LAKEandHALSTED.com - 2006 NEWS & VIEWS

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2006 NEWS & VIEWS

2006
AN OPINIONATED VIEW OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING &
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING!

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12/1/06
QUESTION TO THE EDITOR
Q: "...one question...Why? Why all this and is it really worth it? Don�t get me wrong I hate those guys just as much as you, but they're not worth my time."
- Anonymous

A: This is my neighborhood and my home.
Sometimes you have to stand up and defend what's yours.
Sometimes others put you in a position so you have no other choice than to stand up to them.

Initially, I was trying to live a peaceful coexistence. When they barricaded the street so I couldn't get into my lot and the side of my building was covered with graffiti, I called Tony Perez several times and tried reasoning with him to make changes. He didn't.

Then they sent a woman, posing as me, to a community meeting about Chromium.

So I stood up and objected to the late night license by taking photos.

Things settled down for a while and I wasn't making any fuss.

Then my front windows were broken because they thought I had something to do when Chromium was temporary closed by the Board of Health. Truthfully...I knew NOTHING about it...in fact I was having surgery on my foot that day!

So I stood up and began taking video tapes and started the website.

Things settled down for a while and I wasn't making any fuss.

Then I was served with a lawsuit by Tony Perez. I had no choice... I had to stand up again.

I'm NOT looking for a fight or any controversy... I just want to live my life peacefully. But when I'm put in the position where I have to stand up... I intend to see it through.

That IS my choice.
- EDITOR, LAKEandHALSTED.com

CLARIFICATION: The word "hate" has never entered into my vocabulary regarding Chromium. But a gal can get kinda cranky when repeatedly woken from her beauty sleep because of the nighttime antics.

2/3/06
CHROMIUM PROSECUTED UNDER
CHICAGO'S DRUG & GANG HOUSE ORDINANCE
12th District Police Commander, Ronald Sodini, initiated proceedings against the CHROMIUM NITECLUB under Chicago's Drug and Gang House Ordinance. Three months of hearings and attorney meetings took place with prosecuting attorney Robin Crabb, from Chicago's Drug and Gang House Enforcement Section of the Department of Law. In court proceedings on 2/3/06, CHROMIUM was fined and entered into a signed resolution agreement with the City of Chicago. As a result of this litigation, there is now a court order in place which will hold CHROMIUM accountable as new or recurring problems arise.
CHROMIUM has made recent attempts to sell the business.

- CITY OF CHICAGO MUNICIPAL CODE FOR THE DRUG & GANG HOUSE ORDINANCE

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Lately we've been wondering why we haven't seen CHROMIUM'S employee videotaping the closing crowds as they'd started doing last Fall. Turns out that one of the requirements under the DRUG & GANG HOUSE agreement with the City, specifies CHROMIUM must turn over all videotapes when requested. Could be they've simply used up all their videotapes and haven't had a chance to get over to BEST BUY.

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 Your website is the greatest thing in the world and I wish it wasn't necessary. I work at 10XX W. Lake St and although I have never been around for any of the indiscretions your site documents, I have seen the massive traffic problems a few nights I have had to work very late. I feel for you and if I ever notice anything again I will not hesitate to document it and submit it to your website. Just an fyi there has been tagging as far as Baba Pita on carpenter and lake and the trucks that constantly park over there. Thanks for your vigilance and dedication.
kudos.
Local Employee

1/11/06

EDITOR'S NOTE:
CLARIFICATION: The 1/11/06 Chicago Journal article linked above states: "In one of the incidents related by police, a man who didn't meet Chromium's dress code was turned away at the door and later arrested after he threatened to beat up a police officer. Essentially, Chromium can't win even when it turns troublemakers away."

The incident in question actually concerned a REUNION patron who was turned away at the door because he was already VERY inebriated. When he became unruly and belligerent, REUNION security phoned the Police who arrested the man when he threatened to beat up a Police Officer. (We have the incident on videotape) After sobering up at the Police Station, the man reportedly apologized to the Officer he'd threatened.

1/10/06 FOLLOW-UP CITY HALL MEETING ABOUT CHROMIUM
On January 10, 2006 a meeting was held at Chicago's City Hall to discuss neighborhood issues concerning the CHROMIUM NIGHTCLUB. This was scheduled as follow-up to the initial 11/15/05 meeting which was initiated by Citizen Complaint Forms submitted by area businesses and residents who cited problems they'd encountered with CHROMIUM.

In attendance from the 12th District Police Department were Commander Ron Sodini, Lieutenant Susan Moss, Officers Eduardo Nodal & Joseph Corbett and Ms. Prette Hardin-Moore. Attendees also included the managers from neighboring nightclubs, RESERVE and CLUB REUNION, representatives from the West Loop Community Organization, Randolph/Fulton Market Association, Lake Street Lofts, Fulton Market Lofts, Northwestern Cutlery, Kozan Studios and other neighborhood business owners, employees and residents.

