CHICAGO CITY HALL (WBBM Newsradio) -- Chicago aldermen have given final approval to Mayor Brandon Johnson's plan to take over the city's Greyhound terminal.
Aldermen voted 38-10 on Wednesday to endorse the Johnson Administration's proposal to spend about $19 million to buy the terminal, 630 W. Harrison St., after previously approving changes to allow the city to use economic development (TIF) funds to buy and fix up the facility.
Mayor Johnson first proposed buying the terminal after its owner, the real estate arm of private equity group Alden Global, suggested it might close the facility and sell the land, leaving the city as one of the largest in the world without a permanent inter-city bus terminal.
The Greyhound station is in the ward of Downtown Ald. Bill Conway, who reminded colleagues during debate that he was first to raise concerns about the proposal after finding it in a budget document.
"I had big concerns regarding public safety, regarding operations and regarding traffic," said Ald. Conway (34th Ward), noting that he convened numerous meetings with city leaders, neighbors and others to deal with those concerns. He supported the deal, saying it was a critical part of the city's transportation strategy, though he admitted the city faced a great deal of work to improve the station: "We still do have a big lift ahead."
But Conway's Southwest side colleague, Ald. Marty Quinn, warned colleagues that the final price tag for the station would be much higher than the $19 million purchase price.
"It's actually $50 million, once you add in how much work is going to need to go into this facility," said Ald. Quinn (13th Ward). "This is a bad deal."
Also today, Chicago aldermen:
- confirmed the mayor's appointment of veteran civil rights advocate and lawyer Kenneth Gunn to chair the Chicago Commission on Human Relations;
- gave final approval to a $650,000 payment to settle a lawsuit filed by two women who say they were badly injured when their car was hit by a driver speeding away from Chicago police in Brighton Park in 2023;
- OKed a series of building code changes that the Johnson Administration says are designed to make it easier for new homes to be built in the city;
- turned back an effort from Far South side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th Ward) to ban so-called "sweepstakes" machines, that resemble video gambling terminals but are not specifically regulated by the state of Illinois;
- rebuffed an attempt by Southwest side Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) to introduce a new measure aimed at increasing penalties for parents whose children commit crimes during "teen takeovers;" and
- approved resolutions honoring Pride Month and Juneteenth.
$50M deal designed to prevent depot from closing
$50M deal designed to prevent depot from closing
