Natarus calls time out in development duel


Publication: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Date: February 2, 2005
Author: David Roeder    
Section: Financial
Page: 71
Word Count: 755
Column: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE


Some serious rethinking of tactics is going on in the debate over allowing a 64-story condo tower as a western
neighbor of Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut. The matter was expected to be heard at a Feb. 24
meeting of the Chicago Plan Commission. But Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), a commission member, said he scratched
it from the agenda because of a lack of local "consensus" about the project.



He refused to say if he'll push for any design changes involving the church-owned land. Fourth Presbyterian hopes
to get $25 million by selling the property's development rights.


Natarus charged that the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents has fomented opposition by "not telling the
truth about the project." Asked if the delay buys time to counteract SOAR, Natarus said, "We need more time to
evaluate what's in the best interest of the community." SOAR Executive Director Rosalie Harris said the organization
has retracted a couple of mistakes that appeared in form letters it drafted on the subject. "We're taking the
opportunity to explore new strategies and encourage personal letters [to Natarus and City Hall] that we believe will
have a greater effect," Harris said.


With Streeterville growing restive about an invasion of traffic-spawning high-rises, Natarus soon will have another
hot issue to deal with. He said Centrum Properties, which now has control over the Grand Pier development site, is
suggesting a three-tower project. The first two buildings, both for condos, could be about 70 stories each, Natarus
said. Centrum partner John McLinden could not be reached for comment. Grand Pier is west of Fairbanks between
Grand and Illinois.


The alderman declined to state a position on the Centrum proposal and Harris said her group has yet to get a
presentation from the developer.


CHINN OUT: Last week's column quoted commercial broker Keith Lord as saying Bob Chinn's Crabhouse, 315 N. La
Salle, is one of several downtown restaurants that might not survive 2005. Then a letter arrived purportedly from
Salvatore Ferrara, partner in the restaurant. It said Chinn is no longer in the venture and the place will now be called
Ferrara's Fish & Chop House.


But a call to restaurant manager Tom Sorfleet produced a different account. He said the new name is the Crab
House. Chinn, whose famous restaurant is in Wheeling, bowed out with the end of a licensing agreement, Sorfleet
said. Asked about talk that the huge downtown restaurant is failing, he said, "That's news to me. We're still here."


MORSE HELLHOLE: Regular readers will remember the response I stirred up last summer when I referred to Morse
Avenue in Rogers Park as a crime "hellhole." My diatribe was about how crime kills business activity on a street that
should fare better because of its lakefront location and access to the Red Line.


Most of the responses supported me. Some reflected the denial of community leaders who try to portray critics as
being anti-affordable housing or racists. But it turns out my "hellhole" label inspired a Rogers Park resident, Craig
Gernhardt, to start a blog that catalogs the daily indignities, large and small, that occur along the street.


It's at http://morsehellhole. blogspot.com. Gernhardt, who with his father publishes Gay Chicago magazine, is part of
the community group Paws 4 Peace that has its own crime-fighting strategy. A dozen or so dog owners will use their
daily walks to make the drug dealers uncomfortable. "We'll just gather on their corners and start talking about the
weather. They don't like that and they'll move on," Gernhardt said.


He uses the blog to challenge timid leaders and to embarrass property owners who contribute to Morse's blight. Yes,
he's a pest. Bless the pests! They bring out the intensity that leads to change.


PEPSI PLEASE: The bottler PepsiAmericas Inc. will move about 400 employees from Rolling Meadows to
Schaumburg. Represented by NAI Hiffman, PepsiAmericas signed a long-term lease of 102,000 square feet for the
top five floors at 1475 E. Woodfield Rd. in the Schaumburg Corporate Center. Manulife Financial developed the
14-story building in 2002. The deal is among the biggest the northwest suburbs have seen in recent months.


CALENDAR NOTE: Friends of Downtown's free Thursday program covers the new Spertus Institute of Jewish
Studies, a dashing new home that will join the South Michigan street wall. The program starts at 12:15 p.m. at the
Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph.


DOING THE DEALS: Oak Brook-based Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust Inc. is the new owner of the Oswego
Commons Shopping Center, a new center in Oswego. It paid $35 million for the 498,000-square-foot center.

Copyright 2005 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.