Get a Preview of the Neighborhood Plan This Week in McKinley Park
Zap Props at 3611 S. Loomis Place hosts the public for Open House Chicago this upcoming weekend.
What are your priorities for McKinley Park? The McKinley Park Development Council is getting ready to release its neighborhood plan: a comprehensive set of recommendations compiled with the help of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and based on community feedback, existing conditions and best practices in urban planning. The McKinley Park Development Council Meeting on Wednesday, October 16, at the field house in McKinley Park offers a chance for residents to view and assess the nearly completed plan, and offer final feedback prior to plan release.
Take a peek behind the curtain of some fascinating McKinley Park neighborhood enterprises courtesy of Open House Chicago, which offers free tours of usually closed spaces citywide. Open House Chicago: Zap Props exposes the fascinating ephemera and objects crammed into the Zap Props warehouse on both Saturday, October 19, and on Sunday, October 20. The Open House Chicago: ComEd Training Center session on Saturday, October 19, presents tours of the energy company's state-of-the-art training center, including the real-world environments used to prep for high-voltage field work.
Read more: Get a Preview of the Neighborhood Plan This Week in McKinley Park
Neighbors, Environmental Group Tour Asphalt Plant
MAT Asphalt co-owner Michael Tadin Jr., center, discusses plant operations with members of Neighbors for Environmental Justice during the tour on Saturday, September 21.
MAT Asphalt opened its doors to the public on Saturday, September 21, for tours of the facility and questions and answers about plant operations with business executives, including plant co-owner Michael Tadin Jr. and General Manager Joe Haughey. The event attracted local residents and members of McKinley Park-based Neighbors for Environmental Justice, which has been one of the most vocal opponents of the asphalt plant.
Tadin said the tour is part of MAT Asphalt's outreach to "set the record straight" on how they operate. “Based on the questions that I fielded and other remarks on Saturday, it was clear that some people are still operating under inaccuracies and other misinformation,” he said.
Read more: Neighbors, Environmental Group Tour Asphalt Plant
Custom Fabrication Drives Explosive Growth at Bridgewater Studio
Bridgewater Studio co-founders Eric Cup, left, and Patrick Justice show off their custom fabrication shop in the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Business Name: Bridgewater Studio, Inc.
Address: 1719 W. 35th St.
Industry: Custom fabrication, design and installation
Online: https://bridgewaterstudio.net
A big demand for bespoke fabrication — and the capability to quickly deliver a high-quality end product — has propelled McKinley Park neighborhood-based Bridgewater Studio through 100 percent year-to-year growth and toward a big business expansion, said Bridgewater Studio co-founder Eric Cup.
"We embraced high technology," Cup said. "it's been critical to our growth."
Read more: Custom Fabrication Drives Explosive Growth at Bridgewater Studio
Development Council Talks TOD, Preps Preview of Neighborhood Plan
McKinley Park Development Council board member Kara Breems, right, introduces panelists during the September 18 meeting at Kristoffer's Cakes.
Big changes to building density and population could be in the sights of the McKinley Park neighborhood, thanks to the expanded transit-oriented development zones now covering most of the community area. This was one of the takeaways from the September 18 meeting of the McKinley Park Development Council, which featured a panel discussion on Equitable Transit-Oriented Development, or ETOD.
"TOD is not created equally by all neighborhoods," said Kendra Freeman of the Metropolitan Planning Council. To mitigate negative effects like gentrification, the City of Chicago has adopted ETOD measures to "encourage holistic planning and equitable planning," Freeman said.
Read more: Development Council Talks TOD, Preps Preview of Neighborhood Plan
Horizon Science Academy Subject of Federal Lawsuit
Horizon Science Academy sits across from McKinley Park at 2245 W. Pershing Road, Chicago.
As reported by numerous media outlets, including a detailed report from WBBM-TV/CBS 2 Chicago, activities at Horizon Science Academy - McKinley Park are the subject of a federal lawsuit alleging mistreatment of 8-year-old student Zacharion Townsend. On September 30, his father, Anthony Townsend, filed Townsend v. Concept Schools NFP et al naming defendants at Horizon Science Academy, including teacher Sarah Krippinger and gym instructor Kale Graham.
Read more: Horizon Science Academy Subject of Federal Lawsuit
Cops Report Late Summer Crime Drop for Neighborhood
25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez pledges ward support for the McKinley Park neighborhood at the Beat 912 CAPS meeting on September 11.
Beat 912 of the Chicago Police Department enjoyed falling crime rates in late summer, according to reports shared at the Beat 912 Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) meeting in September 2019. Ninth District Community Policing Officer Jason Sollis reported crime falling "right back in line" with historic neighborhood lows following a summertime increase, including a July 23 homicide on the border of the 12th and 25th wards.
New 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez attended the September 11 meeting as part of increased involvement from his ward, which covers parts of the northwest and northeast areas of the McKinley Park neighborhood.
"We want to make sure you know we haven't forgotten about McKinley Park," Sigcho-Lopez said.
Read more: Cops Report Late Summer Crime Drop for Neighborhood
