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  Things You Need To Know

The Archives

The budgeted painting of indoor Common Elements, including vestibules, hallways, and stairways has begun.

The specific dates of when the painters will be in a particular building will be posted in the mailrooms as the project advances. Buildings will be painted in the following order; Building 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The painters will also be painting individual Unit doors and doorframes that face out into a common area hallway/stairway (not those inside a Unit).

Per the Declarations, Homeowners are responsible for the costs associated with the painting of their Unit's doors and frames (including utility rooms), which will be charged back to your Assessment Account.

Per the Rules & Regulations, failing to silence your dog can lead to fines, and after three complaints are received, a dog may be declared to be a nuisance, and ordered to be removed from the property.

Nobody wants to see this happen. All that's needed is a little discipline and training. Your dog and your neighbors will appreciate your efforts.

For your safety, and the safety of your community, new rules were passed that require all Units to be equipped with fully operational Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors (see text).

Homeowners, it's your responsibility to ensure that your unit is fully protected. Check to make sure that your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors are working, replace ones that aren't, and change batteries twice a year (daylight savings time is a good milestone to help you remember).

As Submitted To SoapBox

"For all smokers in Block X, I have one small request. Please do not throw your used cigarette butts onto the patios of the residences closest to the main entrances of the buildings. Also, if any arriving guests could do the same, it would be greatly appreciated. I may be making an assumption, but I think none of us would like to have our balconies/patios used as communal ashtrays.

Thank you."

For Buildings 1 and 2

For Homeowners in Building 1 and 2, the Board has designated Raincoat Roofing to be one of three suggested contractors for deck related projects. They are fully familiar with the materials and the construction requirements of these decks.

When a new property management firm is in place, they will be requested to identify two more suggested contractors. As well, if Homeowners wish to use their own contractors, they can do so for an additional $100 service fee to offset the costs of vetting the contractor.

The standards call for Building 1 and 2 decks to be constructed of 5/4" X 6"  Tongue and Groove Mahogany GeoDeck, which is the material that was used for all prior deck replacements. 

If you live in either Building 1 or 2 and would like to arrange for a Deck Repair or Replacement (at Homeowner expense per the Resolution), please make a request by completing this form. We will put you in touch with Raincoat Roofing. 

For Buildings 3, 4 and 5

For Homeowners in Buildings 3, 4 and 5, where decks rest directly on top of roof membranes, the construction requirements are significantly more complex.

Alexander and Associates, an architectural engineering firm, have developed specifications to cover roof membrane repair/replacements that will need to be performed prior to the installation of the newly designed modular replacement decks, which will be constructed of western red cedar.

After an open bidding process, Raincoat Roofing was selected to be the exclusive contractor for both the roof membrane and deck repairs in Buildings 3, 4, 5.  Having one company be responsible for both parts of the project, roof membrane and deck construction, was deemed critical to project success.

The cost of the membrane repairs is an Association responsibility, per the Resolution, while Homeowners are responsible for the cost of replacing the wooden decks.

The new standards for Buildings 3, 4, 5 will ensure that roof membranes are inspected and repaired as necessary prior to new decks being installed, while ensuring that the new standardized cost-effective modular deck design is implemented so that future decks allow quick and easy access to the roof membrane for ongoing preventative maintenance and emergency repairs.

In this way Homeowners in Building 3, 4 and 5 can enjoy decks that are aesthetically pleasing, cost effective, and low maintenance, while reducing the risk of deck related roof membrane failures that have resulted in water infiltration into living areas located beneath decks.

If you live in either Building 3, 4, or 5 and would like to arrange for a Deck Repair or Replacement (at Homeowner expense per the Resolution), please make a request by completing this form. We will put you in touch with Raincoat Roofing.

Under no circumstances should you or your guests park, or block, another unit owner's space.

Nor should vehicles be parked in such a way as to obstruct the free movement of other vehicles and/or pedestrians or their access to exits.

And finally, vehicles may not be parked for any amount of time on the ramps.

All such activities violate the Rules and Regulations and will result in your vehicle being towed and fines assessed.

Your neighbors thank you for your cooperation.

The 2006 Courtyard Enhancements are almost complete. The final phase, the planting of bulbs, will be completed this fall. The show in the first season has been quite impressive, and will improve as the gardens mature.

It's all part of an ongoing effort to increase property values and to get the most value out of every dollar spent on landscaping...click here to learn more.

To protect our collective investment, and in line with the Rules and Regulations, pets, children, and adults need to stay out of all planted areas in the courtyard. In addition to stipulated fines, the full costs (labor and material) of replanting will be charged back to Homeowners that don't exercise the necessary caution.

Plants are fragile, please stay on the paths.
  

Parties and gatherings outside of the unit on a deck, patio or terrace must move indoors by 11:00 pm.

