Friends of Bezazian Book Donation Drive August 8 - September 19

The Friends of Bezazian Library Book sale, a beloved neighborhood tradition is returning, and it makes a big different in one of Chicago's most active public libraries! Friends of Bezazian, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is looking for donations for the sale. Drop offs are welcome at the library circulation desk starting August 8. We accept gently used books, CDs, and DVDs. We cannot accept textbooks, VHS, LPs and 45s, out of date travel guides, and ancient reference materials. 

The Friends of Bezazian Book Sale will take place September 19–20, 2026, at the Bezazian Branch Library (1226 W. Ainslie Street). Shoppers can find amazing deals on gently used books, CDs, and DVDs—most items priced at just $1 or $2, with even better deals the more you buy.

'Presotea' Coming Soon to 5000 N. Sheridan

5000 N. Sheridan (Google)

 A storefront that was remodeled years back and has sat empty since will finally see a tenant!

We now know that Presotea plans to open in the space and is now hiring for managers and baristas according to a sign posted in the window. 

Presotea is a well-known bubble tea franchise that started in Taiwan and has since expanded across the US with 2 locations slated to open in Chicago, one in Wicker Park and one in Uptown at 5000 N. Sheridan.

Check out their website here and if you are interested in applying, you can learn more here.

Live the Ducking Dream

5041 N. Broadway (Google Maps)

In another example of the significant reshaping of the Argyle Street district over the last few years, work will begin soon to convert the office space over Sun Wah BBQ to apartments.

So, if you love Sun Wah's famous duck (and we all do) and want to live in a place that offers you quick access to Sun Wah, tons of great food places on Argyle, and the Red Line a few steps away, you're in luck!

Expect leasing to begin in 2027.

Sheridan and Lakeside Beautification at CircEsteem

 

News this week that the City of Chicago issued a grant for beautification in front of CircEsteem (4730 N. Sheridan). Per plans shared with us, CircEsteem plans to create a community plaza in front of the building with seating, landscaping and hardscape improvements. 

Proposed Improvements (CDOT/CircEsteem)

Ongoing Construction (UU)

Per CircEsteem's email to us: 

The new streetscape project, developed in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), will transform the space outside the building into a more welcoming gathering place for the neighborhood. Planned improvements include expanded pedestrian space, landscaping, seating, bike racks, and an open plaza designed to encourage community connection and creativity.

As part of the planning process, CircEsteem youth helped shape the design by reviewing concepts, voting on their favorite options, and providing feedback to the design team, ensuring the project reflects the voices of the young people who use the space every day.

"We are excited to continue the beautification and restoration of our historic site, now home to CircEsteem, Chicago's youth circus," said Executive Director Dian Squire. "We can't wait until the streetscape is complete so that we can highlight our building and continue to welcome our community through our doors."

 Thanks to CircEsteem and CDOT for making our neighborhood a little more beautiful!

"Baby Gym" Headed to Uptown...er, "Andersonville"

Uptown, if you were waiting to get your little ones on the track to being the next Simone Biles, you're in luck!

4806 N. Clark

NY import Baby Gym has graphics up advertising their new "Andersonville" location at 4806 N. Clark. Of course, that's 100% Uptown and a teeny tiny bit into the fictional "South of Foster Andersonville," but we wouldn't want to scare Chicago's parents with an "Uptown" location, would we? 

This is the space formerly occupied by the art school, StudioUs, which moved to 1144 W. Wilson right off the Red Line.

Baby Gym offers "children's gymnastics" and offers a "professional approach to amateur sports." The website looks like the space will be geared to smaller kids and will have a lot of padded floors and walls to tumble around on while kids learn gymnastics fundamentals.

Should be a great use of the space. Welcome!

30th Annual Sheridan Park Yard Sale Coming Saturday, August 1

If you live in the area between Broadway & Clark and Lawrence & Montrose and would like to participate in the yard sale, sign up at www.sheridanpark.org and click on "yard sale" at the top right.

Rendering Reveal: 4730-52 N. Clark

4730-52 N. Clark (Hanna Architects)

In May, we were first to break the story about the pending sale of the former C4 property spanning 4730-52 N. Clark. 

4730-52 N. Clark (Google)

Fencing has been up for several weeks now in anticipation of demolition, which has passed initial review but is pending City approval.

Today we got our first glimpse of the proposal along with some detail about the building to be.

We speculated that owner / builder Raftery Construction might elect to build a 3 or 4 story building "as of right" based on the C2-2 Zoning. 

But it appears that Raftery is going bigger, MUCH bigger, with a proposed 6-story 95-unit rental development that will require a zoning change and aldermanic approval.

Per the 47th Ward's summary of the plans: 

The proposed unit mix is 20 1-bedrooms, 70 2-bedrooms, and 5 3-bedrooms. 19 of the total units would be designated as affordable units under the ARO. The building would contain 40 off-street parking spaces and 95 bike parking spaces. In collaboration with the park district, the applicant is proposing to convert the south portion of the alley into publicly accessible green space.

The proposed building would house rental units, rather than condos. 

Designer Hanna Architects' design shows a building that covers the entire footprint of the property other than the privately owned "alley" that is next to the southernmost building. Raftery and Hanna propose making the alley into greenspace that will flow into Chase Park. The developers also pledge to plant trees along the eastern and southern faces of the building.

The building will be energy efficient, with bird protections and onsite EV charging. 

