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* Tribune…
Following the announcement that Gov. Rauner will try to sell the decaying James R. Thompson government building in the Loop, his administration says it’s considering ways to go around the normal facility closure process.
Usually, a series of public hearings must take place before a legislative panel votes on a proposed closure. The suggesting is advisory though, meaning Rauner could move ahead even if lawmakers oppose the plan.
A spokeswoman for the state’s Central Management Services agency said the administration is considering “a path forward” that could circumvent the hearing process entirely if all employees are moved to another state building within 10 miles of the building.
Still, “no determinations have been made yet about job relocations,” spokeswoman Meredith Krantz told the Tribune via e-mail.
* I sure hope they’ve thought this through…
Any redevelopment could wreak havoc on CTA passengers who access the Blue, Green, Brown, Orange, Purple and Pink lines via the Clark/Lake station at the Thompson Center.
More than 5.5 million passengers entered at Clark/Lake last year, making it the second-busiest station in the city, CTA spokesman Jeff Tolman said. In an email, Tolman said CTA officials are “reviewing existing contractual agreements to determine what impact the proposed sale/demolition would have on the Clark/Lake station — both the elevated and the subway stations.”
The Illinois secretary of state’s office has an office in the lower level where people can renew their licenses or get new plates and stickers. More than 226,000 people a year are served at the location, making it one of the 10 busiest in the state.
* Meanwhile…
“The reason this is happening is because Gov. Quinn let the building go the same way he let the governor’s mansion go, by refusing to spend money on either building,” [former Gov. Jim Thompson] told Sneed.
“That’s the situation Gov. Rauner is now facing,” said a calm, but obviously disappointed, former governor.
“During Quinn’s entire term in office he refused to maintain the building properly,” added Thompson. “Gov. Rauner is now faced with an accumulation of $100 million in deferred maintenance.” […]
According to a close friend of Quinn’s, ”With the budget mess that he inherited, Quinn had different priorities when he was in office. When there’s no money, you prioritize with what you’ve got. He chose to protect the state’s most vulnerable citizens over buying new carpet and furniture in the governor’s office.” […]
Thompson also claims he tried to inform Gov. Quinn the commercial tenant of the building on the first two floors offered to pay “for restoration of that space himself, but I could never get an answer from Quinn!”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:44 am
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Or its your fault, Governor Thompson, for building this awful building. Ever think of that?
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:47 am
Agencies not under the direction of the Governor have office space there, such as the other constitutional officers, so … unlikely.
Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:47 am
Hey maybe Rauner can pull a Daley and bulldoze the place in the middle of the night.
Comment by Angry Republican Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:48 am
It’s all Quinn’s fault that the Thompson Center is going to be sold!!!!
Anyway, I do hope who ever buys the property doesn’t decide to demolish it. A private developer will be able to give it the attention it deserves.
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:49 am
Edgar, Ryan and Blago did not maintain the building either. And it was under Thompson they installed the cheap indoor/outdoor carpet.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:50 am
BTW, the building across the street on LaSalle Street still has State of Illinois on it. Could they just move over assuming there is space available?
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:50 am
How long is the blame quinn game going to last?
Comment by Foster brooks Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:52 am
Clark/Lake is second busiest? I wonder what’s first.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:53 am
Without a budget, what authorization does any agency have to lease new office space?
Comment by Elo Kiddies Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:53 am
Not buying that argument about the CTA elevated train platforms since there is an alternative entrance across the street from the Thompson Center on the opposite side of Lake Street. There is one entrance in the JRTC, but there is another across the street.
Comment by After Further Review Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:54 am
I guess I just don’t understand the need to “circumvent the hearing process.” How can you run a campaign on reform and do that?
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:55 am
== if all employees are moved to another state building within 10 miles of the building==
Pretty hilarious, given the SJ-R’s childlike belief that this was going to mean more jobs in Springfield.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:56 am
Arsenal - Rauner himself said some jobs would move back to Springfield. Of course, that was yesterday and today is a different day…
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:59 am
==Not buying that argument about the CTA elevated train platforms since there is an alternative entrance across the street from the Thompson Center on the opposite side of Lake Street.==
There’s no argument. The CTA just said it’s going to investigate the impact. And there clearly will be an impact, the elevated platform is attached to the building.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:59 am
==Rauner himself said some jobs would move back to Springfield. Of course, that was yesterday and today is a different day…==
Yes, it clearly is, given that they’re floating a plan to keep all jobs with 10 miles of the JRTC.
