Uptown Update

Wilson Yard Target Getting a $15M+ Refresh

2026-05-07T09:37:00.003-05:00

The remodel is now underway in sections (UU)

After opening in July 2010, the Wilson Yard Target has served Uptown well. The store was ready for a refresh, however, and after spotting a slew of building permit approvals for the location at 4466 N. Broadway, we are now seeing that work in process.

The permit mentions over $15,000,000 in upgrades, so this isn't just a new paint job. Expect to see construction crews installing new floors, finishes, refrigerated coolers, a new online pickup area, exterior facade updates and new exterior and interior signage.

The work will be done in sections, so get ready to be patient! Word on the street is things will be wrapped up by September.

What to expect after the remodel (Target)

Halal Food from NYC is 'Halalicious'

2026-05-05T11:35:00.002-05:00

Ever since "Firebird Piri Piri" closed, we have been wondering what's going on behind the paper in the restaurant space in the Magnolia-Wilson mall at 4546 N. Magnolia. Firebird replaced "Foodie's Hub" and, despite being pretty good, only lasted a year.

New ownership has entered the picture and construction on "Halalicious" is ongoing.

Originally titled "Halal Food NYC" in the working stages, Halalicious recently received its license and passed city inspection.

From the business:

"Halalicious brings the bold flavors and fast-paced energy of New York street food right to your neighborhood. Inspired by the iconic halal carts of NYC, we serve up fresh, high-quality halal dishes—from juicy grilled meats and signature over-rice platters to flavorful sandwiches and sides. Every meal is made with care, combining authentic taste with that classic New York style. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a full meal, Halalicious delivers big flavor, great service, and a true NYC-inspired experience"

Expect an opening soon. No info yet on hours and no menu (so far).

Halalicious is at 4546 N. Magnolia

Might Be Nice to Save this Lovely Old Building

2026-04-23T13:49:00.007-05:00

According to a demo permit applied for yesterday, the lovely early 1900s-era greystone at 4841 N. Kenmore is about to be demolished with no clear idea of what is to replace it.

Exterior Photo Courtesy of Busby Group Listing for 4841 Kenmore

The building, the interior of which can be seen here, appears to be in good shape. This was a HUD building in the 80s and then transferred to the current owner just over 25 years ago in October 2000.

Interior Photo Courtesy of Busby Group Listing for 4841 Kenmore

Interestingly, the real estate listing linked above is still active and says "coming soon," yet the permit reads "wreck and remove a 2 story masonry multi-unit residence." We suspect a sale has happened but the details aren't public yet.

We are pro-development here at UU Central, but we also believe the beautiful buildings of of Uptown's past are worth preserving.

We've been doing this 19 years now and are still upset over losses of homes on Beacon, Magnolia and Malden, beautiful buildings on Lawrence, Wilson and Sheridan and the soon to be lost Holiday Club building. All of us think adaptive reuse and rehab of buildings like this is the way to go.

We are hoping that cooler heads prevail and this building survives to see another day.

4551 N. Dover Granted Zoning Variance, Construction Ahead

2026-04-20T16:06:00.004-05:00

4553 N. Dover with 4551 visible on right (Axios Architects)

For most development in Chicago, red tape makes building a building difficult and things tend to start and stop as various clearances and approvals are obtained.

In Uptown, we have a good example of the developmental approval process slowing things down. We have all been watching the former Happy Wash lot with great interest after the building was demolished and foundation work began, but as many readers noted, work seemingly ground to a halt.

We now know part of the delay was due to a variance request for the stand-alone building that is part of the project at 4551 N. Dover. The development received a slew of variance approvals back in 2023 but this did not include the setback variance that the building at 4551 N. Dover required.

We are happy to report the Zoning Board of Appeals met on April 17 and the project was granted the last variance required, one that will ensure the 4551 Dover building has a matching 20.62' setback to the building directly to the south.

So, very good news. We expect work will resume very soon.

Current view of 4551-53 N. Dover (Google)

NBA Superstar Makes Second Big Uptown Purchase

2026-04-01T15:56:00.005-05:00

4501 N. Sheridan

Greek NBA superstar and Milwaukee Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo likes Uptown. He likes Uptown a lot.

How do we know? He (through his real estate investment corporation 'Ante') has now bought two separate Uptown buildings in two months.

