# Committee on Transportation and Public Way meeting, March 5, 2025

- When: Wed, Mar 5, 2025, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: [Committee on Transportation and Public Way](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/transportation-and-public-way)
- Video: https://vimeo.com/1062487827
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1062487827.txt) (6,526 words, official captions)

## Meeting notes

> AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The Committee on Transportation and Public Way, chaired by Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell, approved its February Rule 45 report, accepted a direct introduction for a 42nd Ward item, held one item at Alderperson Jeylú B. Gutiérrez request, and recommended approval of a group of miscellaneous ward items. Alderperson Jeylú B. Gutiérrez spoke on an honorary street designation on South St. Louis Avenue for a late Solorio Academy staff member and immigrant rights advocate, joined by Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez an ordinance covering a Lake Street encroachment, CTA station amendments and a pedway agreement at the former James R. Thompson Center, Alderperson Jason C. Ervin and the chair asked about local and minority contractor participation in the redevelopment; the developer's attorney agreed to provide the information, and the item was recommended for approval. The committee also approved an alley vacation for a CPS early learning center in the 10th Ward, revised deadlines for alley vacations and an opening for the Sunshine Gospel Ministries community center in the 20th Ward, and removal of a use restriction on a vacated alley at the closed Calhoun North Elementary School site in the 27th Ward. One public commenter spoke.

Topics: Thompson Center redevelopment, local contractor participation, alley vacations, honorary street designation, community center, CPS property sale, public comment

### Agenda items discussed

- [22:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1327) Approval of the February 11, 2025 Rule 45 report: passed
- [22:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1351) Direct introduction of a transportation item in the 42nd Ward: passed
- [22:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1372) Page 2 item 3: held
- [23:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1380) Miscellaneous orders and amendment introduced by local alderpersons: passed
- [24:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1488) Honorary designation of South St. Louis Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets honoring a late Solorio Academy staff member: discussed
- [28:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1694) Lake Street encroachment, CTA station amendments and new pedway agreement at the former James R. Thompson Center (O2025-0015748): passed
- [40:17](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2417) Chicago Board of Education vacation of an alley near 134th Street and South Green Bay Avenue: passed
- [44:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2660) Sunshine Gospel Ministries alley vacations and opening of a new public alley near East 60th Street and King Drive (O2025-0015475): passed
- [56:18](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=3378) Change in use restriction on vacated alleys at the former Calhoun North Elementary School site (O2025-0015614): passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Gregory I. Mitchell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/7) (chair): Said the Black Caucus, with the Latino Caucus, looks at local and minority business participation and asked how local general contractors and subcontractors benefit from the Thompson Center project. ([33:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2016)); Asked for the value of the Sunshine Gospel community center project and requested it be submitted through the chair. ([52:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=3163)); Asked about the size of the Calhoun school building and the purchase price, which was given as $200,000. ([1:00:06](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=3606))
- [Jeylú B. Gutiérrez](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/14) (alderperson): Described the late honoree as a Solorio Academy college and career coach, undocumented student support specialist and founding member of an immigrant youth organization, explaining the honorary street designation. ([25:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1511))
- [Michael D. Rodriguez](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/22) (alderperson): Said he knew the honoree personally and thanked Alderperson Jeylú B. Gutiérrez for the honorary designation. ([27:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1634)); Thanked Alderperson Jason C. Ervin and the chair for raising local participation and said the Latino Caucus shares that interest. ([37:50](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2270)); Asked that participation information be broken down by subcontractors and prime contractors. ([39:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2356))
- [Jason C. Ervin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/28) (alderperson): Asked whether the Thompson Center ordinance benefits the new Google building and whether it is essentially a public way permit. ([29:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1773)); Said he did not see real local participation in the project and asked what local participation looks like. ([30:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1815)); Asked the department to obtain participation information from the developer before the next council meeting, while saying the item did not need to be held. ([33:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1992))
- [William Conway](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/34) (alderperson): Asked to confirm that the encroachment portion grants the Thompson Center public way its facade has long occupied, noting constituent questions about the construction. ([35:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2115))
- [Brian Hopkins](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/2) (alderperson): Asked whether the CPS alley vacation covered the entire alley and its length; was told the eastern section, 126.09 feet by 16 feet. ([43:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2591))
- [Scott Waguespack](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/32) (alderperson): Asked who owns the land west of the relocated alley at the Sunshine site and whether future development there could use the alley. ([53:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=3211))

### Exchanges between members

- [27:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=1659) Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez thanked Alderperson Jeylú B. Gutiérrez for the honorary street designation.
- [33:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2016) The chair restated and supported Alderperson Jason C. Ervin question about local participation.
- [37:50](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2270) Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez thanked Alderperson Jason C. Ervin for raising local participation.
- [37:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2273) Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez thanked the chair for mentioning the Latino Caucus.
- [39:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9?t=2348) The chair asked Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez whether he wanted any other information requested.

## Documents

- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/e9d93bf8-d137-450f-bc0e-3eccd3664c3e.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/9225a653-b8fe-4688-a773-44f2a59f451d.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/8c09b9aa-a666-40f4-adc9-c46b71d92e0e.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/C519B795-7BF0-EF11-BE20-001DD83045C9 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt