Soul City Church Community Meeting - Chicago Alderman Newsletter Tracker

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Soul City Church Community Meeting

Wednesday, July 29th, at 6pm

1150 W. Adams

Soul City Church is seeking a Type 1 zoning change at 1150 W. Adams Street, from a split-zoned DR-3 and DX-3 zoning district to a uniform DR-3 zoning district. The requested zoning change will allow Soul City Church to permit a four-story multi-function addition at the subject property. This addition will include an auditorium and prayer hall, meeting rooms, support rooms, and church offices. The proposed expansion plan maintains 57 onsite parking spaces.

A representative from Soul City Church, the project architect, and the project attorney will attend the meeting to discuss the project in further detail.

Disability Pride Parade

Saturday, July 25 at 11am

The Disability Pride Parade steps off at 11:00am at intersection of Van Buren & Plymouth. I'm looking forward to seeing neighbors at this year's parade!

The parade will head west on Van Buren until Dearborn, when it will turn north on Dearborn until Washington and then disband at Daley Plaza.

All parking restrictions are in effect starting at 6:00pm on Friday, 7/24 through 5:00pm on Saturday, 7/25. Please do not park on the following streets during these restrictions to avoid being ticketed and towed:

Dearborn, Van Buren to Washington - both sides of street
Van Buren, Dearborn to State Street - both sides of street
Washington, Clark to Dearborn - both sides of street
Plymouth Ct, Jackson to Ida B Wells - both sides of street

Lollapalooza Local Impacts

The festival returns to Grant Park July 30 - August 2, 2026

Please see the below list of local impacts of the upcoming Lollapalooza festival. A full list of impacts can also be found on the Lollapalooza website.

Street Closures

Balbo from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 15th – August 9th
Jackson, from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 21st – August 8th
Balbo, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th– August 3rd
Jackson, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th – August 3rd
Columbus, from Monroe to Roosevelt: July 27th – August 3rd
Columbus (Northbound, two center lanes), from 13th Street to Roosevelt: July 27th – August 3rd
Congress Plaza Dr, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th – August 3rd
Monroe, from Michigan to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 27th – August 3rd

Sidewalk Closures

Michigan, from Jackson to 11th St. Bridge: July 28th – August 2nd
Balbo (both sides, from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 15th – August 9th
Columbus (Northbound side), from Roosevelt to Ida B Wells: July 15th – August 7th
Columbus (Southbound side), from 9th St. Yard to S. Ida B. Wells: July 20th – August 8th
Jackson (both sides), from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 20th – August 8th
DuSable Lake Shore Drive (Northbound side), from Monroe to Roosevelt: July 22nd
Monroe (Eastbound side), from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: July 18th and July 20th – August 8th
DuSable Lake Shore Drive (Southbound side), from Monroe to Roosevelt: July 25th – August 8th
Balbo (both sides), from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th – August 3rd
Jackson (both sides), from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th – August 3rd
Congress Plaza Dr, from Michigan to Columbus: July 27th – August 3rd
Congress Plaza Dr. (Westbound & Eastbound side), from Michigan to Columbus: July 25th – July 26th
Columbus (both sides), from Monroe to Roosevelt: July 27th– August 4th
DuSable Lake Shore Drive (Northbound side), from Monroe to Roosevelt: August 4th

Dog Park Closure

The Grant Bark Park closed Wednesday, July 15th and will reopen Saturday, August 8th. During this time, there will be a temporary dog park available for use southeast of the Skate Park.

Tennis and Pickle Ball Court Closure
The tennis and pickle ball courts will remain open until 11pm on Sunday, July 26. The courts will re-open on Tuesday, August 4 at 6am. Beginning on Wednesday, July 15 you must access from 11th street bridge walking north along the west sidewalk of Columbus.

Help Keep Chicago Clean!

By picking up your trash and disposing of your recycling in the blue carts, you can take a big step toward making sure our streets, parks, schools, libraries, beaches, and businesses look their best. Find resources to help you become a cleanup champion here.

