss of Seaway Bank itself as a Black-owned financial institution she says is a wake-up call. She notes the long history of such banks dating back to the Civil War.

Let's start with the situation of the only locally owned Black-owned bank left - Illinois Service Federal:

In recent years, Chicago has lost several black-owned banks, including Highland Community Bank and Covenant Bank, a black-owned bank on the West Side.

When Illinois Service Federal Savings & Loan Association, founded in 1934, threatened to fail, the Nduom family of Ghana stepped up and invested $9 million to rescue it.

Papa Kwesi Nduom, a former Deloitte & Touche partner who chairs the bank’s board of directors, said you cannot take Seaway’s closure in isolation.

 “Many of our banks have been closing in good part because of the housing market prices. All banks were hit, but it hit black banks the most,” Nduom noted in a phone interview.

He listed three reasons for the discrepancy: low level of capital; most vulnerable customers; and the areas where black banks operate have been the slowest to get out of the housing slump.

“The values have not risen like some of the other majority areas. If you are holding a mortgage from our community, you are bound to sustain losses, and when you combine those losses with the low levels of capital that our banks begin with, then you see a swift erosion of capital and inability to continue,” Nduom said.

He pointed out that “big banks were bailed out but small banks did not get any help.”

“Our banks have been left to sink or swim. Only a few have managed to find resources and enhance their capital and to be recapitalized. Seaway tried but could not get people willing to invest their monies to recapitalize or strengthen its capital base,” he added.

And then there's more a new challenge for Black-owned banks in this country. According to this column as of 2016 there had been 24 such banks down from 54 in 2001:

“It took 13 black men to start Illinois Service Federal because the people in the community could not get mortgages from anywhere else,” Nduom reminded me.

“You come to the present where the well-to-do in the community have a variety of places to go to meet their needs. But somehow the places that they go have not included the black banks,” he said. Additionally, he pointed out what black banks have been funding is not the “best portfolio.”

“But somebody’s got to do it and it will not be the big majority bank. It has to be a strong community bank,” he said.

“How do you become a strong community bank? You need the best customers — individuals and businesses — in addition to the marginal ones. You need a variety. That is what our broader community needs to understand. If somebody is going to help the community out, everybody has to help. If people have choices, they must make the choice to help our community,” he said.

 The Seaway Bank name survives but can the business itself survive under new ownership? Will the communities Seaway serves in Crestwood, Maywood, Chatham, Bronzeville, and Roseland continue to use the products & services it provides? Time will tell what the future holds.

Is Trump right that Chicago is more dangerous than Afghanistan? Yes and no.

According to the website AEI:

In an interview with ABC News, President Donald Trump talked about the “carnage” taking place in Chicago, declaring, “Afghanistan is not like what’s happening in Chicago. People are being shot left and right. Thousands of people over a short period of time.”

Is Trump right that Chicago is more dangerous that Afghanistan? For Americans, yes. If you compare US casualties in Afghanistan to those in Chicago, the “Windy City” has been a far more perilous place for Americans. Consider the statistics.

The total number of Americans killed in Afghanistan since 2001 under Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel is 2,377. By contrast, there have been 8,229 murders in Chicago during that same time period.

...

Indeed, since just the middle of 2011 when Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office, there have been 2,980 murders in Chicago. So, more Americans have died in Chicago in five years under Rahm Emanuel than have died in Afghanistan in the 15 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

...

The death toll for Americans in Chicago not only exceeds those in Afghanistan; it exceeds the total number of Americans killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. According to the Department of Defense, 4,518 Americans have been killed in Iraq since the start of combat operations in 2003: 4,412 Americans killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, another 73 killed in Operation New Dawn, and 33 in Operation Inherent Resolve.

...

In other words, Afghanistan is a much more dangerous place for civilians than Chicago. But of course, that is to be expected. Afghanistan is an actual war zone. Chicago is not – at least, it shouldn’t be.

The fact is, most murders in Chicago are concentrated in certain high-crime neighborhoods where most outsiders never venture. Most Americans would not set foot in Afghanistan, unless they were sent there by the US military, the press, or international organizations. But millions of Americans visit Chicago every year. Indeed, in 2015 Chicago set a tourism milestone, with 51 million visitors – more than any other year on record. The Windy City is setting both tourism records and murder records at the same time. Go figure.

I cherrypicked some quotes here and click the above link if you want further numbers. Is Chicago far more dangerous for American civilians? What do you believe? And I hate the comparison to an actual warzone of which Afghanistan is certainly not the only one around the world.

 Hat-tip Newsalert.

The future of the Seaway Bank

Does the bank & name survive?

