Chicago's Proposed Riverwalk---Questions and or ideas???

Chicago riverbank walkway remains just an idea February 24, 2005 BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter It's back to the drawing board for Mayor Daley's ambitious plan to create a San Antonio-style riverwalk along Wacker Drive. After getting only one reply to its request for proposals -- from the California company in the eye of the storm for its handling of an $83million makeover of Illinois tollway oases -- City Hall has ordered a new round of competition in hopes of generating more interest. The Daley administration might even carve up the work into smaller pieces after seeking advice from real estate management firms and consulting San Antonio, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The original plan called for the city to spend $40 million to $50million in yet-to-be-secured federal transportation funds to build a river-level boardwalk from Michigan Avenue to Lake Street. It would include 35,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space along with docks for tour boats and water taxis. Flaw in the concept When the work was done, the city would have turned the riverwalk over to a private management company in exchange for a monthly fee or a percentage of the gross receipts, whichever is greater. "We [have] such a potentially attractive and visible project, we had anticipated a lot more interest," said Brian Steele, a spokesman for the city's Department of Transportation. "Fifteen firms picked up the specs, but only one opted to submit a bid. We contacted some of those firms, and what we heard from them is that it might be too large for one firm to handle." Steele insisted that the city's decision to toss out the bid from Wilton Partners and restart the competition had nothing to do with the recent controversy over the tollway oases overhaul. Wilton's bid included the retail and restaurant development the city is seeking. But it also included an unexpected and apparently unwanted component: office and residential development along the riverwalk. "Those uses are not compatible with the city's goal to have that space be completely public," Steele said. Candy Express vs. Wilton Partners Wilton President Scott Mayer could not be reached for comment. Wilton Partners has been under fire for awarding tollway concession contracts to companies tied to Gov. Blagojevich's chief fund-raiser, Christopher Kelly, and to Blagojevich confidant Tony Rezko and for refusing to disclose the terms of those leases. In a lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court, Candy Express has also accused Wilton Partners of inflating oasis sales figures -- to "two to three times the national averages" -- in a fraudulent pitch to persuade the candy company to lease space. The bogus figures persuaded Candy Express to set up shop in all seven tollway oases in exchange for a monthly rent of $8,333 per store, with 8 percent increases over 10 years, the lawsuit stated. Wilton Partners has denied the charge and threatened a countersuit for breach of contract. The new round of bidding is not expected to result in any construction delays. So far, City Hall has secured funding for only one element of the project: a $3.5 million plaza between Wabash and State with a Vietnam War memorial as its centerpiece. The memorial is scheduled to open Memorial Day>