A walk down Cermak Rd

[Bonster]

I've never been the least bit deterred by any storefronts or signage, nor anyone hanging out by George's having a smoke - just lame business and overall lack of continuity.  If everything on Windsor was squished into two blocks, shopping at everything from Tonini's to Fly Right to Over the Rainbow would be a snap.  I'm just as likely to drive from Brando's down to Tonini's if I have to patronize both in one trip. 

Did the previously thriving Depot District fade away due to bad signage?  I think not.  Besides, the BDC has done what they can to encourage better signage, banners, awnings in the Depot.  Until there's a better business plan, or people prove they'll consistently support DD area businesses we'll get what we deserve.

@pkd - lol...

[justme]

LaGrange Road running through LaGrange sure ain't cozy. Seems to work fine there.

justme's comparison was the difference in ambiance of  Lake Street and Cermak.

Right, I didn't mention LaGrange-I was talking strictly Lake Street. Lagrange Road is NOT cozy, however if you drive down the street on the weekends-and especially summer evenings-every place is packed. They have outside eating and not an empty chair. Heck even weeknights are hoppin' down there.

But  consider what we have here:a big population of gang bangers who bring their friends from Chicago, Cicero,etc. WHo wants to sit having coffee outside of a restaurant having droopy  pants gang bangers swearing , music blasting from cars,etc.? We simply don't have the atmosphere.

And as it was mentioned, we have a lack of maintanance when it comes to sidewalks, signage,etc. Things such as parking lines may seem trivial to some but it does say a lot when a city or town doesn't pay attention to little details.

pkd50, I don't know how you were able to pass up Kirschbaum's. I never can. I always wind up walking out with a big bag of bakery  They get crazy busy in there but are actually very fast, in my experiences.

[OakParkSpartan]

I've never been the least bit deterred by any storefronts or signage, nor anyone hanging out by George's having a smoke - just lame business and overall lack of continuity.  If everything on Windsor was squished into two blocks, shopping at everything from Tonini's to Fly Right to Over the Rainbow would be a snap.  I'm just as likely to drive from Brando's down to Tonini's if I have to patronize both in one trip. 

Did the previously thriving Depot District fade away due to bad signage?  I think not.  Besides, the BDC has done what they can to encourage better signage, banners, awnings in the Depot.  Until there's a better business plan, or people prove they'll consistently support DD area businesses we'll get what we deserve.

@pkd - lol...

It isn't just the bad signs, it isn't just the shabby looking storefronts, it isn't just the amount of people loitering around for seemingly no purpose...it is all those factors and others when put together makes it an not terribly appealing area to shop in.

You may be quite content with those conditions, but the fact that the area is not doing well would seem to indicate that you aren't typical.

[Bonster]

It isn't just the bad signs, it isn't just the shabby looking storefronts, it isn't just the amount of people loitering around for seemingly no purpose...it is all those factors and others when put together makes it an not terribly appealing area to shop in.

Exactly which QUALITY businesses in the Depot District are in shabby buildings and/or have bad signs?  The problem is the layout and lack of quality businesses.   There isn't much else to do down there but drink and loiter.  And what IS there you have to actually exercise to get to.  Definitely NOT Berwyn!

You may be quite content with those conditions, but the fact that the area is not doing well would seem to indicate that you aren't typical.

... based on that brilliant deduction I should be shopping there on a regular basis.   

[Bonster]

pkd50, I don't know how you were able to pass up Kirschbaum's. I never can. I always wind up walking out with a big bag of bakery 

Cake pops!

[OakParkSpartan]

It isn't just the bad signs, it isn't just the shabby looking storefronts, it isn't just the amount of people loitering around for seemingly no purpose...it is all those factors and others when put together makes it an not terribly appealing area to shop in.

Exactly which QUALITY businesses in the Depot District are in shabby buildings and/or have bad signs?  The problem is the layout and lack of quality businesses.   There isn't much else to do down there but drink and loiter.  And what IS there you have to actually exercise to get to.  Definitely NOT Berwyn!

You may be quite content with those conditions, but the fact that the area is not doing well would seem to indicate that you aren't typical.

... based on that brilliant deduction I should be shopping there on a regular basis.

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.  Isn't George's awning still half falling apart?  The antique store by OOT could use some sprucing up.

You focus on one little thing.  I think when you take all these factors, it presents a less than good impression (and neither of us have mentioned the old Berwyn Finer Foods building...) and makes it much less appealing than it could be.

[buzz]

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.

And, don't just look at the 1st floor, those business are trying to do their part.  Get closer to the tracks and scan the apartments above.  Oy !  Banged up air conditioners hanging out of the windows, broken mini blinds, sometimes bed sheets used for curtains !
Now thats a great view for commuters to see from the train.

[OakParkSpartan]

Exactly buzz.

[Ted]

The few towns whose businesses are built along side the tracks generally have greater traffic, easier navigation.  Windsor sucks, and nobody cares about Stanley.  You can't turn onto Windsor from Harlem and the train stations make for crappy navigation entering from either end.  Once past Tonini's it's all residential so there's zero inclination for anyone on Harlem to drive in making it primarily Berwyn residents only.

What's going to happen when they build the overpass/underpass on Harlem?  Won't that make west Windsor in Berwyn even more inaccessible.

