15-year Loop office lease for Department of Environment, police oversight commission OK’d by committee despite backlash

The city already leases space at 2 North LaSalle, but will be expanding there to accommodate the new civilian police oversight commission and the revived Department of Environment. (Google Maps)

A seemingly routine proposal to lease downtown office space ran into a buzz-saw of opposition Tuesday from City Council members demanding that city departments fill vacant government-owned space in Chicago neighborhoods.

Over those objections, the Housing Committee ultimately agreed to enlarge the city’s footprint at 2 N. LaSalle by 16,097 square feet, at a cost of $36,271 per month, but only because the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability and reborn Department of Environment desperately need the space to solve an immediate crisis hampering operations.