NBC Chicago and Ward Room bring you profiles on all 50 wards this election season. As candidates face off in the Feb. 24 election, they are also facing a new ward map, which takes effect when the winners assume office.
In this profile, learn all about the 1st ward, which covers parts of Wicker Park, West Town, Ukrainian Village and Logan Square.
Demographic
- Total Population: 56,149
- White: 45.12 percent
- Black: 7.02 percent
- Hispanic: 43.11 percent
- Asian: 3.76 (Source: WBEZ)
Current Alderman: Proco Joe Moreno
Ward Committeemen: Proco Joe Moreno (democratic committeeman) and Cheryl Linn Bailey (republican committeeman)
Who Else is Running: Andrew Hamilton, Ronda Locke, Mia Lopez (removed) and Anne Shaw
Chicago Politics
Adjectives that Describe the Ward: Family-oriented, young, hip, gentrifying
Predominant Economic Engine: Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bars
Where People Eat: Restaurants and taquerias on and near Milwaukee Avenue, including Big Star, 90 Miles Cuban Cafe, Tozi Korean BBQ, Kanela Breakfast Club, Taqueria Los Comales #11, 4 Suyos Peruvian Cuisine. Other restaurants and bakeries include Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits, Parson's Chicken and Fish, Rangoli Classic Indian Dining, Roots Handmade Pizza, Bella Notte Ristorante
Where People Drink: Bars in the ward include The Whistler, Revolution Brewing, The Empty Bottle, Grandbar, Bangers and Lace, Moonshine, Anthem Bar, Emporium Arcade Bar and Double Door.
Where People Pray: Churches include Assembly of Pentecostal Church, Chicago Missionary Society, Christian Mission, First Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Iglesia Bautista Central, My New Life Covenant Church, New Life Community Church, Our Lady of Angiona Catholic, Pentecostal Church of God, St. Aloysius Parish, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, St. John United Church of Christ, St. Mark Parish, Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Catholic Church and Wicker Park Lutheran Church.
How the Ward Typically Votes: Proco Joe Moreno has been alderman of the 1st ward since 2010 when he replaced Manny Flores, who held the position from 2003 to 2010. Flores ran unopposed in 2007. In 2011, Moreno won 73 percent of the vote, defeating Deborah Lopez (22 percent) and Ronald Baltierra (5 percent).
Landmark: The Polish Triangle (located at the intersection of Ashland, Division and Milwaukee)
Resident's Voice: Michael Ciapciak, the owner of Bang Bang Pie Shop and Biscuits and a resident of the Logan Square neighborhood, says, "You don't really have to leave the neighborhood, but if you were have to it would be to the grocery store." Ciapciek said the neighborhood is "extraordinary," but it could use more easily accessible grocery stores.
Expert in the Ward: Elaine Coorens, the editor and publisher of Our Urban Times, a community newspaper covering Bucktown, East Village, Noble Square, Ukrainian Village, West Town and Wicker Park
