TAFT HS, DOWNTOWN EDGEBROOK, ASH BORER, OTHER UPDATES

The Chicago Public Schools has earmarked $17 million in improvements
for Taft High School, 6530 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The project will include
replacing student lockers, renovating nine science labs, replacing
windows and tuckpointing work. Some members of the Taft Parent Teacher
Student Association have been lobbying for infrastructure improvements
for several years, referring to Taft as the “invisible” school by the
decision-makers in the school system. In addition, at the last Taft
Local School Council meeting, several members praised Alderman Mary
O’Connor (41st) for her efforts in lobbying the school system on Taft’s
behalf. Construction is expected to start this fall and last about a
year. The system also announced that a $20 million annex project at
Oriole Park School, 5424 N. Oketo Ave., will start this fall. Oriole
has 652 students, 262 more than its  ideal program enrollment.

Construction permits have been issued for a Domino’s Pizza at 5410 W.
Devon Ave. and a restaurant at 6406 N. Milwaukee Ave. The Domino’s will
be opening in a space which was once occupied by a Subway sandwiches.
The storefront is part of a larger site which has been targeted for a
retail-residential project. The site’s developer, Akton Realty, has
told O’Connor that it is working on a revised proposal for the
mixed-use project, whose initial plan called for a 7-story building. At
the northwest corner of Milwaukee and Devon avenues, a
1,400-square-foot eatery, which will not serve liquor, is planned. Two
years ago the site was home to a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

A community meeting on the Emerald Ash Borer problem will be held at 7
p.m. Thursday, May 9, at the Edgebrook CLubhouse, 6100 N. Central
Ave.The Save The Ash Tree Coalition and the city Bureau of Forestry
will speak.

Edgebrook School principal Janice Kepka recently announced her
retirement, effective July 1.