President's Message
Thirty-five years ago, a group of
local residents gathered around a
kitchen table in a North Streeterville
condo to discuss the need for their
voices to be heard, because
important decisions that impacted
the community were being made
without their input. They resolved
to change that, and SOAR was born.
Could those visionary residents imagine what Streeterville—and SOAR—would look like today? Perhaps they would not have predicted that people would be living comfortably in old lamp factories, and a collection of rusty freight warehouses on a crumbling concrete pier would become the number one tourist attraction in Illinois. But they knew that residents would have a major stake in the future of their neighborhood, and that only by organizing and working together could they expect to make a difference.
Indeed, many of the issues have remained the same over the past three decades. It's a constant struggle to find a balance between development that succeeds economically, and development that succeeds by enhancing the urban environment that makes Streeterville such a vibrant and interesting place to live. SOAR has a remarkable history of attaining that balance, often by directly challenging powerful interests that would otherwise prevail solely on the economic side, without regard for any potential negative impact on the quality of residential life. As SOAR's new president, I am both honored and humbled when I think of this legacy. When I contemplate what Streeterville might look like today, had those motivated and visionary neighbors not joined together and given so generously of their time and resources to launch a community organization, I realize what a great debt we owe them for the difference SOAR has made.
Today, we have an opportunity to build on this proud tradition. As current economic conditions have pressed the "pause" button on the gold-rush type of development in recent years, we must ask two questions before someone hits "resume." What is the future of Streeterville, and who will be making the decisions that shape it? With your help, SOAR will make sure that residents are there to provide input and answers, just as we've done for thirty-five years.
Brian Hopkins, SOAR President