This meeting was chaired by Mr. Scott Bruner, Director of the Department of Business Affairs & Licensing, Local Liquor Control Commission who provided an accounting of what had transpired since the 11/15/05 meeting. Mr. Bruner and Commander Sodini had met with Percy "Tony" Perez, manager of CHROMIUM and Syed Gilani, one of CLUB REUNION'S owners on 12/14/05. Bill McFall, Director of Operations for Ala Carte Entertainment and Chris Ryan, from the Division Street Merchants' Association and President of The Lodge Management Group had served as mentors, providing recommendations to CHROMIUM and CLUB REUNION after making late night visits to the clubs.

Commander Sodini and his staff explained the resources that have been assigned to the 1000 block of Lake Street on a regular basis to oversee crowds as the nightclubs close. Community members queried Mr. Bruner about the criteria for closing a nightclub and were told that since CHROMIUM has complied with licensee requirements WITHIN the club, it could not be held responsible for what was occurring OUTSIDE the club. Mr. Bruner's statement that there were no current legal grounds for shutting down CHROMIUM provoked the ire of most community residents.

Ensuing remarks included outrage that Chicago tax-payers were funding the Police Department and other resources which have become mandatory to maintain the peace and deter fighting among nightclub patrons. One local business owner questioned whether CHROMIUM'S infractions were intentionally being overlooking for monetary consideration. Most of the local residents demanded routine accountability by CHROMIUM'S management, unconvinced of the club's earnestness or intentions to follow-through with its commitments.

Mr. Chris Ryan proposed the formation of a West Loop "hospitality group" which would oversee the area nightclubs and restaurants. While the concept is germane, particularly given the area's expansion, the consensus among resident attendees was that the formation of another group would do nothing to alleviate CHROMIUM'S problems.

Mr. Bruner concluded the meeting by suggesting the residents and nightclub members meet among themselves and keep the lines of communication open. The manager of the Lake Street Lofts offered his facilities as a location where people could meet. As the meeting ended, several local residents appeared disillusioned by the process and indicated they'll investigate alternative avenues to restore the quality of life in their neighborhood.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Once again, we're obliged to offer some clarifications on comments made during the Community follow-up meeting by Percy "Tony" Perez, Chromium's manger:

COMMENT: Mr Perez seemed somewhat self-congratulatory when stating he'd reduced Chromium's occupancy limit (the number of people legally allowed in an establishment) from 728 to 400.
KEEPING IT REAL: Are we to believe that Chromium's reduction of its occupancy limit to NEARLY HALF 2 was gratuitously VOLUNTARY? (Do you think we just fell off the turnip truck?) An establishment's legal occupancy is NOT determined by the manager, but rather by the Department of Buildings. Could it be Chromium's original occupancy rating was inaccurate? Now WHO do you suppose submitted inaccurate floor plans in the first place? Could many of the problems with crowds and fighting that the neighborhood has endured over the past two years have been avoided if the occupancy limit was correct from the beginning?

COMMENT: When questioned by this Editor about TEQUILA (on Milwaukee), a previous nightclub owned by Mr. Perez, he stated the club was closed after eight years because of Liquor License violations.
KEEPING IT REAL: Liquor License violations... ya THINK? And did you say EIGHT years!?! You'd of assumed someone would have learned how to manage a club in that amount of time. Hmmm... and we were wondering why the Chromium Nightclub license was put under Tony Perez's WIFE'S name and why the building is in his FATHER'S name.

COMMENT: When questioned by this Editor about WISE GUYS (on Lincoln), a previous nightclub that Mr. Perez said was owned with "partners", he stated that the club was still open, but then he paused and remembered it was actually "burned down in a fire".
KEEPING IT REAL: "Still open"... "burned down in a fire"... we can see how it's easy to get the two confused. Have the second and third floor residents in the building adjacent to Chromium considered checking the batteries in their smoke detectors? Any more previous bars or clubs we should know about?

COMMENT: Mr. Perez stated he is getting training for his "security" staff.
KEEPING IT REAL: Must be kinda' embarrassing to see a videotape of your security staff as they stand outside the club drinking beer on the street till almost 5:00 AM, then hand out beer from inside the club to someone who's entering a car for the drive home. And it must be really embarrassing to see FIFTEEN members of your security staff take a guy around the corner (out of camera view), only to have photos posted on the internet the next day that show the bloody sidewalk where a victim crawled away. And it must be REALLY embarrassing to see a member of your security staff arrested after assaulting a Chicago Police fficer. Yes, Mr. Perez, we'd agree the need for some training may be indicated.