DEPAUL UNIVERSITY'S HEART FOR HISTORY

LCA and Bridgeview Bank Co-Sponsored Community Research Initiative's Annual Spring Event

By  Anne Moore

A  partnership between Lincoln Park community organizations, businesses, and DePaul University was created during the school's (1998-1999) centennial to document and preserve the shared history of the institution and its neighborhood.

It's called the Lincoln Park Community Research Initiative (LPCRI). It has an archive in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Collection  of the DePaul University Library that holds menus, theatre programs, photographs and other ephemeral unique to Lincoln Park. LPCRI is best known for the lively, well attended free-of-charge programs it hosts twice per year, one in the fall and one in the spring.  

 

On Tuesday, June 6, LPCRI presented Lincoln Park

Neighborhood Then & Now: A Photographic History  to a capacity  crowd at DePaul's Student Center. The presentation,

co-sponsored by Lincoln Central Association and  Bridgeview Bank,  was a slideshow documentary curated and produced by photographer Bob Segal, a Lincoln Park resident and LCA board member. Read more about Bob's remarkable presentation.

In the past, the initiative's programs have featured (continued...)

FROM THE HEART MATTERS

How LCA's Newsletter Had A "Priceless Impact" For A Local Artist

By Kathy Jordan

Moulton in his gallery

It's not just people in Lincoln Park who are reading LCA's award winning newsletter, From the Heart. Its reach goes from downtown Chicago to Libertyville and beyond. LCA member  Josh Moulton, the local artist featured in the September 2016 issue of the newsletter, can attest to that. 

"Just two days after the newsletter article appeared, I received a

 phone call from a graphic designer," says Moulton, owner of Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery. The designer was from McCaffery Interests, also an LCA member, which, with Hines, is developing The Lincoln Common on the site of the former Children's Memorial Hospital. 

"While we were developing the brand for The Lincoln Common, we explored several artists whose work we felt captured the experience of living in Lincoln Park," said Heather Skomba, Senior Marketing Director for McCaffery Interests. "While the artists we considered were quite talented, their works were not specific to Chicago or Lincoln Park."  

"North Pond"

"When our Project Development Manager for The Lincoln Common, Denice Bocek, showed us Josh Moulton's work in LCA's newsletter, we were immediately sold. Who better to illustrate the beauty and vibrancy of Lincoln Park than a local artist?  Josh's photo-realistic style provides a beautiful and accurate representation of the neighborhood and has served as a perfect complement to our renderings and photography," said Skomba. "We are thrilled that he allowed us to license his paintings and even more excited that we're able to highlight a local artist in our marketing campaign." 

"Having my images of Lincoln Park licensed for use in their online marketing has been really terrific," said Josh. "My contract is for four images, and they're also using my photography. Every image will have ( continued.....)

Special Note: If you use Gmail, Yahoo mail or other another webmail program, and in some cases on Android devices, you will either need to click on the "Having trouble viewing this email? Click here" link at the very top of the email, or the "message clipped" link at the bottom left of the page. Otherwise you will not see the full email and some of the links will not work. In some instances when using Outlook, only the link at the very top will be available.

  A PLAYFUL HEART

Spring Zing Was a Hit in the Neighborhood!

	LCA events are something to smile about.

The 4th annual Spring Zing brought together games, entertainment, food, giveaways and delights like never before. Most importantly, it brought residents and businesses together to visit and play and enjoy a beautiful afternoon in the heart of neighborhood.

 

Magic in the Heart!

Magician Sean Masterson, generously sponsored by LCA member Bridgeview Bank, delighted with mind boggling tricks and illusions. The friendly staff from LCA member Lakeshore Sport & Fitness sponsored and supervised several activities including helping the wee ones in the bouncy house, leading games of 9 Square and clocking fastballs for kids of all ages. 

	Always popular Engine 22

One of the event's highlights was  the arrival of Fire Engine 22. The firefighters welcomed parents and kids alike onto Engine 22 to check out the equipment and pose for photographs. These firefighters are as nice as they are brave and they are always one of the most popular attractions at LCA events. We hope to see them at the 10th annual Howler at Bauler on Saturday, October 28!

The good neighbors from the Lincoln Park Chamber of

Commerce, an LCA member, brought Insomnia Cookies and games of Bozo Buckets and bag toss. The Community Volunteer Corps from LCA member Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago was on hand to provide bike and pedestrian safety lessons thanks to the generosity of Kohl's Cares for Kids, the philanthropic arm of Kohl's Department Stores. 

