Politics & Government News
Three gargantuan city-owned properties in the Central Manufacturing District received scrutiny from architects and planners this past Friday, February 23, during a tour designed to market their sale and redevelopment.
As a lead-in to C40's Reinventing Cities design competition, the tour meandered through the lots and buildings stretching from 1717 to 1819 West Pershing Road, led by representatives from the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development.
Read more: Tour Offers Peek Inside Central Manufacturing District Buildings
The 2018 Southwest Side Candidate Forum on Saturday, February 10, highlighted a slate of progressive candidates campaigning for the upcoming Democratic primary election on March 20. Presented by the 12th Ward Independent Political Organization (IPO), the forum also touched on the upcoming Lift the Ban on rent control referendum and resulted in the IPO's formal candidate endorsements.
"This is a critical time for our country," said Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who is running for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 4th District. "I want to be part of a wave that captures the House."
Garcia noted the importance of fighting for important issues like raising the minimum wage, establishing universal healthcare and establishing a path for legal immigration for DACA youth. "Yes, I am a Berniecrat," he said.
Read more: Candidate Forum Showcases Progressive Politicians, Initiatives
Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-IL) is renewing his calls for cleanup of the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River, more commonly known as Bubbly Creek. The extremely polluted waterway, which gets its name from century-old slaughterhouse sludge still pushing bubbles to the surface, suffered another befoulement by diesel oil this past fall. Lipinski said the cleanup related to this event should now allow a stalled U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to move forward.
"I would like to ensure that we are taking every feasible action to restore the creek to an ecologically healthy state," Lipinski said in a letter written to the corps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). " I believe that some of the work planned for Bubbly Creek may help prevent or mitigate future oil spills and other pollution."
Read more: Lipinski Calls for Bubbly Creek Cleanup to Move Forward
Illinois 2nd District State Representative Theresa Mah received a surprise on Saturday, January 20, at the open house for her new 2nd District office. Representatives from the McKinley Park Civic Association notified her she'd been honored with the William H. G. Toms Community Service Award, given each year to a leading community member.
Read more: Rep Theresa Mah Receives Community Service Award at Open House
The City of Chicago is soliciting the rehabilitation of a large area of the Central Manufacturing District with an outreach to developers via C40’s Reinventing Cities design competition. Three large city-owned lots are on the table for sale and innovative, environmentally friendly redevelopment, including over a million square feet of floor space in historically significant buildings.
The properties, stretching from 1717 to 1819 West Pershing Road, this week received the go-ahead from a city panel to offer them to developers. This process is tied to the international design competition, for which proposals are due May 4, 2018.
Read more: Central Manufacturing District Properties Get Push From City via Design Contest