The closure of Seaway Bank and FDIC orchestrated purchase by the State Bank of Texas has certainly come as a huge shock. There have been rumblings that there had been trouble at the bank for the past two years. This even though it was in the news that Seaway Bank within the last three years was actually making a profit.

What this means is that Veranda Dickens is no longer majority owner and Seaway Bancshares holding company no longer own the 52 year old bank. Essentially and perhaps many of you already figured this out, the bank is no longer Black-owned. Regardless as happens in situations like that such as this operations are basically status quo for a while at which point the new ownership starts making decisions that makes sense for them.


Saturday night I saw that Seaway's ig account had been reactivated with the last post was to let the world know that the bank is hiring. Problem is the website is still down unless job seeking individuals should for the moment visit the career page of the State Bank of Texas - which has no job postings at all. BTW, State Bank already has a presence on Devon Avenue so they're not that unfamiliar with the Chicago market.

The reactivation of the bank's ig account could be one indication that the Seaway name will survive. That may mean the brand is still significant and they recognize as an Indian-American owned bank that they will be serving a different market now. I could see them keeping Seaway as a subsidiary until whatever time they may decide to sell the bank. Perhaps depending on whether or not regulators may approve any potential sale. Or whether or not this is a successful enough operation where they will choose to keep the bank.

BTW, we've covered bank closings before especially the ShoreBank closing. We covered that somewhat with all the media attention because of any perceived political favoritism towards them. Seaway had been one of the largest Black-owned banks in the nation until the FDIC and State Bank took over. This is a very significant story and like the closure of ShoreBank takes place directly in our community.

For this new re-iteration of Seaway Bank under non-Black ownership what does the future hold?

Seaway Bank is closed down by FDIC

This is the page you will see when you visit Seaway Bank's online home as of Friday night. For the many supporters of Seaway Bank this is truly a sad day. Unfortunately what did them was the purchase of assets from two other failed banks and essentially loan losses.

Read more about it at Crain's. Which now says Chicago now has only one Black-owned bank in Illinois Service Federal. Then of course Liberty Bank on the city's west side (formerly Community Bank of Lawndale and Covenant Bank) which is actually based on New Orleans.

BTW, Seaway Bank recently started a ig account unfortunately it has been deleted. I took a screencap of that also. And even worse the immediate last post after the screen cap posted to ig was of a group of young men who were at the bank being mentored on working in the banking industry.

So this blog is almost 10 years old

Or at least it will be as of November as this blog started in November 2007. Perhaps as we go through the course of the year we can note some of the stories we have tracked over the years here. We got some heavily trafficked post here. But I can't believe that this blog has been in publication for 10 years.

We're almost as old as Uptown Update for example, a great Chicago neighborhood blog from that north side community.

So congrats to myself (Levois), JP Paulus, Worlee, and even Mr. Zack Isaacs who joined us very briefly. Can we make it another 10 years is an obvious question?

BTW, here is our first post from November '07

EVENT: Stop the violence...solutions

Held at the Greater Englewood CDC located at 815 W. 63rd Street 4th floor where you will hear from Executive Director of the Greater Englewood CDC Glen Fulton, RAGE founder and president Asiaha Butler and Teamwork Englewood's Michael Tidmore. To be held from 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturday January 28, 2017. There's a flyer below for more details.

Chicago Stars Ep. 4 - Century of Progress // MBMHMC tv

[VIDEO] Unfotunately Mr. Jahmal Cole didn't go to the area where the 1933 Century of Progress Fair was held which was Northerly Island/Adler Planetarium/former Meigs Field. According to Cole anything built for the fair over 80 years ago is no longer standing. It's still recorded as the fourth star on Chicago's flag.

In this edition Cole pays a visit to the predominantly latino Little Village neighborhood. He purchases donuts from La Central Bakery and ask customers what the fourth star on the Chicago flag represents.

Another message from this video is basically how to break down the segregation in Chicago. Our city basically is divided into thirds between latinos, Blacks, and whites. And regardless if we cluster on the south, north or west sides of towns we all reside in this great city. The best ideas come when people of diverse backgrounds come together and share ideas.

Is this something we've failed to do in Chicago in recent years? Perhaps through this little project Cole could bridge the gap between different communities of Chicago. He says shop local and as he does in most of his videos he visits local eateries.

In the meanwhile it's time to buy myself a shirt. And you all should consider doing the same. His activities is far more than interacting with Chicago residents or even tourists. Cole has also helped innercity teens leave their neighborhoods and explore the many communities and cultures that exist in our fair city. Expand their horizons and that's certainly something we can support.

Transit Matters - Pullman open house

This open house about a Pullman Transportation and Access Plan to take place January 26th at the Pullman National Monument Visitor's center located at 11141 S. Cottage Grove from 6:30 to 8:00 PM with a presentation set to start at 7:00 PM. Refer to flyer below.