Loop CTA Elevated Station Reroute

July 25-27

2am Saturday-5am Monday

Work at the State/Lake CTA station will require temporary service reroutes on the Loop elevated tracks and temporary weekend closures of the following CTA Stations:

Washington/Wabash
Adams/Wabash
Clark/Lake (elevated portion)

During the two weekends of July 18-20 and 25-27, only the Green, Brown and Orange Line trains will operate via the Wells and Van Buren side branches of the Loop elevated tracks. Washington/Wabash, Adams/Wabash, and the elevated portion of Clark/Lake (serving Green, Brown, and Orange lines) will be closed during these weekends. Blue Line service will continue to serve Clark/Lake via the subway.

The weekend closures will allow crews to work around the clock to perform track ties and rail adjustments along with existing steel repairs to the track structure. To learn more about this work and local impacts, click here.

Green City Market - West Loop

Saturdays from 8am-1pm

900 W. Monroe

The West Loop Green City Market is open on Saturdays on Monroe from Peoria to Sangamon! My team and I are looking forward to another season of bringing City Hall to you! We will be at the market from 9am - 10:30am this week.

This week, we will be joined by Connie Fairbanks, who is excited to share information about her Historic Plaques Project. The West Loop is steeped in history, and Connie can answer your questions about the process to get a historic plaque installed on your building.

Green City Market brings dozens of local farmers and food producers to our neighborhood every Saturday from May to November. To see what vendors participate across Green City Market's locations, click here.

South Loop Farmers Market

Printers Row Park, 632 S. Dearborn St

Saturdays from 9am-1pm

The South Loop Farmers Market returns to Printers Row Park this Saturday, May 16! Stop by on Saturdays through October 31 to support local businesses and connect with neighbors.

Daley Plaza Farmers Market

50 W. Washington

Thursdays from 7am-2pm

Starting May 21st, visit Daley Plaza on Thursdays from 7am-2pm for the Daley Plaza Farmers Market! This market hosts a variety of vendors, with offerings from fresh produce to prepared foods and more.

The Farmer at the Green

The Green at 320, 320 S. Canal

Tuesdays from 11am-3pm

The Farmer at the Green opens for another season at 320 S. Canal on June 2nd! This season runs until September 29 and brings over 25 local vendors selling seasonal produce, fresh floral arrangements, handmade goods, and artisanal products.

Thursday Night Beats and Bites

Roosevelt Collection

Thursdays in June and July from 5-8pm

Roosevelt Collection will be hosting local food trucks/vendors and curating live entertainment! Food will be located on the main plaza, and live entertainment will be on the North Turf near Nando's. View the schedule on their website.

Chicago Vegan Farmers Market

Skinner Park, 1331 W. Monroe

Fridays, 4-8pm

Visit Skinner Park for the City's only all-vegan farmers market, beginning this Friday and running through September 25th! For updates on the market, visit their Instagram.

Chicago Climate Week

July 18-25

Chicago Climate Week is a community-driven effort to connect, celebrate, and accelerate climate action happening across Chicagoland.

Throughout the week, organizations from across sectors will host events that highlight the people, ideas,
technologies, and initiatives shaping our region's climate future — all as part of a shared, community-powered platform.

Event Calendar

Millennium Park Summer Events

DCASE released their calendar of free & exciting summer events taking place in Millennium Park, including movies, fitness classes, and concerts! Whether you're hoping to catch a screening of 'Ratatouille' before Taste of Chicago, a celebration of Chicago's house music scene, or a workout class with a top local instructor, there's something for everyone in this summer's park programming! Click here for a full schedule.

Street Sweeping began April 1!

Since April 1st, sweepers have been back in action, so keep in mind the street sweeping schedule in your area so you don't get ticketed and towed. I have worked with the Department of Streets and Sanitation on a robust street sweeping schedule this year. Please click here to find your street sweeping zone and here to find your zone's schedule.

Know Your Rights Resources

Turn Lights Off to Protect Migratory Birds

Every spring and fall, millions of birds travel through the Chicago area. For more than two decades, Chicago has been a leader in light reduction efforts to protect these migratory birds. Please join participating buildings and turn lights off after 11 p.m. until daylight during migration and help save birds.

To learn more, visit the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors' website.

West Loop Historic Plaques Project

The West Loop is steeped in history. In fact, we have 19 historical designations, four historic plaques, and one Chicago Landmarks plaque.

Four more historic plaques are coming to the West Loop early summer 2026, including a UIC classroom, a condo building, and two parks!

