UVA expands its boundaries
By Susan Fong
The University Village Association (UVA) at its recent annual meeting voted to expand its boundaries east and south.
To do so it amended its by-laws. The amendment revised its "community area," now renamed as “service area,” to the area between the Eisenhower Expressway (north), 16th St. (south), the Chicago River (east) and Western Ave. (west). The old eastern boundary was approximately along Halsted St. and the Dan Ryan (750 to 800 west), and the old southern boundary was Roosevelt Road (1200 south). Therefore, with its new boundaries the UVA is claiming an additional half mile south from Western to the river, and an entire new approximately 45 square block area east from Halsted to the river (at about 350 west) and from 500 to 1600 south.
The UVA feels the expansion will help it better serve "the businesses and services that the community now uses," said UVA President John Chandler, and as a result the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) advised that the UVA change its bylaws accordingly. The DPD still must approve the expansion.
As many of the residents have trade relationships beyond the UVA's old boundaries, the consensus of the UVA board was that the expansion "helps to create a vibrant and diverse community," Chandler said, noting that the new areas are "an important source of jobs and economic development" and that it is important to have a "footprint" there despite the overlap with other neighborhoods.
The meeting, held at St. Ignatius College Prep, began with nominations of the 2008 UVA board members, officers, and executive committee. President Chandler, Treasurer David Harris, and Secretary Susan Schiavone were reelected for another term. John Walsh replaced outgoing Vice President Kristian Allcroft. Reelected to serve another term were board members Peter Bovis, Jeffrey Klaus, Julio Montilla, Ernest Sawyer, Sam Scott, and Walsh. Beth O’Mara and Vida Mueller Haried joined as newly elected board members.
For the 2008 executive committee, Joan Kistner and Robert Otter replaced Kristian Allcroft and Peter Bovis.
New board member Otter then raised the question of the Maxwell Street Market and its "disruption" to existing businesses due to its "congestion." The historical market had been scheduled to move in October, but was delayed by Commonwealth Edison’s work on the streets. Maxwell Street Market will move from its present location on south Canal St and Roosevelt Rd. to Desplaines and Harrison Sts. however.
A concern was raised about an alleged lack of smaller grocery stores between the Jewel on Ashland Ave. and Roosevelt Road and the Dominick’s on Canal St. and Roosevelt. Chandler reported that the UVA is working on creating a consensus concerning the types of stores to be sought and on efforts to attract new businesses that would "raise the quality and better serve the increased needs of the growing community," he said.
Chandler then mentioned that the of next phase of building for the former ABLA Homes area has begun in scattered sites in the area bounded by Taylor St., Racine Ave., Roosevelt Rd., and Loomis St.
He noted that although the site has not yet been determined, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), along with several foundations and the ABLA LAC (Local Area Council) are working together on a feasibility study for a Public Housing Museum, which is now in the research phase.
Another agenda topic was concern about continued consolidation of public grammar schools south of Taylor St. Few schools are located near Smith Magnet School, causing some students to travel a far distance to it. As the Roosevelt Square region becomes more populated, there will be an increasing need for another neighborhood school to meet the educational demands of the incoming population, it was noted.
Giovanni Zoppé from the Zoppé Family Circus was on hand to make a short presentation concerning the UVA's October 2008 Festa Italiana. The Italian circus has a small seating capacity of 500 people and offers folk music, gypsy dancing, period dress, and is similar to a Renaissance fair. Unlike larger American circuses, which generally seat about 1,500, this smaller circus hails from the tradition of European circuses of 100 years ago.
The board motioned to include the circus in the fall event, and then moved that the logistics and liabilities issues be left for a later agenda.
The meeting closed with a presentation from H & R Block representatives, who discussed tax planning, tax alerts, and other tips for the upcoming tax season.
The next executive committee meeting of the UVA is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19 and the board of directors' next meeting is Wednesday March 26. For more information about the University Village Association, call Chris Provenzano, director of the UVA, at (312) 243-3773.
