CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS – OAK PARK, OLD TOWN, PORTAGE PARK, LINCOLN PARK, WEST LOOP
OAK PARK
Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest announced that it is
participating in the Illinois Housing Development Authority's "Welcome
Home Heroes" mortgage financing program. First-time buyers who are
reservists, military personnel and members of the Illinois National Guard as
well as veterans (do not need to be first-time home buyers) can participate. The program applies to 1-2 unit residential
properties located in Illinois that are purchased as a primary residence.
OLD TOWN
"Having world-class
infrastructure is a key focus for any world-class city," said Mayor
Emanuel. "These targeted and strategic investments in our infrastructure will
allow Chicagoans and visitors to get around the city more easily, to jobs,
businesses, and neighborhoods." This is
one of several statements made as Mayor Emanuel officially re-opened the Grand
Avenue Red Line Station. Chicago plans
to create a new Green Line station at Cermak, to serve McCormick Place and the
near South Side. The City will also rehabilitate the Clark/Division Red Line
Station and will combine two stations to create a Wabash/Washington station on
the Brown/Pink/Green/Orange lines.
PORTAGE PARK
Napervillians Jack M. Cohen and Loretta J. Hamilton (husband
and wife) are local residents who enjoy the arts. They hosted two
film premieres on January 14, 2012 at the historic Portage Theater in
Chicago; Cohen served as executive producer, Hamilton as set designer. "Spades" was filmed primarily in the couple's
Naperville home and took six days to film. Larry Thomas, whose most notable
role is the famed "Soup Nazi" is in both films that were featured.
LINCOLN PARK
The grand opening party for Heritage
Bicycles General Store, Chicago's first bike shop café, is on Saturday,
January 28, 6-11 pm at 2959 N. Lincoln. The
former florist shop has been beautifully refurbished and painted in a striking
black-and-white color scheme. Theater-style spotlights and old-timey exposed
light bulbs hang from the ceiling. There's a long communal table made of
reclaimed wood, plus banquettes upholstered with coffee sacks.
WEST LOOP
Welcome to Urban Union, a new
farmhouse, opening next week for intimate dates and sprawling dinner parties-or
basically any occasion where whole lobsters, oysters, a glass of good wine and
Manhattans gilded with leather-infused bitters are seriously needed. Linger
inches in front of the brick oven sipping champagne, nibbling wood-roasted
head-on shrimp as you wait for your seating at the chef's table in the center
of the room.
CATHY MALLERS &
DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
