East Village Association | West Town Chicago

Canna dispensary-spa plan OK'd

Posted by Stephen Rynkiewicz on 1/06/2020

Scott Weiner, Dr. George Chiampas and Hanah Jubeh at the Jan. 6 EVA meeting, Members voted not to oppose a cannabis dispensary in East Village.

East Village Association members on Jan. 6 voted unanimously not to oppose a recreational marijuana dispensary in the neighborhood. Scott Weiner, Dr. George Chiampas and Hanah Jubeh discussed their cannabis spa concept, which would need licensing and zoning approvals.

The planned location is 1914 W. Chicago Ave., adjoining Weiner's West Town Bakery and Roots Pizza restaurants. Sports physician Dr. George Chiampas would operate the medical component, expanding the building to accommodate salt-water baths and spa facilities. The plan likely would require a change to C1-2 commercial zoning.

The Andersonville medical marijuana business Dispensary 33 would manage marijuana sales. Nikki Hayes and Dr. Charlesnika Tyon Evans have filed with the state to provide job training as a the required social equity applicant. A fine dining restaurant, which could not serve cannabis, is no longer part of the initial plan.

Canna spa up for neighborhood vote

Posted by Stephen Rynkiewicz on 1/03/2020

Scott Weiner and Ameya Pawar present their cannabis dispensary plan at a Nov. 4 EVA meeting at Happy Village.

A recreational cannabis dispensary seeks East Village Association members' approval at EVA's 7pm Jan. 6 meeting at Roots Pizza, 1924 W. Chicago Ave.

EVA's planning committee gave a do-not-oppose recommendation last month to a plan for a West Town recreational marijuana dispensary featuring cannabis-infused mineral baths and fine dining.

Partners in the "recreational cannabis experience" include Fifty/50 Management Group president Scott Weiner and former Ald. Ameya Pawar. Weiner and Pawar presented preliminary plans at a Nov. 4 membership meeting.

The planned West Town location was not disclosed at the meeting. The partners pledged to pursue Type 1 zoning, which requires City Council height and density approvals to limit incompatible or uncontemplated uses. Video monitors and other business restrictions sought by the EVA committee were accepted as well.

Boutique cannabis dispensary, wellness center and restaurant

Posted by Webmaster on 1/02/2020

The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group includes the West Town Bakery and Roots Pizza, both on the 1900 block of West Chicago Avenue.

A Labor Friendly Social Enterprise -- from The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group – announced for West Town 

In partnership with Former Ald. Ameya Pawar, Organized Labor Consultant Hanah Jubeh, Chicago Marathon Medical Director and Chicago Blackhawks Team Physician Dr. George Chiampas, and Labor Leader Nikki Hayes

CHICAGO (August 23, 2019) – The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group (Scott Weiner & Greg Mohr) are forming a partnership with some of Chicago's biggest and most respected leaders to open a labor friendly boutique cannabis dispensary, wellness center and restaurant at a soon-to-be-disclosed location in West Town.

The concept will feature: a medical spa, mineral baths, and wellness center programmed by Dr. George Chiampas, a café and restaurant, and a cannabis dispensary. This concept spearheaded by Ameya Pawar and Hanah Jubeh will be the first cannabis dispensary in Illinois to invite labor to organize workers. This social enterprise will employ graduates of one of the city's leading-edge organizations working with justice involved youth. The career-track jobs will include profit sharing and full benefits.

The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group owns or operates 18 unique concepts across Chicago, having most recently partnered with the celebrated Second City on the third location of Roots Handmade Pizza and its 10,000 square foot rooftop concept called Utopian Tailgate.

Windy City Mini Market vote

Posted by Stephen Rynkiewicz on 10/05/2019

**Windy City Mini Market, 1756 W. Chicago Ave.**

EVA members will take an advisory vote Monday on a change to a Chicago Avenue package goods license, and state Rep. Delia Ramirez will give an update on her work in Springfield.

Windy City Mini Market plans to add hard liquor to its beer and wine sales at 1756 W. Chicago Ave. The convenience store has been selling beer and wine since 2016 under a plan of operation that does not allow sale of any item of less than $5.99.

The 2016 plan negotiated with EVA put a system in place to show that liquor does not exceed 30% of sales, but with no explicit monitoring routine. A signage provision requires unobstructed views into the store.

Scooters maneuver toward Chicago review

Posted by Stephen Rynkiewicz on 9/19/2019

Bird general manager Robbie Zettler and senior manager Kelley Foxx

Bird picks up 250 of its scooters every night and redistributes them for the morning commute, general manager Robbie Zettler told EVA members Sept. 9. Yet with 10 companies in Chicago's June-to-October scooter trial, it's hard for any of them to commit more resources to clear scooter clutter.

Chicago requires scooter vendors to respond to complaints within two hours, says government partnership manager Kelley Foxx. Bird aims for a 30 minute turnaround, Foxx says. Fielding questions on scooter safety, technology and future plans from the Happy Village patio, Foxx said he expects the city to winnow the field down to a more manageable three companies.

Wells plans high school musical

Posted by Stephen Rynkiewicz on 7/28/2019

Wells High School creative arts students will write and produce a musical. Drama, music, dance and art teachers are lined up for the coming school year, principal Michael Stosek told EVA members in a relaxed July meeting in the Happy Village beer garden.

"We are the arts school for the North Side going forward," Stosek said. Wells will have 30 to 60 students in the magnet cluster and is making connections to the Chicago theater community.

Wells also will work with the College Board to focus instruction in key skills through its new pre-Advanced Placement program. Its law and gaming programs will continue, and Stosek isn't ruling out out a future language academy bid.

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