  For the acccessibility reasons, I don't think DD can ever be Berwyn's "downtown" area. To me, Berwyn's downtown will always be Cermak.

[Diona]

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.

And, don't just look at the 1st floor, those business are trying to do their part.  Get closer to the tracks and scan the apartments above.  Oy !  Banged up air conditioners hanging out of the windows, broken mini blinds, sometimes bed sheets used for curtains !
Now thats a great view for commuters to see from the train.

+1

[buzz]

What's going to happen when they build the overpass/underpass on Harlem?

I don't believe that will come to fruition.  They cannot displace/disrupt all those businesses.
Have you ever seen a date certain for this project ?

[nativeson]

Sorry to report the loss of another business in the DD...  "Super Cleaners" at 6930 Windsor is gone.  Word is that the family operating the place was living in the back of the store and forced to leave due to city code violations.  You could tell they were really struggling by the overall look of the business...  hope they land on their feet somewhere.

[justme]

What's going to happen when they build the overpass/underpass on Harlem?

I don't believe that will come to fruition.  They cannot displace/disrupt all those businesses.
Have you ever seen a date certain for this project ?

Haven't they been saying for years that they were going to do this? And I have yet to hear of anything solid that they are moving forward with.

[EC]

The state always promises money for another study but......... we all know where that goes.

[Bonster]

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.

And, don't just look at the 1st floor, those business are trying to do their part.  Get closer to the tracks and scan the apartments above.  Oy !  Banged up air conditioners hanging out of the windows, broken mini blinds, sometimes bed sheets used for curtains !
Now thats a great view for commuters to see from the train.

Exactly buzz.

Renters.  So how is that a government problem?  Should they be forcing Slinkman to purchase Levelor blinds for all tenants and installing central A/C? 

I think the "shabby building" issue is more of matter of "fuckin' ugly" buildings. 

[OakParkSpartan]

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.

And, don't just look at the 1st floor, those business are trying to do their part.  Get closer to the tracks and scan the apartments above.  Oy !  Banged up air conditioners hanging out of the windows, broken mini blinds, sometimes bed sheets used for curtains !
Now thats a great view for commuters to see from the train.

Exactly buzz.

Renters.  So how is that a government problem?  Should they be forcing Slinkman to purchase Levelor blinds for all tenants and installing central A/C? 

I think the "shabby building" issue is more of matter of "fuckin' ugly" buildings.

Go look at Lagrange, Downers, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Westmont...none of those places have crap like that on their second floors facing the tracks.  SOMEONE permits it to continue.  If not the city government, who?

People aren't going to want to shop in stores when they have to dodge drunks, scumbags and spit all over the sidewalk. 

[Ted]

 In thinking about the depot areas in La Grange, Riverside and Western Springs, it seemed to me there were some differences:

In Riverside, no businesses face the tracks. On both Windsor and on Burlington in Riverside, there are buildings on both sides of the street.

In Western Springs, it seems like the streets along the tracks were wider than in Berwyn. The businesses were not right on top of the tracks.

  Same with La Grange. You have businesses along the tracks but not on top of the tracks.

In Berwyn, it seems like businesses are right on top of the tracks, which makes it less appealing, not to mention how MacNeal just shuts out everything else around it.

  That might be why the planners think the Depot District needs an open area.  Think about what the Depot District would be like if all the businesses were along 32nd street or 34th steet and there was park land or open space along the tracks between 32nd to 34th.

[Bonster]

Look at Slinkman's building.  That could use a lot of work.  Look at the facade of Jungle Joe's or whatever it is called.

And, don't just look at the 1st floor, those business are trying to do their part.  Get closer to the tracks and scan the apartments above.  Oy !  Banged up air conditioners hanging out of the windows, broken mini blinds, sometimes bed sheets used for curtains !
Now thats a great view for commuters to see from the train.

Exactly buzz.

Renters.  So how is that a government problem?  Should they be forcing Slinkman to purchase Levelor blinds for all tenants and installing central A/C? 

I think the "shabby building" issue is more of matter of "fuckin' ugly" buildings.

Go look at Lagrange, Downers, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Westmont...none of those places have crap like that on their second floors facing the tracks.  SOMEONE permits it to continue.  If not the city government, who?

People aren't going to want to shop in stores when they have to dodge drunks, scumbags and spit all over the sidewalk.

Dodging drunks?  LOL.. do you make a habit of walking in circles in front of George's or what?
As far as scumbags are concerned, well.. that is a good portion of the make up of our city's population.

How can you compare Lagrange, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills rental markets with Berwyn's?  Also, most of those towns' trackside buildings contain office space or condos.  We have condos too, but no one lives there!  Actually, Downers Grove has had some pretty crappy apartments on Main St.  Some were razed and replaced with condos, some others in inherently better looking buildings to begin with, surrounded by good business.

Is there such an enforceable blight ordinance that will get someone to purchase new blinds (fuck, you'd have to enforce it with half the damn houses in the city)?  They'd better be pretty bad or you'd be shit outta luck.

[buzz]

I heard a commercial on  93XRT  tonight that was promoting  Roosevelt Rd. 
It said for more info go to myberwyn.com  .
How long has that been running ?

[Bonster]

I think they said or meant to say whyberwyn.com .

There is a link there to Roosevelt Road Awaits!

Interestingly they promote 16th Street Theater there, yet not Gina's?