Not exactly breaking news, since it hit the streets October 6, but for the record here’s what I’ve been working on for the last month — a feature on the agonizing bureaucratic odyssey of the shared-use Logan Square Kitchen.

I have to confess here that when I hit send on the last round of revisions, my cell phone still sizzling from a day spent burning up the City Hall phone tree, I was convinced I had just filed the most boring story ever. Who on earth was going to read this? Zoning geeks? Fiends for the minutiae of the municipal code?

A day later, perspective gained, I felt better. But, still — judge for yourself.

In a nutshell, this is the story of a small startup business trying to gain its footing in a lousy economy. And not just any old small business, but one whose explicit reason for being is to help other small businesses find their footing as well — and do it in a space designed to best reuse the existing resources of its neighborhood. What could possibly go wrong? Well, when you’re got three city departments all weighing in, you’d be surprised.

If, after you’re read to the end, you are moved by this tangled tale, you can go to LSK owner Zina Murray’s blog and download a letter of support to send to Mayor Daley. And stay tuned for updates — I’m planning to follow Murray all the way to the zoning board.

Fun! What ever will I wear?

UPDATE: Zina wins!