Neighborhood News
The abandoned Wrigley gum factory squats at the southeast corner of 35th Street and Ashland Avenue like a mouldering ruin. The site, a testament to corporate betrayal and official corruption, has been shuttered since 2006 and remains the biggest source of blight in the McKinley Park neighborhood.
But inside the factory's decaying shell lie treasures of street art painted across every type of surface by artists who have pierced the facility's porous borders. A local urban exploration (or "urbex") photographer recently captured the compelling artwork and silent vistas hidden inside the deserted edifice.
1 commentsRead more: Street Art Glitters in the Crumbling Halls of the Candy King
The Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA) is spearheading a program to reduce youth alcohol and marijuana use in the McKinley Park neighborhood. Its McKinley Park Underage Drinking and Other Substances Prevention Coalition (McK-UDOS) looks to bring together community organizations with resources to enable education, awareness and advocacy.
"We are trying to connect with schools, agencies, businesses and community members to collaborate with our coalition," said MAHA Substance Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator Vernalynne De La Rosa. "The goal is to reduce underage drinking and marijuana use."
Read more: Youth Substance Abuse Program Building Coalition for McKinley Park
The week ahead in McKinley Park promises great opportunities for civic engagement, fun kids and family activities, and ways to keep your New Year's resolutions to get fit.
- The McKinley Park Development Council hosts its very first public meeting this Wednesday, January 17, at 7 p.m. at the National Latino Education Institute, 2011 W. Pershing Rd. Developing a plan for our rapidly changing neighborhood is a main focus; this meeting is the first opportunity for the public to get involved in the group and help steer development for McKinley Park.
- Pervasively engaged Illinois 2nd District State Representative Theresa Mah opens the doors of her new office space at the 2nd District Office Open House, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 20, at 2108 W. 35th St. Learn about legislative initiatives, ask questions, share your ideas with Theresa and nosh and network; RSVPs are recommended.
Read more: Civic Engagement, Kids Fun and More Lined Up This Week in McKinley Park
According to a recent article in Crain's Chicago Business, the McKinley Park neighborhood's home prices are on the rise, with the median sale price of a single family home increasing 14.3 percent in 2017 through November. The data, based on a December report from the Chicago Association of Realtors, pegged the current median sale price of a single family home in McKinley Park at $251,500.
A record-setting sale of $506,000 for a new home on Marshfield Avenue represents the highest amount paid for a McKinley Park home, breaking the previous 2004 record of $480,000 for a neighborhood home.
Alongside Pilsen, Crain's called McKinley Park a "hot Chicago neighborhood" for real estate, describing it as "a less trendy neighborhood west of Bridgeport."
The January 10 meeting for Beat 912 of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) program presented introductions of new CAPS personnel, as well as a summary of neighborhood crime reports and strategies for neighbors to work together to fight crime.
More details were revealed about the December 13 homicide in the Target store parking lot near West 33rd Street and South Damen Avenue, which resulted in the death of Jermaine Marshall of the 4900 block of South Loomis Street. The shooter, a concealed carry permit holder, was initially detained by the Chicago Police Department, but then released.
Read more: January CAPS Meeting Highlights Neighborhood Crimes and Cooperation