With the zoning change, the building will have 6850 square feet of retail that will occupy the first floor. This is relevant because the proposal also calls for the elimination of all 5 of the remaining parking spots currently on the west side of the street. Given the fact that the building has fewer spots than residents (a good thing), there will be some impact on the viability of the proposed retail space. Local businesses have repeatedly complained to us about having fewer customers due to the lack of parking options, and the elimination of more parking will not help Raftery to fill the space. (EDIT: 46th Ward Director of Infrastructure clarifies that the current 'jogged' or offset arrangement for parking will be changed to a straight layout at the developer's cost. This will eliminate parking on the west side of Clark and add parking to the east side. Effectively, this means the 5 spots are moving across the street).

Despite our concerns about the parking, we are thrilled about the additional density. (EDIT: link to comment on the development is below).

Between this building, 4641 N. Ashland and 4701 N. Clark, there are now 210 new rental units (including 40 affordable units) coming online in a very desirable area around Chase Park.

The Clark Street boom continues!

P.S. this building is on the west side of Clark, making it the 47th Ward (Matt Martin). Residents on the east side of Clark are in the 46th Ward. Since the 46th Ward Alderwoman (Angela Clay) has never established a zoning committee in her nearly 4 years in office and carefully limits public access to comment on developments, the only way 46th Ward residents will have a say in the proposal is through the local block club (Clark Street Neighbors Association). 

UPDATE: Alderman Martin is soliciting input on this proposal at his development page:

www.aldermanmartin.com/development

Chicago Paws District is Open at 4520 N. Broadway

After a long tour though construction and permitting, Chicago Paws District is now open at 4520 N. Broadway. A photographic tour of the interior can be located here (via Instagram). The space has come a long way from the days when this was a bookstore.

Available services include doggy "camps," daycare, training and boarding.

And, in a nice improvement, the back of the McJunkin Building now has a nice looking fenced in area next to the Aldi parking lot. 

Welcome!

Books4Cause Opening an Uptown Location on Wilson

Books4Cause is opening a third city location, this time in Uptown.  Most recently home to the Chicago Center for Photojournalism, the Books4Cause location at 1225 W. Wilson is expected to work as a hybrid - a freecycle equivalent to neighborhood little libraries and also a low cost used bookstore. 

Since the Center for Photojournalism closed and vacated the space, we have been watching the installation of bookshelves and saw people shelving books late at night on Saturday. 

Per a post on Magnolia Malden Block Club (h/t Gabriella Filisko), it sounds like opening day is July 10. 

Courtesy Magnolia-Malden Block Club (Facebook)

Books4Cause currently operates locations at 7080 N. McCormick Blvd in Skokie and 2931 N. Milwaukee Ave in Chicago. The organization takes donations (FAQ here) and resells some donated items to ensure operations are paid for. From the website:

Books4Cause finds the best possible use for each donated CD, DVD, and book. K-12 books are donated to African Library Project, Bernie’s Book Bank, or sent to our free bookstore. Some college-level books and textbooks are donated to the ALP, depending on demand. We work directly with universities in need of higher-level learning books. Most bestselling fiction and non-fiction books are sent to our free bookstore. Some books are sold to raise money for operations and the shipment of books to Africa. If we can’t find a home for a book, it is recycled. CDs, DVDs, are sold to pay for operations.

As for the Chicago Center for Photojournalism, we were extremely sorry to see the storefront location close. The location had some great shows (thank you!) and was a great resource. The founder attributed the closure to "unmitigated air quality and mold issues," so we are hoping those have been brought under control for this new bookstore. 

We look forward to browsing the shelves soon!

Uptown's Uplift High School Is Failing

Graphic via Illinois Policy 

We are longtime supporters of the mission of Uplift High School and wish we didn't have to see data like the above. But facts are facts. 

It's beyond terrible that we are spending nearly $40,000 per student to get 13% proficiency in reading and 0% proficiency in math. 

We know the administration and teachers are trying, but with high levels of absenteeism and very low enrollment, when is enough enough?

Readers have written us before about the overcrowded campuses at McCutcheon and Brenneman. Like our readers say, maybe it's time to move on from Uplift and consolidate those schools here...

Shooting on Clark Between Argyle and Ainslie

Courtesy Reader JF

No details to offer other than social media at this point, but multiple reports coming in that there was a shooting involving multiple people, including (possibly) a police officer, at Argyle and Ainslie. We caution that this is VERY preliminary information. 

As of now, readers are sharing photos that depict the intersection of Lawrence and Clark cut off to all vehicular traffic. Be aware and use other routes for now. 

UPDATE: Social media saying a male shot a female, refused to stop for police, and then was shot by the police. NO police were shot according to an update just now. 

UPDATE 2: Clark is closed southbound at Winnemac. Winnemac is closed eastbound at Ashland 

Buena Blooms Benefitting Brennemann Elementary Coming July 26

This self-guided tour invites you to view some of the most beautiful gardens in our historic community. Support Friends of Brennemann and enjoy a memorable day, strolling through the heart of Buena Park. 

All proceeds from Buena Blooms for Brennemann will benefit Friends of Brennemann, a 501C-3 dedicated to supporting our local Chicago public elementary school.

Check out the website here to learn more and purchase tickets!

Residents of Margate Park Launch Coalition To Help Houseless Along Lakefront

If you are concerned with the increase in the number of houseless neighbors living along our Uptown lakefront, neighbors in Margate Park (the general boundaries being Foster south to Lawrence and the lakefront west to Sheridan) are forming a coalition to help those in need find the housing the deserve and restore Margate Park. 

Check out the website here where you can also get involved, find out more about the process being requested and sign a petition. 

While we think this is a great idea and applaud the effort, a similar attempt in 2016 came under a lot of criticism.