November 19, 2021
Alderman Reilly Reports
Holiday Season Kicks-off THIS WEEKEND
The Holiday season kicks-off today with the annual City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting and Christkindlmarket opening. It continues this weekend with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and much more.

108th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Tonight, Millennium Park 
The 108th Annual City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place tonight at 6:00pm in Millennium Park. This year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony will be in-person. The event has been expanded and reimagined to provide more space and opportunities for guests to participate — including multiple viewing locations with screens and concessions across the Park and a main stage on the Great Lawn with the traditional Tree Lighting Ceremony followed by fireworks and a special concert from 6:35–7:45pm.

Christkindlmarket Opens Today in Daley Plaza
Christkindlmarket Chicago opens today in Daley Plaza. Admission to the Christkindlmarket is FREE. Nearly 60 vendors boast one-of-a-kind offerings that are destined to become treasured gifts for loved ones of all ages. The traditional wooden huts are filled with a wonderland of fine gifts and European sweets and treats. The Grand Timber House and Festival Tent provide visitors a place to warm up, sit down, and enjoy delicious food and drinks.

Friday, November 19 - Sunday, December 24
Sundays - Thursdays 11am - 8pm
Fridays & Saturdays 11am - 9pm

For more information, please visit the official website at www.christkindlmarket.com.

BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival will occur on Saturday, November 20. The parade will step-off this year at 5:30pm from Oak and Michigan and proceed south to Wacker Drive.
The parade concludes with a fireworks show over the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue. For public safety, spectators are not allowed to view fireworks on any of the Chicago bridges.


The following MAIN STREET CLOSURES will take place as early as 3:30pm on Saturday, November 20 and will remain in place until 7:30pm or such time as the Chicago Police Department deems it safe to reopen the street:

  • Oak Street (State to Michigan)
  • North Michigan Avenue (Oak to Wacker)
  • Upper Wacker Drive (Michigan to east turnaround)

The following ADDITIONAL STREET CLOSURES will take effect at different times:

Closed 8am to 6pm on Saturday, November 20:

  • Clark (Oak to Delaware, east curb lane only)
  • Delaware (Dearborn to Clark, north curb lane only)
  • Oak (Clark to State)
  • Dearborn (Delaware to Maple)
  • Walton (State to Clark)

Closed 3:30pm to 9pm on Saturday, November 20:

  • Upper Columbus (Wacker to Randolph, southbound curb lanes only)
  • Randolph Street (Curb lanes from Michigan to Columbus)

Closed 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 20 

  • Upper Columbus (Wacker Drive to Randolph) 

Given the large crowds expected for this year's festival and the associated street closures, it is highly advised that residents exercise caution should they decide to drive near the parade route, as the access pass will not guarantee congestion free travel.

Additionally, given the magnitude of the event, there may be significant traffic delays associated with the festival as well as intermittent "rolling" closures not listed in the Street Closure Notice-these are under the jurisdiction of the Chicago Police Department and will be enacted without the consent or notification of the Alderman's Office.

Please click here for more information or a schedule of events.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids and Teens
With final approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. There are a number of ways for families to get their children aged 5-11 vaccinated against COVID-19, including at pediatricians’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, community events, and dedicated Chicago Public School (CPS) and Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) clinics.

All 5-to-11-year-olds will be eligible for a $100 incentive when receiving their primary vaccine doses at a CDPH or CPS-hosted event. Booster doses do not qualify for incentives nor do vaccine events that are not hosted by CDPH or CPS. Please click here for information regarding vaccine events hosted by CDPH.
Traveling for the Holidays
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) weekly COVID-19 Travel Advisory currently includes 38 states and one territory. States are removed from the Travel Advisory when they maintain a daily COVID case rate below 15 per 100,000 residents for at least two consecutive weeks. 

