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Old 13th District Wood Street Police Station to Be Something 'Fantastic'

By Chloe Riley | February 6, 2013 2:28pm
 Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) (left) at Tuesday  night's CAPS meeting for Beat 1212.
Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) (left) at Tuesday  night's CAPS meeting for Beat 1212.
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DNAinfo/Chloe Riley

EAST VILLAGE — Something "fantastic'' is coming to the former 13th District Wood Street police station, Ald. Joe Moreno promises, but just won't say just yet what. 

Moreno (1st), during a CAPS meeting Tuesday night, assured residents that there was a “fantastic solution for that station" at 927 N. Wood St.

But the actual plan won't be announced for several weeks. Moreno did say the structure would be kept intact and that he wants a police presence to remain there.

To fund the new facility, Moreno said he has received a commitment of $400,000 from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and plans to use another $100,000 of the ward's menu money.

The station has been vacant since December when police consolidated local districts.

Anne Shaw, an East Village resident who spearheaded the effort to save the old Wood Street station, said she is unsure why Moreno, who said he was "99.9 percent sure" of the plan for the police station, couldn't reveal any details. 

"I wished he could have announced it. I don’t know why he didn’t. It’s kind of strange," she said.

Shaw, a 42-year-old attorney, said the community received surveys asking for input about the old police station, but said she hasn't heard anything since. She is pleased with Moreno's decision to save the building.

"I know the community does not want the building to be torn down. It’d be a real shame," Shaw said.

About 13 residents were present at Tuesday’s meeting at St. Helen School at 2347 W. Augusta Blvd.

New Monroe District Commander Melissa Staples was also at the meeting and stressed the importance of community collaboration with police to curb robbery and theft in the area.

Those two crimes were at the top of the list for crimes in Beat 1212 from Nov. 13 through Feb. 5., with 87 incidences of theft and 41 incidences of burglary.   

Staples also said she is putting together two teams of Monroe District officers who would only respond to robbery, burglary and theft in the area.