Dear Neighbor,
I am writing to invite you to attend a community meeting to review a proposal for a new restaurant and bar in the commercial space of the new building at 1412 W. Morse. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 13th, 7:00 p.m., at the United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse, 3rd Floor (at Ashland).
The owner of the building at 1412 W. Morse, Alex Samrdzija, will be the proprietor of the proposed new business, which will be similar to Xippo, a restaurant and bar that Mr. Samrdzija owns in Lincoln Square at 3759 N Damen.
The property at 1412 W. Morse currently is zoned B3-3. A zoning change to C1-3 will be required because no tavern may exist within 400 feet of another tavern in a B zone. A special use permit is also required to allow for seven off-site parking spaces. If Mr. Samrdzija receives the requested zoning change and special use permit, he will then be eligible to apply for a tavern license.
I urge you to attend the meeting to provide your opinions of the proposal. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to reply to this e-mail with your thoughts and suggestions.
Sincerely,
Joe Moore
Blognotes: AZ Castle Construction
GEORGE SAMARDZIJA, President
Alex SAMARDZIJA, Secretary
1947 W. Grace
Chicago, IL 60613
$500.00 7/10/2005 to Democratic Party of the 49th Ward
Castle Realty
(CASTLE REALTY AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY)
ALEXANDER SAMARDZIJA, President & Secretary
1947 W. Grace
Chicago, IL 60613
$500.00 12/14/2006 to Citizens for Joe Moore
$500.00 12/14/2006 to Citizens for Joe Moore
(2 contributions of $500 each on the same day)
Samardzija, George/Nada
1947 W. Grace St
Chicago, IL 60613
$500.00 8/19/2004 to Citizens for Joe Moore
$500.00 2/25/2005 to Citizens for Joe Moore
$500.00 2/28/2008 to Citizens for Joe Moore
G & A Development Company
1947 W Grace Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
$500.00 9/26/2007 to Citizens for Joe Moore
check this out: Look up Zuric Carrier Inc.
There's some other strangeness going on. A defunct company with the same registered business address as the Samardzija's companies, 1947 W Grace. Small world!
Ivan Zuric, former President
Cedomir "Chad" Zuric, former registered agent
Someone should go to the neighborhood meeting and ask Alex if he knows "Chad", has he seen him lately, maybe Alex can give us an update on the Adelphi site.
32 comments:
Pay-to-play will never stop as long as we give our local governments the life-and-death power over local businesses.
If handing my AlderCreature $500 is what it takes to get permission to spend my own money to develop my own legitimate business on my own property, that is damn well what I will do. It's terrible that that is what a business owner has to do to survive in your typical corrupt American city that is dominated by a local political machine with thousands of flunkies to take care of, but that is what happens when we give our local governments the power to say who will live or die.
What no one questions is the practice of making a business run an incredible gauntlet to set up a legitimate enterprise in our city. We are paying out trillions in present and future taxes to make up losses incurred by government-backed mortgage lenders, but we strangle the enterprises that aren't asking for a dime of tax money and whose owners only want the "privilege" of chancing their own money to open up a business that will pay taxes.
At this point, over 50% of our population is one way or the other dependent, directly or indirectly, on a federal, state, or local government for a paycheck, or subsidy of some sort. Who pays for all of this? Those of us who are NOT subsidized, that's who, and who, in order to open up a business, have to "buy" corrupt local politicians and deal with harrassment and obstruction on every side.
In my line of business, I have met a large number of local business owners in the Lakeview, Uptown, and Edgewater neighborhoods. Some of these people are dear friends. One lost her business license because of ONE dispute with a woman who refused to pay for the alterations my friend did to a garment she sold her- just happens that the customer has a brother who is a city attorney. My friend will have to pay thousands of $$$ to an attorney to win the "privilege" of doing biz in Chicago. Another Uptown man I know, an Asian man who has owned numerous businesses in that area, planned to construct a building on some very valuable frontage he owned there. He spent over $100K getting plans drawn and obtaining financing, but his plans were quashed because a certain Uptown non-profit wanted his property for a daycare center, and so the local AlderScum (you know who) downzoned his lot AFTER his plans were in place. He was destroyed financially by this, and was forced to sell the lot to the non-profit at a giveaway price, for it was decimated in value by the downzoning and because everyone knew they would not be allowed to build on it. The result? A destroyed man and an ugly blighted lot with a crappy little building on a major street.