Harmony Apartments, 4513 N. Clark (Loopnet)

First, Antetokounmpo purchased the 56 unit Harmony Apartments, located at 4513 N. Clark, for $21,000,000 in late January. (Longtime readers will recall residents of Dover and local development scolds, including failed aldermanic candidate Marianne Lalonde, opposed the Harmony project vociferously, citing disruption to the neighborhood and blocked views).

At the end of March, Antetokounmpo added to his investment in Uptown, purchasing the Portrait Apartments at 948 W. Sunnyside for $21,000,000. (Readers will recall the opposition to this development, which replaced a nearly abandoned strip mall, came from many quarters, including our current Alderwoman).

So in total, Antetokounmpo has invested a lot - $42,000,000 - in Uptown this year.

Why Uptown? We like what the principals said in discussing the buildings:

"The buyer was drawn to the quality of the asset and the deal reflects strong demand for new-construction, mixed use properties in urban submarkets"

"We saw a neighborhood with real momentum and genuine need for high quality housing and activated street level retail."

Like Giannis, we like Uptown a lot too! There's been a real lull since Alderman Cappleman left office in 2023. Let's get some more new market-rate construction going!

Cake 4 Kids Event At Haymarket Books On April 12

2026-04-01T15:04:00.001-05:00

Molino Los Hermanos Officially Breaks Cover

2026-03-31T10:16:00.003-05:00

Although we've been quiet about it at the owners’ request, we've known since the corporation was formed in November that Norman Fenton, chef/owner of the Michelin starred Cariño, was opening a new restaurant called Molino Los Hermanos at the corner of Leland and Broadway.

Molino Los Hermanos Logo Courtesy Instagram

Information has leaked out over the last month on Twitter and Reddit, and this morning, Louisa Chu of the Tribune officially shared the news with the world.

The new restaurant, which will span the two spaces formerly occupied by Spoil Me Salon, will have a restaurant and a market under the same roof. The space will feature a 24-seat counter (in a nod to both Cariño and the late Uptown Snack Shop that occupied the space) as well as a six seat booth and other seating (34 total).

4668 N. Broadway

Current State of Construction

Mr. Fenton is a specialist in Mexican cuisine and he envisions Molino Los Hermanos as a casual and affordable alternative to Cariño. Cariño was 2025's new restaurant of the year in Chicago and recently received its first Michelin star.

In an expansion of Cariño's now famous late night "taco omakase" program, expect tacos to be the feature at the restaurant, although a range of other items will be on the menu, including ceviches, enmoladas, tostadas, quesadillas and more. Frozen margarita slushies will also be available.

Taco at Carino - Courtesy Carino

The market side will sell a range of items from homemade salsas to Mexican beer, but the the market's calling card will be homemade tortillas, which will be made on site using a custom press from Mexico and sold to the public as well as to area restaurants. Expect some exotic offerings, including truffle tortillas, to be on the menu.

Since Cariño is a very expensive restaurant, it's exciting that Molino Los Hermanos will make Mr. Fenton's excellent cooking more accessible to everyone.

Expect a late summer opening. Restaurant and market hours will start at 11:00 a.m.

Puerto Rican Star Moving to Broadway, to Evolve into First in the Nation Supper Club

2026-03-30T13:21:00.008-05:00

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, established restaurants were reeling and struggling to stay afloat, but in the crazy times of 2020-2021, many entrepreneurs were ready to seize an opportunity.

One of those entrepreneurs was Eric Roldan, who hand built a Puerto Rican restaurant out of love, a ghost kitchen, and then a brick and mortar location, the much beloved Uptown restaurant Marina's Bistro and Rum Bar.

Critical and financial success led to bigger dreams. Eric shared his vision for a new concept in offline discussions over the last six months, and on Friday he finally let the world know what he was kind enough to share privately: Marina's is evolving into a Puerto Rican supper club.

We’re proud to officially share that Marina’s Bistro & Rum Bar is evolving into Marina’s Supper Club — the first Puerto Rican supper club in the nation.

What began as a ghost kitchen by Chef Eric Roldan has grown into a beloved Uptown destination, and now into something even greater — a one-of-a-kind dining and cultural experience rooted in Puerto Rican heritage.
Located at 4804 N Broadway, next to the historic Green Mill, Marina’s Supper Club will bring together elevated Puerto Rican cuisine, live music rooted in Puerto Rican rhythms, and a signature rum-forward cocktail program — all within a refined supper club atmosphere.
This next chapter is about more than expansion.
It’s about culture, community, and creating a space that celebrates where we come from.
Opening late summer 2026.

