Chicago Condo Directory

Residents and business owners on the east side of Western Avenue, between Lincoln Ave and Ainslie Street are facing the possibility of losing their properties to eminent domain.

The Committee on Housing and Real Estate met last week to discuss plans for the neighborhood.  Proposals include the construction of mixed-use buildings with a limit of six stories, additional parking, park space, and wider sidewalks.

Long-time residents and business owners showed up in force to protest the proposed development in the area.  However, according to city officials, the development has received the support of the Ravenswood Community Council, in a letter it sent to the Community Development Commission.

Eminent domain has been widely used in the past to make way for public projects, such as roads and schools.  However, a Supreme Court ruling in 2005 paved the way for eminent domain to be used to transfer ownership of land between private hands, a move widely opposed by many civil groups.

As the thirst by developers for prime space to build Chicago Condos continues, many worry that eminent domain could be unfairly used to expedite private developments under the guise of the greater public good.

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