West Town library window repairs not in budget
East Village Association membership minutes for Oct. 5, 2015, by Michael VanDam
Welcome from EVA Vice President Catherine Garypie
Presentation by John Wawraszek of Chicago Publishers Resource Center
Located at 852 N. Ashland, the Chicago Publishers Resource Center is a two-year-old non-profit hosting literary and artistic workshops and community events.
Wawraszek is very interested in partnering with EVA on events, including an upcoming Ashland art walk scheduled for Nov. 7. More information can be found at chiprc.org.
Library façadeGarypie has reached out to the city to get more information about the scaffolding in front of the West Town Branch Library at the Goldblatt's Building, 1625 W. Chicago Ave. (The Department of Fleet and Facility Management confirms a DNAinfo report that the scaffolding protects pedestrians from deteriorated windows.)
Repair funds, estimated at $1.5 million, are not in the 2016 city budget. Ald. Proco Joe Moreno has mentioned the potential of dedicating discretionary funds to fixing the building, but more information is needed on whether ward "menu money" or community fundraising could be earmarked solely for this project.
Planning, Preservation & DevelopmentChris Pappas, the owner of The Winchester, is looking to open a new wine bar on Division. Because it’s an older building, it may need work to comply witb Americans With Disabilities Act. Pappas may be looking to obtain a variance on this requirement to maintain the integrity of the vintage building.
CAPSNothing new here, but a question was raised about a recent spate of alley fires.
SchoolsChicago Public Schools is slashing budgets significantly and numerous local schools have lost teachers, particularly in special education. EVA will work to get the word out about fundraisers for these schools.
Wells High School, 936 N. Ashland Ave. at Augusta, has suffered from declining enrollment and is exploring options. Look for a representative from Wells to discuss at an upcoming meeting.
