| Welcome to the new ASCO website |
Welcome
This is the website for ASCO, the Association of Sheridan Condo/Co-op Owners in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It will eventually contain a wealth of information about what is happening in the Sheridan Road community. Click here to learn more about the ASCO organization.
Public discussions take place in the General Forum. Comments about the ASCO website should be posted in the Website Feedback Forum. Unregistered "Guests" may view most public Forums on the ASCO website, but only registered "Members" have full access to the public information.
You need not supply any personal information when you register, but you must truthfully "identify" yourself (name and building) before you will be permitted to post. Posts will be deleted if deemed inappropriate.
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| Residents left wanting more from Dominick's |
Dear Sheridan Road resident, [sent March 5, 2009]
While ASCO is scheduling its own meeting and report on this issue, we wanted to share with you this informative article from our neighborhood paper, the News-Star:
Residents left wanting more from Dominick's
Traffic study, covering for rooftop parking top concerns
By LORRAINE SWANSON, Editor
Edgewater and Uptown residents met at Margate Park on Feb. 26 to vet plans for an amped-up Dominick's Finer Foods store that will replace the existing Dominick's at 5253 N. Sheridan.
Last year, Dominick's Finer Foods LLC of Oak Brook purchased the building and land it has been leasing at Sheridan and Foster since 1978 for $5.85 million. Dominick's parent company, Safeway Corporation, purchased two additional lots adjacent to the existing store, including the lot where the now-shuttered Chicago Lodge Motel is located last December. (more...)
[Click here to read the entire article]
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| Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:08 pm - 0 Comment(s) |
| ASCO Announcements 3/3/2009 |
Dear Sheridan Road Resident, [sent March 3, 2009]
Public Hearing
ALDI'S TO ARRIVE AT GRANVILLE & BROADWAY Meet the Corporate Honchos & Developer
The Edgewater Development Corporation is sponsoring a public meeting on the plans of the Aldi Corporation to locate in the new mixed use building on the Northeast corner of Granville and Broadway.
Public Hearing
Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
Ballroom, Broadway Armory Park
5917 N. Broadway
Pay to Park parking lot with ticket machine.
Bring single dollars and/or change.
We are wondering....
- Is Aldi's better or worse for our property values than a vacant building or empty lot?
- Who will shop at an Aldi's on Granville?
- The community spent years voting parts of Granville dry; what will be the impact of a new liquor license?
- Do we really want a package good liquor license on this neglected street?
- Will giving a liquor license to Aldi's affect the CVS law suit for a liquor license?
- What is the status of the "Clarovista"; how many units have closed?
- What plans does Bill Platt have for the rest of the commercial spaces?
A Field Trip to Aldi's in Uptown
There were some conflicting stories circulating in Edgewater about the proposal to locate an Aldi's Store at Granville & Broadway. My neighbor and I decided to see for ourselves what an Aldi's store was like.
We headed down to Sunnyside and Broadway and it didn't help that it was pouring out. We pulled in the parking lot, under the CTA tracks, and learned how customer unfriendly a store can be.
The "disabled parking" was on the other side of the entrance from the carts. We had to go back out in the rain and deposit a quarter to get one. Oh sure we got it back, but we had to go back out in the rain to get it.
Shopping was like visiting a food pantry. Boxes with their tops slit off were sitting on the floor and we had to go around and pick from the boxes. The only name brand we saw was Tyson on a few boxes of chicken parts.
One thing we noted was that in many cases, while the prices were lower, the packages were smaller. They sell their own brand and many off brands.
We could not find any specialty items like fat free or sugar free. There was no one to ask for help or to check if certain items were in stock.
I got excited when I found a 4 oz box of organic blueberries for only $1.49. They were solid and looked good. I got them home and found that they were too sour to eat, even with sugar.
I figured out that I do better at Target or by shopping the sales at Dominick's.
Sheli Lulkin
A Few Facts About ALDI'S and the Development at Broadway/Granville
Aldi's is a highly successful German Company with a long track record. Barbara Sloan, condo owner from NEBA, shared an article from Business Week which tells of their European expansion plans. The EDC shared this article from the Wall Street Journal about their U.S. expansion plans. The New York Times published an article on the expansion of Aldi's in the United States.
