You're not putting something... rather
(indistinct) bring it, you know, in
frame.
(exhales)
Yeah.
Yeah, 'cause in case you need a... see that shit
on...
(chuckles) This is a great time
to...
It's still...
I, uh...
My friend, he,
uh...
What
happened? He went to
see all that guy was again, that's...
I told him, "Look, man." You know? What's
happening.
So- Good
morning,
Marty. Yeah. Not too dark
already, but there's nothing you can find. That's great. Good job.
Very expressive.
Really
something. So nice to see you.
Thanks, kid.
You know, sort of saying, like, um...
look at the west. Right,
right over there. Hey, what's happening?
How
are you doing? Sorry for your leg. Ah, thanks. And you, back there.
Actually- What are you trying to fix over here?
Is your dusting done? No? Only
six? Five or six? That's
what I'm saying. Yeah, I
feel like... You know, trying to think of time.
Mine goes here too. Okay.
So- Sorry. Hey. You
know, this
is all today. The council meets. Right?
It was only
four years ago when they buy
this- So, they... So there's less of it.
Less and less every year or two. Now, when you have
winter, what make sure you shouldn't
get upset every day should be
sent out.
But, uh, I
know
it's not something, so it's not like
you all get the phone call when they get there from
here. They
must be a bunch of
products.
Right? So
that
means- You need to stay in touch. I'm sure there is a lot of action to take.
So
everything becomes, you
know,
music making.
Music
making. Yeah. But you want to do something like that?
Well, yeah, I like it. Yes.
No,
sorry. That's okay. So always remember me before I always
tell you, show them, show them. Just something.
That's
coming
up.
Now,
cheap is very important. Yeah, I'm waiting for you also when you're
done. All right. My brother said this isn't really
sure if he made time for that.
How many times have you gotten into trouble? For years and years,
and years. It's funny, there was just something very
quick. You did it. All right. But yeah, it's a
whole lot. Something outside
of, like, pattern of some things. The first thing is always that
people don't feel free. Take school officials.
People eventually think it's all about
something.
They believe in something. (laughs) But, you know, uh, I tell you what.
The great function of publishing is to push people into the deep
end. (laughs) It's just control yourself. You know what?
Now I get tired of this. You know what I mean? Hey, what's up? (laughs) Because I'm very sure
he went to bed at
the same time. (laughs) He's a
good... He's a good... I'm sorry, you're not being serious.
There's nothing better than most of them. That's what they want, right?
That's
what
I
see.
(heavy rain) (heavy rain)
(heavy static noise)
(silence)
We're, we're abou- we're about to worry about
it.
(laughs) Animal Care and Control.
Then we'll just do quorum then. Good morning.
I wanna welcome everyone to the September meeting on the Housing and Real State
of the City of Chicago Council. The time is,
um, 10:26 and the meeting is called to order.
Today, we have five items of the agenda.
And we'll start with roll call to establish quorum.
Vice Chair Mitchell. Vice Chair Mitchell, present.
Alderman Espada, present. Alderman Dowell.
Here.
Present. Alderman Robinson, present.
Um, Alderman King, uh, Quinn. Alderman Quinn,
present. Um, Alderwoman Tavares,
present. Um, Alderman Burnett.
Um, Alderman Casara,
presente. Um, Alder,
Alderwoman van Happenworth, present.
That, uh, that give us 10 members, so we do establish
quorum. Um, we have a r- a Rule 59 request from
Alderma- Alderperson Clay and Alderwoman
Harris. And, um, so moved by
Alderwoman, uh, Dowell. All those in favor say aye.
All those opposed say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
They, uh, we do wanna welcome... I'm not sure was, we see them
already? Yeah, Alderwoman Clay is already on, and then we'll check on Alderwoman
Harris when she gets in. Can you hear us, Alderwoman
Clay?
I don't know if she can hear us. Oh, oh she's on
there. We'll check on that. Um, so we have only one more?
I'm here, Chairman. Sorry.
Oh, perfect. Then we'll make sure they hear us.
So, we have Alderwoman Clay online, and we'll wait for Alderwoman Harris.
Uh, today, we have, uh, one speaker.
Um, each speaker will be given three minutes to speak on all items of the agenda.
