Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1918-09-21
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER, q, 1918.
cITY's POWER TO CONDEMN.


Power to buy property adjoining
that used for widening public streets
and other city improvements and to
resell II where desirable, to help
pay for the improvement, is needed
for Chicago's proper development.
according to a report issued by the
Chicago bureau of public efficiency.
In many cases. the report declares,
the enhancement in the value of prop.
erty along a widened and beautifled
thoroughfare would enable the city to
put through important improvements
without cost to taxpayers and prop
erty owners. Profits for the general
funds OF the city might be realized in
some instances, the bureau contends.
Another important gain from the
power Of excess condemnation would
be, according to the bureaus report,
the control II would give the city
over the character OF private build.
ings and other improvements. Land
resold to private individuals following
the completion of street widening
project could be turned over with
such restrictions, Il is declared, that
the character Of the thoroughfare
could be fully protected.
Changes In the state constitution
and in the general statutes of Illinois
are needed to give the city the recon-.
mended powers Of excess condemna.
ton. The report urges that the neces.
sary amendments be made at the
earliest possible moment.
Enormous sums would have been
saved property owners assessed for
the Michigan avenue and Twelfth
street improvements II the city had
possessed the power of excess con-
domination, the bureau declares. In
addition II would have left in the
hands OF the city for use as park.
ways remnants Of lots which can now
be used only for billboards or similar
purposes and are likely to become
eyesores on the widened thorough.
fare.
The Price property at Wabash ave-
nue. and Twelfth street is given in the
report as an example of the waste
necessary under present laws. This
property had frontage Of II feet on
Wabash avenue and 6S feet on
Twelfth street. The widening project
called for 6s feet OF the II, leaving in
private hands a strip three feet wide
and l66 feet long. The court held
that the taking OF the IS feet prac.
tically destroyed the value OF the re.
naming three and awarded as dam.
ages the same amount per front foot
10 haH he 90 he
property bought by the city for the
street widening.
The city was thus forced to pay
TO the private property owner the
full value OF the threefoot strip eX.
tending for 100 feet along the wild.
ened thoroughfare, but was unable TO
take possession OF it because OF the
law forbidding the city to condemn
land IN excess OF that actually needed
for public improvement.
The strip left in private hands Is
too narrow for any permanent build.
ing and can be used only for bill.
boards, temporary peanut or ice
cream stands and similar structures,
apt TO become eyesores. Further,
more, the City was required to assess
the lot adjoining the Price property
on Wabash avenue at the lower rate
Of an inside lot when 1t could have
been made corner property If the city
could have acquired the three'foot
remnant.
The city of Montreal has success
fully used the power OF excess con
demnation, the report declares. II
built one handsome thorouPhfare, the
ST. Lawrence boulevard buying the
property along its proposed route,
and resold It after completing the
boulevard. The profits over all eY-
penses Of the Improvement Melted the
city 5000, the project costing the
taxpayers nothing,
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