Please send an email to the Trib with the answer to this question; “Where in Chicagoland should the children’s museum relocate”?

Some good options if you don’t like them taking space in Grant Park would be to 1. stay and expand at Navy Pier, 2. move to the museum campus or South Michigan (The Chicagoist had several good suggestions) or 3. Northerly Park (former Meigs Field) where the kids could get lots of light and there could be an expansive design with air and freedom.

Send to: ctc-response@tribune.com
put “Museum” in the subject line
also include your name, hometown and contact info

MUST VOTE BY 2PM TODAY (Friday)!

Please vote and send to ALL your friends!

The New Eastside Association of Residents is hosting their annual meeting on Tuesday, January 31 at the Buckingham (360 E. Randolph).

• NEAR President Alice Harper will not be returning to the board but will remain in an emeritus capacity
• Annual dues will be collected.
• Speakers include Anna Sitzloff, Eva Weir, Breelyn Pete, and a Chicago Park District Representative.

For more information view the flyer posted in the forums section –

NEAR Information

Current NEAR President Richard Ward’s web site is located at http://www.neweastside.org.

Crain’s Chicago writes that Reilly will make a decision next week about whether to present the Children’s Museum’s plan to take over Grant Park. He is quoted –

“This has been a tough one,” he said. “One the one hand, I have a responsibility to my constituents, and on the other, Grant Park is the city’s front yard. What benefits (Grant Park) benefits all of the city.”

We should add that it is up to debate about whether the proposed relocation offers any benefits to Grant Park or the rest of the city.

Discussion and more information can be found on WindyChat.com at http://www.windychat.com/reilly-make-decision-next-week-childrens-119.html

The architectural critic of the Chicago Tribune wrote an article that was published yesterday on why the Children’s Museum should not be located in Daley Bicentenniel Plaza.

Regarding the Plaza itself the critic writes: “Though Daley Bicentennial is not without merit — its rigidly symmetrical layout does frame views of Buckingham Fountain, and residents of nearby high-rises prize its quiet ambience as an antidote to Millennium Park’s throngs — its design is as outdated and outmoded as one of the John Travolta leisure suits that were in fashion when Chicago dedicated the 19.5-acre park in 1979.”

A discussion about the article and link to the full article on WindyChat.com. http://www.windychat.com/childrens-museum-has-yet-make-case-120.html

Mehta Brown writes on the Friends of Daley Bi blog on three ways to save the Daley Bi park from the Children’s Museum’s attempts to relocate there.

Three Easy Ways to Save the Park

“1) Call Mayor Daley’s office at (312) 744-3300, let him know where you live, and tell him that you are opposed to museum construction Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

2) Email Arnold Randall, Chicago’s new Commissioner of Planning and Development, arandall@cityofchicago.org , let him know where you live, and tell him that you are opposed to museum construction Daley Bicentennial Plaza.

3) Call a friend (or two,three…) who lives in Chicago, and ask your friend to take these same steps!”

The Save Daley blog is at http://savedaley.blogspot.com/.

She writes: “I’ve lived near Daley Bicentennial Plaza since 1984. Like many other others in the neighborhood, I’ve chosen to remain a Chicago resident and taxpayer as I enjoy family life.”

From the Chicago Tribune - “Aside from protecting the park, this project raises questions of safety and quality of life. This area of the city already is teeming with pedestrian and vehicle traffic, with much more to come via residential buildings planned. The museum site would add hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, descending on a three-tiered section of Randolph Street that can be difficult to navigate. Downtown Chicago, already so gridlocked and stressed that a proposed fee for driving there drew serious discussion, doesn’t need more school buses and cars on Randolph, Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.”

Full article - http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0902edit1sep02,0,6286821.story 

Reilly’s comments at a Friends fo the Park meeting last month regarding the plans to move the Children’s Museum to the north end of Grant Park -

From ArchitectureChicago PLUS - “On the proposed move of the Chicago Children’s Museum to a new building in Grant Park -
Reilly: That’s been a bit of a political football. . . . That’s something that will be thoroughly vetted, building by building, in the [New Eastside]. I find it curious that there are certain organizations out there, that have in their charter a mission statement of preserving open space, that are actually advocating for additional building for Grant Park. I don’t understand that. How these folks can look [you in] the eye and say, yes, we’re here to preserve Grant Park, but please put this building in, I don’t understand that.”

http://arcchicago.blogspot.com/2007/06/chicagos-downtown-aldermen-pushovers-no.html

There is a meeting scheduled at North Harbor Tower tomorrow, July 10th. 