The first speaker is Mr. George
Blakemore.
Quiet.
Good morning, citizens.
Uh, I think that you said you only had one
speaker. I, I can't believe
this, dealing with
properties-Monique Davis told me
she has 3,000 vacant
lots. 3,000
empty lots. And this is dealing with the
development. Why are those lots
empty? And most of those vacant
lots are in the Black communities,
neighborhoods.
Things just don't happen.
We make things happen or not
happen.
The gentrification of Black people
out of the City of Chicago
by way of sanctuary,
bringing illegals into our city, into
the Black communities. And the Black aldermen
voted for this. If anybody needs
sanctuary, it's the Black man
that was enslaved in America.
What motivates a Black leader,
a so-called a leader, to vote for sanctuary?
Bringing other people in to get goods, service,
contracts and jobs that the Black community is not
getting.
So, reading this
agenda,
it's a conspiracy to move the
Black man, the Black woman, the Black child
out of the City of
Chicago. Dealing with
these vacant lots, the Black man will
never be able to redevelop these lots.
He doesn't have the money.
So, we have poor Black
leadership. We got Black
faces in high places, selling Black
people out.
Out
of the City of Chicago.
All are blue up here.
A one-party system is a corrupt
system. No check and
balance. All men in the house is not
good. All women in the house is not
good (laughs) . We Black people
are our
best friend and our worst enemy.
No Black leadership,
nada. No Black...
(alarm rings)
Thank you, Mr. Blakemore. Um, this, um, this
completes our public comment. Uh, the, we did not receive any written
po-, uh, written public comments.
And thank you so much for, um, for everybody who participated.
Our first order of business is the Rule 45 report from October 7,
2025, which must email and hand it out to all committee members.
Can I get a motion to recommend approval of the report?
So moved by Alderman Quezada. All those in favor say aye.
All those opposed say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The Rule 45 report has been approved.
Now we have, um, uh, we will have the items on the agenda before the committee.
All the items today are from the departme- Department of Planning
and Development. Item number one is ordinance
2025.0020529 sale of city-owned
property at 1641, 2045, 2047,
2049, 2051, 2055, and 2057 West
Warren Boulevard. And 15- 1656,
1658, 1666, 1700, and
7010 West Madison Street to RE
Holding Group LLC under CHI BlockBuilder platform
in the 27th Ward. Ernest Bellamy from the Department of Planning and Development i-
is here to testify on behalf of this ordinance.
Thank you,
Ernest.
Lopez,
uh...
Is it on?
Make sure that the mic is working. I think the other one.
Maybe this one, yeah.
Okay.
I wanna switch mics. There you go.
Now we can hear you.
All right.
Mm-hmm.
Um, good morning again, uh, Chairman Citro-Lopez and members of the committee.
Uh, for the record, my name is Ernest Bellamy.
I'm a development land sales, uh, city planner in the Department of Planning and
Development. Uh, I bring forward to you today a request for
disposition of 12 city parcels.
Uh, uh, to be concise, I'll, I'll forego the reading of all
12. Um, in attendance
today is Steve Rucks of RE Holdings
LLC and attorney Katie Jenkindale of DLA
Piper. Uh, the location of the disposition is
within the 27th Ward, um, Alderman Walter R.
Burnett, within the Near West Side community area, uh,
located within the Central West TIF, consisting of 12 city
lots, uh, uh, the,
for the sale price of, uh,
$1,635,035.
Uh, the applicant submitted and
submitted it and, um, we accepted an offer price
of, uh, roughly $2.4 million.
Uh, the parcels are, are located, uh, within the West Planning Region.
And these parcels are on October 2024 CHI
BlockBuilder, um,
disposition. And the
applicant-... uh, RE Holdings LLC, uh, which
is, uh, purchasing the city lots on the be- behalf of the United Center drink
venture as part of their development arm.
Uh, the purchaser will combine the 12 city lots with
privately acquired lots, which will be included into
a future amended... amendment to PD
522 for the 1901
project. Uh, additionally, in,
October, Alderman Burnett provided a letter of support for the land
disposition. Again, the parcels
reside within the Near West Side community area adjacent to PD
522, as seen on screen. The sites are
transit-served locations, located roughly a quarter mile
from, uh, both the CTA, uh, Damon Green Line
station and CTA Ashland Green and Pink line
stations. Additionally, there are multiple TSL bus
lines within a one or two block radius of these
parcels. Uh, the parcels for disposition are
within a predominantly vacant lot portion of West Madison Street, which is
planned for eminent in the field
development.
