New Bill To Build On Lakefront Goes To Governor's Desk
By aaroncynic in News on Apr 27, 2015 2:45PM
Situated between McCormick Place and Soldier Field, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will expand public access to green space on Monroe Harbor. (Image courtesy Lucas Museum of Narrative Art)
Illinois lawmakers fast tracked a bill to the Governor’s desk Thursday that would make it easier for Chicago to grab both the Obama Presidential Library and Lucas Museum. According to the Chicago Tribune, the measure expressly allows Chicago to build on parkland or “formerly submerged lands.”
The Senate approved the bill 39-13 and the House approved with a 94-16 vote. “Current and future generations deserve the opportunity to learn first-hand the impact of President Obama on Illinois as a member of the General Assembly, a U.S. senator and our president, and to also learn how our state had an impact on him,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan.
“This bill, if passed, would send a strong message to the selection committee that there won't be any obstacles to the library being built on parkland,” said State Senator Kwame Roul, who holds President Obama’s former seat.
Not everyone however is excited at the prospect of bulldozing part of the lakefront to build a strip mall tribute to Mos Eisley. Friends of the Parks, who has sued to stop the Lucas museum from ending up on the lakefront, called the bill a “deeply troubling” move to “sneak” the museum onto the lakefront, and warned it could pave the way for further building. “It is a complete blank check to abdicate the legal duty of protecting the Lake for the people of this State and for generations to come,” said Lauren Moltz in a statement. “We note that this bill was introduced on Earth Day of all times - hardly the occasion to make sure that there is not a blade of grass left on the lakefront.”
State Representative Ann Williams, who voted against the bill, agreed. “I’m concerned this may create a slippery slope and open up our beautiful lakefront to development and pet projects and who knows whatever similar projects down the road,” Williams told the Sun-Times.
But the lawsuit from Friends of the Parks, while in trouble, might not be completely dead. Moltz said the bill “will not solve the legal problem for Lucas Museum or a presidential library.” The suit argues that the Lucas Museum violates the public trust because the site is considered a protected waterway. Nadav Shoked, a law professor at Northwestern University, told the Tribune the group could claim public trust doctrine is based on the Illinois Constitution or federal law, which would not be affected by the legislation.
Rahm Emanuel predictably praised the move in a statement. “I commend the Illinois General Assembly for making it clear that they agree with Chicago’s position that presidential libraries and other museums enhance parkland for the benefit of the public,” said Emanuel. “The Obama Presidential Library and Lucas Museum of Narrative Art would not only benefit residents and visitors for generations to come, these institutions would provide incredible economic, cultural and educational opportunities to the city and state.”