And checkout this website www.pullmantransportation.com

Capitol Fax: New White House website references “thousands of shootings in Chicago”

Now that we have a new administration in Washington, DC we have a new set of priorities. Starting with law and order and the new President has pledged to support our nation's police organizations.

Rich Miller at the CapFax notes the new policy page with regards to law and order. I'll just excerpt what he says regarding our fair city:

The Trump Administration is committed to reducing violent crime. In 2015, homicides increased by 17% in America’s fifty largest cities. That’s the largest increase in 25 years. In our nation’s capital, killings have risen by 50 percent. There were thousands of shootings in Chicago last year alone.

Our country needs more law enforcement, more community engagement, and more effective policing.

Our job is not to make life more comfortable for the rioter, the looter, or the violent disrupter. Our job is to make life more comfortable for parents who want their kids to be able to walk the streets safely. Or the senior citizen waiting for a bus. Or the young child walking home from school.

Supporting law enforcement means supporting our citizens’ ability to protect themselves. We will uphold Americans’ Second Amendment rights at every level of our judicial system.

It has been in the news that the current President Trump had been somewhat boastful about ending the gun violence in some of the gang infested neighborhoods of Chicago. Does anyone think the White House can put an end to the rash of gun violence in this city?

Chicago Stars Ep. 3 - The World Columbian Exposition // MBMHMC tv

[VIDEO] In this episode Jahmal Cole goes from the ferris wheel at Navy Pier to the Museum of Science & Industry. The significance the third star on the Chicago flag represents the World's Columbian Exposition.

There was a ferris wheel at the exposition which took place in the Frederick Law Olmstead designed Jackson Park. The Museum of Science & Industry is the last remaining structure of that event held in 1893 which formerly housed not only the Palace of Fine Arts but also an early incarnation of the Field Musuem.

Finally Cole ends this episode at the south side's Chef Sara's Place located at 7201 S. Exchange Ave. And here's hoping the many eateries Cole visits in his many episodes of My Block My Hood My City gets much more business.

Defender: Chicago Announces Pilot Program to Develop Vacant Homes

This is a program I can get behind:

On Sunday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a new pilot program to acquire and rehabilitate vacant homes in Chicago neighborhoods that need investment and jobs. The program will create opportunities for local businesses while supporting affordable homeownership.

“This pilot program is a win-win-win. It creates employment opportunities for at-risk youth, supports community stability and turns vacant homes from community burdens into neighborhood strengths,” Emanuel said. “By working with local contractors and developers, the pilot initiative will help support community improvement and homeownership, while driving neighborhood economic development.”

Through the pilot program, the city is investing $2 million in a capital fund for neighborhood contractors, investors and developers to rehab vacant homes in designated communities. Support for the program will come from surplus funds initially designated for the property tax rebate program.

The program will work with community partners to facilitate acquisition of the properties, finance the renovations, and generate employment opportunities for at-risk youth to maintain the homes until they are rehabilitated and sold. The network of partners will ensure the program generates economic opportunities for local contractors, developers and investors. Partners will include the Emerson Collective and Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF).

Another idea I have is that we can bring some architecturally significant construction to areas with significant vacant lots. Of course what I hope doesn't happen is that the city decides what designs should be constructed. At the very least some work can still go to at-risk youths who will work on something that could prove to be groundbreaking. Another condition, a young hungry architect will get recognition. Of course this is only an idea an in recognition of Chicago's history of great architecture.

Watch President Obama's farewell speech

[VIDEO] On January 20th, 2017 President Barack Obama will be out of office succeeded by President Donald Trump. This farewell address was what many people have been waiting for as we heard about tickets available.

I missed this speech last night so believe me I'll be watching this with you all. To be honest I never always agreed with many of the President's policies - and I expect no more or less that I would with the President-elect Trump.

However I share this with the idea that many of our young men and women hopefully will be inspired to go into politics and maybe become President themselves in the future. If anyone is interested in taking this path one piece of advice - start running now!!!

Chicago Stars Ep. 2 - The Great Chicago Fire // MBMHMC tv

[VIDEO] I really like how the officials at the Chicago Fire Department Academy literally had to kick Jahmal Cole out of their training exercise. That is understandable at they are in training and surely there is an element of danger in their training.

Either way that segment is fitting as we explore another meaning for one of the stars on Chicago's flag - the Great Chicago Fire. We learn that there wasn't a fire started by a cow, but several fires near Lake Michigan which due to the buildings of the city at the time with wood and tar just spread all over the city.

Also ironically the alleged farm where the Great Chicago Fire started is exactly at the Chicago Fire Academy located at 558 W De Koven St.

Studio Movie Grill Chatham 14 NOT showing Hidden Figures?