To see the rest of the designations, please visit Connie Fairbanks' website.

If you live in a historic building in The West Loop and have historical information about your building you would like to share, please reach out to Connie to learn the process of installing your very own historic plaque!

CAPS Meetings

Please join my team at upcoming CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts. CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) meetings are a great opportunity to meet with police, neighbors, and my team about local safety initiatives. To find your beat, click here. I hope you can join us at these meetings!

Next week, there are no scheduled CAPS meetings.

COPA People's Academy

Registration now open!

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), which serves as the civilian oversight agency of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), offers a series of learning opportunities throughout the year available to members of the public (civilian and sworn) through its COPA People’s Academy (CPA).

This six-week condensed version of COPA’s Training Academy is for the public (civilian or sworn) and organizations around the country interested in learning about Civilian Police Oversight, Investigative and Legal Concepts as well as the role of COPA’s Policy, Research and Analyses Division (PRAD). Each course will be taught by COPA Subject Matter Experts.

Session 6 of COPA People’s Academy will be from September 15, 2026 to October 20, 2026 . It will be on Tuesdays from 6:00pm-8:30pm at Wright College Humboldt Park (Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center) – 1645 N California Ave.

Camera Registration Program

When a crime occurs, Police Officers and Detectives canvass the area looking for evidence to determine what occurred. Video footage can greatly assist in their efforts.

If you have a private security camera that captures the public way and you are interested in assisting in an investigation in the event of a crime in your neighborhood, you can register your camera with the Chicago Police Department.

By registering your camera, you are simply allowing the Chicago Police Department to contact you in the event of a crime in your area. CPD will not have direct access to your camera system and cannot access camera footage without your consent. This is a free and voluntary program. Learn more on the program website.

IDOT Bridge Rehab Work

Upcoming work by the Illinois Department of Transportation will impact the Ohio and Ontario feeder ramps to I-90/94. This work will include pavement patching repairs that require full weekend closures, alternating between the Ohio Street and Ontario Street ramps. The scheduled closure weekends are:

June 12
June 26
July 17
July 24

Closures are expected to begin at 10:00 p.m. on Friday and continue through 5:00 a.m. on Monday.

Fulton Market Grand Prix

Saturday, July 26th

The Fulton Market Grand Prix returns on July 26th. Please be mindful of local traffic closures along the below route. Additional parking and traffic impacts may be implemented around the course, so be mindful of posted signage to avoid getting ticketed and towed.

34th Ward Infrastructure Improvements

All dates subject to change based on weather.

With any questions about planned infrastructure improvements, please email [email protected] or call 312-744-6820.

Street Resurfacing Projects

900 block of S. Carpenter - completed
W. Polk St., from S. Wells to S. Financial - completed
W. Quincy, from S. Desplaines to end of street - TBA
W. Rundell, from S. Morgan to S. Aberdeen - TBA
W. Marble, from S. Dearborn to S. Clark - TBA
W. Warren, from N. Desplaines to end of street - TBA
N. May, from W. Madison to W. Washington - TBA
W. Gladys, from S. Racine to S. Throop - TBA
S. Throop, from W. Congress to W. Harrison - TBA

Stamped Crosswalks

W. Taylor & S. Carpenter - Fall 2026
W. Taylor & S. Aberdeen - Fall 2026
W. Taylor & S. Miller - Fall 2026
W. Taylor & S. May - Fall 2026

Alley Improvement Projects

N/S alley bounded by Adams, Jackson, Wabash to State - completed
N/S alley bounded by Arthington, Taylor, Carpenter to Aberdeen - completed
N/S alley bounded by Lake, Jefferson, Fulton to Desplaines - TBA

New Alley Reconstruction Project

E/W alley bounded by Lytle, Ada, Lexington to Flournoy - scheduled to begin week of 7/20

Curb & Gutter Improvement Projects

901 - 927 S. Aberdeen - completed
103 - 109 S. Aberdeen - completed (restoration from fiber optic)
231-241 S. Jefferson - under construction
1004 W. Tilden - under construction
110 -120 S. Sangamon - scheduled to begin week of 7/13

