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Dear Neighbors,
This week we celebrated an important milestone for public art in our neighborhoods while also advancing legislation to give residents a stronger voice in major infrastructure projects. Around the ward, I had the opportunity to recognize longtime local businesses, welcome a new one and continue conversations about development, public safety and neighborhood improvements.
At City Council, Alderman Knudsen and I introduced a resolution recognizing the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit (CSE). We were joined in celebrating the vision and leadership of former 43rd Ward Alderwoman Vi Daley and former 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, whose support helped bring this incredible public art program to life and expand its presence in our neighborhoods. For over two decades, CSE has transformed public spaces across Chicago into outdoor galleries, making art more accessible and bringing creativity and vibrancy to our communities. Congratulations to CSE on this remarkable milestone, and thank you for 25 years of enriching our city through public art!
Also at council, I introduced an ordinance at City Council that would provide community review for large utility projects such as the proposed ComEd Substation at 1111 W Diversey. This legislation closely echoes what Alderman Knudsen introduced in June. Reliable electricity is essential to our neighborhoods, but a project of this size should be subject to community review just as any other major development is. The Diversey Community Coalition has information on the different ways residents can fight back against this proposal on their website, including filing a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
 
I had the pleasure of attending Coda di Volpe's 10 year anniversary block party where I was proud to present a City Council resolution recognizing this milestone. Congratulations to the entire Coda di Volpe team on this well-deserved recognition and a decade of serving our community. I was also glad to welcome Burger Factory to the ward. If you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by and check them out
My office will be hosting a Public Safety Town Hall in coordination with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office on Wednesday, July 22 at 6pm in the Olson Auditorium at Advocate Illinois Masonic (836 Wellington). In response to recent public safety concerns in our community, this discussion will provide residents with a better understanding of how our public safety system operates and the role each agency plays. The presentation will provide an overview of the entire process—from what happens when you call 911, to how calls are dispatched and officers respond, to what occurs after an arrest and the role of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Residents will also have an opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from representatives of each agency.
I was glad to attend Police Appreciation Day at the 19th District last week to recognize the dedicated officers who keep our neighborhoods safe. Their professionalism, commitment to public service, and ongoing partnership with our community are deeply appreciated. Thank you to the officers of the 19th District for all you do to serve the 44th Ward.
 
The development team for 2800 N Sheridan have shared updated plans, including revisions to the building's ground-floor facade based on community feedback. You can view the updated renderings on my website here. This proposal remains under review and several steps remain in the community review and City approval process before it could be considered by the Chicago City Council, and residents are encouraged to continue sharing feedback with my office at [email protected]. Separately, the team has received a permit to begin interior demolition of the existing building, with work expected to begin in early August, and exterior demolition taking place after Labor Day. Please note that this permit is for demolition only and does not constitute approval of the proposed redevelopment of the site. Click here to view the full demolition timeline.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey on the Cubs proposal to expand their Camry Lot, we have carefully reviewed all of the responses and feedback my office received. My office has asked the Cubs to conduct an updated traffic study for Wrigley Field as well as the impact of their Camry Lot proposal. No decisions will be made until this study is completed and the community and Chicago's Department of Transportation have had a chance to review. We appreciate everyone's feedback and additional updates will be shared in our newsletter and on our website.
Please note that the Cubs will be hosting two home series in a row beginning with a night game on Friday, July 17th through Wednesday, July 22nd. Please be mindful of parking restrictions, and any residents who experience any issues are encouraged to contact the Cubs Game Day Hotline at 866-4-CPD-TOW.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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Upcoming Alley Resurfacing
Street and alley grinding and resurfacing work is ongoing throughout the ward. Please note that schedules are subject to change, and delays may occur due to weather conditions or equipment availability. We appreciate your patience and understanding as this work is completed. We will continue to communicate any changes as we receive information from CDOT.
Streets:
- Pine Grove from Surf to Diversey - Completed!
- Hawthorne from Broadway to Lake Shore - Completed!