The above ad had an old date -- the Hidden Figures movie website has January 6 as the new official wide release date

From The Sixth Ward writer JP Paulus...

Our local Theater, the Studio Movie Grill Chatham 14 Theaters , according to the website, doesn't seem to be showing the movie Hidden Figures this Sunday.

While Chatham 14 hasn't been black owned in some time  (with Michael Silver essentially taking it from the founders, Donzell and Alicia Starks , and then selling out to the Studio Movie Grill chain) , many of the staff, and more importantly, the audience remains the same.


This is puzzling because Chatham 14 hosted an event in September to celebrate the movie "Queen of Katwe". Now, that event was organized by an outside group, but certainly made my family proud to be there, and to see various African cultures (as well as chess playing) being celebrated all over the theater.

Now, with the renovations for becoming at true Studio Movie Grill facility have now taken over the lobby, I understand they couldn't do much. But surely they could have a flat movie display, with some homemade signs that say thing like "Future genius" or "Junior Mathematician".

Or even simpler -- just have it up on the website's schedule (under "Coming Soon") and allow for some advance ticket purchases. I was going to tell others to buy tickets for a certain show, but nothing was available. Many seats have bene changed over, so seating now is limited, and you have to arrive early in order to get good seating, so simply meeting at the theater for a certain show might not be practical.

If the company did any research, they should know that movies of African-American significance and/or interest are often sold out at opening weekend. Despite the construction, this would have been an excellent public relations opportunity. 

Instead, if the "Coming Soon" is accurate, it might actually be a lighter weekend than usual, with $5 Tuesday possibly being a stronger day.


My family will wind up watching" Hidden Figures" with friends this Sunday at Marcus Theaters - Country Club Hills this Sunday at the 3:15pm show. How about yours?

Fashion Show at the special Queen of Katwe movie night at Chatham 14

Chess Playing at the special Queen of Katwe movie night at Chatham 14

Runway for the fashion show

Woodlawn - 2016 Curbed Cup champs

After the New Years break over at Curbed Chicago and some voting irregularity Woodlawn has won the Curbed Cup in 2016. In 2015 another south side community Pullman won the Curbed Cup.

So what's going on in Woodlawn that has caught Curbed's attention. This is from yesterday's post:

This new year is going to be an important one for the Woodlawn community. It seems like 2015 and 2016 were the years that really set a few major things in motion, but the neighborhood will really begin to see the fruits of these projects pay off in the coming years. In 2015, the neighborhood’s historic Shrine of Christ the King cathedral designed by Henry J. Schlacks burned down in a horrific blaze which left the church’s future in limbo. However, the community pulled together to save the historic building and work is underway to restore it.

 ...
However, the biggest news in Woodlawn in the last year has been about the future Obama Presidential Center. The new facility is planned for a section of Jackson Park which faces the Woodlawn community. It will be designed by the famous husband and wife architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien and is expected to cost anywhere from $500 million up to $1 billion. The Obama Presidential Center is a major investment that will not only attract visitors to the community, but it help create new permanent jobs, and is expected to spur economic growth and new development activity throughout the South Side.

Congratulations to Woodlawn and may greater growth happen in that neighborhood. A future post I would like to reiterate those communities who I hope will place in future Curbed Cups. There was a similar post written about this last year.

Looking back at the year 2016

 A few stories that come to mind to wrap up the year 2016.

The Red Line extension to 130th street is moving forward. A draft environmental impact statement was submitted and there was a recent hearing regarding this future project. We also learned the extension may not open until 2026 at the earliest. But at least some progress is being made and the major step that need to be taken is funding.

We've learned on Monday of the passing of Mr. Donzell Starks who owned #icetheaters with his wife Alisa Starks. In 1997 they built and opened movie theaters in the Chatham, Englewood, and Lawndale neighborhoods. Condolences to the Starks family. #Chatham #englewood #lawndale #business #entrepreneurs #blackownedbusiness #movietheater #chatham14 #chicagogram #southside #cinematreasures

A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Oct 4, 2016 at 9:38pm PDT

We learned of the passing of Mr. Donzell Starks in October. Starks and his wife Alisa - or it appears the Starks' have at some point divorced - owned ICE Theaters which had owned and operated theaters in Chatham, Englewood and Lawndale. Chatham is now under Studio Movie Grill and no longer owned by ICE Theaters as of 2014. Both Englewood and Lawndale are closed. Around the time of Stark's death, I found through a Google search an article that reported that ICE Theaters had filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015.

I'll also add that posting an image of Donzell Starks such as the one you saw above to Instagram resulted in 33 likes. Some of those may not have been from people who knew who he was, but many of them probably admired him as an entrepreneur that brought back a needed business to our communities.

