☺ This calender will be updated regularly. We will lock in dates for major events, after we enter the detailed planning stages. More events may be added, we also plan on making the DVD movie night a regular event.
Community meetings will be held the last Tuesday of every other month.
Dear University Community,
I am pleased to tell you that the University has signed a lease with
Treasure Island to open a grocery store in the Hyde Park Shopping Center
at 55th Street and Lake Park. Treasure Island is working intensively to
obtain a number of city business licenses that are required. Although
the timing of this process is somewhat uncertain, Treasure Island has
set a goal of opening the new store before the end of February.
Treasure Island, a locally owned grocer (see www.tifoods.com
<http://www.tifoods.com/> ), plans to make major renovations to both the
interior and exterior of the store, while maintaining operations
throughout the remodeling. It will be some months before the
renovations are completed, but we believe they will be worth the wait.
Treasure Island will occupy the space formerly leased by the Hyde Park
Co-op. Given the Co-op's serious financial difficulties, the University
worked closely with the Co-op Board to ensure the smoothest possible
transition to a new store. The Co-op's licensing agreement for the 55th
Street store will expire at the end of January, and the Co-op
anticipates closing its operations by January 20 as its current food
supplies are sold.
All of the current Hyde Park Co-op employees who are interested in
working at the new store will be invited to interview for employment,
beginning as early as this week. Additionally, the University has
worked with Alderman Toni Preckwinkle to ensure that city and state
resources, support, information and training are made available to the
Co-op employees.
Beginning immediately, Treasure Island is offering on-line shopping and
delivery service to the Hyde Park community. For information, visit
www.tifoods.com <http://www.tifoods.com/> and click on the "personal
shopper" link. Treasure Island has also agreed to immediately take over
the Co-op's shopping and delivery program to the area shut-ins, ensuring
continuous service to those who cannot do their own shopping.
In addition to the news about Treasure Island, we are looking forward to
the opening by the end of January of the new Hyde Park Produce in
Kimbark Plaza at 1226 E. 53rd Street. The new store will be more than
three times larger than the current store at 1312 E. 53rd Street,
providing a significantly larger selection of produce, meats, cheeses,
and other foods.
Since we are in a period of transition, we want to remind you of other
Hyde Park grocery shopping locations near the University, including:
* Harper Foods, 1455 E. 57th Street, 773-363-6251
* University Market, 1323 E. 57th Street, 773-363-0070
* Village Foods, 1521 E. Hyde Park Blvd. (Village Center),
773-288-8180
* Market in the Park (Regents Park), 5050 S. Lake Shore Drive,
773-734-3687
A detailed map with shopping alternatives can be found on the web at
http://oca.uchicago.edu/ More information about shopping options is
available through the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce at
contact@hydeparkchamberchicago.org or 773-288-0124.
Sincerely,
Henry S. Webber
Vice President, Community and Government Affairs
This project will be really bold and innovative for Hyde Park. The 15 stories will be the largest new develpement in 15 years! The design is crazy! This lady has mad skillz!
Check out this link for one of her other design for Aqua Lakeshore East
http://www.bestchicagocondos.com/pre-construction-condos/aqua-lakeshore-east.html
More detail on the status of this project can be found here...
November 17, 2007 - The community meeting with developer Antheus Capital that was scheduled for November 14th was instead held the 15th at Bret Harte School. There was a good turn out and the overall reaction to Solstice on the Park was favorable. The Hyde Park community seemed supportive of the building, with the chamber of commerce all for the increase in residents and hopefully shoppers. That said, the alderman will most likely lend her support as well.
http://www.bestchicagocondos.com/blog/solstice-on-the-park-meeting-goes-well/
December 14, 9 pm. The Co-Op vote is over, and so is the Co-op. The vote was Option A 3,200, Option B 2049, together about a quarter of t he membership. Judge Jay Mulberry says the vote under Project LEAP was a model of integrity and good judgment, although many voted incorrectly and were disqualified. Complaints were voiced by the Herald, others about the wording of the ballot, prepared by a PR firm for the university.
Monday evening the board convened to give about 70 shareholders, residents and employees a chance have input on the board's decision (perhaps in reality to vent, as the result was foregone). Afterwards, the board voted in public 7-1 for Option A and ultimate dissolution, with the store to close January 28. Hope Mueller was the sole dissenter; Member Bob Stanek was absent.
Most in the crowd consisted of supporters of Option B or some alterative that might save the 75 year old institution. They were highly critical of what they considered a bullying, inconsiderate and shortsighted role and campaign by the University of Chicago as well as irked at past decisions of Co-Op boards and were highly skeptical that a Treasure Island or Dominicks' would be better. Board members James Poueymirou, James Withrow and Mike Lowenthal pointed out the fiscal constraints of an insolvent institution that cannot get debtor-in-possession or a commercial loan, even with offers of help as large as Bruce Sagan's $500,000. Many participants appeared to be be trying last minute scenarios when there was simply no more time--especially after the University, which had bailed out the Co-Op twice before, flatly refused to agree to any payment plan or delay beyond that evening. (This writer observed the two University representatives making what may have been last minute calls to check with their superiors.) Some, seeing the inevitable, pressed the University to commit to bringing in a store superior to the chains' run-of-the-mill and keep it that way. Sadness or bitterness was voice forth plight of the 170 employees who have sacrificed for the store over the years and were only offered a chance to interview with, at request of the University and Alderman. The Herald reports that a class action suit is being prepared.
Visit the Co-Op's and Evergreen's website and our Co-Op page. Our page includes report on the November 18 meeting and full background and official statements of the 2 options and later reports, opinion, possibilities.The Conference hopes the community will come together now to work for the common good and neighborliness.
