Submit Your 2023 MENU Fund Requests 
December 1st, 2022

Dear Neighbor,

Menu funds describe the $1.5 million that each ward office receives and allocates to infrastructure projects that go to improvements such as street and alley repaving and sidewalk repairs. This process is referred to as menu funds because the office receives a “menu” of infrastructure options to choose from each year.

Each year, my office reviews the Chicago Department of Transportation and 311 data, recommendations and planned work from city agencies, and ideas from neighbors on where to invest menu funds. Your calls and emails throughout the year about the conditions of roads, risen sidewalks, and other observations help inform our menu spending!

You can find a full list of the menu funds completed in the past year here.

Some common examples of menu projects include:

• Street Resurfacing (repaving a street)
• Alley Resurfacing  (repaving an alley)
• Sidewalk Reconstruction/Resurfacing (rebuilding/repairing raised or broken sidewalks)
• Curb & Gutter (repairing a deteriorating curb or a sinking/cut gutter)
• Alley Apron (repaving entrance to alley)
• Arterial Street Bump Outs (enlarging major street corners to shorten crosswalk)
• Street Lighting (adding/upgrading street lighting)
• Bike Lines (installing bike lanes)
• Tree Plantings (planting a tree)

Menu Fund Suggestions
Your feedback helps me to prioritize menu funds each year! If you aren't sure about whether or not an infrastructure idea or concern is related to me, please send it along and we can ensure the proper department is alerted! We are always happy to assist with 311 requests or other infrastructure projects.

If you have a menu project idea or an infrastructure concern, please email our office at Ward46@cityofchicago.org or call us at 773-878-4646. In the email, please include your name, address, and contact information. When describing your idea, please make sure to include:

• The type of infrastructure request/problem and why: is your concern about a street, a sidewalk square, etc? Is it broken, is there flooding, etc?
• The address/location of the infrastructure item: please be as specific as possible, including an address, cross street, and other markers.
• The extent/length of the request: "The street needs to be paved for 2 blocks, from X St. to Y Ave. " or "2 sidewalk squares need to be replaced."
• Whenever possible, please include photos!

Our office continues to add and adjust our spending priorities throughout the year, as infrastructure conditions change due to storms, construction, emergency work, and more. Please never hesitate to reach out whenever you have ideas for potential improvements to our ward!

Best,

• This is the last week for street sweeping in 2022. You can find the schedule here. Please move your cars on street sweeping days to avoid tickets and to ensure that drains and catch basins are cleared ahead of rain and snow. 
• The City of Chicago will pick up bagged leaves if you make a 311 request. Make a 'yard waste pick-up request' here.
• Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice - learn more about the City Ordinance on our website. 
• You may have ComEd transformers and/or switchgear on your property that may need to be accessed in the winter.  Occasionally after a snowstorm, snow removal efforts will result in buried or blocked access to critical ComEd equipment.  Occasionally, a snow plow will move snow into ComEd equipment, damaging it and possibly causing a loss in power.
• DFSS North Area Center, 845 W Wilson, is our primary warming center.

UPCOMING EVENTS
WINTER WALK ON WILSON
Friday, December 2nd from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. 
 Find more information here.


CASINO TOWN HALL
Monday, December 5th from 6:00 PM to 8:00PM. 700 W Chicago. Join the City and Bally’s for a public engagement meeting regarding an amendment to PD 1426 for the Bally’s Chicago Casino permanent casino site. The engagement meeting will focus on updates to the planned development including infrastructure, design, traffic, and other related issues. The meeting is Monday, December 5 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Chicago Tribune Publishing Center.
Register here. Learn more information here.


WILSON/BROADWAY ETOD VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
Wednesday, December 14th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Register here. Uptown United and the 46th Ward invites you to participate in a site development study to explore how policies and initiatives from the City of Chicago’s new eTOD ordinance affects Uptown. We have observed increased development interest for sites located near the Wilson CTA Station, and it has become clear the importance of engaging community stakeholders in shaping a vision for these sites. Results of this study will be used as a guide for future development throughout the neighborhood. 