Our friends from  Geja's, an LCA member, were serving up their delectable gruyere cheese & Swiss chocolate

	Geja's Cafe, serving the neighborhood once again!

fondue, newly available for take-out. Tobacco Road, an LCA member on the 2200 block of N. Lincoln, served up tasty chicken wings and Clemson Bird Dogs dog from Chef Raul Castandea's southern-inspired menu. Attendees were excited to get a preview of the savory offerings from Blue Door Farm Stand, which opens its Halsted St. location later this month. Attendees also enjoyed delicious macaroons from Vanille and refreshing beverages from David's Tea's Armitage Street location.

 

From the face painters, balloon artists and kite decorators, to the Emerald City Mother Goose's Garden  frisbees (a perfect play from kids 0-5!), the day put fun and joy into the hearts of all involved thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.  

See more photos of the incredible fun at LCA's 4th annual Spring Zing fun of the day! Album 1, Album 2, Album 3.

Native Gardens, cont'd

"....houses are so big."

In "Native Gardens," the cordial beginning continues as the neighbors discuss removing a chain link fence that the English gardener has covered with ivy to lessen its effect on his garden. The fence belongs to the new neighbors, who prop ose putting up a wooden fence. Both sides are happy.

"There are people who want to eliminate the back yard completely, even though neighbors object because it affects their property," Moore said. "Some have come to blows. It can get ugly."

When measuring for the new fence, a survey reveals that the old fence is built a foot over the lot line, meaning the English garden is a foot larger than it ought to be. So the cordiality ends, since putting the fence in as it should be would result in losing some of the well-tended flowers.

Moore said disputes over property lines rarely happen in Lincoln Park. Instead, issues center more on the size of the houses. "Garages can go lot line to lot line right next to existing houses. The builders forget how they are impinging on other people's property," she said. "They just try to maximize the size of a house. It's hard to fight because the zoning code allows it."

Moore said  Alderman Michele Smith has tried to undo that part of the code, but it's very difficult to do. "She's into saving back yards and gardens," Moore said. "Many people destroy what attracted them to the property in the first place--the green of the back yard, the trees."

"As a committee, we look at every case individually, considering how it will affect neighbors on both sides. We have allowed some things and gone against others. For example, there was a house on Burling with a beautiful garden. The owners wanted to build a roof garden on the garage. While we usually oppose those, we allowed this one because the garden was preserved. We're not inflexible."

Local Artist Cont'd

"....  my website and name on it. And I'm commissioned to do a painting of the complex to hang in somewhere in Lincoln Common when the project is complete." 

When we saw Josh's paintings in the September issue, we knew it was just what we wanted. We're not fond of abstract art; we prefer Josh's photographic style. Deborah and I stopped by Josh's studio one day. We liked Josh as much as we did his art and knew he was our guy."

"The impact of the newsletter profile for my business has been priceless," says Moulton. "Neither McCaffery Interests or the Werner family were familiar with my work until they read the profile last September. Now they are both customers."

Fran Casey, DePaul's Director of Community Affairs, is steward of LPCRI. "We believe that having a sense of its history enriches the life of a community. It fosters a sense of belonging, a sense of place and shared roots. We highlight a century of community builders, innovators, and makers of history in Lincoln Park." 

Bridgeview Bank's Julia Vanvliet grew up on Wrightwood Avenue and graduated from  Lincoln Park High School; she joined the initiative committee in 2004. "It's a great fit for me. I love history and I love Lincoln Park. We preserve our history by doing this." Known for its generous community involvement, Bridgeview Bank provides financial support to the archive and for the initiative's programs. Grant money has also been provided by  Old Town Triangle Association,  Sheffield Neighborhood Association,  Wrightwood Neighbors Association and individuals.

Historian Diane Gonzalez, of Old Town, joined the initiative committee and has worked with DePaul students documenting the history of buildings and on numerous programs, including the history of Lincoln Park music and the history of Lincoln Park restaurants. "I'm so happy to be engaged with the community in a meaningful way," says Gonzalez, who marvels at the collaboration that takes place among faculty, students, businesses and neighbors to create LPRCI's historically rich offerings. "I think the programs make people proud to live here," she says. "And the DePaul archive will be here a lot longer than we are."

THANK YOU GENEROUS SPONSORS!

LCA is a small  501(c)(3) volunteer not-for-profit neighborhood organization. Our events are only made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our sponsors. Please let these establishments know you appreciate their generosity. Most importantly, we hope you will support these establishments whenever you have the opportunity because they support our neighborhood.

SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES WHO SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION!

PLATINUM SPONSORS

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GOLD SPONSORS

 ART IN LINCOLN PARK ANNUAL LECTURE