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| We all like pizza |
Barraco's on 95th St. in Evergreen Park and 111th St. in Mt. Greenwood are class operations run by a good family. I cannot see them being involved in anything less. I doubt very much if this could ever become a Chuckie Cheese. It will bring an abandoned building back to life and bring some need nite life back to the strip.
Still there is the concept of precedent. "If they got to open there why can't we open here". That could become quite serious if there was a civil rights theme involved. Then there is the danger of a segregated pizza joint opening just like another one did a few years ago. I believe that ownership can take steps to guard against that.
What is required is a very carefully detailed agreement as to the mays and may nots. The entire neighborhood needs to be involved in this discussion. Your attendance is mandated.
No question the license issue is important but if you really want to talk about something important to the area let's talk about the multiple armed robberies.
ReplyDeleteWe the people on the west end of the 19th Ward need to have police patrols that protect our small businesses and residents.There have been too many incidents lately and we need more protection
The last thing we need is a liquor licensed restaurant on 95th. Street.
ReplyDeleteWitness Home Run Inn on 109th. Street where there was a shootout in the alley recently. Political decisions should always be about public safety not opportunity.
95th Street may as well be 75th Street.
ReplyDeleteIt's beyond saving.
The Home Run Inn Pizza on Western- An unforeseen neighborhood disaster
ReplyDeleteHome Run Inn Pizza is a Chicago Institution known for their excellent pizzas which are even leading sellers in many grocery stores as frozen pizzas.
When Home Run Inn contracted to put a pizza restaurant into a long vacant building on the northwest corner of 109th and Western it was hailed by all as a huge neighborhood win. There were press releases and much excitement among the community leaders. Even though our ward has as many fine pizza places as any in the city, Home Run Inn was big time and welcomed with open arms. Also, Home Run Inn was only going to offer dine in with no delivery so as to not take away much business from other pizza establishments that had been in our community for so long.
Shortly after the announcement, problems began to surface. Home Run Inn as a policy does not use non union labor for construction. Yet when building began, non union labor was being used almost exclusively on the project. Because we live in a community that is known for being strongly pro labor, the use of non union labor led to protest, pickets, excessive sidewalk and auto traffic congestion due to fellow union members stopping by or slowing their cars down to voice their support. It also led to noise pollution due to excessive car horn beeping by union members showing their support for picketing workers.
The next problem arose when the local grocery store to the north of Home Run Inn refused to allow Home Run Inn patrons to use their parking lot.
There was also limited parking on Western Avenue which complicated matters further because customers from other businesses also parked on Western and were forced to find alternate parking.
Parking permits had to be issued for local neighbors so that Home Run Inn customers did not take the residents’ home parking spaces.
When Home Run Inn finally did open, there were initial problems that all new businesses face upon first opening such as customer complaints of not being seating fast enough. One observation made by many was that the restaurant was too small for the customer demand. There were other maybe unjustified complaints.
In any event, many locals who like to patronize neighborhood establishments stopped dining in. Some began ordering take out which also proved burdensome due to the small parking lot.
Home Run Inn eventually sought a permit to deliver to customers. This has not be been granted at this time.It then proved to be difficult to keep the local neighborhood staff because they were not receiving the generous tips that they depended on and received from customers who knew them for years.
There have also been constant neighborhood complaints from problems arising from Home Run Inn in Beverly. Home Run Inn employees regularly take local residential neighbor parking spots where there is no permitted parking. Often times trash from take-out meals is left on the neighbors’ lawns.
Although there are signs for permitted residential parking only, Home Run Inn patrons continuously ignore them. Several residents even frequently get boxed into their own driveways. It is only occasionally that police officers will ticket these violators because police man power is stretched so thin in the ward.
Many of these parking violators also leave behind smoked pot “roaches” and empty drug baggies on the residents’ lawns.
Many nights patrons leave Home Run Inn and disturb the neighbors with very loud and sometimes vulgar language and arguments. There have been several fights and other disturbances where police have been called.
There have also been several neighbor complaints of gunshots. There is even a documented shooting on the 109th block of Artesian where a bullet shredded the fence of one neighbor, traveled through into the next neighbor’s yard where the Chicago Police recovered the bullet lodged in that neighbor’s garage.
Now Barracco's is seeking something even larger.
It should be ok this time.
DeleteWhy was HR Inn allowed to build such a big building with inadequate parking?
DeleteToday was the feast of the Immaculate Conception. People work all day and come home and have to choose between 7 PM mass or 7 PM at Ridge Park. Do you think he could have picked a different day or did he pick this day on purpose? Shame on you Alderman Matthew O'Shea. You picked today of all days to have this meeting.
ReplyDeleteIt was intentional.
ReplyDeleteCut Matt some slack. He is trying to fix a strip that lost its energy 50 years ago. He has made some good progress too. With the proper restrictions, Barracos should be permitted to open on 95th st. It's very doable and is a plus for the strip.
ReplyDeleteAsk the neighbors.
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