WEST TOWN SPECIAL SERVICE AREA #29
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CHI FI
Did you know that the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce Special Service Area program, SSA29, has launched FREE WI FI on Chicago Avenue!
Go anywhere on Chicago Avenue (or just inside a storefront/resident facing Chicago Avenue), between Armour (~1500 W.) and Throop (~1300 W.) with a wireless device. The wireless device can be a laptop, notebook, personal digital assistant or cell phone type device. These devices are required to include a wireless PC-Card (802.11b or 802.11g at 2.4Ghz) component and an Internet browser. You may need to be near the front of the building (facing Chicago Avenue) to get a strong signal.

Note: Newer operating systems, like Windows XP or Mac OSX, are designed to automatically recognize a wireless network signal. Use the instructions below to configure your wireless adapter, if your laptop has been previously configured for another wireless network or if you are using an older operating system.
To configure your wireless adapter:

Windows OS: Right-click on My Network Places/Network Neighborhood. Go to Properties. Double-click Wireless Adapter. (Or, simply click on your vendor icon for the wireless adapter in the lower right-hand tool bar.)

Then, follow these five steps:
1. The SSID should be set to "chifi" (it may be followed by a number, such as "chifi1" or "chifi2").
2. A DHCP address will be allocated automatically.
3. The 'wireless encryption privacy ' WEP' option should be set to "off ".
4. The network type option should be set to "infrastructure" not "ad hoc" (peer-to-peer).
5. You can now open a web browser. You may be directed to a registration page; follow the instructions to set up a free account. The system will allow you to connect long enough to register and then check an online email account (such as gmail.com, or yahoo.com) so you can retrieve your password. Once you log in with your name and password, it's likely you won't need to enter a name/password if you tell your browser to save the name and password for the login page.

Mac OS: Click on System Preferences from the Apple menu. Double-click the Network logo. Under Show Menu:

1. Select Airport. Close window.
2. Open Internet connect. Turn on Airport.
3. At Network menu, select "chifi" (or "chifi1", "chifi2", or whichever of these access points appears.
4. You can now open a web browser. You may be directed to a registration page; follow the instructions to set up a free account. The system will allow you to connect long enough to register and then check an online email account (such as gmail.com, or yahoo.com) so you can retrieve your password. Once you log in with your name and password, it's likely you won't need to enter a name/password if you tell your browser to save the name and password for the login page.

If you have any questions, please email support@onshore.net.

STANCE OPPOSING THE PROPOSED PROMOTER ORDINANCE

The board of directors of the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce is very concerned with the affect that the new proposed "Promoter Ordinance" would have on the Chicago music scene. As the board understands the new ordinance, it would require independent promoters to get licenses to promote events. Under the proposed law, independent promoters would have to acquire a promoter's license at a cost of up to $2000 every two years, obtain liability insurance for a minimum of $300,000 for every event thrown, even if the presenting venue already has liability insurance, be fingerprinted and background checked, and maintain extensive records of each event.

The WTCCC board believes that this ordinance for venues is unnecessary, as current regulation of PPA licenses and safety and security guidelines are sufficient.  The ordinance also unfairly singles out small venues and venues without seating, with no justification for during so.  The goal for any additional regulation should be enforcement of current laws and punishment of those who do not obey them, not increased burdens on existing businesses. It is the chamber's mission to retain existing businesses and this ordinance would cause a number of negative results to that mission.

The Promoters Ordinance would negatively affect the Chicago music community at large.  First, it would affect the bottom line of small businesses, businesses that make a significant portion of revenue from partnerships with reputable, incident-free independent promoters. Second, loosing independent promoters means Chicago music fans would loose out on many small niche events important to minority groups. Third, restricting independent promoters would drastically cut into the ability to do charitable and political benefit concerts, as it would no longer be financially feasible for non-profit organizations to organize these events. Fourth, as the ordinance is written, the definition of "music promoter" also applies to independent musicians. Right now, when a bandleader books a show, they may post fliers or place advertisements in the newspaper. That is considered "promotion" and not only would live music venues have to get this new license, but also self-promoting bands and other musicians.

