Dec 4, 2008 10:33 am US/Central
Uptown Group Sues City Over Wilson Yard TIF
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
An Uptown neighborhood group ticked off about the slow-going, publicly financed redevelopment of the shuttered CTA Wilson bus yard filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the City of Chicago and developers that aims to shut down the project.
Members of Fix Wilson Yard touted their suit as the first time taxpayers have sued the city over alleged abuse of so-called TIF districts -- funds created to help pay for redevelopment of blighted areas.
The complaint claims the Wilson Yard TIF district is, in fact, not blighted and public funding isn't needed to lure developers to the "prime" vacant land.
"This is six acres of undeveloped property on the North Side of Chicago -- half a mile from Lake Shore Drive, half a mile from Wrigley Field, right on the Red Line. This would be developed without any TIF funding at all," group president Molly Phelan said.
Construction has already started on a Target store, retail outlets and low-income housing. Attorney Thomas Ramsdell said he plans to ask a judge to stop construction while the suit is considered.
The complaint also alleges that the scope of the project has been delayed and significantly changed. Also, the amount of public funding increased from $35 million to $62 million without input from a project review board as required by state law, Phelan said.
City Law Department spokeswoman Jenny Hoyle said she had not received the suit Wednesday, but believes the Wilson Yard TIF district is "in accordance with the state statue."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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