I want to say thanks to all of the residents and community organizations that have over the last 28 years helped to beautify the 40th Ward by donating their time, energy and money in developing neighborhood gardens. Over the next several years, Metra will be upgrading their facilities. They have assured me that they will try to be as unintrusive as possible as they can be when they are in the areas that you helped beautify.

Below is a description of the scope of work that Metra is planning to do. If you have any other concerns once the project begins, please feel free to call our office at 773-769-1140.

Many Thanks,
Patrick J. O’Connor

________________________________

Project Details

Beginning in August, residents in the 40th Ward will see construction work on Metra’s Union Pacific North line (pdf). This is the beginning of Metra’s $185M Union Pacific North line bridge and retaining wall construction project.

Twenty-two bridges on the north side of Chicago on Metra’s Union Pacific North line will be completely replaced. Construction will improve clearance on surface streets and give cleaner views. This project is expected to take eight years.

The Balmoral bridge will be the first structure to be replaced. In order to begin construction, Balmoral Avenue under Metra’s Union Pacific North line tracks will be closed for six weeks. The street can then reopen to vehicular traffic but it will need to be closed again for a couple of days when the steel arrives for bridge replacement. The Balmoral Avenue bridge wing walls will extend 35 feet north and south on the west side of the bridge. Work on the east side of the bridge will begin 2012. A retaining wall is needed on the northeast side of Balmoral and will run 90 feet north. There is no need for a retaining wall on the southeast side of Balmoral.

Work will also begin in 2012 along the east side of Metra’s Union Pacific North line from Berwyn Avenue to Foster Avenue as a new retaining wall is erected.

It’s important to note that the Berwyn Avenue pedestrian tunnel will remain open during construction.

The second bridge to be replaced in the 40th Ward will be at Foster Avenue. On the northwest side of the Foster Avenue bridge, the replacement wing wall will extend 35 feet north. The east side of the bridge will be reinforced by the new retaining wall.

Residents in the 40th Ward who may use the Rogers Park and Ravenswood stations will notice a slight change in train schedules. Because of the large scope of the Union Pacific North line bridge and retaining wall construction project, train schedules have been adjusted. A new Ravenswood station will be built, but there will be no disruption of service during construction. The average trip times for Rogers Park and Ravenswood will either improve or be a maximum of two minutes longer.

The complete new proposed schedule is available on www.metrarail.com. Construction updates will be posted on Metrarail.com, but if you would like to be notified when there are updates, please log on to MyMetra and sign up, select the Union Pacific North line and check the box that says “email notifications of service alerts on my train routes.” And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @MetraUPN.

The Legion Park Gateway Plaza Fountain is located at the southwest corner of Lincoln & Peterson. This site was formerly the location of the Riverside Motel which was torn down in July of 1999 in keeping with a promise and plan from 40th Ward Alderman Patrick O’Connor & Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

The surrounding community was enthusiastic in its anticipation of the Plaza & Fountain. Meetings were held explaining the planned landscaping and the inner workings of the fountain.

The Plaza opens up to Legion Park’s other 48 acres that sit along the North Shore Channel’s east bank. Other improvements were installed, such as a new river walk and bike paths. The park’s playgrounds were also upgraded.

The formal dedication took place in October 2000 and the end result far exceeded expectations. Beautiful from its very beginnings, each year brings more fullness to the new trees and more plants to delight us.

Engine Company 70

Engine Company 70
6030 North Clark

The new $9.3 million firehouse, located at 6030 North Clark Street, was built by the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) and includes a modern design to accommodate better living, remote training and an office workspace. The one-story, 16,000-square-foot facility  replaced the old Engine Company 70 firehouse, located at 1545 West Rosemont Avenue.

As our City grows and changes, one thing remains the same — our commitment to revitalizing our neighborhoods, Mayor Daley said. Firehouses like this one serve as valuable resources for a community and contribute greatly to the safety and quality of life of its residents. These facilities also meet the needs of a diverse fire department, one that has men and women putting their lives at risk for Chicagoans every day.

“The new home of Engine Company 70 is equipped with the latest technology and accommodations for our firefighters and paramedics, improving our quality of service to every community of the city,” Fire Commissioner John W. Brooks said. “It is also designed to serve as a district training center to allow fire companies to stay closer to their service communities while receiving the latest instruction on fire suppression and rescue. It is a modern, environmentally friendly facility that we can all be proud of.

The new Engine Company 70 is also a green firehouse, designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Councils guidelines for a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design or LEED silver rating.

The new firehouse includes solar panels, an exhaust heat recovery system and drought-tolerant landscaping. In addition, recycled materials were used where possible, including the benches in the locker rooms, which are made of recycled wood.

The Public Building Commission of Chicago has long been committed to incorporating the most up-to-date elements of sustainable design into every public facility we build, PBC Executive Director Erin Lavin Cabonargi said. Both the design of the Engine Company 70 firehouse and the construction of the firehouse incorporated environmental concerns. In fact, we share the Citys commitment to incorporating green building concepts into every public facility that we build.