I mean, I’m not great at geography, but I think the Loop and Springfield are more than 10 miles apart.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:02 am
Good riddance. The building has been a white elephant from the start with constant and ongoing HVAC headaches, unbearable bright sunlight a a general run down look. You can probably rent out 10-12 floors in any large commercial building to get a more efficient workflow.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:02 am
Here we go again. Rauner’s people just can’t resist trying to bypass legal requirements. If their arguments for selling the building are solid, why are they trying to bypass the process. I know it’s a control thing with them. Unfortunately to them, this is government where procedures are put in place to protect the public interests.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:03 am
I love it when the SJR, Springfield residents and the Sangamon County GOP talk about their belief in smaller gvt., then scream from the hilltops about the need for state jobs in Springfield.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:04 am
Ok, so the Tax and Spend Democrat (Quinn) is being dinged for *not* spending money?
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:06 am
That building was a boondoggle from the beginning. It never worked properly or efficiently. PQ does share in the blame but it was a poor design from the get-go.
Comment by Stones Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:07 am
It stinks when the public building with your name on it becomes a big pink, light blue, noisy, foul smelling elephant.
I wonder if Thompson thought Rauner could just roll it over into some real estate deal with Bass Pro Shops and turn it into a place where you can overnight while the kids fish with the minimum wage earning part-time help.
Since it already smells like it has a few fish ponds in it, a fake mountain filled with stuffed dead animals and fried onion blossoms, it would be a fine choice.
Rauner showed that he could turn a nursing home sale into a deal over used computer parts, given the right buyer - so the Thompson center has Bass Pro Shops written all over it.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:09 am
I am more concerned with the administrations continued contempt for following policies and procedures. Why must they circumvent hearings and so forth that are meant to prevent corruption, bad management, and political decisions? Whether or not it is unethical to circumvent such things, it doesn’t seem proper to me.
Comment by thoughts matter Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:09 am
I have never been a fan of JRTC and have watched the last 20 minutes of Running Scared every time I’ve had to spend more than 15 minutes in that building BUT to blame the problems of that structure on Quinn is the best example of the pot calling the kettle cast iron I’ve ever seen. That building had problems when it was built (falling plates of glass, heating and cooling out of whack with the seasons, humidity actually producing rain inside!). I’m just concerned, as others have mentioned here, which founding member of Rauner18 or ILGO will get the no-bid contract to buy and replace and then rent back to the taxpayers.
Comment by Not quite a majority Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:09 am
@Arsenal:
There would be an impact in terms of doing some station remodeling and possibly adding another elevator. The CTA tracks were on Lake Street long before the Thompson Center was built and the mere fact that one current entrance is built opposite the structure does not mean that the station needs to be closed if the office building shuts down.
It is one of the most poorly designed public office buildings that one could imagine. Helmut Jahn was not a practitioner of “Form follows function.” The entire place looks like a movie set from a cheesy sci-fi film like “Logan’s Run.”
Comment by After Further Review Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:09 am
Another thought - why try to figure out an alternative to the normal facility closure process? Just follow the established protocol. Remember the well deserved uproar when Daley carved the “X” in the runway at Meigs?
Comment by Stones Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:15 am
It is time for the Mayor to play hardball by either landmarking it or down-zoning upon sale.
The Gov. thinks he has an asset. The City has some say on that one.
Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:19 am
I wouldn’t think the facility closure applies in this instance. JRTC isn’t an office space, it isn’t a facility with patients, inmates, etc. etc.
Comment by Just Me Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:20 am
I agree with others, who gets the building? Auction? I’m sure that’ll be fair.
Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:21 am
After Further Review, what argument are you “not buying” about the Clark/Lake CTA station? Have you used the entrance on the north side of Lake? I am going to assume you have not. On the north side, there’s about 3 or 4 turnstiles and one narrow escalator up/down. It cannot sustain the traffic of 5.5 million customers a year. There are twice as many turnstiles in the JRTC, wider escalators (and stairs) in addition to all of the elevators that service the stop. Obviously, the CTA will have to study the impact, whether or not you “buy” the argument.
Comment by Notorious RBG Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:22 am
== …if all employees are moved to another state building within 10 miles of the building. ==
‘Or terminated?’
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:23 am
Sounds like there must be lots of underutilized state office space in the area.