A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Sep 28, 2016 at 11:52am PDT

Also the long awaited Whole Foods Market at 63rd & Halsted opened in late September to huge fanfare. It opened in the new Englewood Square shopping center which also opened a Starbuck's that opened the same day as the Whole Foods. In addition after the Whole Foods and Starbuck's open within about a month Englewood saw a Chipotle's open at Englewood Square.

Speaking of Whole Foods Market it was announced in spring 2016 that they're bringing a distribution center to 111th Street near the Wal-Mart Supercenter. It will count the new Methods plant and Gotham Greens as neighbors. In November an event to hire was advertised to help people who currently have a trade to work on this project.

Back in Chatham, the building that houses Pride Cleaners is for sale. It's considered an example of mid modern architecture and considered something of a landmark located near 79th & Rhodes. It was inspiration as the Chatham brand for The Chicago Neighborhoods.

#Repost @seawaybankandtrust: #SeawayHistory: In 1965 Seaway opened for business on January 2nd in a rented storefront at 8555 S. Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago. Permanent headquarters (Chatham Branch) at 645 E. 87th Street was opened on November 18th and the second floor was added in 1969. (Member FDIC) #personalfinance #millennial #debt #seawaybank #bankblack #retire #retirement #traveltips #moneytips #investing #strategy #banking #banklocally #chicagogram #southside

A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Oct 6, 2016 at 2:32pm PDT

Also after celebrating 50 years in 2015, it came out in the news that local lender Seaway Bank is in trouble in 2016. Here's hoping for a different result in 2017 for this significant Black-owned bank. The post above from Seaway's early days 50 years ago got 54 likes when it was reposted from Seaway's own ig profile.

Finally we had a presidential election and with Donald Trump as the President-elect there are many who are unhappy. The former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton solidly won this state and its electoral votes. In the rest of the country she won the popular vote, however, failed to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Presidency. There have been protests in downtown Chicago since the election.

A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Mar 15, 2016 at 9:25pm PDT

Of course as far as politics, there will be a new State's Attorney in Cook County in Kim Foxx. She defeated two-term incumbent Anita Alvarez in the March 2016 Democratic Primary. Alvarez's defeat was attributed in part to the controversial police shooting in 2014 of one Laquan McDonald and her role in the suppression of the dashcam video of this incident.

Any other stories worth noting from 2016, feel free to let us know about them in our comments.

Vote for Wodlawn in the Curbed Cup neighborhood poll!

Finally the South Side looks like it might get a bit of respect!
.
The website Curbed has an annual poll for best neighborhood...however, it's clear wo their clientele is, as most of the neighborhoods are predominantly white and upper class.

We encourage not just you, but all of your friends to vote for Woodlawn. If they win, then other neighborhoods we represent, like Chatham, Englewood and others, can also get a chance to win.

Read the article, then scroll down and VOTE here = http://chicago.curbed.com/2016/12/29/14116562/chicago-neighborhood-of-the-year-lakeview-woodlawn-2016

Share the link with friends. As of this writing, Woodlawn is down 626 votes. If we all share the word, it would be an amazing victory!

VIDEO: Chicago Stars Ep. 1 - Fort Dearborn // #MBMHMC tv

[VIDEO] Jahmal Cole asks Chicagoans what the first star on the Chicago flag represents. That star represents Fort Dearborn located near the Chicago River at Wacker & Michigan. The fort was named for a former Secretary of War who served in the cabinet of President Thomas Jefferson, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Let's see how many people Cole meets that knew this information.

The city's flag you will see above in the header of this blog and you will see another version below. The flag is part of this great city's identity.

HINZ: As Loop population booms, South Side's plummets

So according to Crain's Greg Hinz Chicago is finally emerging from the subprime mortgage recession of the last decade, however, it seems only the loop area so far has seen the greatest gains.

The city center now is growing faster than ever, having gained an estimated 42,423 people from 2010-15. But the population of the non-lakefront South Side is dropping even quicker, falling about 50,000 in the same period. The number of non-Hispanic whites, Asians and people of Hispanic descent is growing, but the number of non-Hispanic blacks is dropping.

The new data come from the 2015 American Community Survey, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and was released last week.

Also:

The Census Bureau in 2012 reported this area grew faster in the first decade of the century than any downtown in the country, adding 48,000 people. But with an unprecedented construction wave underway, growth has hit the gas, with the area—roughly the Loop, plus the Near North, Near South and Near West sides—growing almost as much in five years as it did in the previous 10.

The area now is home to an estimated 238,259 residents. That's enough to make it the second largest city in Illinois, if it were counted by itself.