A breakdown of the city lots and their dimensions
a- and their square footages are- are as seen on
screen. The lots are...
were advertised, uh, in clusters, as noted.
Current zoning for these sites are a mix between RT-4 and
C-1-3 and will be f- unified under
the zoning allotments in PD
522 by the purchaser for their proposed
development.
Overall, the land disposition net area for the combined parcels is
41,504 square feet.
RE Holdings offered an above market
valuation, uh, um,
for the sites, for all the sites, um, purchase
amount. Uh,
for a rough approximation, their, their bid price, uh,
is, uh, roughly, um, $20
per square foot over the market valuation price,
uh, for the lots that were advertised.
Um,
alternatively, roughly 50% more than what we, we advertised
for.
For context, per the PD 522
documentation, uh, the 1901 project will be
developed out over six phases, as seen
here. The overall development phases
will be developed over the timeline, uh, seen above,
starting in 2028, um, lasting until
2040. Zooming into subarea
E, the city parcels for disposition are outlined in
the... in the red boxes, uh,
in relationship to the, the development massing.
The parcels will be utilized to develop additional residential
units. Additionally, the ground floor of each, uh, each
development loc- location would be programmed with
retail. Until subarea E is
ready to, to be developed, uh, throughout the construction and
planning phasing, uh, the site
would be leveraged for construction staging, additional required parking
capacity, or open space use.
Once construction commences on the sub...
on this subarea, it is expected to take between two and a half to three and a
half, uh, years to
complete.
Transitioning to subarea F, the city parcels,
again, uh, for the disposition are outlined in, in the red box
in relationship to the development massing.
Here, the parcels will be utilized to develop additional residential
units as well. Uh, additionally, the ground
floor... uh, the ground level of each development, uh,
location would be programmed with retail.
The site is currently being utilized for additional parking, uh, for
OEMC and, and OBM. Until subarea F is, is
ready for development, the developer has agreed to allow continued
complementary usage of the site until such time that
the site would be needed for required construction staging,
uh, and additional parking needs for the
development. And equally, again, the
construction... uh, once the construction commences on this
subarea, it's also expected to take between two and a half to three and a half
years, uh, to complete.
Uh, herein's, uh, my presentation.
Um, and I'll pause here for any additional questions from the
committee.
Are there any questions by committee members?
Otherwise, I know... Oh, Alderman Quizalla.
Thank you. Uh, thank you for your presentation.
Can you go back to the area that shows the, uh, breakdown of the development in the
stages? Not the stage timeline, but the stages.
Okay, cool. And then, go
to the timeline.
Great. Cool. Just interested. Thank you.
Yeah. No worries.
Alderman
Lozar.
There we go. Um,
I mean, you cannot complain about people offering above market
price for city-owned land. Let's see the laughter (laughs)
Cindy knows what I'm talking about (laughs) .
Um, I had one question, so l- just to clarify the point, so these
properties will then be incorporated into the planned development
through an amended PD that will come before the Planned Commission and Zoning
Committee at some point?
Correct.
Okay, thank you, sir. Thank you, Chair.
Thank you. Um, unless there are any questions, could I get a motion to move on this
item? So moved by Alderman Mitchell.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Those opposed same name. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The due pass recommendation of this ordinance will be reported out at the next city
council meeting on November 14th,
2025. Uh, the next item, item number two
is Ordinance 2025-002525, sale of city-owned
property at 1317 East 71st Street to
Easy Tree Recycling Inc and their ChiBloc Builder platform in the
Fifth Ward. Ernest Bellamy, again, from Department of Planning and Development is
here to present on behalf of this ordinance.
Thank you.
Good morning again, Chairman Citrin Lopez and members of the committee.
Uh, for the record, my name is Ernest Bellamy.
