Get to Know the Edgewater Glen Association

The Edgewater Glen Association is your neighborhood association — a volunteer group of residents working together to keep Edgewater Glen a beautiful, connected, and welcoming place to live. Since 1972, EGA has brought neighbors together through events, preservation efforts, and community projects. Whether you're new to the area or a longtime resident, EGA offers plenty of ways to get involved, meet neighbors, and help shape the future of our historic neighborhood. Our mission is simple: to strengthen our community and enhance life in Edgewater Glen. We do this by organizing neighborhood activities, supporting preservation efforts, and creating opportunities for neighbors to connect. EGA is here to make sure our neighborhood remains a friendly, vibrant place where residents of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome and engaged.

A line drawing of a flower with five petals, a stem, and leaves, with a small bud hanging from the stem.

The mission of the Edgewater Glen Association is to create a viable urban community, united by geography and vested interests, committed to the betterment of the area and its people, organized to confront the problems of urban life and carry out activities that nurture a community spirit.

Mission & Values

2025-2026 EGA Board Members

President Vacant

Acting Vice President, John Dale*

Secretary Monique Stinson

Treasurer Chris Slivon

Digital Communications Justin Colombik

Board Members

Cynthia Espy

Mary Herbin-Horan

Kim Kaulas

Travis Kluska

Anthony Nove

Daniel Otto

Paul Quaintance

Andrea Raila

* As we seek a new president, board member John Dale as agreed to serve as acting Vice President and fulfill essential board operation functions (i.e., meeting agenda, running meetings).

Sub-Committees

Historic Preservation Justin Colombik

Garden Walk Cindy Espy

Plant Swap Paul Quaintance

Summer Social  Justin Colombik

Yardsale John Dale

Exterior of a storefront with a sign reading "Lickety Split" and a striped awning. There are posters on the window and a few people outside.

Our Neighborhood’s History

Edgewater Glen’s history is rooted in its early days as farmland. The land west of Glenwood Avenue was originally owned by Nicholas Kransz, a local farmer whose property stretched across much of what is now the western half of the neighborhood. His “Seven-Mile House,” a well-known local landmark, once stood at the intersection of Ridge and Clark. To the east, the area was divided into long, narrow strips and slowly sold off to private owners. Residential development began in the early 1890s, when developers such as Thomas Milsted, Brost & Kemper, and John Lewis Cochran laid out the first subdivisions. Cochran, a prominent figure in Edgewater's broader development, helped shape the neighborhood's early identity.

Progress was slow at first. By 1900, fewer than 15 houses had been built in the area—most of them along Norwood Street—due largely to the economic depression of the 1890s. That changed in the early 1900s, when the Kransz family began subdividing their farmland and constructing dozens of homes, particularly along Granville and Hood. Between 1903 and 1904, the area saw a burst of growth that established it as a primarily single-family home neighborhood. From 1905 to 1912, additional development by builders like Roy E. Knauer added to the neighborhood’s character. Many of the homes built during this period still stand today, reflecting popular architectural styles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including American Foursquare, Craftsman, and Victorian influences.

In the early 1970s, as residents sought to preserve the area's character and strengthen their community ties, they came together to form a neighborhood association. They named the area "Edgewater Glen" after the intersecting streets Glenlake and Glenwood. The creation of the Edgewater Glen Association gave the neighborhood a shared identity and a framework for community involvement and preservation efforts. Today, Edgewater Glen is known for its tree-lined streets, historic homes, and strong sense of community—qualities that trace back to its early days of thoughtful development and neighborly collaboration.

Vintage postcard featuring black and white photographs of churches, streets, and a wave, with a central message reading "Season's Greetings from Edgewater Chicago III."
An old black and white photograph of a large, three-story Victorian house with a wrapping porch and prominent front stairs. Two children stand on the lawn near a small tree, and a person is visible inside on the porch.
A black and white photo of a snowy street with houses on both sides under construction and a person walking in the distance.
A vintage photo of a street scene in January 1957 showing cars, a trolley, and buildings covered in snow at Clark and Glenlake, with clear blue sky.
Black and white photo of vintage cars parked on a residential street in front of houses with trees.
Black and white photo of a row of Victorian-style houses on a street with a sidewalk, trees without leaves, and a streetlamp.
Vintage advertisement for Weber, Kranz & Co. showcasing images of Victorian-style homes and emphasizing that they build all their homes themselves with no cheap contract work, located at 4256 North Clark Street near Granville Avenue.
A hand-drawn map of a neighborhood with streets named Clark, Greenview, Glenwood, Norwood, Lakewood, Glenlake, Hood, and Broadway. It has several cars parked along the streets and some scattered traffic speed numbers.
Vintage-style illustration of Chicago's beaches with people swimming, sunbathing, and playing in the water, with a hotel and cityscape in the background and the word 'CHICAGO' at the top.

Discover Edgewater Glen

Map of the Edgewater Glen neighborhood in Chicago, bordered by Granville Avenue, Broadway Avenue, Norwood Avenue, and Clark Street, with interior streets Greenview, Glenwood, Lakewood, and Glenlake shown.

Edgewater Glen is a charming residential enclave on Chicago's North Side, defined by its clear and walkable boundaries: Granville Avenue to the north, Broadway Avenue to the east, Norwood Avenue to the south, and Clark Street to the west. This well-defined area fosters a strong sense of community among residents.

EDGEWATER GLEN ASSOCIATION – CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1. The name of this corporation shall be the Edgewater Glen Association, Inc. (EGA).

