Hey Sloopin!
First let me say that my S Loop friends and I are addicted to your site. SO, thank you and keep up the good work! Secondly, after much complaining to these same friends regarding an issue I have near my condo they said "Tell Sloopin"!
I believe that other people have discussed or commented about that restaurant, Acappella. This is some what related to that topic because I believe the owner is responsible for my parking wars headache. There are 3 cars parked on 13th and Michigan ( yellow jeep, subaru, crappy little pick-up) that have been parked there since last summer. YES LAST SUMMER, They never move their cars and when the owner needs to actual drive it, they move the other cars around so no one could get their secured spot. I'm highly annoyed.
In fact one of the vehicles has a homemade sign on the dash that says "Official Chicago Police Business". I think these people are unethical and clearly taking advantage. Even during street cleaning they do not get ticketed or move their vehicles.The one time I actually ran into this Chicago Cop, he told me he wasn't doing anything wrong and called me something not so nice. I'm attaching some pics, in the hopes that you will publish them on your site. I would like Fioretti to do something about this(and have written a letter). Maybe if enough people can bring attention to this "unofficial" business something can be done.
Thanks Sloopin!
Devoted S Looper without parking
We've received complaints about this before, but obviously nothing has happened. So if you think this is a problem please email the alderman (ward02@cityofchicago.org) and hopefully something can be done. Parking is already an issue in this neighborhood and people abusing the system doesn't make it any better.
(Hat tip: N!)
I would suggest a knife in their tires...
ReplyDeleteA man with 2 cars does this in my neighborhood too. It's so annoying, but I guess it must be the only perk to owning 2 cars in this city.
ReplyDeleteSleazy restaurant, sleazy owners. I wish they'd fail faster so something better could move into this prime location. Would love to see Panozzo's develop a full-service restaurant.
ReplyDeleteI have a parking spot and this story still enrages me. Maybe we shouldn't have prostituted our city out and privatized our meters so residents of the south loop actually have a place to park their cars on the street who live here.
ReplyDeleteHang in there. In my opinion Acapella is such a horrible restaurant with only a handful of customers that soon they will be out of business and the spots will open.
On a more serious note, I do hope the alderman can do something about this. Even if the sign is legit this is a huge misuse of power and illegal. Hopefully, the alderman can step up and stop this. My advice is that a link to acapella can be sent out so people who visit this website can communicate this to the business owner directly. God knows they should do anything in their power to actually get some customers
send this link to the new Police Chief. I cant imagine official police business is 24hrs a day at this location.
ReplyDeleteThat is just B.S. I would be furious as well.
ReplyDeleteThe reader should go to the Town Hall meetings that Fioretti holds and call out that cop specifically for allowing it.
Attend your police CAPS meeting on 6/21 at 1718 S. State, 7pm to let the police know about your concerns. Sending your request to a blog and complaining about the Alderman doesn't get results - holding the police accountable will. We had a similiar problem at the Dunkin Donuts at 16th & Michigan and the police will focus on it if you ask.
ReplyDeleteI think we should all print out and laminate these "official city business" placards for use in our own cars. What a great way to avoid paying for a residential permit and to keep those orange tickets off the windshield. Spread the word!
ReplyDeleteWhat you need to do is catch them in the act of moving their cars around. Question them as to why they are doing this. Maybe there is a reason? If not, then perhaps some vigilante justice would send a clear message.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is curious is that the care are not being ticketed even during street cleaning. This could signify that they truly are on official business and the city knows about it. Not saying its right, but im just sayin...
Call 3-1-1 and report this as a suspected police impersonator. Be sure to note the homemade placard is in one vehicle, but the folks permanently parking there are parking three cars that all seem to be exempt from tickets etc.
ReplyDeleteFor what its worth (for all here), 3-1-1 calls generate "trouble" tickets that are tracked through the city's reporting system, and require a response. If you call a problem and it is not subsequently addressed, you may be able to call back a few days later and find out why it was not addressed.
My other option would be to email or call either the neighborhood relations office at the 1st district (1718 S. State) or the commander's office at the district, and report this again as a suspected police impersonator due to the home-made sign.
If it was on some sort of secret official mission, they would not have the fake official placard in the window.
Parking in the Sloop continuously frustrates me. I just ended a 3 month ordeal of getting reimbursed for them towing my car even though I had all the proper permits and followed all rules. I continue to get parking tickets for parking in areas I am allowed to park in.
ReplyDeleteThe cops around here ticket regardless of proper permits. So, so frustrating.
