1st Ward Newsletter | September 30, 2025
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Dear neighbors,
It was great to share Milwaukee Avenue again this past Sunday with so many of you! It was very encouraging to hear your stories on what Meet Me On Milwaukee means to you and your families. I will say the highlights for me were riding bikes with my daughter–we had never ridden together!–and playing dominoes with neighbors down on Paulina. Thank you again to our volunteers, the Wicker Park / Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, and the 14th district police for making it a success. Even now I can see the spectral shadows and ghastly ghouls of Meet Me On Milwaukee: Halloween Edition creeping over the horizon. See you on October 26th!
I also wanted to remind you that final plans for Wood Street greenway improvements are available at our website. In addition to the curb-and-gutter repairs, pedestrian improvements, and re-surfacing that has already taken place, additional infrastructure will be installed for Wood to be a bike greenway connecting Milwaukee Avenue and Augusta Boulevard. This has been an iterative process that reflects years of feedback from 1st Ward residents. We have a range of feedback ranging from enthusiasm for a safe north/south route through West Town to the concern that this will increase climate-related greenhouse gases by lengthening the commute for some residents. What I can share is that the infrastructure, rather than being concrete, will be paint and bollards. If the negative impacts far outweigh the positive ones we will be able to make adjustments in the future.
Finally, I wanted to congratulate Palmer Square Park in becoming the first Level One Accredited Arboretum in the Chicago Park District. In collaboration with the Morton Arboretum, Palmer Square is recognized for having over twenty-five distinct and labeled tree species, cultivated over decades by dedicated neighbors who couldn't have imagined this moment when they started planting new resistant elm-hybrids in the late 70s. My specific thanks goes out to the Homeowners Association of Palmer Square and our own Johnny Appleseed (Elm-seed?) Steve Hier!
Sincerely,
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Huge thanks to our volunteers (first picture) who helped make this event possible! Volunteer information for October coming soon.
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In this week's newsletter, you'll find:
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Community News and Events
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Learn more about the West Town Library October event offerings here!
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This October, Chicago and Philadelphia will be competing in their FIRST EVER CLEAN-OFF competition, where the two cities will be going head to head to see which can pick up the most litter. Led by Cleanup Club Chicago and Block by Block Philly, and supported by many other cleanup organizations, the winning city will have bragging rights, and the top litter pickers on each side will be eligible for cool prizes. Please visit chicagoenvironmentalists.org/chivsphillyclean-off for more details!
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West Town Art Walk is taking place this weekend! This year’s Art Walk features 49 participating locations, with local businesses hosting artists, offering specials, and joining West Town galleries in a weekend of art, design, and community. Visitors can enjoy self-guided public art walking tours and discover art through every door-celebrating creativity in all its forms.
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The Wicker Park Garden Club fall collage class is starting soon! Each class session focuses on different collage artists and studies their styles. The fall session takes place on Mondays from Oct. 13 through Nov. 24 at The Robey (2022 W. North).
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The Cook County Homeowner Relief Program application is now open. The one-time $1,000 lottery-based payment is intended to help eligible households meet basic needs, reduce housing cost burdens, and provide financial relief.
To be eligible, Cook County homeowners must:
- Have experienced a property tax bill increase of at least 50% in tax year 2021, 2022, or 2023
- Have a household income at or below 100% of the Area Median Income for the applicant's household size (AMI Guidelines)
- Have a Cook County homeowner exemption on the property, which shows that is your primary residence
- Be at least 18 years old
You can fill out a short, 10 minute application at: hrf.cookcountyil.gov/apply. The application closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 10th.
If you are an 8th District resident and you need assistance with the application or have questions about eligibility, call Commissioner Jessica Vásquez’s office at 312-603-6386.
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Virtual Community Meeting
Monday, October 6, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
- 2240 N Milwaukee: Applicant has updated plans following Greater Goethe Neighborhood Review; this community meeting will discuss updated plans.
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Community Review Updates
- UPDATED PLANS AVAILABLE! 2240 North Milwaukee A property owner is proposing an 80-foot tall, 50 unit mixed-use redevelopment under the Milwaukee Avenue Special Character Overlay District plan. You can review the SCOD protocol through the Milwaukee Avenue Urban Identity website, and review all plan iterations for this site (including a previously approved zoning map amendment for this property ten years ago), and provide feedback. A virtual community meeting is forthcoming.
- 1805 N Campbell: There are new plans available by a new developer proposing to redevelop the existing single unit residence at 1805 N Campbell, by demolishing the single residence and constructing a 21-unit residential development. This proposal is meant to substantially pick up where the previous iterations of design review left off, and this new proposal has received further review from our West Bucktown neighborhood zoning group. You can provide feedback.
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Recent Negative Policy Recommendations
- VIABLE ALTERNATIVE EXISTS – 2167 N Talman block: (numerous inquiries) The 1st Ward Office received a zoning inquiry to demolish existing building on the 2100 N Talman block, to establish a single unit residence. Potential applicant was advised that no zoning map amendment for single unit residence would be supported. Existing building is subject to the Additional Dwelling Unit to legalize density. (received June 2025; updated September 2025)
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