The population is also growing in the north section of the city—roughly the North and Northwest sides, plus the demographically similar area around the West Side Medical Center, the Southwest Side and the South Side lakefront—which Zotti puts together with a few inland neighborhoods that are close by public transit to well-paying downtown service jobs. Each of those lost considerable population between 2000 and 2010, but each now is gaining people.

 The map above illustrates where the people are going or leaving. As you see the far south side has lost almost 50,000 people. The bottom number you see, I believe is long term population loss.

So which specific neighborhoods on the south side are losing people:

But the city is still losing people in Austin and other neighborhoods west of the United Center. And the total number of residents inland from the lakefront, or Far South Side, continues the free-fall that began in the last decade. Total population there has gone from 526,750 to 476,903, ACS figures show.

That's a remarkable drop of nearly 10 percent—in just five years.

Among once-solidly middle-class, industrial African-American neighborhoods that are being hammered:

• Auburn Gresham, off 7,159 residents to an estimated 45,842.
• Englewood, down 6,911 people, to 26,121.
• West Englewood, down 6,552, to 32,156.
• Roseland, which lost 5,141 residents and is down to 42,305.
• Chatham, which has 31,359 residents after losing 3,664.

Overall, the population figures roughly track income data that I wrote about earlier this year, in which other demographers suggested Chicago is turning into three cities: one prosperous and growing, one vanishing, and the third treading water.

Now the challenge to reverse these many trends.

Housing in Roseland

34 W. 114th Street

Found this nice home on instagram via marquisdefacade and offers this caption talking about the Roseland neighborhood.

This home is in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood, located at 34 W. 114th Street. So, it's literally on the block just west of State St. Point of fact. State Street is basically Chicago's ground 0. Anything east of it has an E. on the street number, and anything west has a W. on the street number.

I love research. So I did some digging. The homes in this area are cheap. This home is not for sale, but 30 W. 114th St. is asking $38,000, 41 W. 114th is asking $15,000, and 117 W. 114th St. is asking $17,000.

Whenever there is a census, there is a book that has come out called the Local Community Fact Book. I'm basically missing the version with the 1970 census stats, as well as the 2000 and 2010 versions. Not sure if books were made after the 2000 and 2010 censuses.

 Each neighborhood in the Community Fact Books is divided into census areas. In the area where this home is located, in 1960 the census tract was 100% white and the median price of a home was $13,000. By 1980 the census tract changed to 96% black, with the median house price being $28,800. So, in 20 years the median price barely doubled.

By 1990, the census tract containing this home was 99% black with the median value being $45,500. In 1960, 58,750 people lived in the Roseland community of Chicago. 77% were white and 23% were black. In 1970, 62,512 people lived in Roseland. 44% were white and 55% were black. By 1980, 64,372 people lived in Roseland. 99% were black. In 1990, 56,493 people lived in Roseland. 99% were black. I couldn't find the year 2000 info. The year 2010 showed Roseland contained 44,619 people and 98% were black.

As the population continues to drop, as well as the value of homes, what do you think will happen? Desolation like Detroit, or people sick of paying ridiculous prices for homes and having huge student debt, start buying in here and fixing 💩up?

BTW, if you're confused by what you're seeing next to up it's basically supposed to be an emoticon denoting excrement.

All the same this is quite an interesting idea? Home values drop as you still illustrated here so will Roseland be the next neighborhood for the rest of us?

The comments in that post seem somewhat dismissive, unless in the next decade the CTA finally builds and operates the Red Line extension. Granted though this is still a long way from downtown Chicago, however with this extension residents will get much easier access to downtown Chicago.

As with all things however all we can do is wait and see.

On a related note marquisdefacade had news on the blue "White House" that we've been following. It had been sold earlier this year. Also related to this perhaps we're seeing something similar in Englewood, property owners taking advantage of the depressed housing prices.

A photo posted by Steve (@marquisdefacade) on Dec 13, 2016 at 8:48pm PST

Shedd School as seen in December

Shedd School as seen in December 2016

The issue of Shedd School came up at the last of this year's community meetings with Ald. Anthony Beale in October. There is interest in re-opening Shedd as a school and Beale's response was to a written question posed by a resident in attendance.

Unfortunately it was noted at the meeting that Shedd was closed because of declining enrollment. While the question noted an increase in children in the community Beale suggested that it still isn't enough to justify reopening that former school. If it were to ever re-open there may have to be consideration of bringing in students from outside of the neighborhood.

In the meanwhile the school remains for sale as there are signs on the building as I saw from this past summer, pictures were shown on our ig account. Beale pledged to let the community know of any bidders on the property.