The Children’s Museum has gone back to their original plans to relocate the the Daley Bi Fieldhouse along Randolph St.

The Monro / Columbus location was opposed by Grant Park Conservancy and Friends of the Parks.

By the way, Richard Ward has been helping area residents stay informed about this topic. If you are interested in keeping up with news about the Children’s Museum relocation plans, you can sign up for his e-mail list at www.neweastside.org.

From ChicagoBusiness.com -  Bob O’Neill, president of the Grant Park Conservancy, “says [traffic] concerns are unfounded, saying Randolph Street is not swamped with cars because it does not feed into Lake Shore Drive and all buses and cars would access the Chicago Children’s Museum on Randolph Street’s mid-level.”

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=25188

On another note, in a recent e-mail from newly elected Alderman Brendan Reilly, he quoted a recent Chicago Tribune article that does a good job in summarizing events up to now.

From the Chicago Tribune - “Alderman Reilly is keeping his pledge to give local residents a meaningful voice on important issues affecting their neighborhoods, and he is telling local residents and the Children’s Museum that “plans would need approval by neighborhood residents for his support.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/west/chi-museum16may16,1,922305.story

Regarding CRITICAL Children’s Museum Neighborhood Meeting on Monday, Sept. 10, 5:30 PM at the Daley Fieldhouse 

Editorial - We at New-Eastside.com have witnessed a variety of ever-increasingly aggressive tactics to characterize the New Eastside neighborhood (which includes the Lakeshore East development) as being partially supportive of the Children’s Museum’s proposed move to the current site of the Daley Bicentenntial Fieldhouse.

The recent meetings at each building presented only one side of the issue - i.e. Children’s Museum staff and representatives proposing the new location for the building.

Nearby public facilities such as the Family Fun Festival in Millenium Park has had boxes for people to write letters to the Alderman in support of the move, with no place to mark or record opposition to the move.

Roving college-age petitioners have been spotted in the neighborhood and surrounding areas who were hired by the Children’s Museum and who clearly upon questioning had no clear idea about what was involved in the proposed move.

A firm in Topeka, KS has been calling neighborhood residents at odd hours to solicit support for the move from central Chicago residents.

In the latest move, the Children’s Museum organization is expected to bus in hundreds of supporters in advance of the upcoming “neighborhood meeting” hosted by NEAR to take all available seats and shut out real neighborhood residents from expressing their opposition to the proposed move ( see http://blog.new-eastside.com/final-meeting-on-the-childrens-museum/, especially the comments). This was originally intended to be a meeting (again it is hosted by NEAR) open only to neighborhood residents.

While I can’t fault the Children’s Museum for being aggressive about what they think could be a good move in location for them — their blatant attempts to mis-characterize our neighborhood is regrettable.

While we hope the best for the Children’s Museum (our own children love it), we must condemn the current administration’s recent activities and hope the neighborhood is able to prevail in this issue and prevent the Children’s Museum from relocating across the street in Grant Park.

Peggy Figiel writes - “Hi All,

As you may already know the FINAL meeting on the Children’s Museum issue will be held this Monday, September 10 at 6:30 PM at Daley Bicentennial Fieldhouse.  This is a NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING hosted by NEAR. You must be bring the postcard you may have already received in the mail from Alderman Reilly or some form of ID to admitted!!  This is in response to the mass email the Children’s Museum has sent out telling people to have their family and friends get there early, take all the seats and pack the meeting!!  If they do not live here they will not be admitted!!

Reilly’s entire staff will be on hand to check the doors ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPT.!!

We are asking everyone to attend this very important meeting even if you have previously attended your building meeting!  We need a HUGE turnout of opposition!!  We will have signs available and we ask you to get there as early as possible.

The CCM will present yet another design for the museum, this one apparently completely underground.  I hope everyone read the Tribune Editorial Board’s piece in Sunday’s paper opposing a museum in Grant Park.

We ARE being heard and need to make the FINAL EFFORT FOR VICTORY!!  There will be a lot of media present and we want to show a strong, final united front!  This issue has brought this neighborhood together like no other and that’s why it is such a great place to live!

