Is Plan for Whole Foods in Old Town a Smoke Screen?
The former Xsport Fitness at Piper's Alley (above) By Don DeBat Thousands of Old Town neighborhood residents are gleefully doing cartwheels over the planned opening of a classy Whole Foods Market store on the 1600 North block of North Wells St. after an eight-year grocery desert. However, many real estate insiders are skeptical about the mystery behind the sudden announcement. Is it all part of the sophisticated chess game developer Fern Hill is playing at the intersection of
Don DeBat
Sep 7
Old Town’s Historic Wacker House Defaced by Unpermitted Work, Preservationists Say
(Above) A side-by-side comparison of Wacker House shows recent alterations to the front staircase (left) versus the home’s restored original woodwork in 2001 (right). Click on image to view larger version. (Photos by Don DeBat and Paul McGrath) The 150-year-old Wacker House at 1838 North Lincoln Park West, an iconic Swiss chalet Victorian landmark, is undergoing severe alterations that have drawn outrage from preservationists and neighborhood leaders. By Don DeBat Old Town’s
Don DeBat
Aug 17
