By Jason Nosek , library associate Chicago History Book Club : Please join us at the West Town Branch at 6:30pm Tuesday, Jan. 7 as we discuss the best-selling work “ The Devil in the White City : Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America” by Erik Larson. If you cannot join us this time, please stop by the branch to pick up our next book, " There Are No Children Here : The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America" by Alex Kotlowitz. Adult Book Discussion Group : Please join us as we discuss " Me Before You " by Jojo Moyes at 6:30pm Thursday, Jan. 23. Read more »

East Village Association board meeting minutes December 9, 2013 Submitted by Meghan Quinn Developers Steve and Randy Fifield of the Fifield Cos., attorney Larry Lusk and others came to present a new project they would like to build at 1822-50 W. Chicago Ave. Chris Fifield of Fifield Construction & Realty, who is Steve’s son, had presented to EVA the previous 39-unit mixed-use, live/work plan . However, Steve Fifield's company has taken over the project and will develop the site. The new proposal is for a 4-story, 59-unit, mixed-use apartment building that would require a zoning change from B3-2 to B3-3. The ground-floor retail is split into 2 non-adjacent larger spaces, each of which can be further divided into multiple storefronts. If built to the current zoning, the affordable housing component requirement would not kick in. However, at the larger size, 10% of the units would be required to be affordable housing. Fifield stated he would not include these units in the pr...

East Village Association membership meeting minutes December 2, 2013 Submitted by Meghan Quinn 1515-17 W. Haddon St. Mark Sutherland discussed changes to his project since his November visit with the East Village Association board. The original unit mix included 8 studios, 24 1-bedroom units, 8 2-bedroom units and one large 6th floor penthouse apartment with its own entrance. After hearing concerns about the lack of 3-bedroom units for families, Sutherland made adjustments to the unit mix, leading to a current proposal of 4 studios, 24 1-bedroom units, 8 2-bedroom units, 4 3-bedroom units and the penthouse for a total of 41 units, the same unit count as the previous proposal. In the new plan, there are no longer borrowed-light bedrooms, and the average unit size increased. Additionally, the building height is down to 71.5 feet from 73 feet, with the height of the first five stories corresponding to the parapet on the building to the west of the project and the sixth floor set bac...

1822-50 W. Chicago Ave., January 2013 rendering Revised plans for a vacant stretch of Chicago Avenue would build additional apartments without enclosed parking across from Commercial Park. Developer Chris Fifield, of Fifield Construction & Realty, proposes 59 apartments and added retail space in a four-story building at 1822-50 W. Chicago Ave. The East Village Association board meets Monday to review the proposal at 6:30pm, a block away from the site at West Town Bakery & Diner, 1916 W. Chicago Ave. First-floor retail spaces are still planned on either side of a central entrance, topped by three apartment floors. But instead of enclosed parking, the latest drawings from the Pappageorge Haymes Partners architectural firm indicate 58 angle parking spaces and a trash enclosure accessed from the brick-paved Commercial Park alley. Only three parking spaces are reserved for the stores. Units range from 498 to 1,438 square feet and include 5 studio, 18 1-bedroom, 24 2-bedroom and...

The Illinois Housing Development Authority has denied Carefree Development's tax credit application for adaptive reuse of St. Boniface Church. Carefree intends to submit a revised application early next year, and is negotiating with market-rate developers for possible sale of the property as housing for sale or lease. “It is our intent to ensure the church structure is saved via IHDA funding and/or via the redevelopment of the property for market rate housing," Carefree Development president Phil Moeller told Saint Boniface Info . In January 2013, Carefree took the lead in plans to develop the church at 1358 W. Chestnut St. as senior housing, and undertook construction to stabilize parts of the structure across from Eckhart Park. Carefree operates the Emerald Village senior complex in Schaumburg, plus senior developments in Elmhurst, Hoffman Estates, Homewood, Lake Villa and St. Charles. Carefree met with Ald. Walter Burnett, state Sen. William Delgado and city staff,...