- Cornelia from Lakewood to Racine - Resurfacing date is 7/20
- Fremont from Waveland to Addison - Completed!
- Clifton from Grace to Waveland - Completed!
- Buckingham from Broadway to Halsted - Resurfacing date is 7/22
Alleys:
- E/W alley between Belmont, Cambridge, Briar, and Pine Grove - Resurfacing date is 7/17
- E/W alley between Buckingham, Halsted, Aldine, Clark - Resurfacing date is 7/29
- N/S alley between School, Racine, Melrose, and Lakewood - Resurfacing date is 7/29
- E/W alley between Wellington, Mildred, Halsted, and Oakdale - Resurfacing date is 7/20
Alley Corrective Work:
- Phase 1: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 to Monday, July 27, 2026, for an approximate duration of 1 week, weather permitting. The entrance from N. Halsted St. will be closed. Traffic will be able to enter from N. Broadway and W. Melrose St.
- Phase 1 will primarily impact 657-667 W. Melrose, 3219 N. Halsted
- Phase 2: Monday, July 27, 2026 to Monday, August 10, 2026, for an approximate duration of 2 weeks weather permitting. The entrance on N. Broadway and W. Melrose St. will be closed. Traffic will be able to enter from N. Halsted St
- Phase 2 will primarily impact 617-625 W. Melrose, 3212 N. Broadway, North/ South alley behind 751-781 W. Melrose
- Due to construction, the following changes will occur:
- Residential garbage pickup will be curbside and we ask that the homeowner relocate cans to the front of the property. If you have private refuse, please contact your service to make special arrangements for pickup.
- Barricades will block sections of the alley.
- Homeowners are advised to seek alternative parking.
- Barricades will be moved by the contractor to indicate access has been restored to garages.
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Wellington/Oakdale Greenway
You can find the updated proposal for the Wellington/Oakdale Greenway below and on our website here.
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Divvy Bikes & E-Scooters
We are excited to share that we now have a total of 26 E-Scooter & Divvy Bike docking stations in the 44th Ward!
Reporting Scooter & Divvy Bike Removals
If you see Divvy Bikes or E-Scooters that are not properly returned to a docking station, please report this to 311 here. By contract, shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean.
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Chi Street Work Portal
Have questions about street work happening in your area?
The Department of Transportation has a tool called the Chi Street Work Portal where you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street.
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Garbage & Recycling
The next recycling pick-up for the 44th Ward is the week of July 20th. You can find your full garbage and recycling pick up schedule here.
Recycling information is now also available through Chicago's Recycle Coach App. To learn more about the app, click here.
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To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.
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19th District Weekly Report:
July 6th- July 12th
My office is in regular contact with the 19th Police District about crimes that have occurred recently in our area and that are reflected in the statistics below. The majority of 19th District crimes have occurred outside of our ward. The 19th District also includes the surrounding neighborhoods of Uptown, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, Bricktown, Ravenswood, and Lincoln Square.
Please view our website's public safety page here for both proactive measures to stay safe before crimes occur, and also how to respond in the event of a crime. In order to stay safe, please find the the full list of CPD's safety tips here, as well as tips for personal safety, robberies, and vehicles.
Below you'll find Week 28's CompStat breakdown of crime in the 19th District.
Please note, these statistics are a reflection of the entire 19th District. The boundaries are from Lawrence Ave to Fullerton Ave, from the Chicago River to the Lake.
Here are the key points:
- Year to Date, Robberies are down 41%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 are down 41%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is up 1%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is down 32%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 42%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 70%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 7%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 25%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 16%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're up 29%
For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.
See full report below:
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Upcoming Meetings
Community Meetings With CPD (‘Beat Meetings’):
Beat meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and are an opportunity to speak directly with CPD officers about your neighborhood. The officers review incidents that have occurred as well as an overview of crime statistics. Find your beat here and view the beat meeting schedule below or in our ward calendar.
19th Police District Council
The 19th Police District Council holds monthly meetings. To view all upcoming meetings, you can visit the 19th Police District Council website here.
