Chicago Council Approves Children's Museum Move

CHICAGO - The Chicago City Council yesterday overwhelmingly approved the Chicago Children's Museum's controversial plan to move from its current home at Navy Pier to a new, larger $100 million facility in Grant Park.

The vote of 33 in favor and 16 opposed represents a victory for Mayor Richard Daley, who championed the museum's proposal to move from the downtown pier that is a top city tourist attraction to Grant Park which runs between the Lake Michigan shoreline and a portion of Michigan Avenue downtown. The popular museum needs additional space to expand its programming and officials believe the central downtown location of Grant Park is most accessible.

The local alderman, freshman Brendan Reilly, fought against approval based on local concerns of increased traffic and citywide public sentiments that the project violates longstanding Grant Park protection rules championed by retailer A. Montgomery Ward more than a century ago that require the park remain "forever open, clear, and free."

The museum plan calls for a new, mostly underground two-story facility of 100,000 square feet double the size of the current museum. Museum officials are still working on a finance plan but are considering tax-exempt borrowing. The museum is informally working with independent financial adviser Kenneth Kerznar, who worked on the museum's roughly $10 million bond issue more than a decade ago for its Navy Pier home, and with Scott Balice Strategies. Allstate Insurance is contributing $15 million to the cost and in recognition the facility will be known as the Chicago Children's Museum at Allstate Place.

The council vote came after several hours during which members defended their positions and lamented the divisive tone of the debate and the distraction it provided from other pressing city issues like crime.

Council member Joe Moore voted against the plan. "Why does it have to be there ... why don't we explore other alternatives," he said.

Alderman Edward Burke voted in the plan's favor, saying he believes the predominantly underground structure won't violate the protection rules that were upheld early in the last century and will require an unobstructed view of the lake. "There is nothing in the plan that obstructs the view of Lake Michigan," he said.

A legal battle looms as opponents of the project have already filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Chicago Plan Commission's approval last month of the museum in the park.

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