I Think I Saw It On Fulton Street
We’ve mentioned this proposed historical district plan before, and we’re still enthused by it. However, not everyone is.
While it maintains the existing zoning, the plan provides guidelines for how the neighborhood should be developed so that officials deciding the fates of the many projects being proposed can follow a strategic vision, said Steven Valenziano, assistant zoning administrator with the Department of Planning.
The part of the plan that imposes historic landmark status on buildings within a section of the district — along Fulton Street between Racine Avenue and Green Street, along Randolph Street between Carpenter and Halsted streets, and the swath of Sangamon Street from Fulton to Randolph — is being met with staunch resistance from some Fulton Market business and property owners.
They worry the preservation restrictions will handcuff them to obsolete buildings, making it hard to do business if they need to make building improvements, or reduce the resale value if they decide to leave.
Holding My Life in My Hand“It turns my business into an exhibit in this theme park,” said Melissa Otte, part of the family that owns the butter, cheese and egg distributor Meloney Cunningham & DeVic at 1114 W. Fulton St., which is one of the buildings that would be landmarked. “It’s really upsetting to hear that you’re history when you still work there.”
(click here to continue reading Fulton Market historic district could kill what it honors, critics say – chicagotribune.com.)
Eggs Cheese and Butter
Seems like Melissa Otte’s long term plan was to raze her building, and sell it to developers to build generic condos on. So sorry.
Some more photos of Fulton Market are just a click away…