‘SCARY’ IN THE SOUTH LOOP
As the NATO Summit disrupts commutes, walking routes, travel plans and work routines, one neighborhood is in the hot spot: the South Loop and its 2,000 residents and 200 businesses.
Thanks to the summit at their neighbor’s place — Mccormick — they are likely to get stuck in traffic, may be asked to show ID to get in and out of their homes and possibly miss mail delivery. Businesses have mixed views, with some boarding up and others staffing for more customers.
Residents in a building on the southwest corner of Roosevelt and Columbus overlooking the motorcade route say they were told that many of their decks are off limits, though the building management wouldn’t confirm that. The Secret Service said it could not order buildings to keep residents off the balconies but would not discuss its security plans.
Aniko Spa at 1109 S. Wabash was boarded up and closed Wednesday and posted a message that it will reopen Tuesday.
Two businesses in the 2400 block of South Michigan boarded up their windows but remained open.
“It was monkey see, monkey do, since we saw the business across the street cover the windows and we figured it was a smart thing to do,” said Action Advertising Owner Marilyn Rutzky.
Robin Soroka, franchise owner of fruit basket retailer Edible Arrangements at 1239 S. Michigan, said she won’t board up the store because NATO officials told local businesses that doing so would make the city look bad, but she is staffing the store herself with one driver all weekend. Four staff members will stay home Friday through Tuesday.
“This is scary,” she said. “We don’t know whether it will be peaceful. We just don’t know.”
Jorge Armando, owner and chef at Cafe Society, a South Loop mainstay at 1801 S. Indiana, three blocks from one of the traffic detours at 21st Street, is ready to welcome everyone, even protesters.
“Chicago should open its doors” to the summit, he said, adding that he is confident that police and security personnel can handle any problems.
Papa John’s Pizza at 80 E. Cermak, within eyesight of the Hyatt Regency at Mccormick Place, is doubling its staff and putting pizza drivers on bicycles to serve the summit area.
The neighborhood’s Whole Foods Market, at 1101 S. Canal, posted shortened hours and a skeleton staff for Sunday and Monday and has made plans for a board-up if necessary, Whole Foods spokeswoman Kate Klotz said.
Condo boards have issued alerts telling residents to expect delays in getting responses from janitors and other service workers who live elsewhere and have to travel into the neighborhood.
“I get lots of calls from people who don’t know what to expect,” said Bonita Sanchez-carlson, executive director of the Near South Planning Board. “People are asking, ‘Should I take public transportation? Will I be restricted in where I can come in and go out?’ ” of the neighborhood.
Blocked roadways are expected before and after the summit, including midday Monday, when a cavalcade of limos is expected to ferry the visiting heads of state out to Midway and O’hare airports.