The Morgan at Loyola Station : Luxury Living. Redefined.

Hull House, the Chicago social services organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, closed today due to financial troubles.

Founded in 1889, Hull House was the best known of the 400 settlement houses in the United States in the early 1900s. The settlements were designed to provide services to immigrants and the poor.

In recent years, it provided domestic violence counseling, job training, housing assistance, child care and other services for over 60,000 people a year at almost four dozen sites in the Chicago area.

The agency said the poor economy increased demand for services but made it difficult to raise enough money to cover the cost of providing them. Other service agencies are expected to step in to help provide services to Hull House clients.

Are you looking for art, culture, history, and science this week? If so, you are in luck. Several of  Chicago’s historic attractions and museums are free this week! Locations participating in this event include the Adler Planetarium, Art Institute of Chicago, Clarke House, Glessner House and Charnley-Perskey House, Chicago Children’s Museum, DuSable Museum of African American History, Field Museum of Natural History, Museum of Science and Industry, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the  Shedd Aquarium.

Chicago’s official tourism site, Explore Chicago, has some additional details on conditions that apply to specific locations.

Did you know that Redbox just installed a new machine right inside the Loyola Red Line? Residents at The Morgan have been wishing for a Redbox to come closer to home since we opened, and our wishes have been granted. Now, we have one steps from our front door.

Have movie night at home! Stop by the Redbox on your way home to pick up a movie for just $1.00, grab some Five Guys for dinner and Red Mango for dessert, and kick back on the couch for a convenient, yet comfortable night in! Sounds relaxing.

Want to know what’s in the Redbox before you brave the cold one minute walk to the Redbox at the Loyola Red Line? Log onto www.redbox.com, click the “Find a Location” feature, type in our zip code 60626, and you can browse this local machine from your apartment or in our 24/7 Club Room and Business Center for our residents at The Morgan before you even leave the building.

One Group Mind will be performing improv tonight at the local Mayne Stage, located at 1328 West Morse Avenue! Simply give this group a suggestion, and sit back and laugh as they take it away. One Group Mind formed in 2001 and is one of the country’s largest improv and performance organizations. Alumni of One Group Mind have continued successful careers at CBS, NBC, The Office, Saturday Night Live, Community, Reno 911!, Arrested Development, the Unit, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The group has performed from coast to coast, and tonight, they’ll be performing three shows right in our neighborhood.

One Group Mind performs every Tuesday evening at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30pm at the Mayne Stage. Tickets are $10 each; $5 for students, improvisers, and local residents. One ticket grants access to all shows. To purchase tickets, check out http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=4263685&pl=mayne, or give the Mayne Stage a call at 773-381-4554. For more information about One Group Mind, visit their website at: www.onegroupmind.com.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) released their list of the top ten states with the highest amount of green, LEED Certified buildings. Illinois ranks number three, with the District of Columbia at number one and Colorado at number two for 2011. Illinois has 34.5 million of green building square feet, or 2.6 feet per capita.

The Morgan at Loyola Station, which achieved the Silver LEED ranking from the USGBC, was the first Silver LEED mixed use project completed by McCaffery Interests, and the project was also the first Silver LEED Certified mixed use development for Rogers Park. Other LEED certified buildings in Rogers Park include the Mayne Stage, which serves as an entertainment venue to Rogers Park is located a few blocks north of The Morgan on Morse Avenue.

The Morgan at Loyola Station achieved the Silver LEED Certification through some of the following:

• Promotion of alternative transportation through shared car services, bike storage/ bike paths and locations near public transportation and basic goods/services
• Reduction of the use of natural materials through the specification of recycled materials
• Improved air quality through low-VOC emitting paints, adhesives, carpeting, etc., as well as access to fresh air via windows, balconies and terraces
• Reduction in energy usage through energy-efficient appliances/windows and CFL bulbs
• Reduction of heat islands with green roofs and reflective surface
• Recycling of construction waste and ongoing operations waste
• Reduction of heat islands with green roofs and reflective surface
• Reduction in carbon emissions through the specification of locally-produced materials

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the internationally recognized mark of green building excellence, with more than 44,000 projects commercial projects participating, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 120 countries. In addition, more than 16,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with more than 67,000 more homes registered. For more information on the USGBC or the certification process, visit www.usgbc.org.

Whether it’s an old friend, new friend, co-worker or relative, tell them about the wonderful lifestyle you have discovered at The Morgan! When they come in and sign a lease you’ll be eligible for a great Resident Referral Bonus! In addition to the referral bonus having friends and loved ones live nearby is the gift that keeps  on giving!

Thursday, the Chicago City Council approved new ward boundaries for the 2015 election. Currently, The Morgan is in the 40th ward with Alderman Pat O’Connor. However, under the newly approved map, The Morgan shift to the 49th ward currently served by Alderman Joe Moore. Here are a few links that give you more information on what the changes are and how they may affect you.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-0120-city-council-ward-map-gfc.eps-20120119,0,6669548.graphic

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-city-council-new-ward-map-20120120,0,5010687.story