Karen R
Old Town needs to return to providing goods and services to its residents. As others have mentioned, the area south of North Ave has been turned into an arm of Division St's bar scene. Gone are all the stores that residents used to frequent for their basic needs. There are no cutting-edge restaurants in the area, likely because rentals are too high. Instead, most dining options cater to the bar crowd or tourists. Old Town has lost its florists, bookstores, bakeries, and hopefully not its Walgreens. It has lost its neighborhood charm and character. I'm not even sure why the area south of North Ave calls itself Old Town, when nearly all the Victorian buildings have been demolished. It is kind of joke. I visit other US and European cities that have managed their development far better than Chicago because their quaint older sections are respected and preserved. No one in Chicago appears to care.

Bruce Theobald
A grocery store. We desparately need that to be replaced.

Alison B.
Well said! This is precisely what we need to stop perpetuating. It is out of control! I'm grateful for the cold weather!

Kelly J
We definitely need a grocery store. Restaurant/bars that cater to the age demographic of the people who actually live in Old Town. The concept for the majority of the neighborhood's bars and restaurants is the same--they serve bar food, turn into packed "night clubs" with lines down the street, and primarily cater to young kids who get sloppy drunk, litter the streets and start fights. It's like a giant frat party every weekend. We could use at least a couple restaurants and bars that serve a more mature clientele (like folks in their late 30s/40's/50s) with good food and a more sophisticated atmosphere. The neighborhood has become unsafe and annoying on weekend nights. My friends and I don't hang out here on weekends, we go to the West Loop or Gold Coast. It would be fantastic to feel comfortable going out in our own neighborhood on weekends.

Ed Motto
Agree ... Trader Joe's

Jenna Brooks
Trader Joe’s or a grocery store!

Kelly W
Trader Joes

Great idea! Another option might be a Walmart neighborhood Market (same as the one on Broadway and Diversey)

James P
Could not have said it better myself.

Lana W
The rise of condos and residents in this area continue. The Plums, the FoxTrots are wonderful additions to the neighborhood, but don't serve the general population who cannot afford or prefer not to shop at specialty or higher-end grocery outlets. We don't need a discount store, but another Treasure Island type. Easily accessible, average prices, diverse choices. I think a Trader Joe's would be great even though it is a bit of a specialty store. I Aldi's and Jewel serve the community, but for many residents in Old Town who do not have a car, they are inconvenient for doing a weekly shopping. Would like to have a better understanding of why there is such resistance to replacing TI with another grocery store.

Could we have a quick decision. It has been already 3 years.

Commercial

Grocery store. We are currently a food desert.

Staying vacant affects negatively on the value of surrounding properties

Another grocery store. That would be nice to have one of the following: Walmart superstore (same as the one on Broadway), or Mariano or Trader's Joe.