Chicago Journal

Powell's Books to replace University Village Barbara's Bookstore

02/01/2012 1:59 PM

Less than a month after University Village’s Barbara’s Bookstore closed its doors, citing weak sales and poor foot traffic, a Chicago-based bookstore chain is moving into the space at 1218 S. Halsted St.

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• Pete's Fresh Market finally closes purchase of Near West Side site

01/26/2012 7:14 PM

• One Sixtyblue to reopen in spring 2012 as Asian barbecue

01/24/2012 4:47 PM

• Remap results: A look at West Loop, Near West Side's now-dominant Ald. Walter Burnett

01/21/2012 11:00 AM

New Year, new parade

Thousands lined Wentworth Ave. in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood for the annual Chinese New Years Parade on Sunday. The neighborhood is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

J. GEIL/Photo Editor

Chicago Bears owners: keep Crane High School open

Two weeks before giving school $20,000, McCaskeys ask schools chief to respect George Halas' alma mater

02/01/2012 1:10 PM

The family that owns the Chicago Bears is joining the fight to save the Near West Side's Crane High School, lobbying Chicago’s schools chief to keep Bears founder George Halas' alma mater open. (7 Comments) Read more...

Chicago Park District reveals final plans for North Grant Park redo

Skate park, ice skating ribbon, climbing wall highlight features at new park

01/27/2012 5:49 PM

The far north end of Grant Park is set to be completely torn up next fall, and this week the Chicago Park District unveiled the final plans for the massive rebuild. The new park will replace the rigidly structured, concrete-heavy Richard J. Daley Bicentennial Plaza with a more pastoral park featuring winding paths connecting wide lawns and hills with active areas.

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New voice, same face

Ousted University Village Association director Dennis O'Neill starts new group

02/01/2012 10:00 PM

University Village has a new neighborhood group, but locals might recognize the face at the top. Former University Village Association Executive Director Dennis O’Neill was fired last fall after a two-year run as the organization’s head of day-to-day operations. But this week he’s announced a new group to advocate for causes in the neighborhood: Connecting4Communities.

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Crane teachers, activists unveil turnaround plan

With clock ticking on phase-out vote, no indication CPS is listening

01/25/2012 10:00 PM

A coalition of Crane teachers, students, parents and Near West Side community activists unveiled a plan Friday night to turn around the 109-year-old high school at 2245 W. Jackson Blvd., focusing on adding programming and services to the school.
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Death comes to town

The Cultural Center explores the intersections of art and death

02/01/2012 10:00 PM

Richard Harris deals in death. The art collector and dealer has amassed a mammoth collection of art and artifacts exploring the iconography of death and mortality. The selections are astonishing — 1,500 works stretching the length of recorded history, from a carved jade skull dating to 2000 BCE China to works by contemporary artists and photographers.
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