We appreciate all the work everyone has done writing & e-mailing letters, making phone calls, and attending meetings.  AFTER THIS MEETING ALDERMAN REILLY WILL MAKE HIS DECISION PUBLIC AND THIS ISSUE WILL BE OVER!

PLEASE PLAN ON ATTENDING AND GETTING THERE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

Thank you and see you on Monday.

Peggy Figiel”

A meeting with Alderman Reilly will be held at the Daley Bicentenniel Plaza Fieldhouse on Monday September 10th at 6:30 PM.

Notices have been posted in buildings and the Alderman’s office is reportedly sending a notice to everyone in the community. Reilly has help at least eight meeting with residents in various buildings near the Fieldhouse and this final meeting it being hosted by NEAR. In the previous eight meetings, only the Children’s Museum staff and representatives were given time to present the plan, in the meeting next Monday NEAR will present their analysis and views of the proposed development.

Mark your calendars! as this will be an important meeting. Monday September 10th at 6:30 PM.

The Children’s Museum has scheduled meetings at many of the buildings in the neighborhood to present plans for the Children’s Museum along the south side of East Randolph at the site of the present Daley Fieldhouse. The first meeting was held last night at North Harbor Tower (175 N. Harbor Dr.) and additional meetings are scheduled as follows. More meeting times at other buildings to be posted later.

360 Randolph, Wednesday, July 18 @ 6 pm

195 Harbor, Thursday, July 19 @ 6 pm

155 Harbor, Monday, July 23 @ 6:30 pm

400 Randolph, Wednesday, July 25 @ 6:30 pm

Local residents had expressed concerns about the Children’s Museum locating along Randolph last year so the museum considered moving to a location at Monro and Columbus, however this location was opposed by the Friends of the Park and the Grant Park Conservancy Council.

Now the Children’s Museum is looking back at their originally proposed location at the site of the Fieldhouse much to the ire of those who thought the plan was dead last year. Be sure to attend your buildings meeting to see the detailed proposal and presentation and have a chance to express your opinion to the new Alderman who will be in attendance at each meeting.

I just heard about this yesterday, it started last Friday, March 30th and runs for two weeks - through Thursday April 12th.  

“Navy Pier welcomes the arrival of Spring with two weeks of non-stop family fun and entertainment, featuring indoor rides, inflatable slides, interactive games, special entertainment and more inside the spectacular Crystal Gardens.”

Free Admission - $8 Wristband Purchase Required for Rides listed below.

It looks like a lot of them would be suitable for our 2-yr-old so we are thinking of taking her this afternoon.

For more information see http://www.navypier.com/cal_events/spring_fam_fun.html

There was a comment that the neighborhood does not have bus service to Ogden school. Free bussing existed in the past, but just this year the school district stopped providing bus service to the New Eastside neighborhood. New Eastside is in a big hole with no public school, also there is no local magnet or private school.
 
Natarus insisted that no one has “done more than me” in advocating for local eductional issues. He noted that the bond issue is done and they only need to let the contracts out to float the bonds to fund the Ogden school reconstruction and the construction of the new school in the New Eastside. Natarus insisted that the neighborhood will get back bus service.
 
Reilly stated that the bussing issue is a perfect sort of opportunity for the Alderman to step up and talk with the Chicago Public School system.
 
There was a question about whether the proposed pedway could introduce problems with flooding or attract homeless. The proposed pedways would be elevated, underneath the upper roadways, it would not be underground so there would be no issue with flooding. Regarding security, both candidates mentioned that keycards or other means could be used to restrict access to the buildings or to the pedway itself.
 
There was a suggestion that Northerly Island may be suitable for the Children’s Museum location. Natarus felt that the location is too remote. Reilly mentioned that the Museum Campus is probably a preferable location but that doesn’t work out, “why not?” consider Meigs Field (Northerly Island).
 
Someone commented about the noise levels at this past year’s Lollapalooza festival. Natarus said that he will try to keep a clamp on this; the city has noise laws and the environmental inspectors have to watch each event. The problem is that the department is small, it needs more inspectors who are able to come out at night. It was noted that the Lollapalooza festival was approved for four more years.
 
Finally, there were some more discussion about the neighborhood school. A charter member of GPAC said that according to a past meeting or meetings of GPAC, it was stated that the very first building of the Lakeshore East development would be the school. Natarus said that Magellan’s check is not enough for the school and that is has been in the CPS and City of Chicago’s court. However, now that Natarus has passed the bond issue, we can move forward with floating the bonds and getting the government portion of the funding to start construction.