The new Engine Company 70 firehouse also features:

• A satellite training facility that allows for teleconferencing and remote instruction
• An outdoor training pad that provides ample space for staffs from Engine Company 70 and other area fire companies to train in various scenarios
• A large apparatus bay capable of housing a variety of rescue vehicles
• A circular driveway that allows vehicles to exit and to return more quickly and more safely
• A fully-equipped physical training room for firehouse personnel
• Locker rooms and bathroom facilities to accommodate the needs of both male and female firefighters and paramedics.

The front and reading room.

Budlong Woods Branch Library
5630 North Lincoln Avenue
Telephone: 312.742.9590
Website

The grand opening for this new 14,000 square-foot branch library was Saturday, February 8, 2003. The Budlong Woods Library branch is also the city’s first “green” library. The Department of Environment will be sending the needed documents to the US Green Building Council in order to get the library its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. ”Green” modifications include:

• Solar panels located on the roof that can provide up to 17 kilowatts of renewable, clean power.
• Energy star compliant, highly reflective roofing material to help keep the building cooler in the summer.
• Concrete pavement for the parking lot instead of black asphalt, also to keep the temperature on site cooler in the summer.
• Building materials, such as carpeting, ceiling tiles, acoustic tiles and gypsum board and steel, have a significant amount of recycled content.
• The building’s HVAC high performance integrated system was designed to perform 17-18% better than the Chicago Energy Code.

The Public Building Commission of Chicago is celebrating the notice that it has received  certification on its 20th project. Chicago leads the nation with a total of 27 municipally-owned buildings that have achieved this high level of recognition and Budlong Woods Library is one of them.

The volume of public buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards is a strong indication of the commitment to sustainable design embraced by the PBC and its client agencies, among them the City of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Park District.

Inside the Station Lobby.

20th District Police Station
5400 North Lincoln Avenue
Telephone: 312-742-8714
Facsimile: 312-742-8803
TTY: 312-742-8841
Website
Photos

The new station reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to equip our police officers with the most current facilities and technology to do their jobs. The new stations are designed to be welcoming and accessible to the public — which is consistent with our community policing strategy.

In partnership with Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Neighborhoods Alive program and the Chicago Police Department, the Public Building Commission is building new police stations in several communities across the City of Chicago. The new facilities, replacing outdated stations that in many cases are 50 years old, feature the most up-to-date technology available while helping officers delivery outstanding service to the communities they protect.

The new stations use a prototype design, with 44,000 square feet incorporated into a layout that offers open floor plans and inviting interiors, as well as community meeting spaces and neighborhood relations offices. Not only does the design control costs and streamline the building process, it delivers a police station that can serve as a cornerstone of the community, attractive and inviting to residents, and comfortable and efficient to officers.

The community participation fostered by the new district station is consistent with the Police Department’s Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) program. Building on traditional policing by incorporating problem-solving activities as a primary responsibility of beat officers, the CAPS community policing model works with residents and other institutional stakeholders to identify and prioritize problems affecting the beat and to develop solutions to those problems. Further, the designs for all new police stations include features that qualify the building for certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

As each new station is built, the individual neighborhoods will also benefit from considerable infrastructure improvements surrounding the facility, such as attractive landscaping, new alleys complete with secured trash compactors, and improved sidewalks, sewers, streetlights and traffic signals.

Safety & Security

• Electronic security consoles installed to monitor the ingress and egress of individuals and activities within the secured and public access areas of the building.
• Cameras mounted on exterior of building to monitor the parking lots and all entrances and exits.
• Separate entrance for prisoners to keep them apart from the public.
• Secure viewing and line-up room to protect crime victims and witnesses, while allowing for the identification of alleged offenders.

Environmental
All police stations are now designed to achieve a Gold-Rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. Some of the requirements for earning this rating include the following:

• Reflective roofing and exterior concrete that work to reduce the urban heat island effect;
• Recycled content used in 50% of building materials, and in ceiling and floor tiles;
• 50% of the station’s electricity provided by renewable resources;
• Alternative transportation refueling stations;
• Light pollution reduction;
• Water-efficient landscaping;
• Plumbing systems that use 30% less water;
• Locally-manufactured building materials.

Smart-Building Concepts

• The infrastructure is in place to tie all newly-constructed police stations into the Global Building Monitoring System. This system is managed by the City’s Department of General Services (DGS). DGS controls the station’s HVAC system from a remote location. This system also eliminates the need for an engineer to be located at an individual site.
• Lighting, irrigation systems, and clocks are all on timers and programmable through the Building Automation System.
• Technology
• State-of-the-art fiber optics network installed for faster, more efficient 911 communications, telephone systems, computer networking, and cable connections.
• High-tech roll call room in each station with video wall containing four 40-inch diagonal screens for use in roll call sessions, meetings, and software training. The video wall can support simultaneous feeds from three different computers.
• District Commander’s office is equipped for meetings of 8-10 persons, and has videoconferencing, video surveillance equipment, and windows that allow for viewing of the station’s lobby, roll call room, and Watch Commander’s office.
• Education & Training
• Videoconferencing capabilities are available.

