Introduced: June 8,2011 Referred to: Committee on Finance
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago (the "City") is a home rule unit of government by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970, and as such, may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs; and
WHEREAS, the City has determined that maintaining a transportation terminal in the West Loop is an economic driver for the City, bolstering its position as a cultural and commercial hub for the Midwest; and
WHEREAS, the City has an interest in preserving its cultural identity through the conservation of its iconic buildings; and
WHEREAS, Chicago Union Station ("Union Station"), located in the West Loop, is a Landmark (as that term is defined in Chapter 2-120 of the Municipal Code of Chicago) and a publicly-owned transportation center maintained by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak") for the annual benefit of approximately 31 million rail passengers to, from and through Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Amtrak is the Federal corporation responsible for providing intercity and interstate passenger train service in the United States and, pursuant to FederaLlaw codified at 49 U.S.CA 24301(1), is "exempt from a tax, fee, head charge, or other charge, imposed or levied by a State, political subdivision, or local taxing authority on Amtrak;" and
WHEREAS, Amtrak plans to renovate the historic eight-story office structure portion of Union Station located at 210 South Canal Street, 225 South Canal Street, and 500 West Jackson Street, Chicago, IL 60606 (such renovation, "the Project"), including the installation of air conditioning in the Great Hall public space to allow year-round passenger waiting and special event space and the rehabilitation of two floors of the vacant office building for the relocation of its Central Division employees; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. The above recitals...
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