Wal-Mart Still Not Going In in Chatham

By Margaret Lyons in News on Mar 18, 2008 9:58PM

Planning and Development Commissioner Arnold Randall told the developers of the 50-acre Chatham Market on the South Side that the city would not approve plans for a Wal-Mart. It's weird that they even asked, because the city zoned the area for retail development only after "then-developer Monroe Investment Partners LLC stated in a letter to city officials that Wal-Mart would not be a part of the shopping center." The City Council then passed an ordinance that the city commissioner would have to approve any retailer who wanted to occupy more than 100,000 square feet of the property.

But now new developers have a majority share in the property, and they want to bring in a Wal-Mart super center that also sells groceries. The only way that could happen now, though, is if City Council overturns the 100,000-square-foot approval part of the ordinance.

Alderman Howard Brookins, whose 21st ward includes the property in question, says he's in favor of the Wal-Mart and is "more than willing to start the lobbying," but only if the developer and the world's biggest retailer are serious.

Brookins told the Sun-Times, "You would think that, given the state of the economy, we would welcome 500 new jobs to Chicago. Instead, we're pushing 'em away because nobody wants to take the heat from certain unions that still have issues with Wal-Mart." [S-T, Trib, image via Wal-Mart]