The next meeting is:
Wednesday, July 29th 6:30 PM
Topic: Parking Alternative Response Team
Clarendon Park Community Center
4501 N. Clarendon Ave.
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Other Public Safety Alerts
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Charity Scam Alert:
The Chicago Police Department has seen an increase of "charity scams" in the area. In these cases, scammers utilize emotional pressure and fake urgency to persuade you to donate for a cause such as youth sports or gun violence victims. These individuals will offer to set up a small donation on your phone, but then take thousands of dollars.
It is important to never hand your phone to someone you don't know. If you believe that you are witnessing concerning behavior, call 911.
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Honda Air Bag Thefts:
The Chicago Police Department continues to see reports of air bag thefts from Hondas in the area.
CPD officers have noted, however, that visible anti-theft devices such as steering wheel clubs have proven to be an effective deterrent, with many of the protected vehicles often being passed over even when neighboring cars were targeted.
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Illinois Secretary of State & DMV Scam Text Scams:
There continues to be a rise in fraudulent text messages that claim to be from the Illinois Secretary of State or DMV. These texts often use urgent language, threaten license suspension, registration holds, or legal action in an attempt to trick you into clicking a link or paying an alleged fine. Learn more on the Illinois Secretary of State website here.
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Mental Health Response Resources
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CACC PUPAPALOOZA -
JULY 18
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MAYOR'S YOUTH COMMISSION: YOUTH SUMMIT - JULY 25
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YOGA IN THE PARK - JULY 19
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TREATMENT NOT TRAUMA -
JULY 28
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CFD: FIREFIGHTER FOR A DAY - JULY 30
(Ages 18-30)
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BLOOD DRIVE - AUGUST 4
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NATIONAL NIGHT OUT - AUGUST 4
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DINE OUT ON BROADWAY -
AUGUST 21-23
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Merlo Library - Upcoming Programs
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Merlo Library (644 W Belmont) has a wide range of events each week for babies, kids, teens, and adults.
Click here to view all of Merlo's upcoming events, and see below for events this coming week.
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- Film Screening: Bambi (1942) - Saturday, July 18, 11:00am–2:00pm
- Adult Book Discussion: The Distance Between Us - Saturday, July 18, 3:00pm–4:00pm
- Movement Games - Monday, July 20, 4:00pm–6:00pm
- Tummy Time - Tuesday, July 21, 10:30am–11:00am
- Preschool Story Time - Tuesday, July 21, 11:30am–12:00pm
- Sports Anime Watch Party - Tuesday, July 21, 3:30pm–5:30pm
- LEGO Club - Tuesday, July 21, 3:30pm–4:30pm
- Lake View Explorer's Club: Read to the Animals - Wednesday, July 22, 1:30pm–2:30pm
- Micro-RPG Wednesdays - Wednesday, July 22, 5:00pm–7:00pm
- Baby Time - Thursday, July 23, 10:30am–11:00am
- Baby Time - Thursday, July 23, 11:30am–12:00pm
- Let's Make Ice Cream - Thursday, July 23, 1:30pm–3:00pm
- Power Up Thursdays - Thursday, July 23, 3:30pm–5:30pm
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Celebrate summer reading with the Chicago Public Library
Click here to view summer reading lists, events, and activities for kids, teens, and adults.
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Click here for a full list of Chicago farmers markets.
Wrigleyville Night Market at Gallagher Way
The Night Market at Gallagher Way is back on select Thursdays from 4-8pm in July and August. To view the full schedule, click here.
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Donation Pages & Volunteer Opportunities
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TUBMAN PLAYGROUND
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CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL
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BACP LABOR LAW UPDATES - EFFECTIVE 7/1
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WEISMAN PARK ADVISORY COUNCIL
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SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHICAGO YOUTH
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TIPS FOR TREE CARE
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CACC FEE-WAIVED ADOPTION EVENT -
JULY 5-26
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The City is Hiring
Looking for a job? Try working for the City! Click here to see the full list of job openings currently seeking applicants.
Local government employment opportunities:
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OEMC - Accepting Applications Through July 31st!
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