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Dear Neighbors,
Early voting begins right here in Lakeview on Monday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center (814 W Nelson)! The site will be open 9:00am-6:00pm on weekdays, 9:00am-5:00pm on Saturdays, and 10:00am-4:00pm on Sundays, making it easy to cast your ballot on a schedule that works for you. Early voting is also available now downtown at the Supersite at 137 S State and at 69 W Washington, 6th Floor. You can find more information about locations, hours, and what to bring here.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2026 Wrigley Field Annual Meeting earlier this week. Neighbors, City departments, and the Cubs came together to share updates and answer questions for the upcoming baseball season and ensure a smooth year ahead. We discussed public safety, parking enforcement, sanitation, transit, and recent community investments including school grants and park donations. This 23-year tradition reflects the ongoing partnerships required to keep Lakeview safe and ready for another exciting season at Wrigley. Read the Cubs' presentation from the meeting here.
Speaking of Wrigley Field, a new restaurant opened yesterday near the ballpark: Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is now operating at 3649 N Clark, marking its first Illinois location. The 3,265-square-foot space includes a 70-seat indoor dining room and an outdoor patio with approximately 55 seats. Known for its Nashville-style hot chicken and Southern fare, this opening adds to the growing mix of dining options in Wrigleyville as we head into the 2026 season.
 
In public safety news, there has been an update regarding the tragic fatal carjacking that occurred in the 700 block of Waveland, just outside our ward, earlier this month. Two people have now been charged in connection with this incident and a related fatal shooting on the South Side during what CPD describes as a carjacking spree. We are grateful to the 19th District and Area 3 Detectives for their investigative work and will remain in coordination with the 46th Ward as the case moves forward. A GoFundMe has also been established to assist the victim’s family with funeral expenses. Our thoughts remain with the loved ones impacted by this heartbreaking loss. Read more in Block Club here or the community alert here.
We are beginning the community feedback process for a proposed five-story, 21-room boutique hotel at 3350-3352 N Halsted, on the former DS Tequila site. The project, known as Tryst Chicago, would require zoning approval and is envisioned as a hotel open to all and geared toward LGBTQ+ travelers, building on Northalsted’s longstanding role as a welcoming and globally recognized destination. As with all major proposals, our office will be hearing feedback to gather input and ensure the project reflects community priorities. Neighbors are encouraged to share their thoughts with our office by email or phone, and we will post additional information on our website here as the process moves forward.
We’ve also received a development proposal for 2800 N Sheridan. This would bring a 303-unit residential building with about 10,000 square feet of commercial space to a site with a now-vacant medical building on the northwest corner of Sheridan and Diversey, and an adjacent parking lot to the north. The proposal also includes more than one bike parking space per unit and designates 60 units (20%) as on-site affordable housing. Our office is looking to see several elements from this project: high-density residential use appropriate for this location, that the architecture serves as a stunning gateway to Lakeview, and that the project continues the existing Diversey commercial corridor through to Sheridan. We are now gathering community feedback on this project and encourage neighbors to share their thoughts or visit our project webpage here for more information.
There will be a community meeting on March 4th at 6:30pm at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital (836 W Wellington) where ComEd will present its plans to build a new substation at 1111 W Diversey, on the former Innovative Care site, and take questions from neighbors. While this property sits just over the boundary in the 43rd Ward, we want to ensure 44th Ward residents are aware of the proposal and have the opportunity to attend, ask questions, and share feedback if interested.
Chicago’s annual “You Name a Snowplow” contest wrapped up with a record-breaking number of votes—and this year’s winning first place name was “Abolish ICE.” This year's contest topped more than 13,000 submissions, and nearly 40,000 votes citywide across 25 finalists. The six winning finalists included:
- Abolish ICE
- Stephen Coldbert
- Pope Frío XIV
- The Blizzard of Oz
- Svencoolie
- Caleb Chilliams
- Honorable mention: Chance the Scraper
The winning names will soon be displayed on snowplows across the city’s six snow districts, adding a bit of creativity to our winter vehicle fleet!
Please note that our office will be closed on Monday, March 2nd in observance of Pulaski Day. This Illinois holiday honors General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish-born Revolutionary War hero known as the “Father of the American Cavalry,” who played a critical role in securing American independence. The day also reflects the deep roots and lasting contributions of Chicago’s Polish community, which has long been an integral part of our city’s history and civic life.
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