The Chicago live music scene has always been a valuable asset to the city. Chicago has been known as a great city for music, however over the years the venues have become fewer and fewer. Live music venues often pioneer and anchor neighborhoods and not only attract tourism and additional commerce, but help to booster business development. To hinder live music venues, musicians, bands, and promoters from doing their jobs by enforcing this ordinance would be the first step towards diminishing even further a music scene that has already suffered many losses. Please take the stance of the WTCCC into consideration. The chamber represents numerous small venues in West Town which will be hurt most by this ordinance including: The Empty Bottle, Smoke Daddy, Sonotheque, Double Door, Phylis' Musical Inn, LAVA, The Darkroom, Vintage Wine Bar, The Note, Nick's, Moonshine, Debonair, Evil Olive, Buddha Lounge, OHM, Empire, Club Foot, The Continental, Subterranean and many more.

DEVELOPMENT AT ASHLAND AND DIVISION STREET
The Pizza Hut Site  (Letter from the Commercial Development Committee)

The Commercial Development Committee, Board of Directors, and over 180 members of the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce are very concerned about the future re-development of the south-west corner of Division and Ashland Avenues. The WTCCC is concerned not only with the potential development of a one story stand alone Walgreen's franchise at that location, but also with the many other prime commercial corners in West Town being developed in the same manner with generic structures, chain stores, and satellite banks. The former Pizza Hut site on Division and Ashland is a prime example of a site that could be re-developed with more thought for the surrounding architecture and for the current and future needs of the community.

The corner of Division and Ashland Avenues is a gateway into the Wicker Park and East Village neighborhoods. The site is adjacent to the Polish Triangle, the CTA blue line Division stop, and across the street from the historic MB Bank building. The potential development on the south-west corner could become "historic" in the future if an architecturally significant, multi-storied mixed use building of the same scale as MB were erected as opposed to a generic one story concrete eye sore. Walgreen's could certainly be a tenant in a larger more aesthetically pleasing multi-use building.

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development should be made aware that the mass majority of the non-profits, chambers, residents, and community groups in the West Town area are ALL against a stand alone one-story development going in at Division and Ashland. The community at large is also concerned with the future of our commercial corridors for what seems to be a trend of major corners being developed with generic structures, chain franchises, and satellite banks. This spot planning, parcel by parcel approach does not seem to be working, and we need to be focusing on improving the bigger commercial development picture.

Please take the stance of the entire West Town Community into consideration in regards to this project and require the developer of the property at the south-west corner of Division and Ashland to build a more significant and appropriate multi-storied mixed-use structure, with more of a chance to have a positive impact on the community.

The above letter was sent on November 1st, 2007 to 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores, Luis Monterubio City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development,  Xochitl Flores City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development


REQUEST TO LIFT THE PACKAGED LIQUOR SALES BAN
(Letter from the Licensing Liaison Committee)

The board of directors of the WTCCC would like to request that the package sales liquor license restrictions in place on the commercial streets within our service area be lifted; specifically the restrictions on Chicago Avenue and Division Street from Damen to Ashland, and on Ashland and Damen from Division to Chicago. While ten years ago there may have been a need to restrict package liquor sales in the East Village district for safety issues, the neighborhood has since gentrified, thus the WTCCC board of directors believes that the restrictions are no longer necessary and are actually prohibiting positive commercial development. If in the future there is a case in which a business with a package liquor sales license is causing safety issues or problems, the new Deleterious Impact Ordinance can now address those situations.

Recently there have been several existing small business owners, convenience grocers, requesting support for obtaining package sales licenses on Chicago Avenue and on Damen Avenue in the East Village neighborhood in order to compete with the new Dominick's and to provide goods and services for the new demographic. Instead of supporting each current and future request, the WTCCC board voted to request that the entire package sales restriction be lifted. Retaining existing businesses and recruiting new businesses to the area is the mission of this chamber, and the outdated liquor license restrictions are deterring that mission. Please take our request into consideration. Thank you.

The above letter was sent on January 17th 2008 to  1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores, 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack, Luis Monterubio City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development,  Xochitl Flores City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development

THE CHAMBER SUPPORTS A NEW WEST TOWN LIBRARY
The Board of Directors of the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce recently wrote a letter of support for the City's potential initiative to install a new library in the Goldblatt Brothers landmark building at 1613-1635 W. Chicago Avenue in order to serve the needs of residents in West Town. Updates will be on the website as we know more.