CCLBA Land Transactions Committee [remote]

Cook County Land Bank Authority acquires, holds, and transfers interest in real estate property throughout Cook County to: promote redevelopment and reuse of vacant, abandoned, foreclosed or tax-delinquent properties.

Meeting comes to order at 2:28 PM after quorum is established. Time is given for public commentary, which there was none of. Agenda was made available to the public and can be viewed here: [http://www.cookcountylandbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CCLBA-Land-Transactions-Agenda-2.8.23.pdf]

Items on the agenda include an approval to enter a purchase sale agreement for the property at 1030 W 111th St. Acquisition Specialist Tony Blakley of CCLBA presents the proposal as ‘unique and opportunistic’.

The property was acquired with tenant who ran bus company that was hit hard during COVID. The site is adjacent to the Major Taylor Trail, and sits between Aberdeen to the west and Morgan to the east.

Carshena Ross, president and owner of Transportation for All Inc., tenant since 2017, born and raised less than ½ mile from property location, run bus company that included training program and free CDL training program that included licensure and employment.

2020 was difficult because buses stopped running as frequently [due to COVID] and they decided to pivot their business strategy.

Project scope includes purchase for $150,000 with an estimated repair cost of $330,000. Main goal is that the entire building will become a juice bar. Peter Friedman, asks where the buses will be, Ross explains that buses have already been cleared out of the area.

Regarding streetscape: Goal is to be a bike rest for people along the trail. Rendering onscreen [by Burhani Architects] includes a walkup window with outdoor murals, metal patio furnishings, vending machines, sitting area, bike rests, and an area for pets.

Zoning is currently C1-1 neighborhood commercial, and juice bar conforms to the use of the space. Vickie Lakes-Battle, asks about the juice bar, and projected developments like the open-air museum.

Ross explains community wanted to honor Major Taylor and that other functions are aspirational dependent on funding.

Maurice Cox, DPD, asks about other potential uses for the 1 acre site in the future and asks about Ross’ vision. Carshena is committed to a juice bar and open air museum as phase 1, public facing EV chargers for phase 2 as use for the additional raw land.

Cox mentions to keep eye on the Chicago Recovery Grants including Neighborhood Opportunity fund (with the upcoming Feb 24th deadline). Planning Department is considering more grants for sustainable developments + there is a current study for Major Taylor as greenway trail.

Ross explains she was upset at the last meeting because it felt like the city had extracted ideas. When she asked, the city stated it would be years down the line when they would see these changes, and she was encouraged to do her business.

Michael Kaplan asks about the current phase. Ross explains that the entire building will become the juice bar instead of the original window. Funds for the buildout will include Phase 1: the renovation of the building and outdoor, paving and lighting in the lot acreage.

Regarding EV chargers and alternative energies, Cox brings up state and federal programs for solar panels that might be considered, as well as considering working with DCASE for mural artists. He encourages Ross to apply for Community Development grants too.

Peter Friedman, CCLBA, in favor, calls it a great adaptive re-use and is evident that it fits with the city and land bank’s program on revitalization.

Board votes and grants approval to enter into a purchase sale agreement with Transportation for All, Inc. for the property at 1030 W 111th St for the construction of a juice bar intended to be used as a rest stop on the Major Taylor greenway trail.

Items on the Consent Agenda include the committee’s approval of meeting minutes from November 9 2022. [previously covered by Leon Tai for @ChiDocumenters [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V_CP0QHBjt6Fp8fN1Dz5NOTnXTmbUO6TBBhcr1MZvek/edit] + approval of Transaction Reports for November 2022, December 2022, and January 2023.

Items of Other Discussion include: Peter Friedman on the condition of virtual meetings, stating that the governor will not issue the emergency declaration and the authority to hold virtual meetings will end in May.

Cox speaks of the virtues of virtual: increased flexibility for meetings, increased commute time that might not matter for city committees but for regional bodies and the land bank, physical meetings are an issue.

Peter Friedman states his pessimism regarding the discussion to accommodate the Open Meetings Act. Cox mentions that this is not the only option and maybe sub-committee meetings could be virtual.

This concludes the Cook County Land Bank Authority - Land Transactions Committee Meeting. Meeting is adjourned at 3:08 PM.