Colonel J.N. Pritzker

Colonel Jennifer Pritzker's crews have demolished the attractive, 90-year-old house, formerly home to the Shambala meditation center, that stood on the Rogers Park lot where the billionaire plans to build a 250-car parking garage. The new structure would largely serve visitors to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Emil Bach House and residents at Farcroft by the Lake, an upscale apartment tower, both owned by Pritzker. Eighty-four spaces would be set aside for short- and long-term paid parking for the general public. However, the garage still requires the approval of the Chicago Plan Commission, which is on their October 17 meeting agenda.

49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore is one of the most progressive members of City Council and has been a strong supporter of sustainable transportation and livable streets initiatives. Most notably, he was the first American politician to introduce participatory budgeting, allowing residents to vote on how the ward’s discretionary “menu” money is spent, which has led to a number of walking, biking and transit improvements in his district.