A Trader Joe's grocery store is proposed for the southeast corner of Division and Honore. The consultant Kenig Lindgren O’Hara Aboona submitted a draft traffic study . East Village Association minutes for May 12, 2014 Submitted by Catherine Garypie Neighborhood associations Neal McKnight represented EVA in a meeting with the Wicker Park Committee, Bucktown Community Organization and Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association. (Chicago Grand Neighbors Association will join soon). Main discussion: More festival transparency is necessary. CGNA is considering the letter McKnight circulated to the board on May 8. Festival issues to be addressed include: Where is money is being spent, distributing safety and traffic plans beforehand to groups, consistent donation amounts, specifying gate or net for the donations, etc. Other issues to be addressed by this group of neighborhood associations: Ashland Bus Rapid Transit, Special Service Areas, police issues. More SSA meetings are ne...

East Village Association minutes for May 5, 2014 Submitted by Catherine Garypie WELLSAPOLOOZA (Susan Nusbaum, Wells HS) The Wells ball field will provide space for baseball, softball, women’s softball, little league and soccer. $1.6 million is the cost. The school's working with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation on funding, and with Ald. Proco Moreno and Rep. Cynthia Soto. A fundraiser is 4:30-8:30pm Friday, May 16, with 6 bands and a taste of Wells. Admission is free, but you pay for food & there will be a silent auction. Principal Rituparna Raichoudhuri and former principal Ernesto Matias will be at donation table. FORBIDDEN ROOT PRESENTATION (Rolando Acosta) Forbidden Root would be the first Botanical Brewery in the world. The location on Chicago Avenue will hold the headquarters, R&D, some production, taproom, some package sales and offices. Production would be limited to 9,000 barrels a year. Main production and mass bottling will be offsite. The taproom will be ...

The Bucktown Community Organization, the Wicker Park Committee, the Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association and the East Village Association recognize that festivals can bring a vibrancy to an area, introduce new people to our neighborhoods, and provide financial benefits to certain community organizations. The Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village & East Village communities support a limited number of such events, provided such events are properly managed and work with the community to ensure that these potentially positive results can be realized. As such, the neighbors of Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village & East Village request the following from all festivals in our neighborhood, including Wicker Park Fest, Do Division, Green Fest, West Fest, Fashion Fest: Complete transparency of festival financial statements. Including a detailed breakout of sponsorship, vendors, beer sales, grants, expenses & donations (at minimum, for the prior two years). Inclusion ...

East Village Association members vote Monday night on two high-profile Chicago Avenue developments. Ald. Proco Joe Moreno often seeks input from community groups on zoning, land use and licensing issues; these votes advise him. (While the City Council's making the decision, nearly always it follows the home alderman's recommendation.) At 7pm in Happy Village, 1049 N. Wolcott Ave, the meeting starts with a progress report on the Field of Hope ballpark plan for Wells Community Academy High School. A $2.5 million fundraising drive continues with a May 16 fundraiser at the school, 936 N Ashland Ave.

Forbidden Root brewery site, 1746 W. Chicago Ave. President's Message By Neal McKnight The East Village Association will vote Monday on a proposal that would allow the Forbidden Root brewery to locate and operate in East Village. A vote to allow the brewpub would change a position EVA has supported since 1992: to maintain liquor moratoria on parts of Division Street and Damen and Chicago avenues. The board’s decision to schedule a vote was not made lightly and was made only after a great deal of thought and deliberation. Neither the board nor its Planning, Preservation & Development committee is recommending how members should vote. The decision was made as a result of unique set of circumstances. A significant number of our members and others in the community expressed a desire to reconsider the liquor moratorium to allow the Forbidden Root brewery to locate on Chicago Avenue. And despite a written commitment by Ald. Proco Joe Moreno to not lift any liquor moratorium...