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A rendering from a Chicago River Ecology & Governance Task Force presentation shows a draft of the potential appearance of the Cougle Foods development proposed for 2841 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago.

: Published November 15, 2019

Following in the footsteps of many food and manufacturing businesses on the near West Side of Chicago, Cougle Foods (also known as Cougle Commission Company) is getting out of the Fulton Market neighborhood now booming with high-tech businesses and high-end residential development. The company, which has been one of the last holdouts in the former meat market district, now looks to build a new facility at 2841 S. Ashland Ave. on a vacant industrial site along Bubbly Creek, touching the northeast border of the McKinley Park neighborhood.

Cougle Foods owner Lee Freidheim said he is sad to leave the Fulton Market after over three decades at Cougle's custom-built facility. "I love it here. I like to be in a central area," he said. However, the potential for growth and modernization at the new site leverages the financial windfall of the sale of their valuable Fulton Market property, he said. "We're investing it all and then some."

Brothers Jaime Sotelo, left, and Alfonso Sotelo stand ready in the kitchen of their soon-to-open restaurant Chile Toreado at 2022 W. 35th St., Chicago.

: Published November 14, 2019

Another new restaurant is bound for 35th Street in the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago with the pending arrival of Chile Toreado, a full-service Mexican restaurant at 2022 W. 35th St. in the space formerly occupied by the Jazzy Bean cafe. Brothers Jaime and Alfonso Sotelo — both fine-dining restaurant vets and longtime McKinley Park neighborhood residents — are rolling out Chile Toreado to accompany Alfonso Sotelo's successful and highly regarded 5 Rabanitos restaurant in the nearby Pilsen neighborhood.

"Always be careful with the chile toreados" is the warning the brothers' grandmother gave them when teaching how to cook what is now the restaurant's signature dish, Jaime Sotelo said. Her recipes and the experience of cooking while growing up impoverished on a farm in Mexico helped expose the brothers to fresh, authentic Mexican food, most of which was gathered and hunted directly from their farm, he said.

The Marz Community Brewing tap room rests inside the Marz brewery building in an industrial strip on the east end of the McKinley Park neighborhood.

: Published November 13, 2019

Marz Community Brewing Co. at 3630 S. Iron St. in the McKinley Park Community Area of Chicago received the nod from Chicago magazine as one of the city's Best New Bars in an article published November 12. The top 20 list from writers Amy Cavanaugh, Karl Klockars and Tal Rosenberg highlights the best new watering holes across Chicago, with the Marz tap room being the only South Side pick on the list.

The article spotlighted the highly creative and varied brews from Marz, calling the tap room "one big beautiful freak-out dropped into an industrial corner of the South Side."

Mark Javier, in the foreground, a partner in the school, shows off the rear of the new Montessori Foundations of Chicago building during their open house in October 2019.

: Published November 13, 2019

Montesssori Foundations of Chicago has moved into its new home in the McKinley Park neighborhood, expanding its curriculum and scope of student services, and settling into a permanent location for the school. Located at 2239 W. 35th St., Chicago, the new facility updates the abandoned, former Titan Ornamental Ironworks property with a complete gut rehabilitation and expansion of the building and grounds.

"It was important that the school remain in the community," said Principal Beata Skorusa. "McKinley Park reflects a lot of our school values, including diversity: not only racial, but ethnic and socio-economic."

One of the neighborhood plan goal sheets shows feedback from the October 16 meeting of the McKinley Park Development Council.

: Published October 29, 2019

The McKinley Park Neighborhood Plan is now online! Click here to read the plan.The McKinley Park Development Council has publicly released the defined goals under final consideration for the McKinley Park neighborhood plan, a council project being created with the help of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). With this release, the council is encouraging neighborhood residents, business owners and stakeholders to review the draft goals and submit their final feedback for the plan.

A hands-on public session at the October 16 council meeting presented large-format printouts of plan goals and their key recommendations, with audience members encouraged to write down ideas and place red or green stickers on items they wanted to prioritize. With the online release of these documents, the council seeks feedback from anyone who couldn't attend the meeting or has more to add.