The new Marina's Supper Club will be located at 4804 N. Broadway, where it will join the multi-time Michelin award winning Birreria Zaragoza, Carmela's, and Krispy Krunchy Chicken / Mamo's Burgers as restaurant tenants of the still for sale "Green Mill Gardens" building.

Per Eric, the reimagined Marina's will feature a classic supper club vibe, "refined dining, curated live music rooted in Puerto Rican rhythms, vibrant rum cockails, and a full bar experience."

Longtime residents will be familiar with the new space, which was formerly Crew Bar & Grill. Crew was very successful in its 13 year run on Broadway, persevering through a transfer in ownership before shutting down in 2017 to make way for a planned jazz/blues club sibling to the Green Mill, Club Della Robbia. After a contractor (allegedly) stole money and failed to complete the buildout, Della Robbia never opened, paving the way for the new Marina's experience.

If you haven't been able to sample Marina's cuisine, you have limited time to do so before operations shift and focus on the new location. The food is great! Eric is aiming for opening in late summer 2026.

Trader Joe's Confirmed for Montrose and Clarendon

2026-03-27T09:56:00.011-05:00

Logo Courtesy Trader Joe's Website

After years of discussion, a round of speculation in the fall. and months waiting for confirmation, we are pleased to officially confirm that Chicago's newest Trader Joe's is coming to Uptown.

We noted a building permit was issued this morning confirming the buildout was for Trader Joe's. The newest location will be located at 804 W. Montrose in the 811 Uptown building.

The space was originally designed for a Treasure Island location, but the demise of Treasure Island left the space empty. Suburban produce market Peter Rubi had a short run in the space, and Canadian vegan grocer XMarket had two different concepts in the space before closing in 2025.

We have long touted the location as a perfect fit for Trader Joe's and encouraged readers to share the location with Trader Joe's corporate. Trader Joe's looked at a space in Andersonville but abandoned those plans in 2023.

The proximity to DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Lincoln Park and the lakefront bike path, and the dense Lakeview, Uptown, Andersonville and Edgewater communities makes this a great location for expansion.

Given that the 'bones' of a market are already in place, we would expect an opening by summer.

4652 N. Magnolia To Be Razed

2026-03-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

4652 N. Magnolia (Google)

A single family home on the 4600 block of Magnolia is about to meet the wrecking ball.

A demolition permit has been filed for the home at 4652 N. Magnolia. The building sold for $740,000 in December.

The parcel is zoned RT-4, which would allow for a multi-unit building, but what is planned for the lot is unknown at this time.

We are sad to see another old home in Sheridan Park get demolished. If we have to lose it, we look forward to the added density.

Uptown Art Walk Call For Artists Now Open

2026-03-13T16:29:00.003-05:00

For more info visit The Uptown Art Walk website!

Chain Chain Chain

2026-03-12T13:10:00.002-05:00

Just a little outside of our service area, some interesting new additions coming to the strip mall at Broadway and Berwyn, just north of Foster. You know we love our malls (note: sarcasm).

Flyer From the CRE Listing

We previously told you about the Panda Express coming to this mall, but we now know from the marketing flyer that a Qdoba, Mattress Firm, and Midwest Express Clinic are coming as well.

Renovation has been ongoing at the mall for close to two years now, and the Panda Express news was the first indication we had of new tenants. Leasing has been ongoing, and the four new tenants will join Burlington with three additional spaces left to lease.

With Chipotle directly across the street, it will be easy for our readers to do a one to one comparison with Qdoba while trying out some mattresses at the Mattress Firm. Enjoy!

Did You Remember To Spring Forward?

2026-03-08T00:06:00.000-06:00

We returned to Daylight Saving Time at 2am Sunday. Are you on time?

One less hour of sleep, always a lot of fun if you have a kid, pet, or partner who's firmly tied to a 24-hour schedule.

On the flip side, it means that evening light will last longer, with sunset taking place at 6:49pm tonight (and 7:15 by the end of the month). It's lovely if you like staying outside in daylight longer.

(photo from the JJ Sedelmaier Productions Collection, used with permission and much appreciation)

Engage!

2026-03-05T09:03:00.004-06:00

Taken at the Uptown Fitness Closure in 2020

With the issuance of an $850,000 building permit yesterday, Planet Fitness took a major step towards opening in the former Uptown Fitness space.

While there is no official opening date, expect renovation work to start very soon. Commenters on prior posts have reported employees of the Lakeview location mentioned an opening in July.