Uh, I am a development land sales city planner in the Department of Planning and
Development. I bring forward to you today a request for disposition of one
city parcel at 1317 East 71st
Street. In attendance, uh, today is
attorney John Piekarski of Gordon
Piekarski, representing the applicant, Easy Tree
Recycling.
The location of the disposition was, is within the Fifth Ward,
uh, Alderman Desmond Yancy, within the greater Grand Crossing community
area, uh, located in the 71st and
Stony Island TIF, consisting of one city lot,
uh, for the sale price of
$85,500. The applicant submitted
an, uh, an offer that was accepted of
the above market valuation price of
$86,000. The parcels are located within
the southeast planning region.
This parcel is a November 2024 ChiBloc Builder direct
listing, uh, to the purchaser, Easy Tree
Recycling. Uh, Easy Tree Recycling has been a longstanding
business within the ward, operating at the site since
1992.
As a, as
a means of formally unifying the site, uh, they are actively
working on. Easy Tree is purchasing the city lot
to combine with their privately owned sites
and vacate a right of, uh, right of way, um,
forest, South Kenwood Avenue. Uh, in
September, Alderman Yancy provided a letter of support for the land
disposition.
The parcels reside, uh, at the eastern edge of the greater Grand Crossing
community area, and it could be easily mistaken that this
is, uh, within the
South Shore community area, as it's right on the borderline
between both. Uh, the site is a transit-served
location, located two blocks away from the Metro-Stony Island
station. Additionally, there are multiple TSL bus rou- bus
lines within a quarter-mile radius of, for this
parcel, uh, for
disposition.
Uh, viewing it, the site in aerial view to gain a better sense of
context. It is surrounded by similar uses as Easy
Tree Recycling has been utilizing the site, um,
for stockpiling of mulch and topsoil prior to this sale
to the public. Um, looking
to, to en- ensure that, uh, all of their sites
are, are under their control as kind of
when this discovery was made, that actually this one parcel is city-owned
and not under their control. Um, subsequently,
um, uh, uh, Easy
Tree is looking,
is in the process of, uh,
vacating, filing for the, uh, vacation of the
right of way of South Kenwood Avenue as highlighted in, in
the blue, uh, which they're looking to unify all
within, uh, their control. Currently zoned
in 1-2 and with a active class
two recycling license permit. There will be no need for any
additional zoning changes. Overall, the,
the land disposition net area for the combined parcel
is 19,698 square feet.
The following image shows the existing street view for the site
from East 71st Street. Easy Tree Recycling will, will
need to conform with Section
17-5-600
of the zoning code for screening and buffering,
uh, of the East 71st Street properties from the
surrounding residential
uses. Here concludes
my presentation and I'll pause here for any additional questions from the
committee.
Thank you. Are there any questions by committee members?
Otherwise, could I get a motion to move on this item? So moved.
So moved by Alderman Moore. Oh, but I wanna,
before I, before the Alderman Moore, because we didn't add your name to the Rule
59. Can I get a motion to recognize Alderman Moore for purpose of the
quorum? So moved by Alderman Manana-Hapworth.
All those in favor say aye.
All those oppose say nay. So now we formally have Alderman Moore on
the, on the quorum and he has a motion to move.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
All those oppose say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The due pass recommendation of this ordinance will be reported out at the next city
council meeting on November 14th, 2025.
We have a substitute ordinance for the next item.
The ordinance has been updated to correct the proposed bedroom
unit count from three to two, which can be found in the tenth
whereas clause on the ordinance. Copies of the substitute have been
emailed and handed out to committee members as well.
So you have it on your packets. Item three is substitute ordinance
2025-002527, sale of city-owned property
at 4840 South S- South Street, Lawrence
Avenue to Jaroslav Madry and their ChiBloc
Builder platform in the Fourth Ward.
Can I get a motion to accept the substitute?So move by Alderperson
Amanda Happenworth. All those in favor, say aye.
Aye.
All those oppose, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
Um, the substitute is before us. And Thomas Bellino from DPD is
here to testify on this ordinance.
Thank you. Uh, hello, everyone. Uh, my name is Tom Bellino.