In the United States, Aldi's is less popular and its presence in a community is usually a sign of a poorer neighborhood and a definite sign of lower prices. There are several websites dedicated to what is good to buy there and what isn't. Canned mushrooms rank high; fresh produce ranks low.
Representatives of Aldi's have told the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce that this store would be a "new concept" store. It would have graphics on the walls and we think that these stores would not be free standing but located in mixed use buildings. They will also be located in neighborhoods with higher demographics, helping to remove the stigma of their name on a window.
The very presence of Aldi's has been a concern to those people who work to keep up our property values. People who want to refinance their units or get a good selling price are having a hard time in this economy. The Aldi's store will be located on Broadway at the North end of the building.
Some Aldi's stores sell cheap package liquor and ASCO will oppose this. We have invested 20 years in cleaning up Granville. The sale of package goods is no longer allowed on Granville and this has caused a noticeable decrease in loitering and panhandling.
Aldi's is not known as a customer friendly store. There is no customer service but there is often a security guard. They sell out of cut-open boxes stacked on the floor, do not help bag groceries and charge for grocery bags. There is no help for seniors or the disabled. The aisles are wide because of the need to haul out boxes.
Some bloggers say that they are the same company as Trader Joe's and carry the same products. The former is partially true; the latter is not. Anyone who shops Trader Joe's and goes into Aldi's can tell you that these are not the same products. The Aldi's corporation bought up Trader Joe's but they remain separate.
At the ASCO Annual Meeting we voted unanimously to oppose the sale of package good liquors at this location. We have been in contact with Alderman Joe Moore, in whose ward the store will be located. Ald. Moore has promised us that he will NOT support a license to sell package goods.
The ASCO Board met on March 3rd and reviewed materials supplied by the Edgewater Development Corporation (EDC). The Board reiterated its opposition to a package goods license and voted to continue investigating the issue, including the parking facilities and assistance for senior citizens. We are also interested in what type of signage is planned.
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| Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:26 am - 0 Comment(s) |
| ASCO Announcements 2/23/2009 |
Dear Sheridan Road Resident, [sent February 24, 2009]
Dominick's at Foster and Sheridan Coming Down and Going Up
The Edgewater Development Corporation is sponsoring a public meeting on the plans of Dominick's Finer Foods to demolish its store at Foster and Sheridan and build a new one.
Public Hearing: Thursday, Feb. 26th at 7:00 p.m.
Margate Park Fieldhouse, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
#151 bus from Sheridan Road
Limited free parking
This may be your only opportunity to see the plan and ask questions. The developers have met with Alderman Smith and her staff and the changes she wants probably have been made.
This is the community's chance to find out what is happening in our neighborhood.
Foster Dominick's: Who Should Care and Why?
Several articles have alluded to the possibility of additional construction at the Dominick's site.
The talk about two residential towers of 400 units is still alive. This would be across Foster from the to-be constructed Admiral.
What would all this added density do to an intersection which handles the lakefront buses with the higher ridership?
ASCO has heard that the Alderman has asked that the building be pulled forward to the curve and the parking be in the rear. If this is true, we will be creating a carbon corridor with the fumes of idling buses captured by the buildings.
We have also been asked about sight lines. At certain hours of the day it is literally impossible to enter and exit the existing parking.
Dominick's Buys Motel Next Door
What is Plan for Additional Space?
With the economy in trouble, retail food companies are expanding and investing in future sites and cheap leases. Aldi's is adding several stores in the Chicago area and hoping that people will be looking for cheaper shopping.
Jewel has remodeled their Edgewater store and hopes to have upgraded 1/3 of their holdings by the end of the year. Their mission is to keep Walmart away from their shoppers.
Now, Safeway has purchased the land under the store and also the motel next door to remove one of their worst Dominick's stores and build a beauty.
Several years ago ASCO began negotiating with Ansonia Properties, who had a contract to purchase the property, on the use of the land. It was agreed that every effort would be made to put a bus turnaround at the back of the property and that we would support the creation of a TIF to pay for it. In turn the developers were going to attempt to purchase the next door motel.
ASCO has heard numerous complaints about the buses that idle at Foster and Sheridan. Traffic, including the turning 147, is very bad and a senior was recently killed attempting to cross the intersection. Bus drivers need a rest stop. We were told we had Aldermanic support.
