Home

Learn How to be a Super Ager on March 7th - RSVP Today

Website Editor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:49:46 +0000

We are pleased to invite you to attend SOAR's March First Wednesday program Brain Gain or Drain: Do We Have Choices? organized by Skyline Village Chicago and the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR) in partnership with Northwestern Feinberg School of Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center.

Presented by Dr. Sandra Weintraub, professor of Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Clinical Core Director of Northwestern's Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center (CNADC).

Have you ever wanted to be a Super Ager, someone able to maintain high cognitive abilities as you age? Come learn how your choices can help put you on a positive trajectory to achieve improved brain function. Dr. Weintraub will discuss the changes in brain function throughout one's life, especially as potentially affected by specific behaviors, activities, diet, and other factors, including aging.

You'll learn this and much more during this interactive presentation which will include a Q&A segment as well as a questionnaire to self-test how "brain healthy" you really are.

The program will take place on Wednesday, March 7th. Registration is at 6:00 PM followed by the program at 6:30 PM and a roundtable discussion. The program will take place at the Feinberg Pavilion, Pritzker Auditorium, 251 E. Huron Street in the 3rd floor conference center.

Please RSVP no later than Monday, March 5th by email or voice mail to 312-280-2596, ext. 3.

McClurg Court Center to Revamp Retail Offerings

Website Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:04:48 +0000

McClurg Court Center has developed a conceptual rendering of improvements it hopes to make to its street level retail space in 2012.

The property is bounded on the north by Ontario St., the south by Ohio St. and on the east by N. McClurg Ct.

For more information on the proposal, please contact SOAR's Neighbor's Action Task Force.

SOAR to Work Across 2nd and 42nd Wards

Website Editor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:26:07 +0000

Last week the Chicago City Council voted to approve a new city ward map. Prior to the vote SOAR met with Alderman Brendan Reilly and requested that Streeterville be kept intact within a single ward. SOAR also reached out to Alderman Richard Mell who was spearheading the ward remap with the same request. In spite of this logical request, the council voted to split Streeterville into the 2nd and 42nd wards. 42nd Ward Alderman Reilly voted in favor of the remap. 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti voted against it.

Under the new map, 51 existing Streeterville residential buildings are shifted to the 2nd Ward, leaving 48 Streeterville residential buildings in the 42nd Ward. In short, just over 50% of Streeterville residential buildings have been shifted to the 2nd Ward, which stretches west to Ashland Avenue.

Whether represented by one or more alderman in the City Council, Streeterville, naturally bounded on three sides by water, remains a community and an integral, vibrant part of downtown Chicago. While the remap will pose practical and logistical challenges, SOAR will continue to be the voice for our collective Streeterville residential community as it has for the past thirty-six years.

As SOAR continues to work on behalf of ALL Streeterville residents - now with two Alderman - to preserve, promote, and enhance the quality of life and community, your continued support and involvement in SOAR is more important than ever before.

We will keep you informed of our efforts with both Alderman Brendan Reilly and Alderman Bob Fioretti in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, if you have questions or comments, please send us an email.

SOAR Testified at Hearing on Proposed Heliport Ordinance

Website Editor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:50:19 +0000

Today SOAR testified regarding the proposed revisions to the existing City of Chicago ordinance on heliports.

Read SOAR's testimony.

AMC Theater River East 21 Proposes Alcoholic Beverage Service

Website Editor — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:58:07 +0000

SOAR received notification from the firm working with AMC Theaters to revise concession offerings that changes are being proposed for its Streeterville location.

AMC Theater River East 21 is proposing the service of alcoholic beverages and has "filed an application with the City of Chicago for conditional approval of an alcoholic beverage license".

Owners of 850 N. Lake Shore Drive Now Considering Other Potential Uses for Property

Website Editor — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:59:48 +0000

SOAR has been informed by Integrated Development, the owners of 850 N. Lake Shore Drive, that "after spending the better part of 2011 lining up construction financing, it has become apparent with the bankruptcy filing of our main competitor, The Clare, that it would be some time before we would feel comfortable beginning our program at 850" and that they have "begun to consider other potential uses for the property."

SOAR will continue to monitor proposals in relation to this parcel and will keep the Streeterville community informed of new information as it becomes available.

Update on Federal Investigation of Heliport Safety Issues

Website Editor — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:55:04 +0000

Progress is being made in the Federal investigation of the heliport safety allegations raised in the whistleblower letter sent to SOAR.

SOAR was informed that the US Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General's inquiry had progressed to the next stage and, in late December, a Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) team was sent to Chicago to investigate.

SOAR met with the FAA investigators and discussed the serious and significant safety issues with the rooftop heliport. The FAA indicated that a purpose of its investigation was to determine whether or not there had been a cover up of safety related information, and SOAR emphasized the need for the investigators to speak with all of the individuals referred to in the whistleblower letter to determine the validity of the allegations.

Concurrently, SOAR requested an administrative review of the Illinois Department of Transportation's (IDOT's) proceedings and decisions to grant Children's Memorial Hospital a certificate of approval for the rooftop heliport. SOAR also requested that IDOT's orders to approve the heliport be put on hold pending the outcome of the judicial review.

SOAR Testified at Plan Commission Hearing on 410 E. Grand

Website Editor — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:04:21 +0000

At the December 15, 2011 Plan Commission Hearing, SOAR testified in support of the development proposed for 410 E. Grand Ave. Read SOAR's testimony.

The Plan Commission approved the proposal.

SOAR Working to Improve Columbus Drive & Illinois Street Intersection

Website Editor — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:32:15 +0000

This week SOAR's Safety and Security Task Force asked CDOT (Chicago Department of Transportation) to implement a series of solutions to address the safety issues at this intersection, reported to be one of the most dangerous in the city.

Improvements requested include:

raised median with planters to slow traffic down
changing the double left turn lanes on southbound Columbus to a single left turn lane
modification of the signaling to include an "all walk" phase at the intersection, eliminating the difficulty that occurs when pedestrians and vehicles occupy the same space at the same time
clearly marked and strictly enforced speed limits, along with red-light cameras
additional training, regulation and oversight of taxi drivers and services

SOAR Testifies at CTA Hearing

Website Editor — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:53:00 +0000

SOAR recently testified at the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Hearing to encourage more public transportation services to Streeterville. Read the testimony.