Excessive noise from a party or gathering is in violation of the by-laws and is subject to a fine.

To report excessive noise or a disturbance, or any other infraction of the Rules and Regulations, please click here.

Homeowners with front or back patios who are interested in replacing their groundcover, or making any other modifications, are reminded that they need to submit their plans to the Board for approval prior to starting work. The Board will work with you to help bring your vision to life in every way we can, while maintaining the aesthetics of the complex. Start the process by clicking here. And don't forget to visit the new Garden X web page for more gardening updates.

It's going to be a five story elevator condo building. Residential parking will be provided in a closed garage on the first floor. The garage entrance will be off of the west side of May Street. There will be limited retail space on the first floor, and the likely tenant at this point is a bank.

The City of Chicago forbids construction sites from beginning operations before 8 am. If you notice a violation, please call 911 and report "noise in progress at a construction site" and the police will immediately respond.

New Entry Gates
 

For your own personal safety, and the safety of the community, please remember to take a moment and ensure that all gates and doors have closed securely behind you.

Resident launches new cookie business.

There are as many as 4 high rise buildings being considered for the West Loop.  If you don’t want high rises in your neighborhood, YOU MUST SIGN THE PETITION.

You can also share your opinions directly with the Alderman at the contact information above.

Visit the West Loop Community Organization for more information at: www.westloop.org

1201 W. Washington Racine/Washington

Peppercorn Capital LLC has purchased and begun renovation of the 1201 W. Washington building. The plan is to convert the building into Office Condos and have Retail on the first floor. Phil Denny, the founder, communicated his development plans to BlockX.org. His plans include a CVS/Pharmacy type retailer on the first floor (this would be a welcome change from another hair or nail salon). 

Philip Denny founded the company 5 years ago after graduating from Kellogg Graduate School. In the past three years Peppercorn Capital claims to have successfully managed 3 multi-million dollar real estate transactions in the West Loop district including the recent sale of his commercial production studio to Oprah Winfrey/Harpo Studios.

There will be no residential units in this development. The property is zoned C3, which designates it as being in a Commercial, Manufacturing and Employment District. The primary purpose of the C3 District is to accommodate retail, service, commercial and manufacturing uses. This District is intended to serve as a buffer between manufacturing zoned areas and other B, C and residential areas. The C3 district does not permit any type of residential use. 

To this end estimates have been obtained, and a potential vendor has been selected. The new set up has been configured on paper, and a path light model chosen.

We will continue to monitor the performance of the existing system through the upcoming winter, and if issues are still present, can move quickly to authorize installation in the spring of 2006 as soon as the ground thaws and prior to the planting of the new courtyard enhancements.

When you see the new Block X Idea Icon (see picture on left) next to an article in TopiX or anywhere else on this site, you'll know that this is an IDEA being considered. No action has yet been taken, and your Board is looking for Homeowner input and feedback.

If you want to share your opinions, good, bad, or indifferent, send us a note, or post your thoughts on Soap Box, or share your thoughts during an Association meeting. Please don't post signs in the courtyard, as this is not permitted per the Rules and Regulations.

Prior to the Board adopting any ideas, there will be plenty of opportunity for all Homeowners to be heard.

Here's the scoop on the recently passed Resolution. In a nutshell, Homeowners are responsible for maintaining, repairing and replacing the "walking surfaces" of their decks, patios and terraces (e.g. wood decking materials and patio stones). Your Association will take the responsibility for maintaining the "structural elements", which include all blue metal beams supporting decks, all the black and blue railings in the complex, and the underlying roof membranes and structures supporting decks/terraces.

If you’re planning to do work on your deck, patio or terrace, remember to submit plans to the Board for approval prior to starting work. The Property Manager can provide you with the names of approved contractors, or if you have your own, he can provide you with the specifications of approved materials and designs. We’ll have this information posted soon in the “Experts” page at BlockX.org, where you can find all types of professionals to help you maintain your Unit.

Remember, failure to properly maintain your deck/terrace/patio will result in emergency repairs being made and charged back to your Assessment account.

A complete copy of the Resolution will be mailed out shortly and posted in the Texts section of this site. Prior to starting work, click here to submit your plans to the Board for approval.

Security Notice - Mind The Gates And Stay Alert
 

Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or individuals, and call 911 immediately for assistance. Also, keep the Board and Property Manager aware of any incidences by clicking here.

Old Box

To Enter: Press * and 0 at the same time, then enter your 4 digit code.

Dial Direct: To ring a unit without scrolling, have your guests or delivery person press # and then your 3 digit Unit Number.

New Box

To Enter: Press 0, then enter your 4 digit code.

Dial Direct: To dial a unit without scrolling, have your guests or delivery person press # and then your 3 digit Unit Number.

Video: To see who's at the gate, tune your TV to Channel 27.

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