Ridge Avenue Closed at Church Next Week

Workers will erect a tower crane atop an 8-story apartment building at 1717 Ridge Ave., necessitating road closures between Wednesday June 27, and Friday, June 29.

Northbound Ridge Avenue will be closed between Church and Clark streets next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday while crews erect a tower crane at at a new 8-story apartment complex. One southbound lane of Ridge Avenue will also be closed for the duration of the project, while the other southbound lane will remain open, according to a press release from the city. Street closures will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, and the lanes are expected to open back up during the evening on Friday, June 29. The project depends on weather, however, and may be delayed if conditions are bad. Drivers are advised to take alternate routes while construction is going on, according to the release. A detour will take motorists east on Church Street, north on …

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Construction To Begin Soon on Church, Sheridan

Work on three public works projects begins June 18: resurfacing Church Street, a plaza with rain garden at Dodge and Lake and traffic signal modernization on Sheridan.

‘Tis the season for construction—and, right on time, work on a new batch of projects in Evanston will soon be underway.  On Monday, June 18, the city’s Public Works Department will begin three new construction projects, according to a press release from city spokesperson Eric Palmer. Those include resurfacing Church Street and installing a protected bike path, street-scaping at Dodge Avenue and Lake Street and traffic signal improvements on Sheridan Road.  On Church Street, public works crews will grind the asphalt, repair the roadway base and replace the asphalt surface. They will also construct a new concrete sidewalk with brick border and replace the existing tree grates, according to Palmer.    Want to stay up to date on the latest …

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Will Trader Joe's Cause Traffic Problems?

While residents (literally) applauded a new Trader Joe's store planned for 1211 Chicago Avenue at a meeting with the developer Thursday, they also raised questions about traffic congestion. What do you think?

Mention Chicago Avenue, and you can't blame an Evanstonian for picturing brakelights and orange traffic cones. A streetscaping project has clogged the street from South Boulevard to Main Street since April, and is expected to continue through June 15. On top of that, both lanes were blocked off between Church and Clark Streets yesterday for installation of a chiller system on top of a new apartment building. So when residents had the chance to talk to the developer of the new Trader Joe's store planned for 1211 Chicago Ave. last Thursday, many wanted to know about traffic issues. In particular, they worried that the story would create congestion on Chicago Avenue as drivers entered and exited the parking lot.  Third ward Alderman Melissa …

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Chicago Ave. Will Be Closed From 7am-8pm Today

The street will be blocked off between Church and Clark streets so that workers can hoist a new chiller system to the roof of the apartment complex at 1715 Chicago Ave.

About Town

Signs of Economic Hope Are in the Air

You might have to look for them, but they're out there.

Driving through town last week, I felt a wave of optimism as I slowed my car for traffic rerouted due to the building construction on Ridge Avenue. Sounds crazy, right? We’ve been using words like recession and downturn and crisis for so long that it’s become a habit seeking out the shuttered businesses and empty lots around town; doing so verifies what we read and hear in the media. But what if we shift our perspective, even slightly, and notice the positive? I’m not talking about lush green grasses taking over abandoned properties. I’m not talking about colorful bulbs popping up earlier than ever to brighten our lawns. There’s real change going on all around us. You might have to look for it, but it’s there. And, is it just me, or do …

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Christine Wolf

10:02 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Victoria, I completely agree with you that business is business and rules are rules. While I'm not a business owner, I worked in advertising, where I learned the value of 2 critical aspects of business success: a) Keep your customers coming back and b) Spread the word. I may very well have been wrong to ask for my refill in a to go cup, but I've done it at other places -- LePeep in Evanston being…   more ›

Ridge Ave. Down One Lane Between Clark and Church Streets

One lane in both directions will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for two weeks to install water and sewer infrastructure for a new building.

Starting this morning, you may want to avoid the stretch of Ridge Avenue between Clark and Church streets during the middle of the day. Construction starts today and should last about two weeks, which will close one lane of Ridge in both directions between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The closure will allow water and sewer infrastructure to be installed for a new eight-story apartment building at 1717 Ridge Ave., according to a press release from the city. Access to Clark Street will remain open. You can click on traffic control plan maps in the media uploader to the right. Focus Construction of Northfield is managing the project and can be contacted at 847-441-0474. Keep up to date on the latest happenings in Evanston by liking our Facebook page.

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Northwestern Unveils $32-Million Visitors Center

New building should help alleviate parking on nearby residential streets during weekdays.

Northwestern University plans to break ground this summer on a $32-million, 170,000-square-foot visitors center in the southeast part of campus. The school announced the construction, which is part of its 2009 plan to redo the southeast entrance to campus, in a press release Friday. Architecture firm Perkins+Will will design the building, which will include a 160-seat auditorium, meeting rooms, office space for admissions staff and waiting areas for campus visitors. More than 47,000 people visit the admission office each year, the release said. The Daily Northwestern quoted Bonnie Humphrey, director of design and construction, as saying, "It certainly is an important gateway for all prospective students and visitors on the campus," The …

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Grab & Go Kids Planner

Check out five activities you can do with your kids this weekend in Evanston.

The Wiz In its 60th annual production, Brillianteen, a student theatre group under the McGaw YMCA, will perform The Wiz at King Lab School Auditorium for the next two weekends.  Bring your family to the classic fairy-tale recreation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with rock music. The scheduled performances are as follows: Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., Mar. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Mar. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and Mar. 7 at 2 p.m.  Adult general admissions tickets are being sold for $15, while children under 13 can purchase tickets for $10.  Tickets can be purchased online or via phone through the Brillianteen Ticket Hotline at 847-475-7400 ext. 277.   Canine Safety Presentation by Tail Waggin Tutors Come this Saturday, Feb. 26 from 3:30 to 4:30 p…

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