Afternoon Edition: Dec. 15, 2021

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you should know in Chicago. It’s a 5-minute read that will walk you through the biggest stories of the day.

In the afternoon, the weather will be cloudy, with a maximum temperature of 65 degrees Celsius. The weather tonight will be very windy with a temperature of about 41 degrees and a chance of rain of 90%. A high winds warning was also issued for the Chicago area, with winds of up to 75 mph. Tomorrow will be sunny and windy, with a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius.

best story

Pritzker chooses to save the Thomson Center

Governor J.B. Pritzker chose the development team that would center James R. Thompson in the ring, favoring a plan that would preserve the 17-story building.

Pritzker chose an offer from a group led by Michael Rechki, president of Prime Group, a long-time developer in the region. His plan calls for the building to be preserved as a mixed-use property, with the state retaining approximately 30% of the ownership.

In a move sure to be welcomed by conservationists, Reschke will pay $70 million up front and the state will keep some offices at the Thompson Center.

State officials had received proposals from two groups vying for the building.

Rishke said he expects the sale to be completed within six months and renovation work to begin within a year. He said the project, a “gut renovation” including a new glass curtain wall and mechanical systems, should take two years from start to finish, with a budget of $280 million.

Rishke said members of the development group were initially “a bit pessimistic, due to the reputation of the building. But we took a very close look at the opportunity to make further investment in LaSalle Street, for the benefit of local, city and state businesses.”

The former headquarters of the state government opened in Chicago in 1985 and was designed by famed architect Helmut Jan, who died in May. Conservationists have argued that the Thomson Center, with its towering atrium and generous public space, is a postmodern landmark and for keeping it Jean’s contributions to his hometown will be respected.

Critics consider the design outdated and ineffective. Pritzker was in their ranks. His management has repeatedly described the building as “large in size, outdated and costly,” and estimated it would require $325 million for repairs. Today, that estimate has been raised to more than half a billion dollars. The state has skimped on maintenance over the years, and experts said it cut corners during construction, such as the rejection of double-pane glass for a single panel.

David Roeder and Mitchell Armintraut have more on the Pritzker plan for the Thomson Center.

More news you need

1. ald. Carrie Austin, Chicago’s second-largest alder, collapsed in her seat at today’s city council meeting, leading to a short break, followed by a prayer for her recovery. After the board rooms were evacuated, Austin was evaluated by Chicago Fire Department paramedics and taken out of the rooms conscious and taken to the hospital.
2. Ahead of the medical emergency in Austin, the board today approved a $2.9 million settlement for Anjanet Young, who was the victim of a botched 2019 police raid that forced her to stand naked and humiliated in front of dozens of police officers. Mayor Lori Lightfoot admitted that “a lot of trust in me” was “violated” by her legal department’s efforts to conceal the video of the raid.
3. Today, city residents also agreed to lift Chicago’s ban on sports betting – and to impose a 2% tax on all revenue generated from it. The move paves the way for sportsbooks to open and around Soldier Field, Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field, United Center and Winter Arena.
4. Special Prosecutor Dan Webb today called for the release of his full report on the controversial handling of the Josie Smollett case by the Cook County District Attorney’s Office Kim Fox. Webb, who was appointed in 2019 to investigate the case and how Foxx’s office handled it, filed his request ahead of a hearing scheduled for Monday.
5. The second confirmed case in Illinois of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been found in Cook County, public health officials announced today. Officials said the person, who received two doses of the vaccine, was not experiencing any symptoms at the time the altered condition was discovered yesterday.
6. Lightfoot management plans to pump more than $400 million into its community safety plan targeting 15 areas it considers the most violent. Sun-Times data shows that the plan was revealed over a year ago and has yielded few results so far.
7. Illinois will begin accepting applications for a significant portion of the $45 million in grant money generated by taxing cannabis sales. Governor Pritzker said during a press conference today that the money will target residents affected by disinvestment policies, violence and the drug war that have disproportionately affected communities of color.

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Ravenswood carving doubles as pollinator, resulting in ecological diversity in the manufacturing hub

Artists Janet Austin and Emily Morehead Wallace want their art to not only capture the attention of residents, but also have a functional environmental purpose. Their latest sculpture doubles as a pollinator, meeting the optimal housing needs of native pollinators, solitary bees and other insects.

“In the urban environment, educating people about pollinators as well as giving a place for those pollinators to nest creates the best habitat for people and wildlife,” Moorehead Wallace said.

It is made of Corten steel, which can rust on the outside without getting damaged. “This is going to go on for longer than we’ll be alive,” Austin said.

Brian Rich/Sun Times

Austin said the structure at Ravenswood and Sunnyside Drives bears “foolishness” in the shape of its tree, and features reliefs of butterflies, squirrels, bees and rabbits. The inscriptions style is borrowed from the neighborhood’s famous craftsman architecture.

“Pollinator Habitat” is the ultimate installation of the new Ravenswood Sculpture Garden. Created by the Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and Greater Community, the sculpture garden is a series of six public art pieces straddling the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor.

It was the center of manufacturing during the industrial boom of the early 1900s, artists and businesses have since taken root in the neighborhood and the Ravenswood Great Chamber of Commerce wanted to reflect that through the project.

Sneha Di has the full story behind the statue here.

from the press box

Your daily question ☕

What is the best Christmas movie ever? Tell us why.

Email us (Please include your first name and where you live) and we may include your answer in the next afternoon’s edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: Is “Elf on the Shelf” a friend or foe of parents during the busy holiday season?

This is what some of you have said…

“This thing is scary. We’ve never done this in our house before.” – Jenny Morales

“We have nothing. If it brings you joy, more power to you.”- Joe Medeiris

“Just another thing to do, but it might be worth it if your kids revere this thing. For our family, it’s more than a sleepwalker – and it’s not allowed anywhere near our kids. Watching a game is scary.” – Kristen Book

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