Negotiated sale of vacant City-owned property at 5339-5345 S State St to Deeply Rooted Productions, Inc., Deeply Rooted Dance Center NFP for development of dance studio center with production facilities
Votes › Housing and Real Estate
- Record number: O2023-0001283
- Type: Ordinance; category: Property
- Status: Final
- Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
- Committee: Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Introduction Date: Jun 21, 2023
- Final Action Date: Jul 19, 2023
- Official record: Office of the City Clerk
Roll call: Passed Jul 19, 2023
49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent. On motion of Alderperson Ramirez-Rosa , and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderman Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Jul 19, 2023.
Yea (49): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (former member)
Absent (1): Scott Waguespack (32)
Impact report
Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.
The City would sell two vacant, contaminated City-owned lots at 5339-5345 S. State St. to Deeply Rooted Dance Center NFP for $1 per parcel so it can clean up the land and build a 2-story dance center with studios, production spaces, and a performance venue.
Who it affects
- Deeply Rooted Dance Center NFP and Deeply Rooted Productions, Inc.: They would buy the land for $1 per parcel, must clean up the contamination at their own cost, and must sign a Redevelopment Agreement with the City.
- Washington Park residents: Two vacant lots in their community area would be turned into a dance center with studios, classrooms, offices, and a performance venue.
- Future tenants of the building: The finished building could be leased to Deeply Rooted Productions and/or other tenants, who would be bound by the environmental release and cleanup rules tied to the land.
- City of Chicago: The City would give up land valued at $260,000 and be released from future environmental claims about the property, while giving a conditional $5 million grant toward construction.
- Construction workers: Construction cannot start until the state approves a cleanup plan, and the site must meet safety standards for construction worker exposure.
What changes
- Two vacant City-owned lots on South State Street would become a privately owned 2-story dance center.
- The site would be enrolled in the state's cleanup program and cleaned of contamination before construction starts.
- No one could occupy the building until the state issues a final 'No Further Remediation' letter and it is recorded.
- The new building would include a lobby, dance studios, production spaces, a performance venue, and office, classroom, and conference space.
- If the land is later used for housing, the City's Affordable Requirements Ordinance may apply.
Money
- Sale price: $1.00 per tax parcel (two parcels), paid by Deeply Rooted Dance Center NFP to the City; the land's appraised market value is $260,000.
- Conditional $5 million grant from the Chicago Recovery Plan Community Development Grant Program, from the Department of Planning and Development to Deeply Rooted Productions for construction.
- Estimated total project budget: $15,649,518.
- The buyer pays all escrow fees, title insurance fees, and closing costs.
- The buyer pays all costs of environmental cleanup, including removing old foundations, debris, contaminated soil, and any underground storage tanks.
Where: 5339-5345 South State Street; Washington Park Community Area; 47th and State Redevelopment Project Area
When: Upon passage and approval of the ordinance; the sale closes only after the buyer signs the Redevelopment Agreement and submits a recent Phase I environmental assessment.
Timeline
- Jun 21, 2023: Referred, City Council. The matter was referred.
- Jul 10, 2023: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Housing and Real Estate. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body
- Jul 19, 2023: Passed, City Council (49 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Ramirez-Rosa , and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderman Mitchell, the matter was Passed.
Documents
- EDS.pdf (EDS)
- O2023-0001283.pdf (Legislation)
- O2023-0001283 Recommendation Letter.pdf (Committee Letter)
Lobbying and money
Computed links; money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.
Who lobbied on it
- Deeply Rooted Dance Theater: REZONG OF PROPERTY AT 5339 S. STATE (1 filing, Apr 1, 2023 to Jun 30, 2023; Steven Friedland; matched by street address)
Money from these interests in the 365 days before the vote
| Member | Vote | Amount | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamont J. Robinson | Yea | $1,000 | Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (employees) |
Related legislation
More from Johnson, Brandon
- Executive Order No. 2026-7 (Senior Bill of Rights and Establishing the Mayor's Office on Aging) (F2026-0029547, introduced Dec 8, 2026, Placed on File)
- Issuance of general obligation bonds (2027-2028 General Obligation Borrowing Ordinance) (O2026-0029650, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)
- Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Recommendations (O2026-0029642, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)
More on Property
- Sale of vacant City-owned property at 2341 W Erie St to Walsh Apartments LLC under ChiBlockBuilder (O2026-0027380, introduced Jul 15, 2026, Signed)
- Sale of vacant City-owned property at 817, 821 and 823 N Harding Ave to NeighborSpace, Inc. under ChiBlockBuilder (O2026-0027327, introduced Jul 15, 2026, Passed)
- Sale of vacant City-owned property at 5316 S Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive to R&D Builders LLC under ChiBlockBuilder (O2026-0027302, introduced Jul 15, 2026, Passed)
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