If you would like to sign up, the new club is in pre-sale mode (with discounts) and the sign-up page is here. The general gym page, with a list of planned amenities, is here.

Move Over Starbucks, Here Comes Yemeni Coffee

2026-03-01T08:54:00.000-06:00

It may be hard to believe for newer residents, but once upon a time there were four Starbucks in Uptown, the two in-store "Starbucks" locations at the former Dominick's and Wilson Yard Target, the "Magic Johnson" Starbucks at Wilson and Magnolia, and the Starbucks located prominently at the intersection of Lawrence and Broadway.

We lost the Wilson Starbucks in 2016 for what was supposed to be the "new" location of Baker & Nosh that never came to be.

In 2017, the Lawrence Starbucks was the location of a tragic gang- and drug-associated shooting, and by 2022, rumored union-busting by Starbucks Corp. led to the closure of the Lawrence and Broadway location.

Over the last 5 years we have had a couple of near misses as large local chains looked at the space but ultimately didn't follow through with plans.

Courtesy Queen Yemeni Coffee Website

However, in big news for coffee drinkers, we can now confirm Queen Yemeni Coffee is coming soon to the former Starbuck's space.

The owners opened their first location in Libertyville and have been popular and successful. This location will be the first expansion, and their chosen location makes sense with a prominent location at the corner of a large intersection and close to the recently reopened Red Line station at Lawrence.

Yemeni coffee is considered a particularly delicious type of coffee and stores are opening all over the place.

We look forward to having a a cup of coffee soon. No word on hours but a menu is here.

Chi City Craft Club Creates Community

2026-02-21T01:44:00.000-06:00

Feeling crafty? Want to learn new skills? Meet like-minded folks nearby?

Chi City Craft Club has been around for about a year, holding pop-up events in coffee shops and people's homes, dedicated to creating community and crafts. Now they're about to open in their own space in the McJunkin Building, in the second floor corner unit directly above Lucy's.

They invite interested folks to follow them on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/chicitycraftclub) and check out their Linktree (https://linktr.ee/chicitycraftclub_) to see what's coming up and what looks like a good fit.

Coming up this week:

Speed Friending (and origami!) at Felix, February 25th
Gouache Painting at Mochinut, February 26th

We look forward to having CCCC right here in the heart of Uptown!

What's Up With Weiss? Who Knows, But It Doesn't Look Good.

2026-01-30T14:56:00.000-06:00

Weiss Memorial Hospital (from Weiss Webpage)

Reader JL writes in:

Hey UU. Thanks for all you do. I live across the street and have seen more lights on at Weiss and more cars parked at the entrance. Have you heard anything about the hospital? Will it be reopening any time soon?

Unfortunately, we remain in the dark about Weiss and Resilience Healthcare's plans for the hospital.

As of today, the hospital website shows the campus is only open for outpatient services, while there are no inpatient or emergency services. However, Alderwoman Clay's December 5 newsletter announced outpatient services were closed as well just after Thanksgiving.

Based on public statements, Weiss' owner was working through the process of appealing the Medicare penalty (pdf link) imposed in summer 2025.

While increased activity on the campus might be a good sign, there is no telling whether Resilience has a plan to come up with the $27 million dollars Weiss owes the State of Illinois, part of a $69 million debt to the State. Resilience's CEO has told reporters that his company took on $81 million in debt when it acquired Weiss and West Suburban Hospital.

To compound the situation, Resilience is now tied up in additional legal trouble, as it apparently defaulted on a loan taken to pay for the hospitals in December 2024 and has been sued by multiple companies for failure to pay for services and equipment.

We are obviously hopeful that a hospital some of us at UU have called a neighbor for more than 40 years will come back, but things definitely look grim at this point.

If any of you know more, feel free to reach out via email.

Plans Revealed For New Cedar Street Development at 4725 N. Clifton

2026-01-13T11:05:00.011-06:00

4725 N. Clifton (Hirsch MPG)

The parking lot just north of the historic Uptown Broadway Building and east of The Teller House will finally be filled after being empty since at least the early 1980s.

We have been aware of the proposal since 2022 when it was first submitted under former Alderman Cappleman. The building has continued to percolate over the last 3 years, and is now being built "by right," likely to avoid going through development-phobic Alderwoman Clay's office or the city.

Urbanize Chicago broke the news publicly after Cedar Street's plans were presented to the city's Permit Review Committee. Plans call for a 5 story building with retail and 40 units of residential.

