Originally Posted by Lukecuj (Post 2926982)

Judge stalls demolition for O’Hare expansion
By Justin Kmitch
jkmitch@dailyherald.com
Posted Friday, June 29, 2007

A DuPage County judge single-handedly shifted Chicago’s bulldozers to neutral Thursday, postponing demolition of Bensenville homes or business until late next month.

The demolition, which would make room for expansion of O’Hare International Airport, was delayed until Circuit Judge Kenneth Popejoy holds a July 25 hearing on a request for a temporary restraining order.

Bensenville attorney Joseph Karaganis filed the emergency request Thursday claiming demolition would violate village regulations and could endanger residents living in the acquisition area.

“We have said since the beginning that we did not want to have a street confrontation with the city of Chicago,” Karaganis said. “We have repeatedly asked the city to follow the rule of law. But until they walked into court today, they have been unwilling to do that.”

Karaganis said Bensenville also might ask the court for a declaratory judgment on the legality of the village’s demolition ordinance. The local law requires Chicago to prove the O’Hare project, which is at least $400 million over budget, can be built.

Chicago had sent Bensenville a notice warning that demolition could begin by Thursday.

O’Hare Modernization Program Executive Director Rosemarie Andolino released a written statement calling the latest court action a small setback.

“The city of Chicago believes it has received all of the necessary approvals, through existing state and federal laws, to proceed with demolition,” the statement read. “We are confident that once the court has had an opportunity to review the facts and issue a ruling, these demolitions can commence.”

Popejoy said he will use the next three weeks to read Bensenville’s 100-page complaint and allow Chicago a chance to respond.

Chicago has acquired or settled on 475 of the 611 Bensenville parcels it needs to expand O’Hare. About 370 of the parcels are vacant and the previous owners have relocated.

Originally Posted by Lukecuj (Post 2943735)

Chicago officials shrug off the criticism and trepidation the project's early setbacks have created. They maintain the project will be completed, albeit late and over budget.

"There are always different ways to reach a goal," Andolino said.

Originally Posted by Steely Dan (Post 2396505)

^ it's neccessary for chicago to move forward.

these pissant suburbs should not have the right to stand in the way of mighty chicago. suburbs are stupid and little. chicago is big and important.

if daley II had bigger balls, he'd just send in the CPD '68 convention style and "eliminate" the opposition. that would be fun to see; the mayor of EGV whipped into the bloody pulp at the end of a baton controlled by a foaming at the mouth seargent.

i think more of our regional problems need to be solved with military answers. fuck laws and the courts; it's so much quicker and more decisive when your enemy simply doesn't exist anymore.