ARTICLE II – BOUNDARIES

Section 1. The EGA boundaries shall be, in the City of Chicago, in the community of Edgewater, the South side of Granville on the north, the West side of Broadway on the east, the South side of Norwood on the south, and the East side of Clark on the west.

ARTICLE III – PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES

Section 1. EGA shall be organized and conducted as a not-for-profit corporation pursuant to the laws of the State of Illinois.

Section 2. EGA shall be committed to the betterment of the area and its people, shall be designed to confront and address the problems of urban life, and shall carry out activities which nurture a positive neighborhood and community spirit.

Section 3. No part of the capital assets of EGA shall be used to benefit any individual; no part of its capital assets, if any, shall be distributed to any individual or corporation organized for profit or partisan politics if EGA should liquidate.

Section 4. EGA shall be non-partisan, non-sectarian, and non-commercial.

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. Resident Member – Any person(s) residing within the boundaries of EGA and who also is at least 15 years of age shall be eligible to join.

Section 2. Business/Organization – Any institution, organization, association or group with members who reside, work in or engage in activities in the community whose purpose is not partisan political activity shall be eligible to join.

Section 3. Dues At time of adoption of these bylaws dues shall be: Resident = $10 annually; Business/Organization = $25 annually. Dues amounts may be modified by a majority vote of the Board of Directors

Section 4. Membership Year: The Membership Year for members in good standing shall end one year from payment of last dues.

Section 5. Members in good standing are eligible to serve on the Board, its committees and to vote on EGA leadership and organizational Bylaws. All members who are in good standing at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting/event where voting will be held are eligible to vote.

ARTICLE V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of eleven (11) elected members: seven (7) general members and four (4) officers. Board members shall serve for a one year term.

Section 2. The duties of the Board shall be to transact necessary business and manage and direct the ongoing affairs of the organization. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business, making decisions, taking actions and adopting positions in the name of EGA.

Section 3. The board shall meet at least 6 times a year, and other times as the president or a majority of the Board deem necessary.

Section 4. Vacancies on the Board which occur between elections may be filled by a majority vote of the Board with a member in good standing.

Section 5. The Board may add up to two (2) additional members during the course of the year should their expertise or special skills be needed to address a new initiative or emerging issue. Such members shall only serve until the next annual election.

ARTICLE VI – ELECTION of BOARD of DIRECTORS

Section 1. The eleven (11) member Board shall be elected annually by secret vote conducted at the July EGA Garden Walk. The election date and venue may be modified by a majority vote of the Board.

Section 2. At least thirty (30) days prior to the annual election, notification of the election and request for interest in serving on the Board shall be circulated to the community in written form and through electronic media.

Section 3. – All members in good standing are eligible to run for the Board. However, no elected public or party official or candidate shall be eligible to serve on the Board or hold an office in EGA.

Section 4 . – The Board shall prepare a list of candidates and ballot of all those willing and eligible to serve on the Board prior to the annual election. The ballot shall also include provision for write-in voting.

Section 5. – A special election for the Board may be called by a request in writing from at least twenty (20) members in good standing. Following receipt of the request, the Board shall establish a time and place for the special election and notify the EGA membership in written and electronic form. A special election may be called no more than once per year.

ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS

Section 1. EGA officers shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

Section 2 – Officers shall be elected by majority vote of the Board from among its membership for a one-year term at the first Board meeting following the annual election.

Section 3. – Board may fill officer vacancies should they occur during the year from among the currently elected Board members.

Section 4 – Duties of Officers: a) The President shall develop the agenda and preside at all meetings of EGA and the Board of Directors, represent EGA with elected officials and other organizations, and shall perform other such duties as usually pertain to the office. b) The Vice President shall assist the president in performance of his/her duties, perform other duties as assigned by the President and Board, and assume the duties of the president in his/her absence. c) The Secretary shall keep official records of the organization including meetings of EGA and its Board, handle general correspondence, and perform other such duties as delegated. d) The Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep a permanent record of receipts and disbursements, have custody of the checking account, and pay out funds as directed and approved by the Board. The treasurer shall present a statement of account status at each Board meeting or other times as designated.

Section 5 – All monies collected by EGA shall be placed and held in a bank depository approved by the Board of Directors. Checks to disperse Board approved funds must be signed by the Treasurer and co-signed by a 2nd Officer or Director designated by the Board.

ARTICLE VIII – COMMUNITY MEETINGS

Section 1. General meetings open to all EGA residents shall be held at least two (2) times during the year.

Section 2. Meeting dates shall be determined by the board. The Board may schedule additional general meetings as they deem necessary.

Section 3. Due notice – at least five (5) days prior- of meeting date, time, location and agenda shall be circulated to the community in written form and through electronic media.

ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall create such standing committees as may be required to promote the purposes and carry out activities of EGA.

Section 2. The President with concurrence from the Board shall appoint committee chairs who must be members of the Board Section 3. All members in good standing are eligible to serve on EGA committees.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. – Upon the recommendation of the board or request in writing from at least twenty (20) members in good standing, these bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of those present and entitled to vote at a general or special community meeting. A quorum shall consist of at least twenty (20) members in good standing and include two Board members.

Section 2. – At least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting where amendments will be considered an announcement with a summary of the changes will be distributed in written form and through electronic media to members. A copy of the full amendment will be posted on the EGA website and made available in hard copy by request at that time.

ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the conduct of EGA business in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they do not conflict with this document.

ARTICLE XII – APPLICABILITY

These bylaws shall be in force immediately following their approval by the EGA membership on October 5, 2015 and until such time as revised bylaws are duly approved per Article X.