While the remainder of the lot is unfilled at this point, we expect additional buildings to fill the remainder of the lot eventually. Previously, a large garage and a 3 smaller buildings occupied the space running along the tracks on Clifton from Broadway to Lawrence, both of which demoed in the early 1980s for the current parking lot.

Buildings that filled the lot along Clifton back in the 1930s (CTA)

Another view from the late 1970s (Jonie Snake Flickr)

We hope this trend continues northward and all of the surface lots in the area are filled with housing!

Uptown's Largest Vacant Lakefront Lot to Become...Sarah's Circle

2026-01-09T16:25:00.002-06:00

Sarah's on Sunnyside, Clarendon & Sunnyside (Perkins & Will)

From Clarendon Park resident and reader JF, news that Sarah's Circle is planning to acquire at least a portion of the empty lot located between Agatite and Sunnyside on Clarendon, located across from the Clarendon Park fieldhouse.

This will be the 4th Sarah's Circle building in Uptown, and the first since the organization opened its "Sarah's on Lakeside" a bit over 2 years ago.

According to plans filed with the city, Sarah's Circle is planning "Sarah's on Sunnyside" on the northernmost part of the vacant lot owned by the Missionary Sisters of The Sacred Heart at 4432-58 N. Clarendon.

The proposed building will have 54 supportive housing units for single women along with office space for Sarah's Circle and community space for residents. The building will look virtually the same as the recently opened Sarah's on Lakeside building, but will be taller at 7 stories.

Site plan showing Sarah's on Sunnyside and 2 other possible additions to the vacant lot (city of Chicago)

The vacant lot is large and the plans mentions a potential future 11 story development directly to the south. No word on whether this would be an addition to the Sarah's on Sunnyside or completely separate. The southernmost part of the lot also has space for another "potential development" not in the project scope.

Per reader JF's email to us:

"While I personally hate the empty parking lot and my partner and I support what Sarah's Circle does, I can't believe that they are building such a tiny building here in a prime lakefront spot. Was there no other developer available or interested in the lot? We desperately need density and housing and this is not the best way to use a lot like this. And why is every Sarah's Circle building in Uptown?"

That's a good question. There is no doubt this is a prime piece of real estate and, given there were proposals for this lot in the past that were much taller and a combination of market rate and affordable, we would have loved to see something taller, denser and more architecturally significant.

This is already on the agenda for the city's plan commission, so it's unclear whether local block clubs or residents have had a say in the matter. Also no information has been provided on how the project is being funded.

Although this has been percolating since October, so far nothing mentioned on Ald. Clay's website about the proposed development. We're sure people might disagree with this use of the lot, so hopefully there will be a public meeting!

The Lot and Proposed Site

Judgment Free Zone Incoming to 909 W. Montrose

2026-01-06T13:51:00.006-06:00

UPDATE 2/23/26:

THE WEBSITE IS BACK! NO ONE PANIC! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

Based on a new update, the PF Montrose page is active again and they are offering presales. Hoping for a summer opening.

UPDATE 1/12/26:

Since we ran this story, the webpage for the Montrose location (which was "coming soon" and had several subpages, including a class schedule page) is no longer active. We are not certain if the original link was posted prematurely or if Planet Fitness has changed its plans. We will update when we can.

Interesting news (first tipped in 2023, now confirmed) that Planet Fitness is opening a location at 909 W. Montrose in the former Uptown Fitness space.

As longtime readers recall, Uptown Fitness replaced World Gym at the location.

Uptown Fitness' departure in 2020 was blamed on COVID lockdowns and many patrons were left in the lurch by the former owner. The space has been vacant ever since.

Image Courtesy Planet Fitness Page for 909 W. Montrose

The opening appears imminent, as the location is now live on the Planet Fitness website.

The news is welcome and credit is due to tipster JD, who first told us a new fitness provider was looking at the space in late 2023, as well as reader JH, who told us a Planet Fitness location was coming in September 2024.

The huge chain, whose slogan is the misspelled "Judgement Free Zone," offers long hours (often 24 hours on weekdays), plenty of purple colored workout equipment, and a live "Crowd Meter" to tell you how crowded things are before you leave your house.

This new location will be a welcome addition to the area and will compete for members with LA Fitness on Lawrence.

Humboldt Haus 2(?) Nears Completion at 5046 N. Clark

2025-12-10T14:30:00.032-06:00

We have been watching the property at 5046 N. Clark since it was sold in 2024.

