This morning around 3:40 AM, fire broke out inside the nearly completed, multi-million dollar Morse Theatre restoration project at 1328 West Morse Avenue. First 911 call came in as a fire at 1340 West Morse. As the first responders arrived on scene, they headed to the wrong building. (My 911 call reported a fire at 1328 West Morse at 3:44 AM)
When I got outside to survey the situation, a number of open air drug market salesmen were working the street and milling around the action. As I was snapping photos of the fire, a couple drug salesmen said, quote - unquote, "You better not be takin' pictures of us."
Going to the rear of the building it was apparent to see this was no accident. Someone burned this new project on purpose. Seems the Morse Avenue gangs intention was to trash the place before it even opened. They even left a calling card hacked and spelled on the wall. Clearly, these people don't think too highly of the police either.
The owner, Andy McGhee said, " this was arson! When we locked up, there was nothing in there that could do this type of damage..."
Police crime scene tape covers the back of the building to preserve the evidence. City of Chicago and State of Illinois Fire Investigators are on scene also. Foot prints and gang tags were also left behind.
18 comments:
The scum of this neighborhood simply refuse to let go of their animal ways.
It's a damn shame that people make an enormous investment of time, money and heart for our community, and the worst of the worst go out of their way to destroy it.
This is beyond ad. I hope the police and fire department are able to catch whoever did this.
This explains the lack of police response to the 5 shots fired in the vicinity of Ashland and Jonquil Terrace at 4:00 a.m. Two squad cars circled the block one time and disappeared.
And I see that Westgard has again taken an angry swipe at the Morse Theater guys on his blog. He really seems to have it out for them.
I wonder if he is on the police department's radar.
This is what happened to KaMar's at Morse & Glenwood back in the day right? The owner wouldn't tolerate the gangs and so they torched the place.
I am sure they will get security now to guard the site. And it sounds like the scum left lots of evidence so God willing they will be caught and put away. I am so sick of losers ruining our neighborhood.
I have noticed an increase in drug activity across the street from the Morse in the laundromat parking lot. They must be concerned that this new business will disrupt their illegal activities.
I try to tell myself that goodness will prevail here and eventually the scum will be pushed out. BTW- when I say scum I mean the criminal element.
I just hope they have insurance coverage that will get this project back on track.
If they don't I'm guessing a lot of neighbors would be up for a fundraiser.
This really is just horrible. These guys have been working so hard and at such great expense to bring something positive to our neighborhood.
Nice job, Rogers Park.
The first thing I thought of when I read this story was the KaMar's arson so many years ago, after manager Dorothy's anti-gang activism. That episode marked the negative turning point for Morse Ave in my eyes. It's never been the same since KaMar's was bullied into leaving, and this new event is pretty chilling. I hope it turns out to have just been an accident from some street people/drunks being idiots, but I sure wouldn't be surprised if it was determined to be arson. Whatever I may think of the politics of the people involved in the Morse Theater, or any other business on Morse Ave, no-one deserves to have something this violent happen to their business.
OMG, that really sucks. I feel really bad for the Morse Theatre guys. I hope this doesn't bring an end to the project; I would love to see this place open.
This is truly reprehensible. As someone said, I hope they can get their project back on track.
This incident is bad, but if it was deliberate, I'm not surprised. Ever since gentrification has been taking place in RP, variations of this type of stuff has happened.
Remember when someone was constantly breaking out the windows in the Starbucks on Sheridan Road? Management didn't allow the perps to run them off, and they are still there. That's the key. The perps eventually back off when the people who are about positive change dig their heels in.
While it may come as a surprise to many of you gentrafication has never been a real event occuring here.
If it was why do we have leadership that says it ain't so.
No Crime! NO School problems! No unemploymeny problems!
Where is he now?
Yes our housing values have increased as well as our taxes, water bill, heat bill but this is not a neighborhodd undergoing gentrification. Sorry to anyone who thought they were going to cash in big time.
Rogers Park is a neighborhood where people buy ahome and hope they will live long enough to pay it off as well as continue to afford their tax bill and gas bill.
Gentrification - no and it was never the intention.
If setting fire to the Morse Theatre Restoration Project thinks the owners and dreamers are going to run away the thugs who did this don't know Rogers Park either. And yes, thugs, you can run, you can hide, you can move, but you will always be looking over your shoulder cause someone will get you one day and you will pay for this crime. YOU are nothing but a low life COWARD!
Revenge drives some arsonists. Anger and frustration are behind the arsons perpetrated by juvenile vandals. Political ideology motivates some acts of arson.
I noticed the Chicago Tribune and CLTV this morning reported it was arson.
When that condo building on the corner of Morse Ave and Greenview Ave was being built, my husband and I walked past a couple black punks, and they made sure we'd over hear them say something about them setting the building on fire...so I'm not exactly surprised. They weren't talking about the Morse Theater, and this was a while ago, but same damn thing, basically.
I hope these buildings that are targets will put huge guard dogs in place that will have no fear of these bullies!! It is just disgusting that we have to live with this!! I have been so looking forward to this beautiful addition to our neighborhood. I can't wait to hear Joe Moore's further response - still no more crime in the neighborhood Joe?
DON'T LET THE PUNKS RUN YOU OUT!
(Who is Westgard?)
When that condo building on the corner of Morse Ave and Greenview Ave was being built, my husband and I walked past a couple black punks,
Glad you specified this. I'd hate to think they were white punks.
not sure about the comment
"glad you specified this. I'd hate to think it was white punks."
does this mean that punks in the neigborhood are always black so no need to specify or that if the punks are white it wont be specified? or that in general its wrong to specify what race the punks are? or that its only wrong to specify when they are black?
or that the term black is un-PC and african american should be used
Uh...RD, he's only just the most hated man in Rogers Park. He's been seen out and about in a baggy white t shirt and baggy jeans...walking his pitbull, uh I mean bully breed dog.
it is only when the term black is used that people have an issue. i can already completely guarantee that that wouldn't even have been brought up if i'd said asian, or hindu, or whatever. but black...there's always someone ready to jump on that wagon.
and if they were black, which they were, was i not supposed to specify? are we to assume that the punks were black, as it seems they are almost every time?
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