W E D N E S D A Y
January 15, 2020 Vol. 39, No. 24 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
P Preservation ti Award winners Page B1
Rush Oak Park snapping up real estate
The hospital owns three houses on the same block of Maple Avenue By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Rush Oak Park Hospital purchased the house at 613 S. Maple Ave. on Nov. 15, 2019, making it the third hospital-owned house on the west side of that particular block. “Rush Oak Park Hospital has recently purchased additional properties near its campus,” confirmed Bradley Spencer, who handles the hospital’s media relations. The house sits directly next 609 S. Maple Ave., which has been under hospital ownership since at least 1992. The hospital also owns 605 S. Maple Ave., which was acquired in August 2019. Rush appears to have paid in excess of market value for its two most recent Maple Avenue purchases. In 2015, a private buyer purchased See RUSH on page 13
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: From left, OPRF seniors Seihla Nunez, of Oak Park, Ella Haas, of Oak Park, Jana Casey, of Oak Park, Chris Ray, of River Forest and Aidan Coch, of River Forest, eat breakfast together at George’s Restaurant before school begins.
A sweet tradition for OPRF students On late arrival days, high-schoolers flock to George’s
By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Don’t expect to get a booth at Oak Park staple George’s Restaurant, 145 S. Oak Park Ave., on certain Wednesday mornings until 10 a.m. Any earlier, and the place is flooded with lively – but polite – teenagers.
On late arrival Wednesdays, Oak Park and River Forest High School students flock to George’s, for a delicious, if not always nutritious, breakfast with pals. “I actually started working Wednesday mornings because of it,” said John, eldest son of George Konstantos, owner of the eponymous diner.
“In the old days, I used to work just nights, but when they started doing late arrival at the high school and the kids started coming, my dad was just a little overwhelmed by so many kids, so I picked up the shift,” he said. See GEORGE’S on page 18
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