At the same time that local small business owners are harassed and obstructed and deliberately destroyed by our local authorities, we PAY big box chains like Target to build so they can decimate what remains of the local economy. We PAID United Airlines $37M to move its offices to the Sears Tower- how many of its employees are city residents? Is the airline required to hire city residents in return for this major gimme? We form a TIF for businesses that pay the quid pro quo while doing our utmost damndest to destroy everyone else.
And we wonder why our local economies are floundering.
I don't give a damn if this guy paid a "donation" to Moore to get permission to open his restaurant on his property, or to get the zoning he needs. What sucks is that he had to pay. This property should have been zoned C1.3 to begin with. Morse needs to be a mixed use street, and so do other commercial strips in this city. And I don't care about the negative opinions some people may have about the guy's other operation in Lincoln Square- let the patrons vote on the merits of the place with their own dollars.
Let's give our LOCAL economy a fighting chance.
Pay to Play in the 49th ward? C,mon, it's not just the 49th ward, it's the ENTIRE State of Illinois! Until the people get mad or figure out what really goes on here and kick almost every single current office holder out, NOTHNG will change. Reject the antics of Shortshanks, Urkel and the rest of the misfits who have almost destroyed this state.
sYou know, it's a shame. A shame what these crimnals who hold public office have done here. I have five months left to go before I qualify for a full pension. I can't wait to get out of the snakepit. And that's a shame. Why? Because I actually like Chicago. It has so much to offer. Think about it. We have good museums, restaurants, sports venues, entertainment, a beautiful lake front etc. The good things we have here are endless. But to me, it's all ruined by the political system here. Pay to Play. They are sucking the last drop of blood out of the very people who make this place what could be a great place to live. I predict that in 10-15 years, if that, we will be another Detroit. And that's sad my friends. Because it doesn't have to be that way. Rise up and vote for honesty, vote for people that work for and represent us, not their friends, not to enrich themselves.
It's the same everywhere, Daddy. Ask anybody from any other city who has the most corrupt politics, and people will without hesitation name their own cities. I never saw any place that was any different, only cities in the beginning stage, cities that have just become successful and rich, and where the graft is just beginning, cities in the middle, or "peak" state like ours, and cities that have reached the end point, where the looters and leaches and grafters and grifters have extracted every last dime they possibly can, and leave the municipal scorched earth to the poor and the scavengers, like Detroit and St. Louis and Cleveland, or like Cicero and E. St. Louis.
And, obviously, it obtains with the COUNTRY. Look at the financial bailouts.... were those for OUR benefit? We were sold on the notion that our economy would collapse if we didn't shovel trillions of dollars into the coffers of the companies that own our politicians of both parties.
Look at all the government programs to "help" people buy houses or go to college or set up businesses. Does anybody think that the FHA and Ginnie and Freddie and Fannie are there for any other reason but to keep the homebuilders and mortgage lenders going, and to sell us overpriced houses on loans we can't afford? Or that Sallie Mae and "college for everybody" is about anything other than lining the back pockets of the owners of all the diploma-mill colleges that have sprung up allover? A young female relative of mine has rung up $200k worth of NON-DISCHARGEABLE Sallie Mae loans for law school, and she will be lucky to get $45K on her first job.
Our federal, state, and local governments these days exist to fleece the population, often by force, to line the back pockets of politicians and the people who bought them and who are the ones who really make the decisions in this country.
When our top national looters have stripped every last dime off us that they possibly can, where will we go?
Where will we go when they have stolen our last dime you ask? Good question and one I can't answer. But I do know that I'm preparing. Preparing for a collapse of our economy, civil unrest and or insurrection and life as we kow it. I'm stocking up on non-pershiables,water and ammunition. I really worry about my daughter. I do not want her to have to go through what I think the future holds for us. I hope I'm wrong. But I don't think so.
I'm preparing for the rest of my life, which looks like it will be a mad scramble to stay ahead of inflation while struggling for purchase in what remains of the job market. I just hope I can retire by the time I'm 75.
It's too bad the Top Hat Lounge, which had a sizable and loyal following, was shuttered and torn down. I was at the meeting when the developer asked for community support to build the condos and there were dozens of Top Hat patrons asking the alderman to refuse the zoning request, because it would have meant the end of their bar.
Other attendees raised a lot of questions about whether there was a market for the condos and what the plan was for marketing the first floor space. No condos have sold and having a club in the ground floor will not boost the sales prospects for the condos going forward. Sounds like a loser all around.
