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What's Up With the Homewood Hotel?: Minutes With the Mayor

A new Patch series in which Homewood's Village President Richard Hofeld answers questions from our readers.

In this edition of Minutes With the Mayor,  Village President Richard Hofeld explains what's going on at the enigmatic and controversial .

Want more Minutes With the Mayor? 

jctenor June 19, 2012 at 11:35 am
I really appreciate these interviews with Mayor Hofeld. But could you have found a more private space to record his comments? The off-camera conversation was maddening (something about vegetables...LOL).
Homewood Resident June 19, 2012 at 01:13 pm
It's great that he talks about what the Homewood Hotel "was" but that doesn't do anything for what it "is" today. I've enjoyed this series but I think he went around the issue and the main point was completely avoided. There has to be something else that we can do to get rid of this eyesore.
Bob Levy June 19, 2012 at 01:16 pm
I love this new form of communication. I agree with the 2 previous posters, but I will take it any way I can.
Anita June 19, 2012 at 01:56 pm
I thought this was a very good interview. I don't care where these were recorded, I was listening to Hofeld and not to the background. It is nice to get this background information and learn about village issues we wonder about but don't get the chance to ask someone about! Thank you for doing these and keep it up!
Flossmoor gal June 19, 2012 at 02:28 pm
I got scared! I thought the NEW hotel plan on Ridge Road was "shut down"!! Whew! It's a shame though that the Halsted property is such an eyesore. Seems like it's a good location for a chain hotel like a Hampton or similar place, being that it's directly at an I-80 exit. And there are good places on Halsted for hotel dwellers to eat and drink and shop. But now it'll be tied up in receivership so no one will buy it for awhile, OR tear it down.
DJ Morgan June 19, 2012 at 02:47 pm
While sad to hear, was an transparent explanation of what has happened. One questions that comes to mind, is how did they get to a point where there were so many violations? Where these slowly accumulated and repeatedly reported to the owners?
Bill Moser June 19, 2012 at 04:22 pm
What about the house at the corner of Center and 191st? When will something be done about it?
BlackHawks Fan June 19, 2012 at 06:01 pm
FYI ~ Ryan Fitzpatrick ~ Homewood does not have a mayor. Hofeld is the current village president. :)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 02:59 am
I anticipate making a few changes for aesthetic and phonetic improvements next time around. Since I did a batch of interviews, however, there might be a few more that look and sound like this one. Thanks for the suggestion!
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 03:00 am
You are correct. I'm going to consider filming this at a different location next time.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 03:02 am
Thanks for the positive feedback and for reading (and watching), Anita!
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 03:02 am
Thanks, as usual, Bob!
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 03:03 am
Thanks for the question, Bill.
I'll add this to the running list I've been keeping.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 03:05 am
Thanks for pointing this out. I am aware that Richard Hofeld's official title is Village President. That's why I refer to him as that in the body text and in all other government articles I write.
So why mayor? Put simply, I don't "Minutes with the Village President" isn't as catchy a title ;)
Homewood Neighbor June 20, 2012 at 02:09 pm
One of the first things he says is that he'd "like to see grass there." Which would be a better alternative to what's there now.
Homewood Neighbor June 20, 2012 at 02:12 pm
Look on the other side of I-80 to the North in South Holland. That's where the chains went; but, they are not doing well, at all.
Homewood Resident June 20, 2012 at 03:43 pm
I'm ok with grass as long as it is maintained. Don't think uncut grass and weeds would welcome visitors anymore than the current situation.
Karen Kurowski McHugh June 21, 2012 at 07:28 pm
Thank you Ryan for asking about this - you know it's been on my mind for a while now. I do remember the Sheraton in it's "hey day" birthday swim parties, my Grandparent's anniversary in the once beautiful dining room - and I also remember the stark opposite when my daughter went to a party there a year before it was shuttered. It was heart breaking to say the least.

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Anita June 13, 2013 at 12:27 pm
When this started I thought it would be a great alternative to the old local Star newspaper. NowRead More there is less and less real news and more "stuff". It is a disappointment to those of us who look for local news, especially for news of the local government and local agencies.
Lauren Traut (Editor) June 13, 2013 at 12:58 pm
I'm sorry you feel that way, Anita. Can you tell me which types of stories you'd like to see moreRead More of, and I can work on it? We want to give you a product you enjoy.
Ken Kozminski June 14, 2013 at 11:13 am
The ads are too big and bold compared to the news that seems hidden.
Lauren Traut (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 08:36 am
Let's see if we can find out for you!
Lauren Traut (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 08:49 am
Our Facebook fans have spoken! July 27th!
Gcr Comcast June 10, 2013 at 03:16 pm
Ms. Wallace, so sorry for the inconvenience. Please know that we do plan to make the X1 availableRead More more widely over time. To make for the best possible customer experience and to manage inventories of new equipment as it becomes available, we tend to start small and expand availability of new technologies. Note also that X1 requires a professional installation, so we are targeting customers that would require professional installation anyway.
Tobias Cichon June 12, 2013 at 10:08 am
The DirecTV interface in 2001 was better than what Comcast offers today to its existing highest tierRead More customers. As a decade+ customer, this is pretty frustrating. So, if I downgrade my service, then upgrade it back, I can have X1?
morsk8z June 12, 2013 at 11:03 am
How about Comcast work on getting my internet service to work all day every day without cutting out?Read More Peacefully playing Viking Clan this morning when service cuts out. I come back minutes later and some other Viking killed me. That is no way to run an internet service.
Corey Ray competes in the Under Armour All American game at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
lifelong HF resident June 15, 2013 at 08:09 am
correct me if I'm wrong but didn't this kid go to Chicago Public Schools Simeon high School? Why isRead More he touted as a Southland Viking when he never played at HF?????
Jack Sheehan June 15, 2013 at 02:27 pm
You are correct that Corey Ray attended Simeon High School, but he now plays for a collegiate summerRead More baseball team called the Southland Vikings. Other than the fact that Southland's home field is the H-F High School field, there are no other connections between the Southland Vikings and the H-F High School Vikings.