Lake Effect News

By DIMITRIOS KALANTZIS

Contributing Writer

Last night’s community meeting hosted by Ald. Joe Moore (49^th  Ward) to discuss the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society proposal to take over the recently vacated firehouse on the 1700 block of West Greenleaf Avenue, appeared to pass quietly. Until the Q & A, that is.

Landmarked, turn-of-the-20th century firehouse at Clark and Greenleaf. The Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society is poised to take over the firehouse and turn it into a museum.

Following the presentation, Dushyant Sharma, president of the Bhakti Yoga Society, stood before the crowd of 50 residents, arguing against the historical society’s proposal to turn the 94-year-old firehouse into a museum.

“Rogers Park deserves a bigger space,” Sharma said, shortly before disclosing his own “vested interest” in the property. Sharma wants to turn the two-floor, 5, 000-square-foot building into an after school center that will teach students healthy nutrition.

But many in the crowd did not seem to agree with Sharma, at points shouting back at him.

“It’s not that we need more and more space,” said Greg Brewer, a historical society board member. “We’ve got a building in a great location with a lot of potential.”

But perhaps a more legitimate concern was voiced after the group settled down and Sharma returned to his seat.

One resident recalled the 1995 purchase of 6424 N. Western Ave., an Art Deco building, which members at the time thought a perfect home for the historical society. The building was subsequently sold after apparently falling into disrepair. Some members blamed poor management.   

 “What are the assurances that [the firehouse] won’t be sold and this won’t happen again?” asked long-time historical society member, Ann Glapa.

Glapa, who said she is very confident in the current historical society board, said the society’s own history seems, itself, muddled and felt obligated to remind last night’s crowd of past dreams and hopes.

“You have to ask the questions,” she said the following day.

For now, today’s dreams are large indeed. If the city donates the firehouse (actually, it will sell the building for $1), the society plans to create a community meeting room, office and rental space, a green roof, much-needed storage (in part for the 3,000 archived photos) and, of course, galleries and exhibits.

Volunteers, including architects, lawyers and exhibit designers, are waiting in the wings to begin work, which may take $300,000 and up to a year to complete, if the deal goes through.

Ald. Moore said there are no other formal proposals and, barring any major obstacles, the matter can go before the Committee on Housing and Real Estate as early as September or October. These hearings will also be open to public participation.

As of now, no provisions have been attached to the deal, but Moore, in an attempt to assuage any concerns, said “protections will be afforded to the community” to prevent the society from “flipping the building.”

Such provisions, however necessary, will only be a formality, said Brewer. After all, this project “boils down to making a real vital connection to the community.”

Not bilking it.