Comment by 1 Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:23 am
I read a comment yesterday that the building was built without insulated glass to save money, so I took a look on my way to the CTA station yesterday, sure enough all the glass I could see was single layer. Very short-sighted if true.
Comment by Lincoln Parker Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:24 am
The building was low-balled from the beginning…remember they cancelled doors for some offices b/c of budget numbers as well as some of the high tech glass. Starship Illinois was doomed from the start–over designed and underfunded.
Comment by D.P.Gumby Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:33 am
After Further Review -
The JRTC entrance is handicap accessible. Closing that side would mean anyone who needed elevators would not be able to access the eastbound train platform. So closing it would be a massive headache to cta since it is such a busy platform.
Comment by Ferris Wheel Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:34 am
@Notorious RBG:
The CTA station can probably be replaced at a fraction of the cost of maintaining the steel and glass hell hole. If the sole justification that can be presented for keeping the JRTC is to keep a single rapid transit station in operation as avoid any temporary inconvenience to commuters using the Clark and Lake stop, it is a pretty weak argument to save the building. There are other stations within walking distance of the JRTC.
Comment by After Further Review Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:37 am
How much will it cost to replace and re-locate all the offices? If the building is paid off, and is tax-free, how will they rent from a landlord any cheaper? The landlord has to figure in his mortgage and taxes which are passed on to the renter, (the state). Also, who in their right mind is going to rent to the state at this point?
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:37 am
“his administration says it’s considering ways to go around the normal facility closure process.”
Hey, Gov. Rauner, you could just take another page from the Blago playbook and do it through rulemaking. JCAR loves that. Really, it does.
Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:38 am
So they’re either relocating people within 10 miles or to Springfield? Or they haven’t figured it out yet…
And where are all these half empty office buildings in the loop that are going to house 2000 additional employees???
Or is he planning to move us into newly leased spaces? How is he going to do that without a budget?
There are so many basic questions that haven’t been thought through. Whether JRTC should be sold is secondary, IMO, to the lack of basic preliminary planning that needs to be done before casting the threat of relocation on all the employees.
Comment by Ferris Wheel Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:39 am
Perhaps this is Bruce’s retribution toward Thompson for creating the modern day pension crisis as we know it.
Thompson opened up with his opinion on Bruce’s approach during the election, supporting Dillard.
Bruce will punish you if you cross him.
Who else is on Bruce’s list to punish?
Comment by Austin Blvd Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:53 am
Nonsense…..it takes a lot longer than 7 years for a building to fall apart. If it is salable it is repairable. Where was Pat gonna get the money?
Comment by ottawa otter Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:54 am
A question for those that know. Are there many surrounding state offices. With the downsizing the state has done over the years could there be adequate spacealready rented and not utilized?
Skipping maintenance is often penny wise and dollar foolish. Quinn wasn’t the first gov to do so but it was likelt fatal for this building.
I have no idea why they are fast tracking this short of a one finger salute to the g.a.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:59 am
Auction commission? Real estate broker commission? That will be fun to watch develop.
7% of $10m is $700k. Tidy little windfall with no risk. (Who knows actual sell value and commissions) Let’s hope they put broker contract out for bid and save. Or maybe a superstar could handle in house.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:59 am
- Foster brooks - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:52 am:
How long is the blame quinn game going to last?
As long as the Blame Bush game still goes on….
Comment by Allen D Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:08 am
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 9:53 am:
Clark/Lake is second busiest? I wonder what’s first.
Lake and State is the Busiest on a weekday, depending on the month Chicago and State gets pretty busy
Full Dataset here:
http://www.rtams.org/rtams/ridershipDetail.jsp?dataset=ctaRail
Comment by Biker Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:08 am
=-=-How long is the blame quinn game going to last?
As long as the Blame Bush game still goes on==
Eternal victims
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:12 am
“where are all these half empty office buildings in the loop that are going to house 2000 additional employees???” Well, it’s not in the loop and it’s not an office building, but The Cell has a lot of empty space, especially this time of year. /snark
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:13 am
==the mere fact that one current entrance is built opposite the structure does not mean that the station needs to be closed if the office building shuts down==
No one argued that.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:15 am
==Lake and State is the Busiest==
And State/Lake has a woefully inadequate platform to support its existing ridership, let alone the resulting Clark/Lake spillover.
Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:16 am
Big Jim should just give it a rest. Maybe he could have helped by vetos of the pension ‘holidays’ so that the funds would have been available in the long run. I gotta pay my mortgage…now the State has to pay its.
Comment by northernwatersports Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:22 am
Big Jim art/antique aficionado - ha. Willard Ice Building, million$ art in Frank Lloyd Wright House, et.al. It’s justice that a building like JRTC is named after him. Pretty well sums it up
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:26 am
Maybe Durbin can get the president to buy the building to house his Gitmo transferees
Comment by Sue Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:35 am
How about swapping the JRTC with the old main post office? The buyer of the post office has not been able to re-develop it but could easily develop the prime parcel on which the JRTC sits. And the STate could have a famous and signature building with plenty of space to house it various functions in a relatively central location (central to the majority of people who need to visit the various state offices).
Comment by Concerned Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:39 am
Let’s start by selling the naming rights of all state buildings
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:43 am
No doubt about it the building is a probably a terrible place to work and looks like another mistake by the lake to most. But it’s confession time and this space has a very important function to this state. After my Dad hit 75 I ran his paper
for a couple of hours a week. Perched across the street at 180 N LaSalle his law and real estate
practice required the use of too many of those
different agencies split between the county, the
state and sometimes the city. Having a campus of
government is essential for economic growth.
Springfield it’s just not in the cards for you
to become a major capital market. When Kankakee
gets a 50 million warehouse or retail development
you see the building and the jobs, but how much
of the project depended on the civil servants
in a centralized place like the Thompson Center
that’s invisible. What’s the plan other than tear
this mess down? Scatter the offices and move some
of the functions to Springfield?
Comment by Illiniosvoter Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:43 am
Is there space in the Trump building for relocating state employees?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:43 am
With all due respect to former Governor Thompson, State of Illinois building maintenance went from bad to the current deplorable situation under Blagojevich, particularly with Filan’s budgets that operated from the premise that building maintenance staff were underworked, overpaid, and totally unnecessary.
Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:08 pm
Secretary of State has administrative offices in 17 N. state and in the Cook County administration building at 69 W. Washington. Each of them basically the same distance from Daly Plaza as the JRTC. Add to that the Bilandic building and you can keep all government services centralized. I’m not in favor of selling the JRTC but I am in favor of having as close to a one-stop shop for constituent services.
Comment by Casual observer Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:15 pm
Hope Rauner steps back and let’s normal process proceed. This deal, if there is one, had better not be handed off to an old business associate.
Comment by walker Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:19 pm
why are commenters only focused on the CTA elevated platform? there is also a subway entrance/exit underneath the building that would presumably be impacted by any demolishing/reconstructing that would be needed. Could take years, so while I agree with all of the JRTC criticisms, it seems like an effort of this magnitude must take place within a coordinated plan.
Comment by Pawn Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:21 pm
I want to add that only a very poor businessman would tell potential buyers that what he is selling is in shambles but now he just let potential landlords know that the state is desperate for office space within 10 miles. Man, this guy knows how to negotiate, doesn’t he?
Comment by Casual observer Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:22 pm
They Casual- yeah like the building condition is a secret
Comment by Sue Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:31 pm
==I want to add that only a very poor businessman would tell potential buyers that what he is selling is in shambles but now he just let potential landlords know that the state is desperate for office space within 10 miles. Man, this guy knows how to negotiate, doesn’t he?==
They won’t be buying it for the building
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:50 pm
@casual,
The sale process must be public so it is not revealing much that 2,000 workers must go somewhere and what the condition of the building is. Bruce Rauner created his enormous wealth through skillful financial management. I am confident he will dispose of this expensive and inefficient asset that is a drain on state resources appropriately.
Comment by Muscular Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 12:54 pm
Is there an advantage in the State retaining ownership during construction? As State property is it exempt from City of Chicago zoning and building regulations?
Can the State avoid Chicago and Cook County property taxes by retaining ownership? That could sweeten a lease.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 1:08 pm
Who would buy it? It’s in terrible shape.
Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 1:43 pm
==Who would buy it? It’s in terrible shape.==
For the land and its location. It’s not an uncommon occurrence for someone to buy property ins ending to tear down existing structures and rebuild
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 1:56 pm
@casual observer
For me the concern is whether those existing locations have the capacity to absorb 2200 additional workers. AG alone has close to 500 people. I doubt there are thousands of empty desks in Those buildings.
Comment by Ferris Wheel Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:09 pm
I’m always amazed that government officials allow liberal architects to have such a free hand in some truly terrible public architecture. Netsch’s vision of bleak, sulfur coated urban depression that he foisted on UIC was a travesty. The JRTC design followed the concept, often used in churches, that you walk into a huge open high ceilinged area so that the individual feels small compared to the incredible size of “the state”. I know people who had to fix the HVAC there, and there was a clear disconnect between architecture and engineering. That’s what happens when the process of design is dominated by political cronyism and patronage…
Sell the red elephant and hope some developer can make it a functional, useful facility WITHOUT RAIDING THE BANK BY A TIF!
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:31 pm
Actually Bob, Jahn was attempting to make it feel open and transparent. It is clear why you do not approve of that concept.
Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:36 pm
== liberal architects ==
Liberal architects? I certainly hope you aren’t using that term in the political sense.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:37 pm
=== government officials allow liberal architects … ===
Those darn liberal architects. Always giving those freeloading drywall panels have such a prominent place in our public buildings. They need to support all those hardworking steel beams.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:38 pm
Further, cronyism? Jahn is a world class architect. He’s one of the biggest names of his generation. You act like the Gov. hired some precinct worker.
Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:38 pm
“liberal architects” Is that why the Tower of Pisa leans to the left?
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:40 pm
Doing an end around… not thinking about the significant number of commuters that use both the elevated and the subway stops
He always says he wants negotiations but then comes up with unilateral action.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:51 pm
Let’s be clear. The “sale” of the JRTC is a distraction from the real immediate problem of not having a budget today. I don’t necessarily disagree with the idea, but think it should be a planned change — there is a lot of thought that needs to go into the issues raised on this thread. But every minute we are focused on the CTA or the Secretary of State’s office, or where the AG’s staff will move to, is a minute where we are not holding Rauner to account for his lack of effort to build a governing coalition for this state.
Comment by Pawn Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:52 pm
Thompson still has a street named after him in East St. Louis.
Comment by After Further Review Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:20 pm
@Pawn
*slow clap*
Comment by Ferris Wheel Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:22 pm
Why are we so sure there are numerous developers with good plans and enough capital to do a purchase, teardown, and development of an entire city block in the loop? The redevelopment of block 37 seems to be a project of comparable scope and scale, and you can hardly call that a rousing success.
Comment by drew Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:23 pm
After, so does Obama. Why don’t you go back under your bridge, wherever it may be, until you can contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way?
To the Post, Rauner may be able to “end run” the facility closure thingy but it’s gonna be harder to end run the State Property Control Act which basically precludes any negotiated sale, redevelopment, or anything but sale at public auction for at least “appraised value.” Good luck with that.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:57 pm
Wow Bob, you have really outdone yourself with this one. Congrats on reaching complete insanity, quite a feat.
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:18 pm
not against a sale… BUT i do t want to see it replaced with more leasing. the state should not lease any property… it is anforever entity. yet we have leased concordia court and paid for it many many tomes over…. the ag s office, state police, dot etc have paid lease amounts that would have paid for buildings many times over. sell thompson but buy or build a facility big enough to end all leases in cook county. we waste millions on lease payments when we should own. heck the lease expense would cover bonds for new bldgs…. and half the lease payments would then cover all maintanence going forward after the bonds are paid
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:37 pm
Ghost, I agree with your premise but good lord the process has got to change.
The State builds, then doesn’t maintain them. See JRTC, Willard Ice. The State buys, and leaves half empty because an agency overrides the Governor: Example: Franklin Life and everywhere else the paranoid State Police can’t share space with civilians.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:51 pm
*too (many unknowns)
Comment by Zoe Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:55 pm
Ghost
I actually have the opposite opinion anymore. Unfortunately our politicians seem completelydevoid of long term planning. While you build not lease would be common sense politicians seem to think maintenance items are discretionary. Since no one sees the results of skipping maintenance for a decade or so it’s then easy to blane on your predessesor especially if he was in the other party. Basically all evidence shows these people couldn’t maintain a doghouse let alone a complex office building.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:58 pm
The Maine North Regional building in Des Plaines is a dump too, at least on the side that isn’t state police. I’m guessing most Illinois state offices are dumps as well.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 6:10 pm
Asking because I don’t currently know-have the CMS Regional State Office Buldings gone to heck too? Those were the last pre-CDB offices built for multi-tenant use and were built (ca.1968) to last if maintained. I’m talking about Champaign, Springfield (by McFarland) Marion, Peoria, Rockford. The IDOT/ISP in Collinsville was a 1985 end-around CDB in great shape.
