New gathering space installed along Milwaukee Ave. at Six Corners on Chicago’s NW Side
by BRIAN NADIG
A new public gathering space with chairs and tables recently was installed on the sidewalk in the Six Corners commercial district at 4030-32 N. Milwaukee Ave.
“With the (Lovin’ Scoop) ice-cream store right there, we figured it was a good universal place for people to meet,” said Joe Angelastri, a board member of the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce, which allocated $1,500 of chamber funds toward the project.
He added that there are several other restaurants on the block, including the Sweet Dragon Boba Tea, which is scheduled to open by the end of April.
The gathering space measures about 6 feet wide and 24 feet long and includes custom-made pillars, each with a small planter box on top, Angelastri said. A permit was issued for the project as part of the city’s Make Way for People Program, which encourages the conversion of alleys and portions of sidewalks and streets to “people” spots for eating, playing and gathering.
The space includes the chairs and tables which had previously been part of a “people spot” located during the warmer months in the parking lane of the 4000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue from 2018 to 2020.
hat gathering space was located on a platform installed on the street.
Angelastri said that the chamber felt the new meet-up space on the sidewalk could be just as effective as the one on the street but without taking up two parking spaces.
In 2017 a piano was temporarily located on the sidewalk for passers-by to use.
The new gathering space will be removed around Nov. 1 for the winter, said Angelastri, who owns City News Cafe, 4018 N. Cicero Ave.