5046 N. Clark - Google Street View

Renovations began on the long-dormant retail space earlier this spring, and we knew from local chatter to expect a new cafe concept of some sort.

It appears renovation work is nearing an end, so we can disclose the new concept appears to be a version of Humboldt Park's amazing sandwich specialist / liquor store Humboldt Haus.

Humboldt Haus Logo - Courtesy Humboldt Haus Webpage

Plenty of beautiful sandwich photos here on Instagram, a menu here (Toast link) and Google reviews here.

Name remains TBD (the working name is "Humboldt Haus 2") but the plan is for sammiches.

We don't have more info at this point, including whether liquor will be featured at this location.

We are excited for another new business in this growing stretch of entertainment and food options in "North Uptown," or "South of Foster Andersonville" if you prefer. "HH2" joins the recently re-opened Marty's, an expanding Chicago Magic Lounge, Meeting House, Sofo Tap and more.

Ed. Note for anyone watching these properties: readers have witnessed construction activity at 5044 N. Clark but that building is not part of this project. Per 5044's owner, the building was used as a staging area for construction on Marty's and will be available for rent soon.

Model Railroad Open House At Clarendon Park Community Center

2025-12-09T08:59:00.004-06:00

Train enthusiasts should check out the model railroad open house at the beautifully renovated Clarendon Park Community Center!

The open house is December 13, noon until 4PM. More details on the open house and the Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club can be found on their website.

Restaurants Restaurants Restaurants!

2025-11-11T06:39:00.005-06:00

Last night saw the removal of paper from the windows at the upcoming Las Pinatas on Wilson (1313 W. Wilson) along with testing of their snazzy new sign.

Las Pinatas and next door neighbor Piacere Mio both recently crossed several important licensing hurdles and we expect both to be open shortly. ~~No official date for either~~ but Piacere Mio now has a Google Maps page and is on OpenTable. EDIT: per the comments, Las Pinatas is opening on Thursday, November 20th!

Not to be outdone, we are waiting for yet another restaurant to join Uptown's rich variety of options:

"Calle de Sabores" will replace Selam Kitchen (R.I.P.) at 4543 N. Broadway. From their Facebook page expect an all-day menu focused on Colombian cuisine and specializing in Paisa bowls.

Courtesy Calle de Sabores Facebook

Lots to look forward to!

"Technique Cycling" to Open at 1323 W. Wilson

2025-10-06T14:17:00.002-05:00

We have been watching the space at 1323 W. Wilson (formerly home to many things, including "BJ's Food & Electronics" many years ago and more recently The Abode and Terrace's Studio space) since the For Lease sign went down a couple of weeks ago.

Technique Cycling 1323 W. Wilson

New signage from this weekend identifies the space as the soon to be home of "Technique Cycling," which (via Reddit) will be a specialized bike service (repair and build) shop.

The sign says "Opening Soon" and the business owner ("anarchocyclist" on Reddit) says to look for an opening next month. We saw equipment already inside this weekend, so they are making progress.

No website or Facebook presence so far that we can see.

Another nice step forward for a block that has needed more open businesses and pedestrian traffic for a while. Technique Cycling will join the upcoming Piacere Mio at 1307 W. Wilson and the to be named new Mexican restaurant at 1313 W. Wilson.

Crosswalk Signals At Broadway & Buena Needs Repaired

2025-10-03T11:27:00.003-05:00

Intersection of Broadway & Buena (Google)

A frustrated reader writes in:

"Hi Uptown Update team,
I’m reaching out to flag an ongoing safety issue that’s been ignored for nearly a year. The pedestrian crosswalk signals at Broadway and Buena have been out since September 2024. That’s a full year without walk signs at a major intersection near several elementary schools, a fairly large church, senior housing, and a Chicago Public Library branch; an area where kids, older adults, and people with mobility aids cross every day. It’s dangerous.
I’ve submitted multiple 311 requests, which have been closed almost immediately with no follow-up. I’ve also contacted our alderwoman, Angela Clay, and her office has followed up with CDOT. There are still no repairs, no updates, and no answers. Out of frustration, I even filed a complaint with the Office of the Inspector General.
At this point, it seems clear that Alderwoman's office, CDOT, and the City have dropped the ball. This shouldn’t be normal. We shouldn’t have to chase down basic safety infrastructure for nearly a year with no action. It’s a public hazard, and the City’s lack of urgency and transparency is unacceptable."

UU Eds: We agree! Hopefully getting a few more eyes on the situation will bring about a quick resolution.