I'm amazed I'm not the only one that noticed his shell game with the cars. I posted a while back and thought I heard the last of it. As you know the jeep is gone but he's still up to his old tricks. He has also has put up his little CDOT thing to cordon off his car that sticks out into the alley. Funny how he put it back out there the day before Daley left office, Fioretti wouldn't do anything so a friend in Daley's office made him move it a few month's ago. I think the guy is/was a cop (perhaps from "26th Street} and that is why there is no pressure on him from the CPD.
ReplyDeleteTechnically they are doing nothing wrong. The sign in the trucks window is a little shady, but I always give those cars bad mojo when I walk past them. Though to be honest it's a fricken brilliant maneuver.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with the recent street cleaning those cars were moved, new cars took their place... then bamm... same cars in the same spot. How is that even possible?
I suppose you can always put them on notice. Though it can be construed as vandalism.
http://youparklikeanasshole.com/
how does this "restaurant" survive? i've gone by every day since it opened and NEVER see anyone eating here. usually it's just a couple of staff sitting around... and WHO in the world "voted A'cappella best pizza in town" like their sign claims????? i would love to see this place turn into anything! the S. Loop needs quality restaurants sooooo badly.
ReplyDeleteI've heard this is a mob front (hence the no one ever in there because they're not in business for money) which would also explain why the cops turn away. We're not called the Windy City for nothing! However the police saying nothing is wrong makes me mad. When I lived up in LP (and you know there's no parking up there), my car was towed for being parked in the same spot for 7 consecutive days. The regulation goes on to say the vehicle should be 'visibly abandoned' but mine had the doors locked, windows up, and all plates and stickers up to date. Although I didn't have crooked cops on my side.
ReplyDeleteI agree with anon 5:56 June 8th. This has to be a front. I have eaten take out a couple of times and won't try a third.
ReplyDeleteTo the previous Anon....if you read the "best pizza" sign.... it's a joke. It says it was voted by the staff after a night of heavy drinking.
I agree this is a mob front. For what it's worth I did catch the guy in the act of moving his cars around to keep his spot. I told him parking was tough enough and said that it just wasn't the right thing to do. He thumbed his nose at me. I think Fioretti is in bed with him.
ReplyDeleteWhat about that big old Caddy with the handicap place card and the spare tire on the front driver side. That car has been there for months… It never moves.
ReplyDeleteIt would be AWESOME to see Panozzo's expand!
wow this is pretty ballsy, I used to live in the burbs and would occasionally see people taking up two spots in a parking lot by parking on the yellow line. Parking in the burbs obviously isn't as much of a problem but it seemed to take care of itself. I worked at a mall where one employee would do this all the time. one day someone emptied trash on his car (no permanent damage like keying a door or slashing tires, but he got the point). After that he started parking in one spot. If I had a car I would be more afraid of what might happen to my car by a driver who couldn't find parking than receiving a ticket.
ReplyDeleteI think I am going to make a very large take out order and possibly forget to pick it up.....
ReplyDeleteI have been telling my wife that this place was a mob front for years. For years before they opened I'd see CPD officers coming out the back door. Always wondered why because the place was shuttered. Seems we know now.
ReplyDeleteAte there once, never will again. The waitress made a specific point to tell us that the brownies were 'made from scratch' so that tells me that nothing else was.
I'd even prefer a McDonald's in this location.
This guy is a complete prick! I had a rental car one day and got lucky in one of his spots. I had a guest zone pass in the window and within 20 minutes of being parked there I had 4 tickets on my rental car. One was for no city sticker (rental car is registered in the burbs), one for no zone (had the zone pass right in the dash), one for blocking a driveway (I clearly wasn't) and the last one was marked "other" with no explanation at all. 4 tickets in within 20 minutes?! Really?!! He must be high! Needs to get over himself and move those cars!! Gettim girl! Take him down!!
ReplyDeleteWow - this does totally make me mad. What about a call to Red Eye or something too? It's a polarizing topic so maybe they'd be interested.
ReplyDeleteThis is why places run by former chicago cops (e.g., Donnas and A Capella) have no place in the sloop. The arrogant sense of entitlement of Chicago cops makes me sick!
ReplyDeleteA Capella is run by a former cop? Do we have verification of this?
ReplyDeleteDonna, if what you say really happened, you should really bring it to the attention of Ald. Fioretti and the Commander of our district. Although it would be the Dept. of Revenue who would handle this, it seems completely unjust (if all your explanations work out) and is extra ammunition for clear abuse of his police power. Extra help and attention from the Ald. and Commander might be the thing to bring this guy down.
ReplyDeletei know this might be a lot of work, but I would suggest calling the internal affairs department of the police department. They could at least look into why the car is parked their and there has been nothing done about it. If they give you the run around I would call the city's inspector generals office. He loves looking into things like this. Good luck.
ReplyDelete