A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Sep 2, 2016 at 5:57pm PDT

At 95th an unused disconnected phone #gogreyhound

On Tuesday I noticed the remnants of a phone which about where Greyhound buses used to stop for pick-ups and drop-offs. It's been a few years since I've taken a Greyhound from 95th Street and remember Greyhound personnel perhaps the drivers using the phone. The station where you can buy your tickets was actually in the terminal near the fare controls, however, that changed in the late 90s.

By 1999 at least one of the last few times I took a bus from 95th the actual ticket office was moved to the back where the 29 State bus starts its journey. Sometime after an overhaul which had been in 2002-03 Greyhound began drop-offs and pick-ups at their ticket office in the back of the CTA terminal.

Sometime during the past decade this phone was disassembled and then the line cut. Funny part is that I knew it was there but hadn't thought about it in years until seeing this recently. Whenever CTA finish the new 95th terminal this ancient device will be history.

CTA Red Line Extension Public Comment Period Ending

 An e-mail from the Chicago Transit Authority

• Public Comment Period Ends November 30
  Red Line Extension Project
  Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Evaluation
  
  CTA and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are proposing to extend the Red Line 5.3 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street. Click here to learn more about the project.
  
  CTA and FTA have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) based on the technical analysis of impacts of the proposed project. The Draft EIS documents the benefits and impacts of the alternatives being considered, which include impacts to parks and wetlands. Click here to review the Draft EIS on the RLE Project website. Hard copies of the Draft EIS also are available for review through November 30, 2016. Click here to learn more about reviewing the Draft EIS.
  
  Comments on the Draft EIS are being accepted until November 30, 2016 at 4:30 PM. You may submit comments via e-mail to RedExtension@transitchicago.com or by mail to Chicago Transit Authority, Strategic Planning, 10th Floor, Attn: Red Line Extension Project, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60661.
  
  Do you require assistance?
  If you have questions or need assistance, contact Gerald Nichols, CTA Government and Community Relations at 312-681-2710 or GNichols @ transitchicago.com.
  Para más informacion en Español, llame al 312-681-2710
  Customer Information: 1-888-YOUR-CTA (1-888-968-7282)
  
  Thank you for your continued interest.
  
  RLE Project Team
  Chicago Transit Authority

Carter Temple Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner

This notice is from Carter Temple, at 7841 South Wabash Avenue (79th & Wabash, across from  Taylor Funeral Home)  Chicago, Illinois 60619



----

Dear members and friends of Carter Temple, 

We are just a few short weeks away from our 1st Annual "Your Home for the Holiday: Pre-Thanksgiving Community Dinner" on Wednesday, November 23rd! This vision initiative is an opportunity to engage in fellowship and relationship-building with our community neighbors. First and foremost, however, it gives us an opportunity to serve. 

If you know of any individuals or families who are in need of a free meal during the Thanksgiving holiday season, please forward this email or have them call the church office at 773-874-0175 to register for this event. They can also visit www.ctcme.org and click the Thanksgiving banner to register.  The registration link can also be found below. *There is no income or demographic requirement to participate in this meal.*

Register Here

We are looking forward to a great turnout and expecting wonderful connections to be made during this meal and engagement opportunity! 

2016 elections: Where do we go from here?

The video above is from the fb page of Morehouse College. This was shot at the bell in front of the Sale Hall annex the day after the elections. If you've seen a 20 year old PBS documentary The Morehouse Men, this bell is what a Morehouse Man should answer whenever it rings.

As we see this is one response to Trump's election. It's enough that Dr. John S. Wilson, President of Morehouse College, had to speak on this as you see here. He discussing the fact that of the 600K or so Blacks that reside in Georgia not enough go to the polls.

He's basically responding or has his response to this year's election which saw Donald Trump become the President-elect of the United States. This outcome that many are baffled by has resulted in protests around the nation especially in downtown Chicago.

Does anyone here have any thoughts to offer as far at the recent 2016 elections?

Tomorrow is election day...

Right now I'm recognizing that when many of us go to the polls on Tuesday we're voting in what I see as a polarizing election. In this part of the city many of us will vote for the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a minority will vote Trump and another minority still will vote for either a Green Party candidate or a Libertarian Party candidate.

Unfortunately we have something resembling a horse race election with the Presidential race and it's important to note because it's at the top of the ballot. A lot of people will turn out because of who's running at the top of the ballot. Question about tomorrow is whether or not either major party candidate can engender significant turnout.

BTW, often on this blog we want to encourage people to go out and vote. We are non-partisan so it's not very important at least for me to say vote Republican or Democrat. For me I very much hope that you don't just vote according to your respective party, just for the right person for the job.

Either way one thing this blog has often hoped to do is provide you with the information to allow you to go to the ballot box to make the right choice. More likely we do that in time for the aldermanic races more than we do for a gubernatorial race or presidential race. Which doesn't make those races and down ballot races less important.

