Where'd all the Chicago taverns go? (Lincoln, Madison: real estate market, foreclosure, condos)

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

The Artful Dodger episode in Bucktown was shameful...

It was bad enough that the bar got the boot, but the building was magnificent even if a bar was never located in it. It being torn down epitomizes Chicago's disregard of its great architectural past and heritage. It highlights the city government's gross failure in protecting buildings.

What made Chicago-Chicago is disappearing before our very eyes. Buildings and taverns alike.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

The corner stores went away first, now it's the bars. It's getting harder and harder to get the things you need in your own neighborhood without using a car.

Yea, its an increasing trend which I really dont understand. You have all these new yuppies up in arms about bars and stores on residential streets...HELLO, isnt that why you moved to the city in the first place?

[Chi-town Native]

I think it's more Daley than anything, and it's more been him "cleaning up" the old dingy bars (as he sees them) than yuppies, from what I've seen. In addition to corner taverns adding some nice local flavor, they really cut down on the drunk driving... if I wanted that, I'd move to Wisconsin.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I think it's more Daley than anything, and it's more been him "cleaning up" the old dingy bars (as he sees them) than yuppies, from what I've seen.

I think both are to blame. At least in the case of the Artful Dodger, the alderman claimed that people were complaining about noise/parking, etc from the bar. Of course, once it closed then they proceeded to alter the zoning law which enabled them to demolish the structure (which also contained numerous apartments) and instead allowed a widely out of scale/pedestrian unfriendly McMansion to go up in its place.

That corner went from this:


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/84...9c219c78ac.jpg

To this:


http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/...2/wabansia.jpg

[Chi-town Native]

with regard to the Artful Dodger, I definitely agree. It's like the (IMHO) idiots who moved next to places like the Lounge Axe and then complained about the noise.

I'll tell you, I don't care that my home's value went down/is stagnant, it such a relief to not have all those bloody cookie cutter condos reproducing like rabbits!

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

with regard to the Artful Dodger, I definitely agree. It's like the (IMHO) idiots who moved next to places like the Lounge Axe and then complained about the noise.

Yup. Another institution that could never be replaced. In that case, the landlord (who was seeing dollar signs) was just as much to blame as the a-hole neighbor.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

with regard to the Artful Dodger, I definitely agree. It's like the (IMHO) idiots who moved next to places like the Lounge Axe and then complained about the noise.

Agreed about Lounge Ax - but the main thing that drove the closing of the Artful Dodger was the owner of the building wanting to tear it down to make some money. He had Matlak in his pocket, any neighbors complaining was just a sideshow Matlak created to cover his ass. The Bucktown Community Organization opposed the demolition and petitions were signed by thousands of people in the neighborhood trying to save both the building and the bar. If the owner of the building had wanted to keep the building as is the Artful Dodger would still be there. The same thing happened to Augenblick.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Attrill

...The same thing happened to Augenblick.

The building in which Augenblick was in still stands. The space where the bar was in was turned into a real estate office shortly after the bar vacated and still is there.

3907 N. Damen
Chicago, Illinois 60618

http://www.schwindrealty.com/

I am sure though that the owner of the property was motivated to sell by a huge offer.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

The building in which Augenblick was in still stands. The space where the bar was in was turned into a real estate office shortly after the bar vacated and still is there.

3907 N. Damen
Chicago, Illinois 60618

Visit Schwind Realty for all of your real estate needs: buying or selling in Chicago. Specializing in new construction, single family homes, condos, townhomes, lofts, multi-family homes, foreclosures

I am sure though that the owner of the property was motivated to sell by a huge offer.

Yep - and the owners of the building were also the owner of the bar. They said they were going to open in a new location, but as far as I know that never happened. They made a lot of money on the sale. I'm actually kind of torn on situations like this. If you own a building and you stand to make a million or two on selling it to a developer, what right do the neighbors have to stop you from doing so? That said, I still worked to try and stop the demolition of the Artful Dodger building.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by via chicago

This is the one I was saddest to see go, as of late:

Johnnie's Lounge: Chicago Bar Project

They dont make em like that any more.

The one that hurt me the most was BW3 on Lincoln. I remember the early days when it was not yet a full blown national chain restaurant with cute commercials but, rather a credible Lincoln Park sports bar with great wings and beer specials. And one of the best in terms of decor and ambiance with exposed brick, hardwood booths, pool table, and tons of cool sports memorabilia. It also drew a true college and recent graduate crowd. Kincaid's and McGee's had nothing on BW3s.

But in '05-'06 they decided to "corporatize" it so it would resemble the 10,000 other BW3s now scattered across our nation's suburbs. Now, there's virtually no difference between this one and the ones in Plainfield, Oswego, Bolingbrook and Orland Park. Lincoln Park and Lakeview (and many other then-hip neighborhoods) grew considerably more suburbanish last decade so I guess that makes logical sense, but it’s a tragic loss just the same.

The Bar Project wisely lists it in the "Gone but not forgotten" section even though it's still open.

Honorable mention to Brother Jimmy's. Man that place was fun Did many wing nights there as well.