Austin Weekly News 072419

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AUSTINWEEKLY news ■

When violence hits home, Rep. La Shawn K. Ford,

Vol. 33 No. 38 ■ July 24, 2019

austinweeklynews.com

Also serving Garfield Park

@AustinWeeklyChi

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@AustinWeeklyNews

Food Pantry rebrands, page 12

Developer has sights on old U.S. Bank building The sight at 6700 W. North Ave. could become luxury condos, branch library Contributing Reporter

A developer is looking to refurbish the former U.S. Bank building at 6700 W. North Ave. and its surrounding parking lots. The development would include 126 upscale apartment units and possibly space for a new branch library and childcare center. Marko Djurich, one of the partners at Five Thirty One Partners LLC, presented a proposal for the site during Ald. Chris Taliaferro’s July 17 community meeting held at Chicago Shriner’s Children’s Hospital at 211 N. Oak Park Ave. Djurich said that Five Thirty Partners would be willing to allocate space in the refurbished bank building’s first floor for a new Galewood-Montclare Library branch and possibly a daycare center. Currently, the library branch is crammed into a single room at Rutherford Sayre Park Fieldhouse, 6871 W. Belden Ave. Galewood and Montclare residents have lobbied for a larger branch library for years. During the July 17 meeting, Taliaferro said that former mayor Rahm See NORTH AVENUE on page 11

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor

Live like Leola

By IGOR STUDENKOV

Laura Jordan, (second from right), the program supervisor at the Leola Spann House, presents the Leola Spann Community Service Award to Thelma M. Brookins, (fourth from left), an Austin resident of 45 years, during an event held in Ohio Park on July 20. Read more on page 4.

West Side in running for Chicago casino Site at Roosevelt and Kostner in North Lawndale among five under consideration By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

The West Side is in the running to land a much-anticipated Chicago casino made possible by a gaming bill that Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed last month. In a statement released July 17, Mayor Lori Lightfoot explained that one of the five sites that the city has submitted as possible locations for a prospective ca-

sino is at the corner of Roosevelt and Kostner in North Lawndale. The rest are on the South Side. Lightfoot said the Wednesday announcement was among the first steps toward the development of a new casino in the city. Another early step is to hire an independent consultant to perform an economic feasibility study. “This study is required under the recently enacted legislation prior to de-

veloping, commissioning and operating a new casino for Chicago,” the mayor’s statement said. “The study will analyze the economic viability of a Chicago casino within the legislative framework established by the new legislation,” the statement continued. “The third-party expert, with experience in regulations, operations, and

State Farm Mutual Automobile • Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company • Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com® Larry and his staff are licensed and together have over 75 years of State Farm experience.

See CASINO on page 5

Larry Williams,Agent 5932 W. Lake Street Chicago, 60644 (773) 379-9010 larry.williams.b0bk@statefarm.com


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