LINCOLN PARK — A combination of breaking news, like the massive fire that ripped through Second City, and long-standing development questions, like the prevalence of megamansions and the future of Finkl Steel, dominated discussions in Lincoln Park, Old Town and on the Near North Side over the past year.
Below is a list of some of the most notable moments:
Megamansions On The Rise In Lincoln Park: It's no secret that Lincoln Park is home to some of the city's most over-the-top megamansions. But DNAinfo Chicago dug deeper in January, providing an analysis of how many homes were being torn down to create much bigger homes, including one that stretches across seven lots. In the mid-to-late 2000s builders were constructing a mix of multiunit and single-family homes through teardowns, but over the last three years most of the teardowns result in single-family homes, data shows.
Ald. Michele Smith Narrowly Wins Aldermanic Election ... Again: After months of battling, the 43rd Ward election race came down to 85 absentee votes in favor of Ald. Michele Smith. Throughout the hard-fought campaign, Smith's opponents, including runoff challenger Caroline Vickrey, took aim at Smith's $84,000 consulting role at an arts organization, among other issues. A DNAinfo Chicago investigation showed that Smith held the job for several years longer than previously reported. The win marked the second straight close runoff election for Smith.
Improv Institution Second City Goes Up in Flames: Every local media outlet covered the extra-alarm fire that destroyed Second City's offices in August. The blaze, which started as a grease fire in the kitchen of Adobo Grill, 1612 N. Wells St., threw large plumes of smoke into the air and blocked traffic for several hours. Luckily, the theaters were spared — and famous caricatures were largely untouched. The exterior of the building, which dates to the 1880s and is the last remaining piece of Piper's Alley as it was known in the 1960s, was deemed salvageable by advocates, including Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd).
Predicting The Future of Finkl Steel, Industrial District: A burning question that remains in the neighborhood is the future of the old A. Finkl & Sons steel mill, which is just one portion of the 115-acre manufacturing district along the river bordering the western edge of Lincoln Park that is up for redevelopment. Some would like to keep the area industrial, and others would like to see retail and residential take over. But everyone agrees that whatever happens will completely change the neighborhood. In other industrial district news, this year Sterling Bay bought the old Gutmann Tannery site, which will become headquarters for the largest logistics company in Chicago, as well as the Lakin General site. The developer is rumored to be eyeing the entire Finkl site as well. Recently, local aldermen called for the closure of metal scrap yard General Iron after an extra-alarm fire there — another sign of what's to come for the industrial district.
Dyett Hunger Strikers Crash Controversial Lincoln Elementary Annex Opening: A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Lincoln Elementary's new $19 million annex erupted in tears and shouting when Dyett hunger strikers, who made headlines for fighting to restore a Bronzeville school, crashed the September event. Some needed to be physically restrained by other people before they came to blows. Building the annex was a controversial solution to Lincoln's overcrowding problem, with some questioning whether the school was getting the annex because it was in affluent Lincoln Park.
After 19 Years, Cabrini-Green Tenants Reach Settlement With CHA: The Chicago Housing Authority and a tenant group reached a settlement agreement in the 2013 federal lawsuit over the future of the Cabrini-Green rowhouses in September, which was first reported by DNAinfo Chicago. That means 1,800 public housing units are coming to the Near North Side. It also means that 40 percent of the 440 rowhouses must be public housing in future construction. It doesn't mean, however, that the rowhouses can't be torn down — that will be left up to developers who are expected to bid on the properties and redevelop the area.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