UPLIFT WINTER PROJECT EXHIBITION 
Wednesday, December 21st from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM & 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.  Uplift High School. 900 W Wilson.

PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATES
NARCAN/NALOXONE AVAILABLE AT 46TH WARD OFFICE
The 46th Ward Office has free Naloxone (Narcan) and Fentanyl Test Kits available. You can also access Naloxone (Narcan) in Chicago Public Libraries, including the Bezazian and Uptown branches. Anyone in Chicago can access medications to treat opioid use disorder by calling 833-234-6343. You do not need to have insurance, income, or documentation to access this treatment. 

NEW INFORMATION ON MVP
Click here to see the latest updates from the CDPH on MPV. 
For further questions and concerns, contact the CDPH by calling 312-746-4835 or learn more here. Click here to see their most recent webinar about the virus.

UPDATED COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL
Chicago and Cook County have moved from the Low into the Medium COVID-19 Community Level according to the latest Community Level metrics released by the CDC. 

UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINE BIVALENT BOOSTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
More information about the new vaccine and roll-out can be found here. For those who need help finding a nearby vaccination site, Vaccines.gov is a free online service that you can use to search for pharmacies and providers that offer vaccination. Residents can also call the City’s COVID-19 call center at 312-746-4835 or call 312-746-4835 to get a vaccination at home.

SCHOOL & LIBRARY UPDATES
BRENNEMANN ELEMENTARY
Support a student! Contact School Counselor Jessica Broniarczyk for more information, jlbroniarczy@cps.edu

CPS UPLIFT COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL FEATURE
Great shout out from CPS for Uplift Community High School! Read the full article here. Learn more about Uplift here.

UPTOWN BRANCH FALL PROGRAMMING
Saturday, December 3rd at 11:00 AM. 929 W Buena. Check out the website here for more information on Fall programming.

FRIENDS OF BEZAZIAN EVENT
Saturday, December 10th at 3:00 PM, Bezazian Library, 1226 W Ainslie.
Support Bezazian! Free Holiday concert to raise funds for Friends of Bezazian Library. This event is free but donations will be accepted.

SENIOR CENTERS
Senior residents of the 46th Ward who are looking to beat the heat are encouraged to visit any of the Department of Family and Support Services Senior Center locations which operate Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm. 

• Northeast (Levy) Senior Center | 2019 W. Lawrence Avenue | 312-744-0784
• Edgewater Satellite Senior Center | 5917 N. Broadway | 312-742-5323

DEVELOPMENT & CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
If you have questions about any of these projects or other work taking place in the 46th Ward please reach out to our office at ward46@cityofchicago.org or 773-878-4646. When asking about developments or construction work, it is helpful to have the address of where the proposal or work is taking place.

4102 N. SHERIDAN RD - SPECIAL USE ONLY 
Buena Park Neighbors provided a letter of support for a special use for residential units on the ground floor. 

1050 W. WILSON - DOUBLE DOOR

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks approved the plans for the rehabilitation of the future site of Double Door located at 1050 W. Wilson, just steps away from the Wilson CTA Station, Built in 1909, this building was converted into a bank in the 1920s and was used that way until 2011, and has been vacant ever since. The 17-foot blade sign is reminiscent of the original blade sign at Double Door’s previous location in Wicker Park. Ald. Cappleman believed it was important that that part of Double Door’s history be remembered when it moved to Uptown.

4701 N. CLARK
Developer Platinum Homes is requesting a zoning change from B3-2 to B2-3 in order to construct a five-story residential building. The proposal would have 37 dwelling units (parking for 19 vehicles and 27 bicycles). The Clark Street Neighbors Association held a meeting last week to discuss this proposal. Ald. Cappleman will defer to the City's Dept. of Housing to determine how the ARO will be utilized for this development. This development proposal is along Clark Street, which is currently undergoing a corridor study led by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, which is why this department's input is also crucial. Click here for more information.

CTA & RED PURPLE LINE MODERNIZATION (RPM) UPDATES
If you have questions, comments, or concerns about the RPM project please contact RPM@transitchicago.com or call 331-303-2499. 

RPM CONSTRUCTION NOTICES 



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