Uptown United
The mission of Uptown United is to provide technical assistance to businesses and economic investors located in and serving Uptown, initiate and participate in strategic planning, encourage economic development to strengthen the community's economic base, address broad issues pertaining to the quality of life for Uptown's diverse population, and be a network to encourage partnerships.
Development Partners
The mission of the Development Partners is to initiate and participate in strategic planning, promote appropriate land use, and encourage development projects that provide employment opportunities, a strengthened economic base, and an enhanced quality of life for Uptown's diverse population.
Community Partners
The mission of the Community Partners is to initiate and participate in strategic planning and discussion to address broad issues of community development including balanced growth, social diversity, and economic vitality. Community Partners will be a network promoting productive interaction and will serve as a catalyst to effect partnerships among businesses and community organizations to enhance the quality of life for Uptown's diverse population.
Business Partners
The mission of the Business Partners, the Chamber for Uptown, is to provide comprehensive support services and access to technical assistance programs to businesses and economic investors located in and serving Uptown. The assistance furnished by the Business Partners will insure that Uptown businesses have the opportunity and tools to thrive, and that the needs for goods and services in the community are met.
Also please visit our
Uptown
partner UptownBusinessPartners.com
Uptown United
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Uptown
Special Service Area
Next SSA #34 Advisory Commission Meeting  The next meeting of the SSA #34 Advisory Commission is rescheduled from Feb. 9 to Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at Sun Wah B-B-Q Restaurant, 5039-41 N. Broadway. For a listing of agendas and/or meeting minutes, click here. Security Rebate Pilot Program Underway 
Uptown United is now accepting applications for the Uptown SSA#34 Security Rebate Pilot Program. This program will allow applicants to enhance the security of their business/property as well as the safety of the public areas in the commercial sections of the Uptown community. The Pilot phase of this program will accept up to five applications. Applications will be considered in the order they are received. Should any applications be received beyond the initial five, the applicants will be waitlisted until one of the prior submissions is denied or until the program reopens later in 2010. Applicants must be licensed businesses, property owners/ managers and/or condominium associations located within the SSA's boundaries (see map). This Pilot Program offers grants reimbursing 50% of qualifying expenses up to $1,000 per request for commercial businesses, property owners, and/or condo associations complying with program requirements. The following security system components of the qualify for reimbursement: * Installation of a camera/surveillance system that includes public way camera (public sidewalks, public alleys) * Purchase price or initial lease price of the public way portion of camera/surveillance system referenced above * Labor costs associated with above installations Applicants of the must participate in the Private Sector Camera Initiative of the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications. More info is at the OEMC website or can be downloaded here. Click to download a PDF of the full guidelines & application. You can also request them or get more info by calling 773-878-1064, via fax 773-878-3678 or email to ssa@uptownunited.org. SSA Commissioner Ray Rickert Dies  We are saddened to share news of the death of longtime Uptown resident and SSA Commissioner Raymond J. Rickert. Ray passed away peacefully on Thanksgiving night 2008 after spending the holiday with family and friends. He was 74. Ray spent his life serving his country and the City of Chicago -- first in the United States Marine Corps for six years in Active Duty and Reserves, and then as a firefighter for the City of Chicago, retiring in 1989 as Battalion Chief after 33 years of service. Chief Rickert's Unit was responsible for the icy rescue in January 1984 of four-year old Jimmy Tontlewicz. Ray continued his community service through the establishment of the Buena Park Historic Preservation Council in 1997. He was an active member of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and befriended many a beat cop at the coffee shop during their nightly patrols. SSA, Block Clubs Team Up to Help Argyle Area Trees On October 11, a group of resident volunteers as well as Cleanslate program interns and staff from the Uptown SSA worked to distribute mulch into each tree pit along the public way along and immediately adjacent to Argyle Street. Mulching the tree pits accomplishes two important goals:
 This maintenance project is a collaborative effort between the offices of Alderman Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward), Alderman Helen Shiller (46th Ward), volunteers from several neighborhood groups including Argyle-Winmore and Carmen-Winona Block Clubs, and the Uptown Special Service Area #34 (Uptown United and Cleanslate). For more info, contact Wally at Uptown United, 773-878-1064, ssa@uptownunited.org. Earth Day 2008 - Cleanslate Teams Up with JPUSA   On the
morning of Tuesday, April 22, 2008, several staffers from the
Cleanslate program got together with home-schooled students from Jesus
People USA to continue the cleaning and beautification of Uptown’s
streets. Cleanslate, managed by The Cara Program, is a neighborhood
beautification business cleaning sidewalks and parkways on behalf of
Uptown Special Service Area #34. In addition, Cleanslate also educates
community residents and businesses about the importance of recycling,
and facilitates recycling efforts.So to honor Earth Day 2008, JPUSA’s 50 students and 10 adult volunteers fanned out into smaller crews led by Cleanslate interns, staff and volunteers to take on the streets and parkways within the area bounded by Eastwood, Sunnyside, Broadway, Sheridan and Clarendon. The crews collected 31 bags of trash and 21 bags of recyclables. Weighing in at an estimated 25-30 pounds a bag their efforts resulted in over 1,000 pounds of trash being removed from Uptown’s streets. Furthermore, as Cleanslate crew leader Brady Gott noted, “The benefits of the educational component of this event will long outlast the one day clean up.” For more information about Cleanslate or the work of Uptown SSA #34, contact Wally Rozak at Uptown United, 773-878-1064. BACK TO TOP SSA Description Uptown SSA #34, established in December, 2005, covers the major commercial corridors including Broadway from Foster to Irving Park, Sheridan Road from Foster to Montrose, the commercial areas just north of Irving Park, as well as the commercial areas on Argyle, Lawrence, Leland, Wilson and Montrose. The largest portions of the SSA budget address cleanliness, including sidewalk snow removal, additional street and sidewalk cleaning and power washing of sidewalks. The SSA is partnering with Cleanslate, a project of The Cara Program. The concept for Cleanslate was created by a senior Goldman Sachs executive who spent a sabbatical with The Cara Program. He recognized the importance of work to the well-being of the individual and created the program to give people with barriers to employment the necessary job and communication skills to stay employed and provide for themselves. In Uptown, Cleanslate performs handsweeping and litter removal, snow removal and light landscaping tasks. Cleanslate recruits from local Uptown agencies to give people in Uptown the first chance to participate in the program. The SSA chose to partner with Cleanslate not only for their superior beautification skill but also because Cleanslate provides a real opportunity for individuals in Uptown to learn and apply new skills, improve their long-term job prospects, and make a real difference in the community. The SSA also works on area marketing, including the recent banner program for Uptown. The goal is to get the maximum benefit from the program while keeping the additional tax rate as low as possible. |
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| BACK TO TOP SSA #34 (marked in yellow)  |
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| BACK TO TOP Uptown SSA #34 Advisory Commission - July 2009 Executive CommitteeTerry Tuohy, Weiss Hospital (Chair) Steven Milford, Crew Bar + Grill/Wild Pug (Vice Chair) Margaret Haywood, Inspiration Corp. (Secretary) David Rettker, Illinois Action for Children (Treasurer) At-Large Commissioners Thomas Cameron, Jesus People USA Kelly Cheng, Sun Wah BBQ Restaurant Noreen Keeney, Residential Property Owner Charles Long, Commercial Property Owner Jennifer Martin, Residential Property Owner Marco Morales, Residential Property Owner Warren Preis, European & US Car Service Mitch Schneider, Asian American Institute/Residential Property Owner |
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BACK TO TOP Regularly Scheduled Meetings for 2010 Tuesday, January 19, 2010Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Tuesday, March 16, 2010 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Tuesday, October 19, 2010 Tuesday, November 16, 2010 Unless indicated, meetings are held at 3:30 p.m. at Sun Wah BBQ Restaurant, 5039-41 N. Broadway BACK TO TOP |
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