I'm a planner with DPD, uh, requesting approval for the sale of vacant city
land at 4840 South St. Lawrence
Avenue, uh, from ChiBlock Builders April 2025
round for market rate land sales. Um, the
location of the parcel is in the Fourth
Ward, um, and we have a letter of support from Alderman Robinson dated,
uh, October 1st. It's in the Grand Boulevard community
area. Um, the, the, the,
um, parcel is valued at
$118,981 and the offer
from the applicant is $120,000. Um,
the applicant, Jerosa Madri, is present, um, and
the, the total cost of the development is gonna be about four,
uh, $1.4 million. Um, so
that, uh, this is the location, uh, uh, from a
satellite view. Um, you can see it's on St.
Lawrence Avenue between 48th and 49th, um, a few blocks
east of, uh, Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard and the CTA Green Line station at 47th
Street. You can see the existing site context there.
There are relatively new residential developments on both
sides. Uh, the zoning of the site is
RM5 and there is no proposed
change. Um, and you can see there, uh,
that, that the parcel is a double lot, so the applicant is
proposing two buildings that will be
identical, um, containing three two-bed,
two-bath units each and each one having a frame garage
with three parking spaces each. Um,
uh, there's some project financials if we have any questions about that and you can
see the site plan here. On the left is St.
Lawrence Avenue and on the right is the alley.
Um, these are the elevations. Um, the east elevation is
the one that will be facing the street, and then you can see the side and back
elevations there. And we have floor plans here if, uh, anybody
has any questions about that. And that concludes this presentation.
Happy to answer any questions or go back to anything that you want to see
again.
Are there any questions by committee members?
No questions? Otherwise, can I have a motion to move on this item?
So move by Alderman Quesada. All those in favor, say aye.
Aye.
All those oppose, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The due pass recommendation of this ordinance will be reported out at the next city
council meeting on November 14th, 2025.
Item fourth is Ordinance
2025.002528, sale of city-owned property at
7, 714 East 44th Street
to Steves, Inc Consulting in the Fourth Ward.
Thomas Bellino again from DPD to present on this item as well.
Thank you. Uh, hi again. Uh, Tom Bellino from DPD.
Uh, now I'm requesting approval for the sale of vacant city land at 714
East 44th Street in a negotiated sale that predates ChiBlock
Builder. Uh, the location of this parcel
is 714 East 44th Street in the Fourth Ward and we
have a letter of support from Alderman Robinson dated August
21st. Um, this is also in the Grand Boulevard community area
and, uh, the valuation of this lot is
$116,000 and that is, uh, what
the applicant is offering. Uh, the developer is Greenline on behalf of
Nicole Wheatley and the total, uh project cost is
$658,000, uh, dollars. Uh, you can see
the context here. Um, the block that it's on,
uh, I believe this is the, uh, the only vacant mid-block lot
and, um, the zoning is RT4 and there's no
proposed change. And you can see in that house on the
right, that dark gray house, is where the applicant Nicole Wheatley currently
lives. So she does, you know, live next door to the site.
Um, so the, the proposal is to construct a frame building
containing two two-bed, two-bath units and a garage with two
parking spaces.
Um, you can see the, uh, south elevation street-facing elevation
there. Uh, we have detailed project financials if anybody has any
questions. Um, you can see the site plan here.
On the left is 44th Street and on the right is the
alley. Again, that's that south
front-facing, uh, street-facing elevation as well as the east
elevation and the north and west
elevations. Um, these are the floor plans
if, uh, anybody has any questions about that and that concludes, uh, this
presentation. Happy to go back or answer any questions.
Mm-hmm. Are there any questions? We also have Alderman Robinson
here. Any, any questions?
Alderman Moore has his hand up.
Moved by Alderman Mitchell. All those in favor, say aye.
All those oppose say nay and the opinion-
No, I said Alderman Moore has his hand up.
Oh.
So-sorry, I did not see you in the...
Go
I... Hold on I do-... I... Yes, I see you now.
Sorry, Alderman Moore, go ahead.
No problem. Um, I just wanted to make a, um, comment on,
um, the young lady that's getting this, um, project.
Um, so you know, you know, who we have doing this.
This is someone who's been, um, although this is not in my
ward, um, active throughout the City of Chicago, even in the Urban Gresham
community, of doing positive things, um, in the
city. Um, making, not only making sure that people,
um, you know, get involved in purchasing homes but
financial literacy, everything.