Alley Apron Replacement Projects

929 S. Aberdeen - completed
14 N. Peoria - TBA

Sidewalk Projects

1167 W. Madison - completed - punchlist items to follow
1221 S. Wabash - under construction
125 S. Sangamon - sidewalk replacement scheduled to begin week of 7/27

Bump Out Installation

W. Polk & S. LaSalle - in progress
W. Polk & S. Financial - in progress
S. Jefferson & W. Tilden - scheduled to begin on/around 7/6
W. Adams & S. Peoria - scheduled to begin on/around 7/13

Residential Lighting Projects

1200 & 1300 blocks of W. Flournoy - new poles installed - restoration to follow
1000 & 1100 blocks of W. Polk St. - restoration/concrete work in progress

CDOT Electrical Improvement Projects

W. Tilden, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
S. Jefferson, from W. Jackson to W. Tilden - currently in progress
W. Van Buren, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress

Speed Indicator Signs

S. Loomis, from W. Congress Pkwy. to W. Harrison (by Chicago World Language Academy)

State/Lake Station Closure

On Monday, January 5th, the State/Lake elevated station closed for demolition and the construction of a new, fully accessible station. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.

As part of the ongoing State / Lake CTA Station Reconstruction project, a full closure has been implemented on State Street, from Wacker Drive to Randolph Street. Lake Street, between State Street and Wabash Avenue, will remain closed indefinitely. During this closure, emergency sewer repair work will also be completed on State Street.

Local business and driveway access on State Street will be maintained during the closures, and at least one sidewalk will be open at all times for pedestrians. CTA bus detour information can be found here. The underground CTA Red Line train station at Lake will remain open.

To learn more about construction at the State/Lake station and local impacts, visit the CTA's website.

Work is underway for the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction.

Canal – Jackson to Van Buren

On Friday, May 15, the contractor began work on the western portion of the Jackson intersection. The first phase of work will occur in the southwest portion. The second phase will then shift operations to the northwest portion of the intersection.
The bus depot located at the southwest corner of Jackson and Canal will remain open throughout construction. Each phase is anticipated to last approximately four to six weeks.

Canal – Van Buren Intersection

Framing for Stage 1 of the Van Buren intersection is underway. Deck placement is anticipated in early summer, followed by a stage switch to the northeast portion of the intersection.

If you have any questions, please email the project email address at [email protected].

Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation

Closure started on 10/6

The full street and sidewalk closure on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is in effect and will last until January 2028. During the closures, access to nearby buildings and residences will be maintained for both pedestrians and vehicles.

Eastbound traffic will be rerouted south on Des Plaines, east on Washington, north on Franklin, and east onto Lake St. Westbound traffic will be rerouted south on Wacker, west on Madison, north on Jefferson, and west onto Lake St. Click here for the full detour map. During this work, CTA Green and Pink lines will operate normally until September 2026. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed in January 2028.

West Bridge House: Daytime work continues. Concrete foundation repairs are nearly complete, and bridge house wall construction is underway.
West Bridge Leaf: Structural steel repairs are ongoing. The West leaf steel fabrication is progressing to completion for the 12-day CTA outage float-in this fall.
Reminder – 150 N Riverside Upper Riverwalk Access: Pedestrian access from Lake Street to 150 N Riverside Plaza Upper Riverwalk has been closed since Monday, 1/12/26, and will remain closed until sidewalk restoration is complete, expected later in Summer 2026.

With any ongoing questions about this project, please reach out to the CDOT project team.

Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge Project

The Halsted St / Chicago Ave project is underway. Crews have removed existing street lighting, traffic signals, signage, and bus shelters. Viaduct removal is underway along the north leg of Halsted and the east end of Chicago Ave.

Demolition of the Chicago Ave bridge will continue over the next month. In areas where demolition is complete, crews will begin constructing new bridge piers. Crews will implement measures to minimize disruptions as much as possible, but noise and dust are inherent to the bridge demolition process.

Full closure of the Chicago Ave Bridge began September 29. The current detour map can be found here. The full project is expected to be completed by the end of the year 2026.

Ashland/I-290 Expressway Viaduct Work

Stage 2 traffic is currently being implemented on Ashland Av from Flournoy St to Jackson St to facilitate the reconstruction of the west side of the Ashland Ave bridge.

In this stage, traffic configuration will consists of two lanes southbound and one lane northbound on Ashland Ave.

