DevCorp North What's Now: Rogers Park, Chicago

Howard El Renovations

49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will hold an informational meeting regarding the Howard Elevated Station renovation on Wed. May 24th at 7 p.m. in the Pottawattomie Park Fieldhouse (7340 N. Rogers).  The meeting will provide a project overview and timeline, information on construction issues and information on possible employment opportunities for union card holders in the building trades and job training possibilities.

Representatives of the CTA, the Chicago Urban League and Mc Hugh Construction - the project’s general contractor, will be available to inform the community of the status of the project, discuss the hiring process and answer specific questions on a range of issues, including:

·         Construction

·         Customer Service

·         Job Training/Building Trades/Construction Hiring

For more on the history of the Howard El Station, click here.

Howard Street Special Service Area

The Howard Street Special Service Area (SSA) #19 has supported the Commercial District since 1997 by:

• holding Commercial Attraction Presentations and Tours for business recruitment, providing joint marketing and advertising opportunities;
• providing rebates to business/property owners for façade improvements and security enhancements;
• providing workshops and seminars for business owners;
• providing street maintenance, including sidewalk power washing, garbage and snow removal;
• providing landscaping beautification services, including the installation of 17 planters, and the planting and maintenance of tree grates and 30 planters;
• installing garbage receptacles;
• installing Howard Street banners in 1999 and in 2005 along the commercial corridor;
• installing holiday decorations over the past 8 years;
• coordinating the Howard Street Redevelopment Committee and assisting in the design and implementation of the Howard Street Streetscape plan;
• organizing and holding 52 farmer’s markets;
• sponsoring more than a dozen festivals and special events;
• organizing sidewalk sales over 6 years; and
• providing technical assistance to existing and prospective business owners.

Recently SSA #19:

• added an Assistant Director of Maintenance to increase maintenance service to 7 days a week;
• held 2 Commercial Attraction Presentations and Tours to recruit new business,
  began the “Business Improvement Rebate” program to assist businesses and property owners with storefront improvements;
• worked with the Chicago Police Department to determine “hot spots” in the neighborhood and installed surveillance cameras; and
• renewed its partnership with the Latin American Chamber of Commerce to provide business assistance to start-up and existing businesses.

The commissioners of the Howard Street Special Service Area (SSA) #19 invite you to a meeting to discuss the reconstitution of the Howard Street SSA.  Appetizers and refreshments will be served.

Please join the Howard Street SSA Commission, Alderman Joe Moore, the Department of Planning and Development, and DevCorp North on:

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

6PM
Gateway Bar & Grill
7545 N Clark Street

For more information, contact SSA Manager Amy Campbell at DevCorp North at  (773) 508-5885 or via E-mail at acampbell@devcorpnorth.org.

Role of a Special Service Area

What is a Special Service Area?

Special Service Areas (SSA) have been used for over 30 years nationwide as a funding tool primarily used to protect and promote neighborhood shopping districts.  An SSA allows for a property tax levy to underwrite special services in addition to those generally provided by local municipal government.  The SSA tax provides benefit as all funds are locally managed and can only be used for SSA services within the boundaries.

Why do we need a Special Service Area?

As the north side gateway to the City, Rogers Park is home to the second busiest transit hub in Chicago and has a diverse population. Howard Street Special Service Area #19 and Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Area #24 provide programs and services to increase the neighborhood’s competitive edge.  The Street Special Service Areas were established to provide maintenance and beautification services, to coordinate promotional and advertising activities, and to provide security and other technical assistance to promote commercial and economic development.

In light of government funding cuts, the SSA's are filling the funding gaps and putting decision-making in local hands.

How is an Special Service Area held accountable?

When an SSA is approved in Chicago, a local SSA Commission is created.  The Mayor appoints local business and/or property owners to the Commission pending City Council confirmation.  These Commissioners provide local management and oversight by authorizing expenditures and evaluating program performance.  DevCorp North serves as the Sole Service Provider of these SSA's and streamlines management and administration of SSA programs.  DevCorp North is also accountable to the state of Illinois and the City of Chicago through annual certified audits and budget reviews.

For more information, contact DevCorp North at (773) 508-5885.

The New Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordinance

On Monday, January 16, 2006, the new Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordinance went into effect.  The ordinance, which was passed in December 2005, regulates smoking in and near the entrances to public buildings and enclosed workplaces and facilities.  It establishes an immediate prohibition on smoking in specified public facilities; provides an opportunity for owners of restaurants with bar areas and owners of bar/taverns to allow smoking until July 1, 2008; and exempts exclusively private residences, some hotel and motel sleeping rooms, retail tobacco stores and certain private clubs or lodges from regulation.

Today, smoking is prohibited in:
 All enclosed workplaces;
 All restaurants without a bar area;
 All restaurant areas more than 15 feet from the bar counter;
 Public places including government buildings, convention facilities, laundromats, public transportation facilities and shopping malls;
 Public restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways and other common use areas in public buildings, apartment buildings and condominium buildings;
 Within 15 feet of the entrance to enclosed public places;
 Recreational areas including enclosed sports arenas, stadiums, swimming pools, ice and roller rinks, arcades and bowling alleys; and
 City government vehicles.