Anyone work there? Visit there?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 7:27 pm
== Bruce Rauner created his enormous wealth through skillful financial management. ==
When? How? His track record is taking advantage of bankruptcy laws to siphon cash out of businesses …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:27 pm
This just in: the Rauner Crew has discerned that they can’t do what they wanna do without a statute change. See Durkin’s HB 4313. That will slide right through.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 10:34 pm
Good catch AA.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:19 pm
I think I just came up with a great idea on how to save the Thompson Center. Here goes… The 5.5 million CTA users can throw in $2/ use. Ten years and ya got the maintenance renovations payed for. Kinda novel idea, users pay for the services they use. Now maybe we can apply that same logic to the world shooting complex users, state museum visitors. Heck ,I think I got this figured out. I’ll let you all know what Bruce thinks of these ideas in the morn…
Comment by Blue dog dem Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:28 pm
@Gooner, if Jahn was TRYING to keep a feeling of “transparency” and “openness”, he failed miserably. The atrium, which makes you feel small compared to “the state” really doesn’t expose the “workers”(they’re well sheltered behind full height walls for the most part), and the floors are so far from the entry that you can’t see any of the worker activities.
@skeptic
Pisa leans left because the government took over its maintenance, essentially making it useless and unworkable. That’s about as “leftist” as you can get….LOL
@Precinct Captain
“Wow Bob, you have really outdone yourself with this one. Congrats on reaching complete insanity, quite a feat.”
A feat you achieved far before me precinct, when you thought that working for the Chicago Dem machine would actually result in fair, well managed government in the best interests of the people…
Regarding Architects and their political bent, I’ve worked with them since 1972. Based on my experience, I’d say about 80%+ are liberal Democrats like Netsch. OTOH, engineers tend to be more logical and sensible, about 70-30 conservative.
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:45 pm
For the record, public building architecture is INCREDIBLY political and patronage driven. Even local school boards expect them to contribute to board member campaigns, and now they even provide services to local governments on how to snooker the taxpayers into raising taxes for unnecessary building, and finding ways, like working cash bonds, to use to expand schools for massive construction without voter consent.
You can’t have clean hands and be in school or public construction anymore. That’s a big reason I got out of it.
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 11:50 pm
Talked to Bruce this morning. Come to find out he’s not really interested in plans that make financial sense.the reason he has mothballed the shooting complex was simple. Just giving the clay birds a chance to breed and build up flock numbers.then there was some ramblings about some sort of turnaround agenda……
Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 6:05 am
The State of Illinois has a long history of *not* maintaining buildings.
Anecdote: When I worked in the Armory (across from the Capitol) there was a blue plastic tarp hanging over my desk to channel the rain water away from my work area. Repairing the roof was not a consideration.
Comment by Late to the Party Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 7:11 am
@AZ Bob
So you have to have your political beliefs to be “logical and sensible.” Got it. Why doesn’t it surprise me that you hold that arrogant view.
Bob, stop being silly with this ridiculous argument about architecture and political leanings as if it has something to do with the design. That’s one of the most asinine things I think I’ve read from you and that’s quite an accomplishment from you.
And also Bob, contrary to your paranoid beliefs corruption isn’t lurking around every corner.
I don’t know what kind of cesspool you have experience with but far too often you apparently use that experience to tell us all how bad the entire system is.
But it’s nice to see you commenting again, if only for the sheer entertainment value of your goofy comments.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 7:35 am
@DEmoralized, you obviously know nothing about architecture. It reflects psychology, culture, politics, religion, art and values of those who commission and design it. Think St Peters Cathedral in the Vatican wasn’t made to create a sense of awe for God and the art in it wasn’t created to promote a certain morality and value system? Architecture and all other art is about creating such feeling and impressions amongst those who visit it.
Read a book on architecture sometime and get rid of the arrogance born of your ignorance.
Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 8:15 am
Arizona, if that lobby makes you feel small, then talk to your M.D. It is more a reflection on your own psychological state than the rest of us.
The clear goal was to have windows allowing light in, and then to have a view of the work areas above.
Again, open and transparent.
Bob, for you though, you are going to see what you want to see. You could probably look at a Maui sunset and see liberal oppression.
Comment by Gooner Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 9:12 am