Developers fuel the campaign fire. Alderman Moore's major campaign contributor Robert Coe presented plans to build a five-story building with ground floor commercial space at 1523-35 West Howard Street to the 49th ward zoning and land use committee. (ZALUC)
Coe requested a zoning variance for unobstructed open space, since the proposed site is on a through lot, which passes from one street to another. The variance will enable him to building lot line to lot line.
Mr Coe claims he will set aside two units for affordable housing. But where have we heard that before. He loves to offer this up, then after the dust settles, he yanks them away.
For a guy who hasn't done a thing with his Coe hole on Morse Avenue in over a year, why would anyone in their right mind approve another project before the first one is finished? Campaign contributions I guess?
Here is a little track record Mr. Coe is building up. The Alderman seems to run with some very unsavory developers.
1. The near gas explosion.
2. The wall that fell over.
3. Adding to neighborhood blight.
4. Poor Public Zoning Notice
5. Neglecting Public complaints.
6. Neglecting Committeeman/ZALUC/DevCorp North Board Member complaints.
7. North of Howard Watchers has concerns.
8. What Hugh thinks.
11 comments:
Here's a link to the Pioneer Press article Craig is commenting on:
Zoning board reviews projects
Sept. 20, 2006
BY LORRAINE SWANSON | STAFF WRITER
Not sure why he would not provide this link. He knows how to link.
MC&J BUILDING CO., INC.
ROBERT A COE, President, Secretary, registered agent
owner of 6417 N Paulina, PIN 11-31-420-006
to Citizens for Joe Moore
$1,000.00 12/23/2004
MC&J BUILDING II, LLC
owners of the "Pinewood" project
MC&J BUILDING II, LLC
ROBERT A COE, President, Secretary, registered agent
owners of the "Pinewood" condo project on Touhy
$1,000.00 4/6/2006 to Citizens for Joe Moore
$1,000.00 3/3/2004 to Democratic Party of the 49th Ward
David Fagus is 49th Ward Committeeman, Chairman of the Democratic Party of the 49th Ward, AND a member of Moore's insider planning committee, and so gets to vote on Coe's proposals.
I just would like Coe to build that damn building he is supposed to build at Morse & Greenview. He shouldn't be allowed to do anything else until he at least starts that project.
> He shouldn't be allowed to do anything else until he at least starts that project.
How about we hold off until the Pinewood is even half occupied 1st?
Let me toss this out.
Another funky thing about the "Democratic" Party of the 49th Ward's former landlord Balvinder Singh getting a zoning change from Moore.
The Illinois State Board of Elections allows a PAC to AMEND its filings. Moore & Fagus are big on this, some vigilant citizen catches something in their campaign disclosures and a little later POOF they change as viewed on the disclosure web site.
I think the whole record of these free rent payments (2003-2004) was cooked AFTER the Republican Party of Cook County filed (in 2005) a complaint against Fagus for using taxpayer paid office space in Moore's "ward" office. Is Singh's lucrative density increase a quid pro quo for Singh's assistance in the cover-up of Fagus' and Moore's illegal use of our ward office?
The disclosures filed by a PAC are public records, as are the amended filings, but the web site in deference to the candidates does not show the amendments, just the final, amended form of the contributions.
I think it would be facinating for some energetic young person to FOIA all the filings and amended filings from the 49th ward org and look at the timings, not just of when the contributions were made, but when they were reported.
Just a thought.
Moore & Fagus decided they would rather take a slap on the wrist, maybe a small fine from the Board of Elections, for failure to disclose promptly, than to face charges of misusing taxpayer office space. So they found a sympathetic local landlord who happened to have some unoccupied storefront space, and some pending development ideas, and cooked some previously undisclosed free rent payments, sent 'em in - crisis avoided.
Last year Balvinder Singh was Moore & Fagus' alibi for why they did not use taxpayer office space for political purposes. This year Singh gets a lucrative zoning change from Moore and Fagus.
Balvinder Singh to Democratic Party of the 49th Ward
$600.00 10/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 6/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 5/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 4/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 3/31/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 3/2/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 1/31/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
A-One Carpet to Democratic Party of the 49th Ward
$600.00 9/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 8/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$600.00 7/30/2004 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
$500.00 12/20/2003 In-Kind Contribution headquarters - rent
I follow campaign contributions on the ISBOE web site. I check in couple of times each year, after each disclsoure deadline, and see what's new. I don't remember seeing these. I think I would have noticed them.
Did anyone ever visit the 49th ward political office at 2049 W Howard on 2003 or 2004? If so, when were you there? Thanks.
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