Under the advisory, unvaccinated travelers should be tested for COVID before and after travel and should quarantine upon arrival in Chicago. The quarantine and testing recommendations do not apply to fully vaccinated travelers. 
Check out what the City of Chicago has to say about travel here if you have any questions.
North Grant Park & Streeterville Curbside Management Study
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is conducting a survey aimed to better understand the transportation and traffic related problems encountered in the densely populated North Grant Park and Streeterville areas. 

The survey will help the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) formalize its understanding of curbside management; it will also assess physical, operational, and regulatory solutions and recommendations.
 
Alderman Reilly encourages Streeterville and Lakeshore East residents to complete this 5-minute survey to provide input relating to the transportation and traffic problems encountered in the study area. Click here to access the survey.
Tips from ComEd to Recognize Scammers
Being aware of energy scams gives you the power to spot them before they happen.
 
ComEd will never call or come to your home or business to:

  • Sell you electricity
  • Ask for your account number
  • Ask you to make a direct payment with a prepaid cash card, cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, or third-party electronic banking app such as Cash App, Zelle, QuickPay or Venmo
  • Ask for your personal information such as Social Security number, Tax ID, or bank information

Please be aware of potential email and web scams:

  • Carefully review messages originating from outside your organization's network
  • Check the name of the sender and business in the email and make sure it matches the name and business in the email address. Look for misspellings and zeros in place of the letter O.
  • Do you recognize the sender? Don't hesitate to make a phone call to verify a message is being sent from a trusted source. Use a phone number from your own records or the company's official website and not the number provided in the email.
  • Confirm the contents of the email look legitimate especially when a request can have financial impacts, such as transferring money
  • Hover over website links before clicking to confirm legitimacy of the site

If at any time you are uncomfortable, or you feel you are experiencing suspicious behavior, call ComEd immediately at 800-EDISON1.

Click here to learn more.
Chicagoans - Attend City Colleges at No Cost Through Future Ready
Following more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the best time to prepare for a new career. City Colleges wants to give a financial boost to Chicagoans who want to start or resume their college education.

With that in mind, City Colleges of Chicago is offering Future Ready. Through Future Ready, City Colleges provides 60+ programs in select high-demand fields at no cost to eligible Chicagoans.

Eligible Chicagoans are:

  • New to City Colleges credit classes or those that have been away for two or more Fall/Spring semesters and left CCC in good standing
  • Interested in pursuing careers in fields as diverse as: healthcare, technology, transportation, distribution, and logistics, cannabis operations, auto tech, criminal justice, and more
  • Undocumented students are eligible

This is a first-come, first-served opportunity, and seats are limited. Enrollment for Spring semester is open now.

To learn more and see the list of Future Ready programs, go to: www.ccc.edu/futureready.
FREE Smoke Alarms at the 42nd Ward Office
Stop by our office in City Hall, Room 200 at 121 N. LaSalle Street for a free smoke detector! Most fires occur at night when people are sleeping. A smoke detector can alert you when there is a fire, in time to save your life.
Below are some tips to ensure your smoke detector is properly installed and working correctly:
  • Make sure you are testing your detector correctly.
  • When a smoke detector sounds, get outside and call 911. Stay outside!
  • Install smoke detectors within 15 feet of any sleeping room and every level of your house
  • Replace your smoke detector every 10 years. Write the install date on the unit.
  • Don't forget to install Carbon Monoxide detectors on every floor as well.
  • Any questions on smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, call the Chicago Fire Department Public Education Division at (312) 747-6691.
A special thank you to the Chicago Fire Department for the smoke detector! Smoke detectors can be picked up from the 42nd Ward Office between the hours of 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday located in City Hall, Room 200.
 
For any other questions or to coordinate picking up a smoke alarm, please call us at (312) 744-3062 or send us a note via office@ward42chicago.com
42nd Ward Street Closures and Construction Notices
Helicopter Lift at 1 East Wacker Drive

On Sunday, December 5 from 9am-11am, there will be a helicopter lift at 1 East Wacker Drive. During the lift, the following will be closed:

  • State, from Lake Street to Kinzie Street
  • Wacker, from Dearborn to Wabash

They will have barricades and police officers in-place throughout the lift.

