Updated 08-28-06
Background: Wicked Park, Wicked Park 2, Association House 2, Association House 3, Association House 5,
WPC's P&D Subcommittee and Wicked Lexicon.
Association House 4
December 7, 2005 Web Posted 10:00 p.m. Chicago Journal
"Controversial development wins approval | WPC president in the dog house; faces removal"
Note: President Gordon Ziegenhagen had resigned 3 hours before this article was web posted.
See Message Board-General November 7, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board
December 7, 2005 Wicker park Committee General Membership Meeting
"WPC's President Gordon Ziegenhagen resigns: Vice President Elaine Coorens assumes office of president.
December 7, 2005 Booster Wicker Park-Bucktown-Ukrainian Village
"Lot plans get green light"
By Anitra Rowe STAFF WRITER
"Becuase the Commission on Landmarks seeks community input on new construction projects in landmark districts, WPC members reviewed and voted on the Association House plans.
"The result was a 34-11 tally against the three new multi-use buildings. However WPC President Gordon Ziegenhagen spoke in support (See Association House 5) of the buildings at the meeting."
December 5, 2005 Special Meeting WPC's Board of Directors
"WPC's Board of Directors Vote 7-2: Remove President at Jan. 4th Meeting"
See Message Board November 7, 2005: General at: Wicker Park Message Board
December 1, 2005 Commission on Chicago Landmarks Permit Review Committee Hearing
Association House approved over WPC's 34-11 turndown | WPC's President Ziegenhagen testifies against WPC's November 2nd vote (See Association House 3)
WPC's President Gorgon Ziegenhagen testified and cited the now not-secret (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861710727/secret.html) report dated November 18, 2005 before Landmarks on December 1, 2005.
Reponses receive from signers of the letter refer to the letter as being, "private" (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/private.html). Private appears to be a synonym for secret (http://encarta.msn.com/thesaurus_/private.html), as well as concealed, undisclosed, confidential, hush-hush, classified and clandestine.
Apparently Ziegenhagen's testimony was in opposition to the November 7, 2005 letter sent to Landmarks and signed by WPC's Pesident Gorden Ziegenhagen as President, Wicker Park Committee.
More details to follow here and elsewhere.
"Wicker Park's Claudia evokes Joseph Pulitizer, William Randolph Hearst: Charges yellow journalism*"
Claudia wrote that the preferred title should be, "Wicker Park's Claudia Skylar Calls for Fair and Unbiased Journalism in a Conciliatory and Even Tone" See Message Board-General December 3, 3005 at: Wicker Park Message Board.
"Wicker Park's Joseph DuciBella: Yellow Journalism*... Considered a Career with Enquirer?"
See Message Board-General December 3, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board.
"Gordon Ziegenhagen Confesses: The November 16th letter... was sent by private individuals"
See Message Board-General December 3, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board.
*Yellow Journalism-Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism. Note the yellow background on this page.
December 1, 2005 Commission on Chicago Landmarks
Meeting Agenda-December 1, 2005
The Association House proposal is reportedly scheduled before the Commission on December 1, 2005, 3:00 p.m.
The agenda was never web-posted before the 3:00 p.m., December 1, 2005 hearing. See Commission on Chicago Landmarks at: Wicker Park Contact Information.
November 30, 2005 Breaking News CHICAGO WICKER PARK
Gang of Five-Ziegenhagen, Nevarez, Sutherland, DuciBella and Skylar: Preservationists or Developers?
The 'Gang of Five' faxed a report about the Association House to Chicago Landmarks Commission on November 18, 2005 according to the fax date on the cover sheet obtained from CLC. The letter was dated November 16, 2005. The Gang of Five's report secretely bypassed WPC's Board of Directors (http://www.wickerparkcommittee.org/directors_2006.html) and the General Membership. WPC's Board had met on November 17, 2005.
The report was kept secret until November 30, 2005, the day before the Association House hearing at CLC on December 1, 2005. The report became known to all of WPC's Board of Directors when it was released through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made to CLC prior to November 30, 2005.
The report was dated November 16, 2005 and signed by President Gordon Ziegenhagen, President, Wicker Park Committee and by four members of WPC's Preservation and Development Subcommittee. The fax-transmitted cover sheet was signed by WPC's President Gordon Ziegenhagen, President, Wicker Park Committee and faxed to LCL on November 18, 2005.
Clearly, the President was not speaking on behalf of the Wicker Park Committee or its Board of Directors as the remaining Board members did not see the report until November 30, 2005.
