Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot showcases her Logan Square in 'Our Chicago: Neighborhood Walk'
CHICAGO (WLS) -- In a city of distinctive neighborhoods, Logan Square stands out for its historic boulevards, vibrant culture and a blend of old-world architecture and modern-day energy.
For the latest installment of "Our Chicago: Neighborhood Walk," ABC7 Chicago's Val Warner explored this community, located about 5 miles northwest of the Loop, with a resident who knows it from a unique perspective: former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
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"We've been living in this neighborhood for over 20 years," Lightfoot said. "When my wife and I were looking for a house, we were both city workers. So, we wanted to find something that was affordable on city incomes."
Lightfoot, who served as mayor from 2019 to 2023, and her wife, Amy Eshleman, raised their daughter, Vivian, in the neighborhood.
Now, as "private citizen Lightfoot," as the former mayor calls herself, she enjoys a quieter life. Though, her passion for the city remains.
"It's nice to have reclaimed my private life," Lightfoot said. "I'm still obviously very passionate about our city."
The tour began at a central point in the neighborhood, the Illinois Centennial Monument. The historic structure, built in 1918 and currently under a renovation that began during Lightfoot's mayoral term, serves as a popular gathering spot.
"We have a lot of young people that gravitate towards this neighborhood and this monument and this little park that surrounds it," Lightfoot noted. "On any given weeknight, on the weekends, people are hanging out. They're playing music; they're skateboarding."
A short walk away is the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, a historic gem built in 1906.
"It is beautiful inside," Lightfoot said, mentioning a framed postcard of the church in her own home. "It's got a lot of really great stained-glass windows and iconography."
The church is one of only two in the United States that still uses Norwegian as a primary liturgical language, once serving the area's large Norwegian community and now embracing a diverse, multicultural congregation.
From the church, the walk proceeded along the Logan Boulevard Historic District, which earned National Historic District designation in 1985 and Chicago Landmark status in 2005.
"This is truly historic, as we'll see as we walk along," Lightfoot said, pointing out the stunning architecture. "A lot of beautiful, historic greystones that are now mostly single-family homes, like, if you look at the little balcony up here, the turrets at the top, that's very classic style."
The tour also highlighted a modern development close to Lightfoot's heart: the Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments. The 100-unit, mixed-income building was constructed during her time in office to address the displacement of long-time residents due to rising housing costs.
"This is something that we invested a significant amount of time and resources, but it is 100% affordable," she stated proudly. "It doesn't totally fix it, but is a really, really good start."
The building is named for the famed Chicago labor organizer and activist.
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Reflecting on her tenure, Lightfoot said she is proud of her administration's work under "probably most challenging circumstances that any mayors face in the history of Chicago," including a teacher strike, the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest.
"I'm proud of the work that we did in helping relieve the financial burden of so many everyday Chicagoans," she said. "I'm proud of the work that we did to get our fiscal house in order. We walked out of office with a $500 million surplus."
The leisurely stroll included a stop at the Logan Theatre, a neighborhood fixture since 1915. Once known as the Paramount, the theater now features a full bar and lounge, blending its century-old history with modern amenities. Lightfoot, a self-proclaimed fan of the "Star Wars" series and "The Godfather" appreciates the classic movie house experience.
"Put me in front of a big screen. I'm a happy girl," she laughed.
The walk concluded at one of Lightfoot's favorite local spots for a casual bite, Mr. E's.
"When I'm hungry and it's late night, I'm coming to Mr. E's," she said.
Her go-to order is the No. 4, with cheddar cheese and all the fixings. The eatery offers classic Chicago fare like hot dogs, cheesesteaks and Italian beef.
As they sat down to eat, Warner thanked "private citizen Lightfoot" for the tour.
"It's been nice getting to know you outside of City Hall," Warner said.
"Thank you so much," Lightfoot responded.
The tour showcased not just the landmarks of Logan Square, but the deep connection a former mayor has to her chosen home, a neighborhood she describes as a "really family neighborhood" where "virtually everything that you need is within walking distance."
