http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=325413
Chicago gets OK to raze buildings for O'Hare expansion
By Justin Kmitch
Posted Friday, June 22, 2007
Chicago’s bulldozers, long threatening at Bensenville’s border,
today have been given judicial clearance to begin their work on Thursday.
DuPage County Circuit Judge Stephen Culliton, during a closed-chambers session this morning,
declined to prohibit Chicago from beginning demolition on the 437 residential and commercial properties. The city bought the properties to make room for the expansion of O'Hare International Airport.
The city sent a letter to Bensenville officials Monday including a
10-day notice of intent to start demolition.
“There have been numerous break-ins, vandalism and theft of city-owned property, additional incidents of fly-dumping, and an assault on a property manager,” said O'Hare Modernization Program Executive Director Rosemarie Andolino. “Therefore, it is imperative that demolition activities start immediately in order to remove those structures that may harbor illegal activities and provide an unsafe environment.”
Bensenville attorney Joseph Karaganis argued against the demolition moving forward because Chicago hasn’t applied for permits from the village. Bensenville law calls for special health and safety requirements to be followed.
“Chicago has not shown any intent to cooperate with our ordinances,” Karaganis said following today’s hearing. “So we intend to enforce our ordinance to the extent of the law.”