The TIF is in place, although it may not have generated much money yet. If any TIF money is going to be spent it should be spent for the public good. Traffic is a major issue and something has to be done about it. This is our only chance.
After the hearing, ASCO representatives to the 48th Ward Land Use and Zoning committee will vote on this proposal. Come see the plans so that you can voice your opinion.
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| Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:48 pm - 0 Comment(s) |
| ASCO Announcements 2/19/2009 |
Dear Sheridan Road Resident, [sent February 19, 2009]
Senior Sewer Rebates Available
Resident Condo/Co-op Owners age 65 and over are eligible for the City's annual $50.00 sewer rebate. If you have received this before, you should have received your application in the mail this week.
First time applicants should call their Alderman for an application. 49th Ward residents should call (773) 338-5796. 48th Ward residents should call (773) 784-5277.
In order to apply, unit owners must first apply for a senior homestead exemption. Proof of age and a copy of a paid water bill obtainable from your building manager are required with the first time application
Emergency Bus Line Cuts on Sheridan
If you had a hard time getting home from work on Thursday and still don't know why ... here's a story from WGN shared with ASCO by Jim Ness.
CTA pulling 200 articulated buses as safety precaution
February 19, 2009 4:23 PM
The CTA has taken almost 200 articulated buses out of service as a safety precaution due to serious cracks found in the chassis of one vehicle, transit officials said today.
The sidelining of the North American Bus Industries Inc. (NABI) buses, which represent 6 percent of the CTA's bus fleet, is expected to have an impact on rush-hour commuters, officials said. The 60-foot-long buses are in service primarily on high-ridership routes.
The CTA has known about potential structural fatigue along the frame of the buses, based on an accelerated durability test of one prototype vehicle some years ago. But a CTA bus pulling into a garage recently failed, CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said.
CTA acting president Dorval Carter Jr. decided to remove the NABI buses from service until an independent expert evaluates the problem, Gaffney said.
The accordion-style buses entered service starting in 2003. The CTA says design flaws are to blame for the defects, which include cracks around the axles and the joint connecting the articulated mid-section of the buses. The CTA filed a lawsuit against NABI after the financially strapped bus manufacturer failed to make sufficient improvements under the warranty, transit officials said. The CTA also stopped making payments on the $102 million contract about four years ago.
The 226 NABI buses that the CTA purchased are warranteed for 12 years or 500,000 miles. The bus that failed was about five years old and had 152,000 miles. Slightly fewer than 200 buses were still in service when the CTA pulled the plug on them today.
The buses operate on the busy lakeshore routes between downtown and the North and South Sides. Riders have complained about bumpy rides since the buses were introduced.
We have not been able to learn how soon the buses will return to service. Local routes which will be effected include 147 and 156.
ASCO holds annual elections
The Association of Sheridan Road Condo/Co-op Owners held its annual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2009 at Shoreline Towers Condominium Association. The following persons were elected to office.
- Sheli Lulkin, East Point - President
- Belle Mest, Malibu - Vice-President
- LaVonne Sharp, The Statesman - Secretary
- Sandy Chaet, Malibu East - Treasurer
- John Walsh, 6030 - Director (1 year)
- Lorraine Meyers, Park Tower - Director (1 year)
Directors continuing in office for another year are:
- Kent Kzeski, 6342
- Ron Simon, East Point
- Pierre Rowan, Edgewater Beach Apartments
After many years of service, Ms. Dorothy Denzler of 6118 submitted her resignation midterm in order to pursue other community service interests. The organization thanked Ms. Denzler for her valuable assistance and especially for her care of the planters.
Public Hearing on New Dominick's
The Edgewater Development Corporation will sponsor a public meeting to discuss plans for a new Dominick's Finer Foods to be constructed on the NE corner of Foster and Broadway. The meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26th at 7:00 p.m. at the Margate Park Field House. Limited parking is available.
The Dominick's Store on Foster and Sheridan will be demolished and replaced with a new structure. Now they have purchased the adjacent motel; a parcel that ASCO had asked our elected officials to purchase for the purpose of building a bus turn-a-round.
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| Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:33 pm - 0 Comment(s) |
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