| Editorial |
One turn preserves another
For prospective and current students, SRO could soon spell S.O.S |
One of Columbia’s greatest attractions, Chicago, is also one of its biggest detriments. While Chicago is full of amazing cultural, intellectual and athletic wonders. There is always somewhere to go, always something to see. The city is Columbia’s largest selling point to high school seniors. Who wants to be stuck at a Big Ten school in the middle of a cornfield, when you could be in Chicago? Well, mainly, people incredibly concerned about their personal safety.
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Chris Kubiet/Chronicle
If the SRO comes to town, will Columbia students hit the road?
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Not many suburban parents are comfortable with the idea of sending their little girl to the big, bad city. It is a valid concern. Disturbing, violent things happen in this city. The most successful universities in the city, DePaul University and Northwestern University, are conveniently located in trendy, white, perceivably safe areas. Columbia is not. Things are getting better every year. In 10 years, who knows what the South Loop will look like? However, right now, it is not perceived as the safest place to live or go to school. Like it or not, that fact is stunting the growth and the reputation of Columbia.
The recent news that the city is buying the Drexler Building, which is located across the street from the 623 S. Wabash Building, and converting it into a Single Resident Occupancy (SRO) is extremely disturbing news for the Columbia community. A SRO is an affordable housing unit with furnished sleeping rooms for low income residents. It also serves as a transient living quarters for the homeless. It is a noble, worthwhile place that gives people a chance to get their lives back together. The question is, why is the city placing the SRO across from a school, in the middle of an almost revitalized South Loop academic area?
The problem began when Jones High School’s expansion left no room for the Pacific Garden Mission. The mission has been causing problems for Jones High School for years.
“When reporters like Chuck Goudie do an expose on sex offenders registered at the Mission — even though they’re not actually living there — and the camera pans to Jones’ sign and mentions we’re next door, it causes major problems for us,” said Jones Principal Dr. Cynthia Barron. “Parents may be choosing between us, Whitney Young or St. Ignatius. After that expose, what do you think their decision will be?”
Many local businessmen also have disturbing stories of encounters with Mission residents. “We’ve had situations where it turned violent. We’ve had to call the cops a few times to haul them away,” said Nick Vranas, part-owner of the South Loop Club.
According to Flavio Gentile, manager at Printer’s Row Pharmacy, two weeks ago a street person shoplifted a bottle of Jack Daniels and literally ran through the store’s glass front door. Imagine that happening in the summer, during one of Columbia’s open house days for high school seniors.
It does not make any sense to put the SRO across from, or even near a school. The city can use its power of eminent domain to basically locate the SRO anywhere it pleases. Lorraine Phillips, owner of the Drexler Building doesn’t want to sell her building, but she has no choice. Phillips has suggested the city choose an available building at 400 S. Clark for the SRO, but the SRO Advisory Council feels the Drexler building is better suited for a SRO. Perhaps the city should invest some money and do whatever is necessary to make the 400 S. Clark building more suitable.
Columbia has acquired many buildings in the South Loop and has played a large role in the revitalization of the area. Columbia’s growth and expansion has greatly improved the overall image of the neighborhood. The city needs to take that into account before it jeopardizes the future of the college and the community. |
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Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Journalism Department or the college.
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