A detour plan for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Van Buren St will be implemented to send traffic to WB Jackson Blvd, SB Laflin St, then WB Van Buren St. A detour plan will also be implemented for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Congress Parkway to send traffic to EB Harrison St, NB Wood St, then EB Congress Parkway. In addition, that the west side sidewalk of the bridge will be closed, and pedestrians will be detoured to east side sidewalk of the bridge.

During Stage 2, traffic configuration will also consist of two lanes southbound and one lane northbound on Ashland Ave. The project is anticipated to be complete late August 2026.

The contractor completed the substructure repairs within the project limits. This week, the contractor will resurface the intersection of Ashland Ave/Van Buren St and Ashland Ave/Congress Parkway. This work will be done under stage 2 traffic configuration.

For road construction updates and general travel information please visit IDOT’s Getting Around Illinois website.

The City of Chicago and Cook County are hiring! View their respective job posting sites below:

National Hellenic Museum First Summer Sundays

333 S. Halsted

From June through August 2026, the National Hellenic Museum is offering free admission to visitors on the first Sunday of the month from 10am-4pm!

Visit their website to learn more about their current exhibits.

National Hellenic Museum Website

Summer Programming at NHM

June - August, 2026

333 S. Halsted

Children and their caretakers are invited to join the National Hellenic Museum, for fun activities this summer. All events are free of charge, but advanced registration is requested.

Greek Myth Story Time & Craft
Friday, July 24, 11:00 AM

Discover the past this summer through stories, games, and hands-on adventures! Join us each Friday for Story ️Time, ️plus ️exciting ️activities ️like ️a ️mock ️archaeological ️dig, ️Reader’s ️Theater ️performances, ️and ️ancient ️games ️from ️long ️ago. ️It’s ️a ️fun ️and ️interactive way for kids to learn, imagine, and explore history all summer long! Register here.

Cross Stitch Craft Workshop
Wednesday, July 29, 6pm

333 S. Halsted

Museums in Conversation continues summer programming with a crafting night in partnership with the Swedish American Museum. Join us to learn about the history of cross stich, explore special textiles from the collections, and make your own cross stich to take home.

Demonstration and lesson will be taught by Lauralee Carlson Reese, who will teach about traditional materials used, get you set up to stitch, and working on a pattern to take home. All materials will be provided with ticket purchase.

Declarations: 250 Years of Writing Toward Independence

On display through Sept. 7

American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan

Visitors to the American Writers Museum can explore an 1823 William Stone print of the Declaration of Independence, as commissioned by then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, as well as colonial-era legal documents signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Philip Livingston, and Roger Sherman.

Exhibit Information

The exhibit also invites visitors to reflect on works by writers throughout American history that reference the Declaration, including Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harvey Milk and Martin Luther King Jr.

Summer Screenings from the Chicago International Film Festival

June 3 - August 22, 2026

Hit the road with the Chicago International Film Festival for the 2026 Summer Screenings program, an annual free film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema each week all summer long!

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Route 66, America’s most iconic highway, this year’s Summer Screenings program will pay homage to the classic “road movie,” in which the journey is the destination.

Featuring everything from gripping revenge odysseys and harrowing ocean crossings to introspective cross-country treks and whirlwind railway capers, these films explore what it means to “hit the road” in countries across the globe.

Summer Screenings films will play on Wednesdays at 6:30pm at the Chicago Cultural Center and Saturdays at 1:00pm at the Chicago History Museum. Tickets are released every Monday at 10:00am for the following week’s films. Doors open at 5:45pm for Wednesday Screenings and 12:15pm for Saturday screenings.

Volunteer with Hope's Table!

The Hope’s Table ministry is designed to serve the needs of Chicagoans who are homeless or hungry and is sponsored by First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple.

Saturday morning services typically include serving hot meals and food to go, distributing clothing, and connecting guests with legal support through DePaul University’s Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program. Grace Episcopal Church partners in many ways, most visibly by providing space at 637 S. Dearborn. To volunteer or donate, please contact their volunteer coordinator.

Helping Cats Near You

4th Sunday of every month, 4pm - 6pm
Details here.

Discuss how to help community cats through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), what to do with kittens, ongoing colony management, preventing nuisance issues and much more!