Chicago city officials have heard residents around East 75th Street loud and clear.
For a year, people who live near the bar along the six-block stretch of 75th Street east of the Dan Ryan Expressway in Greater Grand Crossing have complained to the city's Liquor Control Commission that lounges contribute to violence, noise, and trash in the black line of business that historic. on the South Side.
Now, in the past month, three bars have signed agreements with City Hall that require them to:
- Maintain 24 hour video surveillance.
- Hire at least one guard who wears clothing marked “safety” and stays for an hour after closing time to keep out crowds that congregate outside.
- Report criminal activity and noise to the police.
- Clean up the trash left on the nearest public road.
- And those with outdoor patios can't play music there.
The bars — which face possible loss of business license if they do not comply with the “remedial action plan” — are President's Lounge, 653 E. 75th St., Frances Cocktail Lounge, 307 E. 75th St., and 606 The Lounge, 606 E. 75th St. ., which required hiring two guards — a man and a woman.
President's Lounge, 653 E. 75th St.
Dan 50 Yard Line Bar & Grill, 69 E. 75th St., is close to signing such an agreement, sources said.
The plans were made after the Liquor Control Commission held what it called community disturbance meetings starting in January.
People living nearby said they hoped the new agreement — as well as their ongoing discussions with Chicago Police Department officials to create a public safety plan for the line — would help avoid a repeat of last summer when crowds gathered on the street, getting rowdy and sometimes violence, including a mass shooting in 2021 that killed a woman.
“This is the first phase of letting them know that the community has a problem with them,” said CeCe Edwards, one of about 30 members of the 75th Street Neighbors/Homeowners group who called on City Hall for a clampdown on bars. “I'm glad we made it through that bureaucratic quagmire.”
Edwards said the group plans to meet in June with the commander of the Gresham and Grand Crossing police districts, which abut a stretch of East 75th Street. He said he also wanted the city, for several weekends in the coming months, to tow the cars of bar patrons parked illegally in places requiring residence permits.
Edwards said he had spoken to Ald. Debra Silverstein (50), who chairs the Chicago City Council's licensing and consumer protection committee, on the issues on East 75th Street.
“We call ourselves ‘security ambassadors,'” said Edwards. “We will continue to film the problem and file a complaint.”