This is the first of five questions presented to the Aldermanic candidates last week at a meeting hosted by NEAR.

If the Children’s Museum relocates from its current home at Navy Pier, do you have any locations you support or oppose?
 
The Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) originally planned to move to the Daley Fieldhouse location; however the proposal met fierce opposition from local residents. Ward showed photographs of the Fieldhouse and the new proposed location at the NE corner of Columbus and Monro. The mentioned that concern has been expressed about having the CCM move into Grant Park would open the floodgates to more museums moving into Grant Park. Ward outlined however how only one other location in Grant Park, also along the north side of Monro Dr. could be suitable for a “below-grade” building.
 
Natarus mentioned that the Monro Dr. location was recommended by Daley. A number of organizations oppose putting the museum on Monro Dr. such as the the Grant Park Advisory Council (GPAC) and Friends of Grant Park. Natarus says he sees two possibilities: they could try relocating the Children’s Museum down to the Museum Campus by the Shedd Aquarium or they might stay put at Navy Pier.
 
Reilly agreed with Natarus that the Museum Campus is a good location and that he does not like the Monro Dr. location.

The New Eastside Association of Residents will be hosting a meeting to review neighborhood events in the past year. The meeting will be helpd Wednesday night at 7 PM in the 400 East Randolph Hospitality Room.

The three candidates for 42nd Ward Alderman will also be present and will address questions on the following topics: Monroe Street Garage Renovation, Chicago Children’s Museum Relocation, Daley Bi-Centennial Fieldhouse Renovation Plans, and the Pedway Extension.

See more information in the Announcements board –

http://forums.new-eastside.com/index.php/topic,98.0.html

I have reported on this previously although I have not stressed it — the Monro East garage will soon be dug up down four levels and everything on top (tennis courts, playground) will be gone! for a couple or more of years. This is part of the 99-year lease deal of all of the Grant Park garages to Morgan Stanley approved a couple weeks ago.

It is not unexpected as the South and North (Millenium Park) garages were recently reconstructed and Monro East is next on the list, although the reconstruction might be considered a bit premature, it could last another 10 or 20 years ?

Personally I don’t care about the short-term loss of the tennis courts so much, but I think there should be some serious consideration to build a temporary playground for the kids during the couple or few years of construction. Note that the Lakeshore East playground is only for very young kids, the playground in Grant Park is much more varied, the equipment/installations are rated 2-5 years and 5-12 years. The Lakeshore East park equipment is for toddlers.

end editorial - Eric

Presents: News in the Neighborhood

It is also the NEAR group’s annual meeting with Alderman Natarus.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 7:00 PM at the Buckingham

Light refreshements will be served. For more information see –

http://forums.new-eastside.com/index.php/topic,88.0.html

Grant Park Advisory Council public meeting

Chicago Children’s Museum’s proposed, two-story new building for Grant Park

Monday, October 16, 2006 - 6:30 p.m.

Daley Bicentennial Plaza - 337 E. Randolph just east of Columbus Drive.

The Chicago Children’s Museum has proposed building a two-story building on the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Columbus Drive in Grant Park. This would be diagonally across from the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago currently under construction.

We need to hear from you at this first, public meeting on the proposed building for Grant Park.

We will also give a complete update of the new “Agora” sculpture installation that is under construction at the south end of Grant Park. It will be 106, 9-feet-tall, metal figures installed this month and next.

Thank you very much for your interest and participation.

Phone: Bob O’Neill …312-829-8015

Email: boboneill@grantparkconservancy.com

CHICAGO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM MOVING TO GRANT PARK

“Mayor Richard M. Daley announced today that Chicago Children’s Museum will move from Navy Pier to a new building to be constructed on the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Columbus Drive in Grant Park.

The Chicago Park District will provide the site, which is at the south end of Daley Bicentennial Plaza, and Allstate Insurance will donate $15 million toward the construction costs, the Mayor announced.”

Read the full press release.

“Wednesday’s announcement is the culmination of expansion plan effort started nearly a year ago as Peter England, CEO and president of the Chicago Children’s Museum, examined ways to get more space. In January, Mr. England announced he was eyeing Grant Park as a potential new home.”

Article from Crain’s Chicago Business.