Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Pawn Shop on Howard: REQUEST FOR RELIEF DENIED (Updated)

Address: 1553 West Howard Street

Request: Application for a special use permit to allow the relocation of Howard Jewelry and Loan from its present location at 1611 W. Howard Street to 1553 W. Howard Street.

Applicant(s): Howard Jewelry and Loan

Representatives Present: Richard Rozhko

Committee Recommendation: The Committee voted to recommend that the Alderman oppose the application.

Alderman Moore’s Decision: The Alderman will take the Committee’s recommendation under advisement.

Details of Discussion: Mr. Rozhko owns Howard Jewelry and Loan at 1611 W. Howard where he rents his retail space. He is under contract to purchase 1551 W. Howard pending the approval of a special use permit to allow him to relocate the shop, which the city defines as a pawn shop, to this address. All pawn shops must receive a special use permit to operate. The new shop would include a full-service jewelry and watch shop including repair services. The new shop would have no gates on the window. It would have a new awning. The building would be tuck pointed and cleaned up. The hours are 10-6pm and 10-5pm on Saturday.

Members offered positive comments about Mr. Rozhko’s current operation. While many were not thrilled at the idea of a pawn shop, as pawn shop’s go, Mr. Rozhko is known for running a clean operation. They appreciated that this would be a property he would own and therefore be better able to control. They also appreciate that the business obviously meets a need in the community since Mr. Rozhko is successful and hoping to expand, and therefore hire more employees.

However, committee members raised numerous concerns, including concern that the special use permit could transfer to another operator if the business were to be sold.

They also voiced concern over simply approving the presence of a pawn shop on this street which they felt could hamper further redevelopment efforts for the block. Committee members voiced a willingness to reconsider this issue, were Mr. Rozhko to bring forth more specific plans and renderings of the appearance and operation of the proposed space.

Blognotes: This isn't over. I hear Kimberly Bares at DevCorp North and Joe Moore aren't happy about the ZULAC denial for the Pawn Shop expansion. I also hear Kimberly is trying to stack the deck with people who favor her opinion - and she wants to put this back on the ZULAC agenda for a new vote. This month.

Kimberly and Joe are being very sneaky about this Pawn Shop relocation. Word on the street is they're trying to under-mind the zoning committee's April denial for relief. This issue needs some sunlight so the entire community and the media can review all the information. Before any ruling is overturned by these two people in a sneaky way.

Updated:
Howard Jewelry & Loan
1611 W Howard St
Chicago, IL 60626
$500.00 on 6/25/2008
Individual Contribution to the Citizens for Joe Moore

13 comments:

mcl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Well, that is very interesting and thanks for bringing the information to light!

The North Coast said...

I'm of two minds about this.

On one hand, I completely sympathize with Howard St. area residents in their concerns regarding pawn shops. I can see why they wouldn't want any more of these types of businesses on the street.

However, this business has been on Howard as long as I remember, and this man runs a clean, reputable, respectable operation. It seems unfair and arbitrary to deny him a permit for a new location, when he merely wishes to relocate his current business and not open a 2nd shop.

We want to be able to keep businesses that have a negative impact on the neighborhood and that foster undesirable activities from locating around the area. But we don't want to obstruct legitimate business people unnecessarily, especially those who are reputable and are well-established in the area.

Andrew Kerr said...

Whether he runs a clean pawn shop or not is a moot point.

Pawn Shops (like liquor stores and tattoo parlors) require "special use" zoning approval so you can control their density and adjacency. The new location would place the pawn shop adjacent to single-family homes.

Placing ANY special use next to property that can only be used for single-family or two-flats is a bad idea. Doing it without community input is wrong.

There are plenty of vacancies on Howard that are in 100% business zones. It would be more appropriate in one of those locations.

RP Free Speech said...

If you take a moment to look at Joe Moore, you will find NO sunlight, Craig--only what is known as 'a Toadie', sitting under the lilypad of his excessive salary and bennies.