Community-Friendly Features

• Community room that can be partitioned to host two simultaneous meetings and seats more than 100 persons is available in each station.
• The community room contains a large built-in pantry, retractable projection screens, and a storage area.

Residents who have any infrastructure requests should contact the office at 773/769-1140 before March 1st and we will do our best to include your request in our 2010 menu program.  Please keep in mind that the Shared Sidewalk Program is a city run program and not part of our 40th Ward menu money.

The following are some projects that were completed this year:

Curbs and Gutters

3033 – 3200 W. Bryn Mawr

2632 – 2700 W. Hollywood

3210 – 3300 W. Olive

Sidewalk

5500 – 5600 N. Kimball in front of Peterson Elementary School

6200 – 6320 N. Ravenswood

Street Bump Outs

1600 – 1724 W. Hollywood in front of Edgewater Hospital

Street Resurfacing

6400 – 6600 N .Glenwood

6320 – 6400 N. Hermitage

6000 – 6100 N. Oakley

6320 – 6432 N. Paulina

5600 – 5870 N. Sacramento

6000 – 6200 N. Winchester

6000 – 6038 N. Wolcott

2929 – 3081 W. Ardmore

2600 – 2800 W. Catalpa

2400 – 2600 W. Hollywood

1600 – 1724 W. Thome

2400 – 2514 W. Winona

Street Speed Humps

5600 – 5700 N. Richmond

1643 – 1800 W. Albion

Alleys/ Porous Concrete

6458 N. Bosworth

1960 W. Farragut

1667 W. Hollywood

6125 N. Hoyne

While it was our understanding that the project would be completed by January 4th, the final completion date will depend, in part, on the weather.  Latest word is that it should be complete by the end of January.

Once the intersection is fully open, it will be safe and drivable, with a concrete base course.  Final paving with asphalt will wait until Spring, when asphalt plants re-open for the season.

Alderman Laurino is working closely with DWM, local businesses, schools, and neighbors to minimize the inconvenience.  We are grateful to everyone for their patience during this season of construction.

Ald. Pat O'Connor (left) along with Dominick's President Don Keprta, wasted no time taking a whack at the front column of the Dominick's store in Lincoln Square during a demolition ceremony on Thursday. The food retailer plans to replace the existing building with one of its Lifestyle stores.

Mayberry is getting a new Dominick’s. At least that’s how Ald. Pat O’Connor (40th Ward) described the new Dominick’s Finer Foods store that will replace the existing store at Berwyn and Lincoln Avenues in Lincoln Square.

Dominick’s executives and community residents joined O’Connor for early Thursday morning for a demolition ceremony at the shuttered supermarket at 5233 N. Lincoln.

O’Connor and Dominick’s President Don Keprta donned construction hardhats and took symbolic swings with sledge hammers at a front column of the building. The real demolition starts next week.

The Dominick’s store has anchored the corner of Lincoln and Berwyn since it opened in 1975. The building is the first complete teardown of a Dominick’s store that will be replaced by one the food retailer’s Lifestyle stores. The rebuilt Dominick’s is expected to reopen before fall 2010.

The Lincoln Square store is the latest of Dominick’s 80 Chicago-area stores to get a redo. Construction of the 49,000-square-foot retail space will began later this month. The new store offers expanded produce, meat and beverage departments, a scratch bakery and hearth where bread and other goods will be baked daily on site, and a full service bank.

In addition to these improvements, shoppers will be able to enjoy a Starbucks Café with indoor and outdoor seating where they can watch traffic go by on Lincoln Avenue.

Keprta said Dominick’s decided to build a new store rather than retrofit the existing building because customers’ shopping needs have changed since the 1970s.

“We couldn’t add on to it and get all the services we needed,” Keprta said. “This is a wonderful area and a wonderful store to anchor the corner here.”

Recalling an A&P Grocery that once stood on the site, O’Connor said he was thrilled when Dominick’s executives told him this summer of their plans to replace the existing store.

Sixth-graders from Bud Long Elementary School sing the National Anthem at Thursday's demolition ceremony of the old Dominick's store in Lincoln Square. They were rewarded with a free Dominick's pizza party.

“This is the lowest crime rate in the city right here. The beat that’s west of here is Mayberry,” O’Connor said, referring to the old Andy Griffith Show. “This is a great place for a community store to be because this is a great community to be in.”

Medical prescriptions from the Dominick’s pharmacy in Lincoln Square are being transferred temporarily to the West Ridge Dominick’s that underwent a similar renovation this year at 6623 N. Damen. Dominick’s also offers free delivery for medical prescriptions.

Dominick’s store officials are also working with O’Connor’s office to arrange for Mayor Daley’s free senior shuttle service to increase its trips to other area Dominick’s stores at 3350 N. Western, 6009 N. Broadway Avenue and 6850 McCormick in Lincolnwood, in addition to the West Ridge store.

The Dominick’s store at Foster and Sheridan is also scheduled for demolition next month, to be replaced by a Dominick’s Lifestyle store that will serve as the flagship for the food retailer’s Chicago-area stores. The store currently operating Foster and Sheridan will close on Oct. 23 and will re-open after construction is completed next year.