Webster porch, site of fall, to come down
Chicago Department of Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek has ordered the dismantling of an illegally constructed porch at 439 W. Webster St., where two young adults were seriously injured in a fall the first weekend in June. Clifford Sherwin, the owner of the building, was cited for numerous code violations including: constructing the four-story wooden porch without plans or permits; having dangerous and hazardous porch conditions; failure to obtain permits for current interior renovation work; and the illegal conversion of a back porch into an enclosed living space.
Kaderbek issued a Stop Work Order for current interior work on the first floor, and ordered the apartment on the second floor —the only one currently occupied — to be vacated. He also ordered that plans and permits be submitted to address all of the outstanding issues.
The porch system is believed to have been illegally and shoddily constructed, without plans or permits, several years ago. Under the Building Code, the height limit for wooden porches is three stories. A four-story porch system would have to be constructed of steel.
The small residential building is the type that does not require an annual inspection, and likely would not have been inspected recently unless a particular complaint had been made to 311. The city has no record of 311 calls related the conditions of the porch system.
Tunney wants to end "Don't ask, don't tell"
Ald. Tom Tunney last week introduced a resolution to City Council urging Congress to pass the Military Enhancement Act of 2005 (HR 1058). If passed the act would end the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy which was enacted in 1993. The original intent of the policy was to allow gay and lesbian service members to serve without having their sexuality be an issue. However, to date over 10,000 service members have been charged for violating the policy. The resolution has been referred to the Committee on Human Relations. |