It's too early for comprehenive reaction to the secret report, but one signer responded in 84 minutes, "And your purpose in spreading this around is? Are you really happy about this?"
However, once the report was sent to CLC and Alderman Ted Matlak (32nd Ward) it became public information.
Why avoid ex parte communications? See "Prequel Meetings: Ex parteocracy or Democracy" at: Wicked Park 2.
One Board member wrote, "very sad, disappointed, stunned, outraged, p____ off, and in disbelief that they (Gang of Five) could be so destructive and arrogant." It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Nature).
See Message Board-General November 30, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board.
November 29, 2005 CLC Hearing Notice Craig Norris and Ted Varndel
"Association House Chicago Landmark Commission Hearing Dec 1, 2005 3 p.m."
See Message Board-General November 29, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board
November 27, 2005 Letter to President from a WPC Board Member
"WPC's Board of Directors Final Letter Association House Renovation to Chicago Landmarks Commission"
"Send copy....." See November 20, 2005 below for letter.
The November 20, 2005 letter was released by the President to the Board of Directors on November 28, 2005 eight days after it was sent to the Chicgao Landmarks Commission.
It was signed by the President on behalf of the Board of Directors but transmitted to CLC by John Joyce, Chairman, Preservation and Development Subcommittee according to documents received from CLC through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
See Message Board-General November 27, 2006 at: Wicker Park Message Board
November 23, 2005 Chicago Journal
"The other side of Association House | Developer presents proposal for western lot: may have been Indian burial ground"
By Max Brooks Staff Writer http://chicagojournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=25&subsectionID=58&articleID=1036
See Message Board-General November 23, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board
November 23, 2005 Booster Wicker Park-Bucktown-Ukrainian Village
"Association House renovation moves forward | Plans approved by Wicker Park Committee"
By Anitra Rowe STAFF WRITER
"Change could be coming soon to Wicker Park's historic Association House and a neighboring property on North Avenue.
"A renovation plan for the Association House and a new four-story building directly west of the house both received support Nov. 16 from Wicker Park Committee's preservation and development subcommittee.
"The action came just weeks after the WPC voted down a proposal to turn the Association House's playground into three new multi-use buildings. The house is an early 20th century settlement home at 2130-2150 W. North Ave.
"The Association House renovation plan was presented by Brent Norsman of Norsman Architects Ltd. Norsman was a member of the WPC, but he stepped down (Wicked Park) for the duration of the Association House campus project. Norsman also presented the plan for the playground property.
"Norsman said the house will be renovated into 12 residential units. Its exterior masonary will be cleaned, new gutters will be installed, and some brick-filled windows will be reopened, Norsman said. The house's chimmeys will remain intact.
"Norsman also said the mural on the northeast of the Association House will be removed, four garage doors will be added to the alley side of the building, and an addition of about 1,000 square feet will be built on top of the building in order to extend the residential space of serveral units.
"As for the inside of the Association House, Norsman said the Commission of Landmarks is indifferent about the plans.
"'It's going to be pretty much of a gut on the interior of the building.' Norsman said.
"Only Craig Norris voted against the plan, which the Commission on Landmarks will consider Dec. 1.
"Sullivan Goulette Architects presented the plan for the new building west of the Association House at 2152 W. North Ave.
"Mark J. Sullivan of Sullivan Goulette said the ground level will be retail, while the upper three levels will be residential.
"Sullivan said the new building fits 'in a context with what's going on in the rest of the neighborhood,' and no on on the subcommittee disagreed. However, the subcommittee did talk at length about materials to be used for the ground-level storefront.
"In the end, the subcommittee decided to draft a letter to Sullivan Goulette, asking the architect to create a storefront that is more historically faithful to the neighborhood and suggested options for the storefront, including a historic use of aluminum or steel in the storefront's profile.
"The subcommittee also asked that Sullivan Goulette make the new building no taller than the Avalon Building, an apartment with ground-level retail space that's directly west of the proposed building." Pioneer Press November 23, 2005
November 20, 2005 Letter to CLC From WPC
"Renovation and expansion to a three and one half (story) brick structure within the Wicker Park Historic District"
See Message Board-General November 29, 2005 at: Wicker Park Message Board (In transit).
November 18, 2005 CLC Fax from WPC's Ziegenhagen, Nevarez, Sutherland, DuciBella and Skylar
"Association House 2140-2150 W. North Ave."
Unable to add fax copy to web site at this time. To receive an email copy of the full fax, email Joe Lake at joelake007@hotmail.com.
