Nearwest  News
In This Issue
Stand up for PMD
Earth Week
HR Seminar
Funding Cut
Member Spotlight
Annual Boat Cruise
Incubator Space
Manufacturing Jobs
Development Opportunities
ICNC Advocacy Updates
Announcements and Discounts
Quick Links
Follow Us
Join Our List

Join Our Mailing List
  
                  April 2015      
Your Help Is Needed: Stand Up for the PMD & Speak Out against 311 N. Morgan Hotel

ICNC is now actively fighting a proposed hotel development at 311-337 N. Morgan St., across the street from the Google site in the Fulton Market.  The proposal by developer Sterling Bay calls for approximately 5000 square feet of land area to be zoned away from Planned Manufacturing District #4 (PMD 4), where lodging is a prohibited use, to make room for the hotel. 

 

If this project goes through as it's proposed, it will send the clear message to developers and land speculators that they can dictate the terms of PMD protection to the city on an ad hoc basis. 

 

 

Alderman Burnett has submitted this zoning ordinance, which is now in front of the City Council Zoning Committee.  This type of change is unprecedented in PMD 4. See this alert for more information on the 311 N. Morgan hotel proposal. To speak for the PMD alongside ICNC at an upcoming hearing, or to find out how else you can help, email [email protected] 

Neighborhood Clean-Up & Electronics Recycling

Goose Island Beer Company and ICNC are partnering for Earth Week: April 20 - 24 

Do some good this Earth Week by recycling your unused electronics with Goose Island Beer Company, ICNC, and USMe. Collect your items April 20th through 24th with at-your-business pickups scheduled for Thursday April 23rd and 24th. Companies can either obtain their own recycle box and arrange a pick-up, or they can drop it off at the ICNC offices. All proceeds will go to charity. Please see here for a list of acceptable items.

On Earth Day, Wednesday April 22nd, from 3 PM-5 PM, a special neighborhood clean-up will be held. We plan on picking up trash on and around the streets to make our neighborhood look great for Earth Day!

Please join us as afterwards at 5 PM there will be a happy hour, with Goose Island Beer, at the ICNC offices to celebrate everyone's sustainability efforts.

Wednesday, April 22 

Clean-up time: 3 PM-5 PM

Happy Hour time: 5 PM-6:30 PM
Where: ICNC, 320 N. Damen Ave.

To participate in one or both of these events, please register here.

Employment Law & Immigration Issues  Seminar   
Learn about human resource regulatory changes and requirements, commonly experienced by employers such as interviews, background checks, discrimination, and immigration status. Attorneys Scott Gore and Eileen Momblanco from Laner Muchin Law Firm will present on employment law issues such as:
  • New ban the box regulation for applications
  • Background check requirements
  • Employee handbook guidelines
  • Immigration laws, and more

 

Wednesday, April 29th

Time: 11:30 AM-1:00 PM
Location: ICNC, 320 N. Damen Ave.

Register here. Bring brown bag lunch.  

Future HR seminar topics will include: writing job descriptions, recruiting and retaining top talent, and performance management. For more information, contact Nancy Kramer at [email protected].

ETIP and Digital Divide Suspended

Due to recent budget cuts at the State level, the Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) and Digital Divide computer training grants have been suspended. ICNC will no longer be able to offer job training services and reimbursement funded by these specific grants only. Other  funding options may be available. If your company has undergone recent employee training, please contact Hannah Jones at [email protected] for information on ICNC's other available reimbursement options.

Member Spotlight: Y Line Product Development

Geraint Krumpe, owner of Y Line Product Development, launched a Kickstarter campaign in April 2014 for the Golden Goose, a hand-powered kitchen tool that scrambles an egg without breaking the shell. Who knew you could scramble an egg inside of the shell?

The Golden Goose was in the 'Food News' section in the Food Network Magazine, and will be featured on the final episode of Food Network's new reality TV show, Food Fortunes. Click here to read more about Y Line Product Development and the Golden Goose.

Save-the Date: ICNC's Annual Boat Cruise June 26

Friday, June 26th is ICNC's Annual Boat Cruise. Enjoy food, an open bar, networking, and a cruise aboard the Spirit of Chicago at Navy Pier!  You'll be able to view Chicago's world-famous skyline from the lake while you connect with neighbors on a fun and relaxing afternoon getaway.  More details coming soon. 
 



Kitchen Ready Incubator Space
Have you outgrown your current food production space? With sealed floors, ventilation, and water access, this is a flexible space for a culinary entrepreneur. To inquire about this space or to view other available spaces, click here.



The Road to 1,000 Manufacturing Jobs

Despite recent ticks downward in manufacturing growth numbers, the White House announced in March that more than 870,000 manufacturing jobs were added in the country since 2010; the largest growth rate since the 1980s. Growth, combined with an aging workforce, has contributed to an estimated 30,000 open manufacturing jobs in Chicagoland.

 

World Business Chicago and the Advisory Council for Chicagoland Manufacturing are working together to address this gap. Click here to learn more.
 

If you are a manufacturer ready to become a WBC 1000 Jobs partner, or if you would like to learn more about how the campaign benefits manufacturers, contact Bob Climack at [email protected] or 312-421-3941.

 

For non-manufacturing employment services such as posting job ads, screening candidates, and running background checks, contact Nancy Kramer at [email protected]

Development Opportunities
10,000 Small Businesses:  Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a no-cost program that provides business owners with practical business education, a supportive network of advisors and peers, and access to capital.  Through the program, owners will receive the tools and support to develop a customized growth plan to take the business to the next level. The application deadline is June 1st for the August 2015 cohort.  For more information and to apply, click here
CASE: The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas. For more information about CASE, click here.                      

Sign up for ICNC Advocacy Update Blasts

For members interested in ICNC's role as a voice for small business and neighborhood growth, we are piloting an email list for updates on advocacy projects and organizational positions.  Stay on top of development proposals, zoning decisions, and meetings with decision makers, and provide input that can help shape ICNC policy.

 

To be added to the notification list, or to get directly involved in ICNC's advocacy work, email [email protected].

Member Announcements and Discounts
Culture Studio, a full service screen print and embroidery company, has launched their new eCommerce website. They've taken  the guessing game out of picking the right garment and have created a painless ordering process. Use discount code LAUNCH to receive 20% off your order.  Click here to learn more and to order your custom garment.
ICNC Industrial Space Available      
Enjoy competitive rent, a thriving entrepreneurial environment, and immediate access to ICNC's development services as a tenant of the Fulton-Carroll Center business incubator.  

Click here to view available space
  
For more info call 312-421-3941 or email [email protected]