I mean, she's been an asset, um, to, to our various
communities. And I'm just working in one but most of our communities, but I can
definitely speak for the work that she's done in Urban Gresham and trust me, um,
when she does something, she does it, uh, with, um, you know,
uh, in a, in a classy way and a very, um, way that the
communities would appreciate it.
So, you know, I definitely, um, support, um, this project and
I shou-... I have no doubt that, um, Alderman Robinson see the same thing,
um, that I see in her as well.
Thank you, Alderman Moore. Any, any additional comments?
Otherwise-
I forgot to mention that, uh, Ms. Wheatley is, uh, present as well today.
Oh, fantastic. Well, thank you very much.
Woman of the hour.
(laughs) Great to see you. Thank you for being here.
Are there any, any other questions so that I can have a motion to move on this
item? So moved by Alderman Mitchell, all removes, um, renews his
motion. All those in favor say, say aye.
Aye.
All those oppose say name. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The due pass recommendation of this ordinance will be reported out at the next city
council meeting on S- on November 14th, 2025.
And congratulations, Alderman Robinson and the
applicant. Uh, item, uh, the last item is, uh, Ordinance
2025.002524, sale of city-owned
property at 4028 South Ellis Avenue to Chicago Crane Commercial
LLC under ChiBlock Builder platform, also in the Fourth Ward.
Thomas Bellino again from DPD to present on this item.
Thank you. Again, Tom Bellino from DPD, um, now
requesting approval for the sale of vacant city land at
4028 South Ellis Avenue, uh, from ChiBlock Builders April
2024 round for market rate land sales.
Uh, the location of the lot is in the Fourth Ward and we have a letter of
support from Alderman Robinson, uh, dated September 18th.
It... This one is in the Oakland community area.
Uh, the market value price is
$344,828, um, and
the applicant is offering $345,000.
Uh, the, the applicant is Drakeia Wilkins, who is present, and the
total development cost is, um, about $5.3
million. Uh, you can see the, the context there,
um, this is, uh, pretty close to the
lakefront, um, near Oakwood Boulevard and
just east of, uh, Drexel. Um, you see the
surrounding development there. Uh, there are buildings on both
sides. Um, the zoning is RM5 and
there is no proposed change. Uh, you can see the dimensions of the lot are, it's
actually more than double, uh, the typical
width. Um,
so the applicant is proposing, uh, a construction of
masonry residential building with eight units, four three-bed
two-bath units, and four four-bed three-and-a-half-bath
units, and a garage with seven parking
spaces. Um, we have project financials if there are
any, uh, questions on the details.
And you can see the, um, site plan here.
On the right is Ellis Avenue and on the left is the
alley. Um, if, if (laughs) y- for some
reason your, your, your eye is trained to know the zoning code that well, you can
tell that the rear setback is, uh,
does not comply with zoning. However, the applicants are
aware and planning to, um, uh,
pursue the ZBA process to get that
approved. Um, and this is a cross-section of the
building. You can see those middle units are, uh,
the three-bed units and they exist only on one floor each,
and then on the right and left are the four-bed units
which are each duplexes on the first and second, and then third and fourth
floors. Um, we have detailed floor plans, um,
of those units,
and these are some, uh, renderings of what the building
will look like in context, and some examples of the
materials that the developers plan to use.
They are, uh, of exceptionally high quality in this
case. Uh, so happy to go back or, uh, answer any
questions. And, uh, again, the, uh, applicant is present
here.
Thank you. Are there any questions by committee members?
Otherwise, can I have a motion to move on this item? So moved by Alderman Quezada.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
All those oppose say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The due pass recommendation of this ordinance will be reported out at our next city
council meeting on November 14th, 2025.
There being no further business before the committee, can I get a motion to
adjourn? (laughs) Right before...
And b- before we adjourn, when I recognize for the roll call, Alderman
meets, so we gotta... You get, you get attendance for coming, even if it's
a quick meeting. So now, we got alderman meets to m-
to motion to adjourn (laughs) . All those in favor say aye.
All those opposed say nay. Say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The C- the Committee on Real Esta- on Housing Real Estate is officially adjourned.
Thank you so much, have a great
day.