Al Goldberg is replacing his sign

Al Goldberg is replacing his FOR SALE sign at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road, as I type this.



I wonder if it will include the now-infamous CONTRACT PENDING (by developer Rich Aronson), or if Mr. Aronson simply gave up on the property.




As my readers know, I am not a fan of most Rich Aronson's condo projects. I'll go ask Al right now.



Part II


I spoke with Al about the property while he hammered in his new sign.

Al Goldberg told me "The Rich Aronson Deal is Dead".

Dog hit on Sheridan Road

An older grey dog has been hit on Sheridan Road in front of the 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road property.

I called 311.

That's all for now.

TREE LOT FINAL CLEAN-UP

I was just about to break for lunch when I heard noises outside early this afternoon. George's crew of "elves" had arrived to clean up George's Pumpkin Patch/Christmas Tree Lot! I ran for the camera, of course!


Four guys pulled fence poles, loaded everything on a stake truck and proceeded to sweep and rake the entire area!

George is a very good guy from Shiocton, Wisconsin, who has been running the Patch/Tree Lot at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road in Rogers Park for a number of years.

He was unsure if he would return in 2009. His business was very slow this year, although the pumpkins and trees were some of the finest!

George has been a good neighbor these past several months. His was a good, local (though temporary) business, which should have been better-supported by the community. IF he returns, I hope Rogers Park and the surrounding areas will welcome him back--with open POCKETBOOKS!

WELL DONE, GEORGE and ELVES!

Shambhala Meditation Center opposes 7313-15 N. Sheridan project

Subject: From Shambhala Center

Dear Alderman Moore:

At this time the Shambhala Meditation Center cannot support Mr. Aronson's request for a zoning change on the property adjacent to ours. We have had additional discussions with Mr. Aronson, following the meeting Alderman Moore convened in late October. At that meeting we presented our concept for a project (attached). Our neighbors agreed that the vision we proposed would better meet the needs of our neighborhood. Although Mr. Aronson agreed to take our ideas into account, our later discussions with him have not led to a mutually satisfactory result. We have considered this decision from many different angles. Our present location in Rogers Park and our relationships with our neighbors are extremely valuable to us. We also believe that our presence is valuable to the community in ways that do not seem apparent to Mr. Aronson. We do not believe that a large multi-unit building, mostly seven stories high, although the portion housing the Shambhala Center would be only three stories, is in the best interests of our community. Therefore, we strongly oppose the proposed zoning change for the property at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road.

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.

Best wishes for the holidays,
Alice Dan and David Stone, Co-Directors
Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago

George's Christmas Tree Lot

George's Christmas Tree Lot
7313-15 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL. 60626

OH, CHRISTMAS TREE!

Time seems to be passing more quickly this year...have you bought your Christmas tree yet?

Tree lots have cropped up everywhere, but our favorite is George's Christmas Trees at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road in Rogers Park.

Every year, George comes down to Chicago from his home in Shiocton, Wisconsin--that's west of Green Bay--to sell pumpkins and Christmas trees.



He's open all day, every day, so stop in. Prices are very reasonable, the trees are fresh, and oooh, it smells soooo good!

GEORGE'S UNLIT PUMPKIN PATCH

Pumpkins need light to grow. George's pumpkins are mighty fine this year. Although his Pumpkin Patch at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road has been OPEN for two weeks now, George is feeling a little in the dark.


You see, pumpkins also need light to be SOLD, and George has none of that. Oh, he wants it, alright, but his boss may have initiated some sort of misunderstanding with ComEd, who has not yet sent out someone to connect the power. Nor has the boss brought the promised "Pumpkins For Sale" signs.


Kris Luck, owner of Quest Network Services right next door provided some small, printed signs and a ceramic pumpkin which holds a lit candle. But George needs light, or his Halloween season will be a bust!


He opens early and stays open until after sunset, so try and get there soon!

George's Pumpkin Patch

Our old friend George is back again at 7313-15 N. Sheridan Road, and he brought loads and loads of beautiful pumpkins for Halloween!



Also for sale are those cute little mini-pumpkins and quite an assortment of decorative gourds.

There is a Petition.

Petition to Alderman Moore

The portion of our neighborhood from the lake to the alley just West of Sheridan Road and Chase to Birchwood is currently zoned for residential uses as an RT-4 zone. The maximum density allowed in an RT-4 zone is one dwelling unit for every 1,000 square feet of lot area. A developer now wants to put up a large apartment/commercial building in the middle of the 7300 block of North Sheridan Road. In order to be allowed to do that, he needs to convince Alderman Moore to change the zoning law and re-zone the area as a business zone, which would permit four times the density permitted under the current law and would allow business uses. That would permit him to go through with his plans to put up 44 apartment units on what is now a parking lot, with nowhere for guests of the residents to park. It would also pave the way for similiar projects to be built on the former North Shore School site on Chase and the Shambhala Meditation Center site on the corner of Sherwin and Sheridan. Given the congestion and parking problems that already exist in our neighborhood, the last thing we need is projects of this this kind. If you want to keep this area residential and prevent the parking and congestion nightmares that re-zoning of this area to a business district would cause, please sign this petition to let Alderman Moore know how you feel.

Missing: Aldermanic Integrity

Joe Moore poster