He must think he's riding pretty high, right now, because he's utilizing discretionary monies to save a few. And getting good press from the MSM.

Anyone in the 49th Ward with 'half a brain' knows Joe, 'Mr. Donut', does not give a rat's bum about anyone but himself (or maybe the Barb, on occasion).

Could we all just vote him out--forever--in the next election? There will be a candidate you can believe in.

Bosworth said...

AGK, not sure what location you are referring to, but the 1500 block of W Howard does not have any single family homes. That block includes the Caribbean Bakery, a medical clinic and the ever effective DevCorp.

I'm not sure there is any good reason not to let the pawn shop relocate here. It's not my first choice for a business to shop in, but at least it's a business on Howard Street. A street that sorely needs more clean, safe stores. If he is willing to purchase a building on Howard Street and spend money to fix it up, I say let him have it.

I'm tired of walking past the boarded up empty shells of broken promises.

Fargo Woman said...

Bosworth, I'm in total agreement with you. There is no question that having an established, viable business at that location would, by all means, be preferable to boarded up, empty store fronts. His shop is clean, his business is reputable so why not? O.K., that's one issue.

The other is a little surprising to me and is far more intriguing.

It actually seems to be a question of whether or not the Aldermonster is trying to pull a slick one on his own rubber-stamp-gang, uh, er, I mean the Zoning Committee. Are their concerns legitimate? For instance, if a special use permit is awarded to the pawn shop COULD that permit automatically transfer (upon the sale of the building) to another type of business that also requires a special use permit such as a bar? I understand bars were densely packed along that area and contributed to all kinds of problems there. Then a movement got underway to turn it into a dry zone back in the 1970's that succeeded only after a long hard struggle. If so, and if the special use permit is potentially transferable from a pawn shop to a bar, then I'm thinking they may have a strong motive for wanting to prevent the variance. The question now has to be what's in it for the Aldercreature and Babs? Surely, he's not placing a business that only contributed $500 over the protests of a cabal of slavering sycophants who historically provide him with the means to access thousands of development dollars in Zoning confirmations, rulings, or whatever . . . Is he?

Just asking . . .

- PEACE -

Andrew Kerr said...

The 7500 block of Rogers is single family homes and directly behind the proposed location.

Joe down-zoned all the single family homes in RP a couple of years ago to protect them from predatory developers - which I think had merit. That limits the lots to being single-family homes or duplexes.

You can't say you are going to protect the fabric of single family homes one day and put pawn shops adjacent to them the next.

It's bad zoning and, as you point out, there's plenty of alternate locations on Howard that are 100% contiguous Business use.

Philip McGregor Rogers said...

for godsake let the man move his business.
sounds like he is improving it.
and good for him if he can buy the building. howard business of deadzone controllers are being weird

amazing.....

Razldazlrr said...

But, isn't that what the committee is there for? Why are they even bothering to review if Joe ends up overturning them anyhow? What's the point?

Philip McGregor Rogers said...

the toxic fumes from the pawn shop
might endanger the single family homes.

These are ho hum homes
okeydokey, not wow zinggow amazing.
Single family homes.....
kinda a waste of space in general
in such dense neighborhood.

I respect their right to exist but its not like, thank god they were saved because its our national treasure.

I suppose it could be dangerous because after knocking off the pawn shop the guy will leave out the back and have to breakinto the houses behind to make his gettaway.

Hugh said...

"Joe down-zoned all the single family homes in RP a couple of years ago to protect them from predatory developers"

wrong

most SFH's were NOT downzoned

Most of the ward was & is maintained by Moore as raw material for his developer pals who sponsor his incumbency

Diana1 said...

This pawn shop has been in the neighborhood for years. I think any sort of economic development is good, considering all the vacancies on Howard that already exist, including the soon to be empty Dev Corp location. I don't see the problem of letting a solid business owner purchase a location and add extra services with the repair shop to benefit the neighborhood. The owner donates to various community events and is friendly and reputable. Its basically on the same block. Joe Moore only supports what benefits him directly.

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