I agree that the only chance we have is voting out the politicians that are currently in office - the ones local, state and national that have been in office for years! At least new blood will give us a chance. (although I think we have all learned with Obama and his "I promise to make everything transparent on CSpan" campaign lie, that we can't trust anything the politicians say)
Big Daddy - different topic - I was very disturbed by the story of the police that let the young woman leave the station and she jumped (or was pushed) off the building. I am usually a big backer of the police but that story was very troublesome.
I would love to see a restaurant (with an incidental liquor license) in the Morse space.
But I am not in favor of a 2 a.m. Bar Joint (primary source of revenue) that serves food (secondary source of revenue) in that space. A bar joint would require a tavern license and there are several taverns in the immediate area...Dukes, Red Line and Glenwood. I would prefer a balanced and diverse business district.
Nor am I interested in a restaurant that turns into a night club after 10pm.
I'm not sure if developer will sell his condos faster with a 2 a.m. bar immediately below.
I've read some reviews on Yelp and CitySearch about the developers other restaurant "Xippo". I am not impressed with their track record. Many of the Yelp and CitySearch reviews from actual patrons and neighbors are very scary. Are they going to be a good business neighbor?
The Alderman's decision should be based on what the majority of the immediate neighbors want -- zoning change or no zoning change / Bar vs. restaurant. If not, then the best option is to not relect Joe Moore.
Alderman Moore has said recently that the last election has taught him a lesson and that he is going to be more in touch with his constituents. Lets see if "pay to play" holds up.
The update on the former Adelphi Theater site is that it is for sale. Asking $3,950,000.
OT (sorry), but there's been a couple of big fights at Sullivan today. If anybody wants to know any and all details, let me know here and I'll make a post.
If you don't like it.... Move
My dear fellow residents of Rogers Park,
It is the moral responsibility of those who HAVE to support those of us who DO NOT HAVE. The government is the only institution with enough power to enforce this responsibility. Thank God that we have now elected enough progressives to make this happen. I am sure Joe Moore has all of our best interests at heart.
I also agree that the Top Hat should never have been torn down. It was a little gem on Morse where one could slip away for a quiet moment on a busy street.
God bless all of your my dear neighbors.
Raz, I am troubled by it as well. I will say however that there is plenty of blame to go around. I don't have all the facts so I will withold judgement till I do. I caution you however to remember where you learned of this case and then consider that source.
Hey Timmy, I would like to hear about it!
Wow Rachael - your comment is seriously scary - you want the Progressives? You want to work hard to have other people take it away from you and give it to others? If that's the case, what's the point in trying to get ahead? We will all just sit back and wait for a handout.
BigDaddy - I read about the story in the Tribune, is that what you mean? I really hope there are some pieces missing because it really does sound like a huge mistake was made.
I agree with Big Daddy... can't believe everything you read. Most of the time, the reporters do not have all the facts before posting articles.
It is a very sad story!
Chicago, thanks. I appriecate that. However, I'm waiting on some more people to tell me the same thing you're telling me. I'm critical of blogging on this blog at this point.
I understand! I hope to read a post from you soon!
Raz, yes I mean the Fibune. I have cancelled my subscriptions to the Chicago newspapers long ago simply because they do not report the news in an objective or honest way. Here's two recent examples. There recently was an traffic accident on the southside in which an offduty Chicago Police Officer was involved and a women was killed. The way the Fibune and ScumTimes reported it, one would believe that it was another case of an offduty copper driving drunk, becoming involved in a crash and someone dying. What they DIDN'T say until later called on, was the fact that the woman that died ran a stop sign, causing the crash. In another incident, an off duty Chicago Police Officer was walking her dog when she was confronted by a large German Shepard which was running loose and menacing her and her dog. She ended up shooting and killing the dog to protect herself and her dog. It turns out that the owner of the GSD did not have a license for the dog and was issued a citation. The Fibune and Scum Times made a big deal about her receiving a ticket in an effort to portray the Police in a bad light. What they DIDIN'T tell you was that the offduty copper ALSO received a citation because her dog was also unlicensed. These are just two stories that are of recent vintage and come to mind. If we both had a couple of days to discuss this further I would tell you about incidents that I have been involved in and the manner in which they were reported by the newsmedia. Had I not been there I would not have known what really happened because the stories that I either read about or saw on television were not remotely correct about what really happened. How many young gangsters that are gunned down on the streets are actually studying in the seminary to become a priest? Is every young man that is shot by the CPD really a scholar on the way to becoming an upstanding member of the community. Do any of them ever have a gun? Do any of them ever shoot at us? Are all those witnesses that claim to have seen a police related shooting that the newsmedia likes to put on television as they rant about how we murdered their little Jonny in cold blood telling the truth or are they simply gangster friends of the deceased with an agenda?
