Posted by:
Jacob
(---.arm-bsr1.chi-arm.il.cable.rcn.com)
A recent (last couple years) supreme court ruling declared that eminent domain could be used by public entities for private uses. This was not previously allowable. So, what is going on in Lincoln Square could not have even been proposed just a couple of years ago. If they wanted to tear those buildings down for a library or police station, sure, but not for a private development. Now, basically any property that is declared as "blighted" can be acquired by the city through eminent domain and then sold to private developers. Pretty crazy, eh?
As for general eminent domain uses and abuses in the city's past, expressways, housing projects, UIC, etc, etc, were built with eminent domain. I'll leave it up to you to decide which of those projects were worthwhile and which were abuses.
--
Jacob Kaplan - Editor
Forgotten Chicago