Dearborn Street Bridge Closure

On Tuesday, November 23, from 9:20am to 1:00pm, the Dearborn Street Bridge over the Chicago River will be closed for maintenance.

Detour Northbound Traffic:

  • Dearborn, Wacker, State, Kinzie, Dearborn

Expansion Joint Repair

Lendlease is replacing an expansion joint at the corner of East Waterside Drive and North Harbor Drive. This work is anticipated to be complete by Friday November 26th. There will not be any road closures and a flagger will be stationed as all times to help direct traffic. The road will be plated over the Thanksgiving holiday.

RCN Sidewalk Restoration

On Tuesday, November 2, RCN began sidewalk restoration on St. Clair, from Superior Street to Illinois Street. This work is expected to be competed by the beginning of December 2021 (weather dependent).

42nd Ward - Bus Stop Change

To enhance the delivery of service, the following bus stop change will take place, effective on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 9:00 am:

  • State at Chicago (northbound, nearside to farside)—Permanent bus stop relocation
Stop ID Number: 5387 to 18613


IJKL South Valley Wall Construction

Lendlease will begin work on the South Valley Wall of Cascade Park on Monday, November 29th and is expected to be complete on Monday December 6th. Bike and pedestrian access on Lower Harbor Service Drive will not be affected.
 
All dates are dependent on weather and if any changes occur, an updated schedule will be issued.


42nd Ward Filmings

Photo Shoot

Sandro Inc will be taking photos at 232 East Ohio Street on Saturday, November 20, from 9am-5pm. During the photo shoot, parking will be prohibited on the north side of East Ohio Street, from 212 East Ohio Stress to Fairbanks Court.

If you have any questions, please call Jennie Frake (location manager) at (847) 826-5825.

Commercial Filming

Ogilvy will be filming for a commercial at 1 North State Street on Tuesday, November 23, from 5am to 9pm. Parking will be prohibited on the west side of South Wabash Avenue from 18 South Wabash Avenue to 28 South Wabash Avenue.

If you have any questions, please call Maura Crowley (location manager) at (608) 513-3116.

ComEd Vault Roof Replacement

ComEd is replacing a sidewalk vault roof at 344 West Erie Street. Work hours will be 8am-3pm, 5-days a week. 
 
Throughout the work, the sidewalk and curb lane on the north side of West Erie, from North Orleans to the first alley west thereof will be closed. 
 
There will be barricades, detour signs, and flaggers on-site throughout the project. All work is expected to be completed by the beginning of December (weather dependent).

LG Construction: 751 N. Hudson and 451 W Chicago 

LG Construction has broke ground at 751 N. Hudson Avenue and 451 W. Chicago Avenue, which are adjacent parcels. Work hours will be 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
 
Throughout the project, the following will be closed:

  • Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane of the east side of Hudson, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
  • Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane on the west side of Sedgwick, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
  • Sidewalk/curb lane on the south side of Chicago, from Hudson to Sedgwick

There will be a protected pedestrian walkway in the curb lane on the south side of Chicago Avenue, from Hudson Avenue to Sedgwick Street.

This project is expected to take 18 months to complete (weather dependent). 

Wacker Drive Repainting Project
 
In late-July, the Chicago Department of Transportation began repainting Lower/Middle Wacker Drive, from North Field Boulevard to Lake Shore Drive. Work hours will be 8am-8pm, 6-days a week. 
 
CDOT will be sandblasting/repainting 80' sections of Wacker Drive at a time. The sandblasting/repainting area will be contained and exhaust fans will be in-place to remove dust and fumes.
 
Traffic will be maintained in both directions at all times, and access to parking garages will not be blocked. 
 
This project is expected to be completed mid-December 2021. 

354 North Union Construction

The Onni Group is constructing a 33 story residential building with 373 units. Work hours will be 8am-8pm, daily. 

Parking will be prohibited on North Union, from West Kinzie to the cul-de-sac west thereof throughout the project. All construction equipment and vehicles will be staged on the Onni Group’s property. This project will take approximately two years to complete. 