Having said that, I will tell you that I don't know what happened in this case. I wasn't there. The Police Department may have been dropped the ball in this case. I don't know. But I do know that the last thing I would use to help me form an opinion on anything is the Chicago newsmedia.
Rachel Slur- I agree with your premise about the haves helping out he have nots. But not when it becomes generational as I have seen. The children of the people I chased in Cabrini Green twenty five years ago are now doing the same thing their parents did. Collecting welfare checks. I'm all for helping out those less well off than the rest of us but not year after year after year.
Big Daddy - I so agree - welfare, etc was meant to be a safety net - not a way of life!! I want people that are in a tough spot, that have been paying taxes to receive support, financial and other. I just don't want those people to live on "giveaways" for their entire life. I guess I wasn't raised that way.
Big Daddy: You sound like you are talking out of your ass. Perhaps the Trib and Sun Times might make mistakes, but they are more factual in their reporting than not in most cases. So is your BS about Cabrini Green residents and their kids. You talk out of your ass and Im supposed to take your word as truth because youre a cop. Youre just a jaded blowhard moron tapping away nonsense on his keyboard.
@Big Daddy - the news media is a bunch of garbage, and I've already fought with a number of authors/journalists over the way they portray incidents involving the police. They love to leave out pertinent details!
@Billyjoe - STFU. You have nothing to contribute worthwhile. And where the hell is "Billyjoes' Brain?" I need a good laugh right about now.
Furthermore, activist lawyers like the Sullivan visitor Timmy is describing have been (at least for the past two, three decades) part of the fabric of RP, along with other budding "community activists" who want to build their quasi-political careers assisting and advising the saltier RP residents with their rights.
Of course, these folks spend a few years helping RP gang members and welfare cheats and others, then take off to places like Seattle or Portland or Santa Fe, where they run for State Rep or State Senator or some other political office. And all that RP "organizing work experience" they gain at others expense helps them make such career moves.
Raz, as I said, I'm all for helping out the poor working stiff that lost his job, now his house, everything because of the economic problems that we are having but when that becomes a generational issue as it has for some members of our society, I have to draw a line and say no,no more. And what about the guy drawing a disabilty check because he can't work because of his addiction to drugs? Or was shot because he's a gangster? When and where does it end? I know a guy that is having serious health issues all related to his previous life as a drug addict. He now gets a check rom Uncle Sam for about 1,200 bucks a month. Plus he gets free and better medical care than you or I ever will. Free to him of course but we both know who is really paying for it.
Actually, billyjoe-douche bag that he/she/it is, makes a lot of sense in the 8:16 am post. This lawyer was just getting her name and face out there for when the future felons (not every one that goes to Sullivan falls into the "future felon" category)at Sullivan eventually get caught up in the justice system. All the students need to know is that they don't have to say anything to the police, just don't be billyjoe-ish about it. "Am I under arrest, officer?" is the only question that needs to be asked. If the answer is no, they should be on their way. If yes, say nothing except to ask for legal representation. I'm amazed at the info people offer up to the police.
billyjoe'sbrain, ESQ.
P.S.
billyjoe-ish=dickhead-ish
"Actually, billyjoe-douche bag that he/she/it is, makes a lot of sense in the 8:16 am post."
Thanks Billyjoe's Brain. It's obvious great minds--errr, brains--think alike.
Thank you BJB!!! You have been missed in this post!
TO THE IDIOT WHO MADE THIS POST!!!
WHY ARE YOU JEALOUS IF SOMEONE IS SUCCESSFUL??? WHAT IS IT TO YOUR CONCERN IF "CHAD" ZURIC OWES CHILD SUPPORT? DOES HE OWE YOU MONEY? NO!!!!!!!!
GET A LIFE AND FOLLOW YOUR OWN LIFE! WHY DONT YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO OPEN YOUR OWN BUSINESS? STOP WORKING YOUR DEPRESSING JOB FROM 9-5 AND MAKE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF...
OUR COUNTRY WILL NOT SURVIVE WHEN WE HAVE IDIOTS LIKE YOURSELF WHO ARE JEALOUS... WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHERS AS NEIGHBORS NOT AS ENEMYS!!!!
Zoran,
If I'm not mistaken isn't "chad" Zurac the person who allegedly:
- Abandoned his family by choosing to not support his children.
- Is wanted by the FBI?
Please corect me if I'm wrong--but I think those are just some of the facts. And if true as alleged, I do not blame others for not liking the man.
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