You undoubtedly have noticed the new faces appearing on Broadway.  We've been talking about this new cast for the past few years, and now they are finally taking the stage.  Their appearance announces a new act that promises to re-energize Broadway, our main commercial corridor. 

New residents living along the Red Line means sustainable transportation at the doorstep.  New retail on Broadway means walkable shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities.  New housing on Broadway means more pedestrians to enliven the streetscape. We like this new script!

 And now for the updated headshots:

The Granville at Granville & Broadway.  Construction has been going on for many months now.  It seemed like it stopped at the 3^rd floor; but the developer, Bill Platt, explains that over 50% of the steel in the building is in the 3^rd and 4^th floors, so much work was occurring to set the stage for the upper floors that you now see rising.  The retail space should be completed by next summer and the residential shortly after that.  A new Staples office supply store will occupy part of the first floor and be convenient for local businesses and Loyola University students & staff.  In addition, the new residents in the 160 condos will add new livelihood to the area.  The building offered 16 of the condos through the City of Chicago's affordable condo program CPAN (Chicago Partnership for Affordable Neighborhood Condos).  For more information on this program go to www.cityofchicago.org/housing .

6124 N Broadway.  This 5-story building brings a handsome new face to complement its historic neighbor that houses the Broadway Antique Market.  The building includes ten new residential units and 1350 square feet of new commercial space.  The commercial space is available for purchase by that lucky business that wants to own their space.  For more information, go to the "Available Properties" page at www.edgewaterdev.org .

Edgewater Glen - 5858 N Broadway.  This 6-story building is being developed by Lettvin Development and includes 34 new condo units and over 3,000 square feet of retail space.  This will bring some great new vitality to what has been a rather sleepy stretch of Broadway, across from the Broadway Armory.  The retail space in this building is also for sale, more information on the "Available Properties" page at www.edgewaterdev.org .

5642 N Broadway.  This 4-story building adds 6 condo units and 2 commercial spaces to the 5600 block of Broadway.  A salon recently opened in one of the retail spaces.  The remaining space is available for lease and more information is on the "Available Properties" page at www.edgewaterdev.org .
 

Living in Edgewater gives us an economic leg up when it comes to transportation expenditures.  With strong access to public transportation, we spend an average of 47% less on transportation costs than the average resident of Northeastern Illinois ($5064 vs. $9472).  As you can see, this adds up to big annual savings that can be put towards other financial needs. You can view these maps at http://transitfuture.cnt.org/maps/

However, our public transportation system is in danger of withering away through insufficient funding.  The CTA, METRA and PACE have all been diverting to operating costs budget dollars actually meant for capital investments.  This is a short-term solution with severe long-term consequences.  It would be similar to a car owner not spending the money for a tune-up so they can fill the gas tank. If you care about transit, be sure to contact your state legislators to let them know that you want to see a long-term funding solution to keep our transit running.

TransitFuture is a campaign launched by our friends at the Center for Neighborhood Technology to advocate for both reform of the Regional Transportation Authority and for a sustainable increase in its funding by the State of Illinois.

Laotian Cuisine may seem exotic, but it's now easily accessible at a new Edgewater dining spot. Sabai-Dee (roughly pronounced "suh-buy-dee") has opened at 5359 N Broadway, right next door to the Golden Pacific Market.  Kevin Wong, the owner, grew up in Laos and describes the cuisine as similar to Thai but less sweet.  He chose this location for it's good exposure on Broadway and to be far enough from Argyle to develop a unique identity for his new restaurant.  The restaurant's name can mean either "hello" or "how are you?" in Laotian.  So stop by and greet the friendly staff with your newly learned Laotian, and while you're at it taste something at this new BYOB spot. You can order the combo special, a bargain at $3.99, and select two of the many entrees from the cafeteria-style counter, or you can select items off the menu that average around $5.99. Some of their menu specialties include Nam Salad - a crispy rice salad, Pa-Lo - Tofu, boiled egg and pork belly, and homemade Laotian Sausages - such as the Lao Pork Sausage.They are open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the winter months but will extend these hours in the spring.  Both Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Reader have already reviewed this spot.

Some dear friends with whom I play volleyball in the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association and the Windy City Athletic Association joined forces to gather clothing for the Care for Real winter clothing drive. Kevin Hansen coordinated the effort that generated over 4 large bags of clothing and winter jackets.  Thanks to all of the wonderful folks who contributed to this effort.  Your donations brought warmth and style to those with limited means, and we hope our thanks bring some warmth to you. Many happy returns --- and may you excel on the volleyball court!

• Marketing
• Insurance
• Web Development
• Banking
• Interior Design