For more information or for sample copies of signs to post within your establishment visit the City's web site at www.cityofchicago.org/business affairs.  Signs are also available at DevCorp North, 1557 W. Howard Street.

Continue reading "The New Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordinance"

SSA crews keeping the district walkable

Beginning at 3:30pm on Thursday afternoon, Mark Somen, DevCorp North’s Director of Maintenance, was out on the tractor doing his best to keep the sidewalks clear in spite of the fast-falling snow.  An estimated 1000+ pounds of salt was spread throughout the Howard Street and Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Areas, as nearly 8” of snow blanketed the community. 

Before he finally went to bed last night around 11pm, Mark had covered the entire 7.1 mile route (3.5 miles of sidewalks on both sides of the street) three times with the plow.  Filling in where the tractor couldn’t reach, Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA Manager Rene Camargo was out clearing Glenwood Avenue by shovel and snowblower.   

As of noon today (Friday), Mark had already plowed the sidewalks of the entire route twice, and Rene had cleared the same general area he worked on the night before.  The maintenance crew has been out with shovels in hand since early this morning, breaking up ice and clearing the way for pedestrians on Clark, Morse, Glenwood and Howard. 

The maintenance crews will be out on the streets with the snow plow in accumulations over 2" (anything less will damage the blades) and salting for any snow accumulations over 1".  Any merchants or property owners within the Special Service Area boundaries can call DevCorp North if they have any additional need for snow or ice removal.

Clark/Morse/Glenwood security patrol initiative

After reviewing the concerns of local merchants, the Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA #24 sponsored a security patrol initiative for a 3-month trial period.  A brief analysis of the initiative describes the activities taken by the security patrols, overall crime trends and the results of a mercants survey. 

Overall 63% of the merchants surveyed said they felt safer or somewhat safer during the summer of 2005 versus the summer of 2004.  The SSA #24 commissioners are now using this information to evaluate their options for public safety initiatives in 2006.  For more information, click here.

Tree grates are being cleaned and mulched

The City of Chicago delivered 25 cubic yards of mulch, which was used to beautify the tree grates on Morse Avenue and Glenwood Avenue.  The old mulch and garbage was removed and the soil was turned to retain moisture.  Then the new mulch was added. 

Another 20 cubic yards of mulch is expected.  Once delivered, the same procedure will be done for the tree grates on Howard Street followed by Clark Street.

The mulch was ordered and the clean up administered by the maintenance crew for the Howard Street and Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA's.

For more information on other SSA services, contact DevCorp North at (773) 508-5885.

Stop by DevCorp North and meet our new Howard SSA manager

Amy Campbell is our new Commercial District Planner and Howard Street SSA manager. She grew up in neighboring Evanston and received her B.A. with Honors from Columbia College in Chicago.  In 2000, Amy received her Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Since then, she has been working in the field of community and economic development. Her work experience has included: developing legislative recommendations on smart growth development; assisting with the development of an artists’ cooperative; program development and implementation; grant writing; technical assistance to local merchants; retail attraction; creating public-private sector partnerships in workforce development; curriculum development and implementation; and re-entry support and training of formerly incarcerated individuals.

Her previous employers include Metropolitan Planning Council, Near Northwest Arts Council, Humboldt Park Economic Development Corp. and the Printing Industry of IL/IN Association. She most recently worked with the Safer Foundation. 

DevCorp North is located at 1448 W. Howard.  For more information about our programs, call (773) 508-5885.

What is the Earnfare Program?

Most Rogers Park residents and businesses are aware that both the Howard Street SSA #19 and the Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA #24 are serviced by DevCorp North's maintenance department.  You may also be aware that the maintenance department consists of 25 Earnfare workers, but you may not know about the Earnfare program.

The Earnfare program is an employment program sponsored by the State of Illinois' Department of Human Services.  DevCorp North serves as one of the many employment providers.  All able bodied clients, without dependents, are able to enroll in the program to receive food stamps and collect cash benefits.  Clients who are enrolled work a total of 80 hours per month and are employed through this program for a maximun of six months per calendar year.  Clients are encouraged to seek full-time employment at the end of their assignment.  DevCorp North provides services to help clients transition to self suffieiency.  Examples of these services include letters of recommendation from the organization to the potential employers, quarterly meetings between clients, staff and local employment and social service agencies, and recommendations to businesses and unions.

For more information about the Earnfare program, click here or call Mark Somen at (773) 508-5885.

SSA Spring beautification initiative is underway

You may have noticed that all the light poles and fire hydrants in both the Howard Street and Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA's have recently been painted.  DevCorp North's maintenance crews were out scraping off leaflets and painting the poles and hydrants last week.

(A reminder that posting leaflets on light poles is illegal and subject to a per/pole fine).

The next step for the maintenance department will be to clean out the existing tree grates and replace the wood chips on Morse Avenue and Clark Street.  Soon we will receive the delivery of plants for the planters on Howard Street and all of Rogers Park will be beautiful.