430 N. Michigan Lobby Renovation
 
Starting in mid-September, GNP Realty Partners will be renovating the lobby at 430 N. Michigan Avenue. Throughout the project, there will be a 40’ urban canopy on the sidewalk in front of the building. In order to place the canopy on the sidewalk, the planter bed and City Information Panel (CIP) at this location will be temporarily removed. Both the planter bed and CIP will be reinstalled upon completion of the project. 
 
The project is expected to be completed in mid-December. 

South Water Street Viaduct Replacement

In March 2021, the Chicago Department of Transportation began demolition of the South Water Street Viaduct, between Lower Beaubien Court and Stetson Street. Work hours are 8am-8pm, daily. 

As of May 10, vehicular and pedestrian access will be prohibited on the Upper and Lower levels of South Water Street, between Lower Beaubien Court and North Stetson Street. There will be barricades and detour signs in-place throughout the duration of the project. 

This project is expected to be completed in July 2022 (weather dependent). 

Renovations at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street

On February 15, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) began renovating the Grand Army of the Republic Rotunda and Hall at the Cultural Center, located at 78 East Washington Street. Throughout the project, DCASE will be using the Cultural Centers loading zone at 129 North Garland Court as storage for the project and to place their construction dumpster. 

On Monday, April 19, canopies will be installed at the following locations:
  • South side of Randolph, from Michigan to a point 50' west thereof
  • West side of Michigan, from Randolph to a point 75' south thereof

The project is expected to be completed February 2022. 

Construction: 609 West Randolph Street
 
Construction of a 15-story commercial building at 609 West Randolph Street began in mid-January. Throughout the duration of the project, the following will be closed:

  • Curb/Traffic lane and sidewalk on south side of West Randolph, from North Jefferson to 621 West Randolph

There will be a canopy with a concrete crash wall and plywood enclosure for pedestrian use in the closed traffic lane on West Randolph, from North Jefferson to 621 West Randolph.

There will be detour signs, barricades, and flaggers in place for the duration of the project. This project is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2022 (weather dependent).

Façade Work: 160 North LaSalle Street

Bowa Construction began work in October 2020 to perform façade and cladding work at 160 North LaSalle Street. During the work, there will be scaffolding on the east, north, and south sides of the building. 

All work is expected to be completed in December 2021.

Overnight Parking Ban Downtown

Until further notice, overnight parking will be restricted on the following streets during the weekend:  

  • Both sides of Oak, between Michigan and Clark 
  • South side of Oak, between LaSalle and Wells 
  • Both sides of Chicago, between Michigan and Wells 
  • Both sides of Ohio, between Michigan and Wells 
  • Both sides of Hubbard, between Michigan and Wells 
  • North side of Illinois, between Dearborn and Clark 
  • Both sides of Illinois, between Wabash and Dearborn 
  • Both sides of Rush, between Grand and Ohio 
  • Both sides of Rush, between Erie and Oak 
  • Both sides of Wabash, between the Chicago River and Grand 
  • Both sides of State, between Kinzie and Oak 
  • Both sides of Erie, from Rush to Wells 
  • Both sides of Huron from Rush to Dearborn
  • Both sides of New Street, from Illinois to North Water
  • Both sides of Columbus Drive, from Monroe to Balbo 
  • North side of Wacker Drive, from Wabash to Michigan
  • North side of Wacker Drive, from Franklin to Columbus 
  • Both sides of Wacker Drive, from State to Wabash 
  • Both sides of Stetson, from Randolph to Wacker 
  • Both sides of Columbus Drive, from Randolph to Wacker 
  • Both sides of Beaubien Court, from Randolph to Lake 
  • Both sides of Randolph, from Harbor to Michigan 
  • Both sides of Ohio, from Michigan to Fairbanks
  • West side of Larrabee, from Erie to Huron


As always, please make sure to read all posted signage before parking your vehicle downtown.