Downtown
City seeks grant for performing arts center study
Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at 11:46 am by Bill SmithThe Evanston City Council voted Monday to seek a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct a feasibility study of converting a portion of the old Varsity Theater downtown into a performing arts center.
The grant would require a $50,000 local match, which the city plans to take from funds in the Washington National tax increment financing district.
Power failure in city
Monday, March 8, 2010, at 11:55 am by Bill SmithUpdate 11:18 a.m.: A power failure hit portions of Evanston about 10:45 this morning. Traffic lights were reported out across much of the downtown area, and there several reports of people trapped in stalled elevators.
Private support modest for Evanston library
Monday, March 8, 2010, at 11:21 am by Bill SmithAs branch library supporters embark on an effort to raise nearly a half million a year to keep the branches open, Evanston Now has learned that total private support for Evanston's libraries has averaged roughly half that amount in recent years.
City arts award winners named
Friday, February 19, 2010, at 2:28 pm by Bill SmithThe Actors Gymnasium and the founder of Literature for All of Us will receive Evanston's annual award for the arts next Friday during the state of the city luncheon sponsored by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce.
The Actors Gymnasium, founded in 1995, is a school for circus and performing arts dedicated to the education and development of multi-skilled, physical-theatre artists.
Art auction for Haiti planned Friday
Thursday, February 18, 2010, at 11:31 am by Bill SmithFriends and relatives of a United Nations worker killed in Haiti plan to transform a vacant former furniture store in Evanston into an art auction gallery Friday evening for a fundraiser for earthquake relief.
The event, at 1527 Chicago Ave., at the corner of Davis Street, starts at 4 p.m with early viewing, with the auction bidding running from 6 to 10 p.m.
Hotel Orrington to get Hilton brand
Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at 4:57 pm by Bill SmithEvanston's Hotel Orrington will convert to the Hilton brand as part of a recapitalization of the property.
Mesa West Capital has provided an affiliate of Greenfield Partners, LLC of Norwalk, Conn., with $14.5 million in first mortgage financing to recapitalize Greenfield's existing loan on the hotel, at 1710 Orrington Ave.
Aldermen vote to close branch libraries
Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 12:59 am by Bill SmithEvanston aldermen voted 6-3 tonight to close the city's two branch libraries.
Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, said all the poor and needy people that branch library supporters claimed would be hurt if the branches close are the very people who would be most affected by the tax increases that would be needed to save them.
Manager: Slash main to keep branch libraries
Sunday, January 31, 2010, at 11:27 am by Bill SmithCity Manager Wally Bobkiewicz, asked by aldermen to come up with a plan to keep branch libraries open, now is suggesting shutting Evanston's main downtown library on Fridays and making other reductions to its hours to keep the branches open.
Mayor gives Rotary chief key to city
Thursday, January 28, 2010, at 5:48 pm by City of Evanston
Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl presented John Kenny, president of Rotary International, the key to the city during the Rotary board of directors meeting today.
Rotary has long been headquartered in Evanston, moving to its current headquarters building on Sherman Avenue in 1987.
Downtown building set for facelift
Thursday, January 28, 2010, at 1:02 pm by Bill SmithEvanston's Economic Development Committee Wednesday voted to recommend to the City Council that it provide $11,000 to pay half the cost of facade improvements to a building at 816-818 Church St., near the Sherman Plaza complex downtown.
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