Either way thanks for those of you who have voted early and we encourage you to go out tomorrow and vote. You may be free to just sit home and not cast a ballot and that does serve the purpose of sending a message. At the same time going out to vote also sends a far stronger message.

Whoever wins the Presidency let's remember while a lot can happen during a four year term, it's still a four year term. In 2020, we get to do it all over again. That's true on the state level and at the city level although in different years.

Either way again we encourage you to vote on Tuesday. As always for those of you who follow this blog thanks for reading.

News from the Red Line extension hearing

Rendering of the west option Michigan CTA station - CTA

 I didn't get to attend the recent Red Line extension hearing this past Tuesday at 211 E. 111th St, however, both the Chicago Tribune and DNA Info went. Judging only by the headlines two issues came up during the hearing the dreaded "G" word and eminent domain.

Concerns over gentrification:

Activist Lou Turner, though pleased the project is going forward after decades of discussion, said he also wished it hadn't taken so long and had concerns that some residents may get pushed out by gentrification once the L goes through.

"There could be unintended consequences," said Turner, director of undergraduate and graduate studies in the African-American Studies department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "This area has the largest stock of affordable housing in the city."

Turner said the CTA's draft environmental impact statement on the proposed $2.3 billion project does not address the issue of gentrification, which has driven up property prices by as much as 48 percent in some areas along The 606 trail on the city's Northwest Side. A final environmental impact study is needed to secure federal funding.

"It's a concern, but at the same time I am very happy," said Turner, who like Jones had pushed for the extension with the Developing Communities Project, a group that once included President Barack Obama.

And then of course the properties CTA would need to purchase to build the extension:

Under the east option, the CTA elevated structure would be built east of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect 260 parcels, including 106 buildings, 90 of which are residential, officials said. Under this route, more single-family residences would be affected, officials said.

Under the west option, the line would run west of the Union Pacific Railroad from 99th street to 118th street. This option would affect more commercial and industrial properties, some 205 of them, officials said. About 46 would require building demolitions; 26 are residential.

Those homes and business owners would be compensated, including for moving costs, under federal regulations.

Roseland resident Aaron Mallory discovered his four-unit building could be demolished under the extension.

“It’s an investment property, so I have mixed feelings,” he said.

Mallory said he doesn't want to lose the building, but he also supports an extension of mass transit.

By next year it's said we'll know which option east or west the CTA will pursue as their preferred routing. That way any property owner will brace themselves for the impact. Thus anyone in the way would have to move.

If you want to know more about this project click this link.

BallotReady.org helps voters determine their choices

We heard about the resource that BallotReady.org provides on WBEZ (Chicago Public adio 91.5 FM)'s the Morning Shift, and asked them to provide a press release, to help explain their valuable resource in helping you, the voter, make an informed decision. We hope this helps you. If you are in the city, go to ChicagoElections.com for details on where to vote and when.

11/2/16 Chicago, IL–1 Week Until Election Day, Do you know who’s on your ballot?

Nonpartisan voter info guide, BallotReady, covers every race &  referendum.

Covering more than 22000 candidates in federal, state, and local races, BallotReady offers a solution to one of this country’s most persistent election challenges: voters have no reliable guide to help them navigate their entire ballot.

Now, America’s most comprehensive nonpartisan voter guide is live with complete down ballot coverage of  Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona, Massachusetts, Virginia, Hawaii,  Colorado, and California.

BallotReady co-founders Aviva Rosman and Alex Niemczewski

“Voters have needed this tool for a long time,” said BallotReady co-founder and CEO, Alex Niemczewski. The outpouring of support we’ve received from voters across the country is such a testament to this need.”

“It’s not that voters don’t want to vote informed on all of these local races,” she said. “It’s just that up until now it’s been too difficult.”

It all began in 2014 when Niemczewski decided to research her entire ballot. When her friend, co-founder and COO, Aviva Rosman, ran for local office and reached out for her vote, the two began talking and came to an alarming realization: very few voters are prepared to fill out the entire ballot.

They launched BallotReady in 2015 with funding from the National Science Foundation, the Knight Foundation, and the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. With the support of bipartisan advisors Mike Murphy and David Axelrod, BallotReady have since partnered with Patagonia, Governing Magazine, and many other civic organizations to bring nonpartisan down ballot information to 1 million people in 2016.

In a political climate where accuracy seems to have gone by the wayside, BallotReady has developed tech-enabled candidate coverage free of bias and partisanship. Voters can compare candidates based on stances on issues, biography, and endorsements, making it easy to vote informed on every race and referendum.

“We’re working to do something truly unprecedented that has the power to dramatically change how people vote by changing how people think about voting,” Niemczewski said “We think that if more people vote informed we can help make democracy work the way it should.”