Let’s see. Everywhere in the nation it seems mixed income developments are the norm for government subsidized development. Not in Uptown. Let’s recreate the genius of Cabrini Green on a smaller scale. Let’s have one entire building of low income families. Yea, that is pure genius. It has been so effective everywhere else.

Let’s also put said buildings right at the corner of Montrose and Broadway where the entrance for the commercial space should logically be. Pure genius.

Seems to me you could have put the senior building above the Aldi and left the corner open. OOPS, that is so wrong of me to think that. Then putting the entrance for the Aldi in the rear of the building, again pure genius. I had no problem with a well designed new Aldi. Of course you will probably say I would have preferred a yuppie Trader Joe’s.

As for pretending to be in favor of something I am pro home ownership. I suspect you are a renter. I recall your opinion on home ownership as an “investment”. I’ve been one of those nasty homeowners in Uptown before you graduated from college. Perhaps those of us who have lived here for years and invested our time, money and energy have more at stake that someone who lives west of Clark in a relatively different environment. God Save Uptown from those who claim to love it, yet DON’T live here. Of course you’re close though and sometimes walk through the neighborhood and take some photos.

Your concern for Uptown remaining a mixed income neighborhood is touching. It was also touching a month ago when you lamented the multiple murders in Uptown over a period of a few days.

What would be more touching is if you acknowledged the level of corruption in the Wilson Yard process. It doesn’t have to be illegal to be corrupt. Of course when it results in something you consider to be a public good I guess the corruption can be overlooked.

The goal should be to achieve a decent neighborhood that works for a variety of income groups. Building an entirely low income tower does not help achieve that. Putting money into programs that help lower income folks buy condos does help achieve that. Building a commercial center where there might be decent paying jobs would help that. Building housing that contributes to the tax base helps that.

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And saying that Wilson Yard will go forward at some indefinite point in the future is a pretty meaningless statement, given that people have been making that prediction for ten years. When it comes to Wilson Yard, talk is more than cheap – it’s worth NOTHING. Holsten and Shiller have no credibility left on this topic. None.

All I said regarding Target was that Holsten has “insisted” it will be part of the development. You might read from that word choice that it’s still an open question.

Whatever you think of the development, it will go forward in some form. I’m not saying when, but it will certainly have an impact on the street.

And yes, I like Helen, though I like her a lot less since she became so cozy with the mayor. And I like that she didn’t let Wilson Yard become another TIF bonanza for a developer trying to turn Uptown into Yuptown on the taxpayers’ dime.

Uptown needs to work hard to protect its stock of affordable and subsidized housing given the steep price run-ups and rampant condo conversions if it’s to remain a mixed-income neighborhood – something that even the homeowners who thought they were purchasing in the next Lincoln Park pretend to be in favor of.

Wilson Yard is indeed coming. I wouldn’t suggest you hold your breath though on when it arrives. Holsten and Shiller have suggested for years that ground breaking is imminent on the “Target” and even have said that Target not willing to go on record about Wilson Yard is bizarre,

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/newsstar/news/424767,SN-WilsonYard-061307-s1.article

Read that article and tell me that something doesn’t stink.

Barry has some kind of residual left wing affection for Helen Shiller. Which is easier to have when you live outside the ward and don’t really study what is going on.

I don’t want to post any more links here because the post might disappear into cyberspace Gitmo, but do a google search on “Peter Holsten” and “Wilson Yard” and see what comes up. Particularly pay attention to the Chicago Reader stories.

Or check out the Reader archives on Brendan Shiller. The Reader described him as the attorney of choice for 46th ward businesses with liquor related issues before the city. WHOda thunkit? By the way Brendan, BS for short, is the son of HS.

I sent that to a certain columnist for a major newspaper and I could almost hear her crying when she replied. She originally suggested it was a rumor.

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on.

And Wilson Yards, gimme a break. There’s been ZERO progress in the past year. If Target was indeed coming in, why do they refuse to confirm it? Makes no sense, considering that Holsten has gone on record saying the deal is done. There’s a very good chance that Wilson Yards four years from now will consist entirely of two towers of subsidized housing, a Dollar Store, two nail salons, a currency exchange and some boarded up storefronts.