SPRINGFIELD — Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan said Friday that lawmakers will consider a plan backed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to sell the hulking, glass paneled James R. Thompson Center that houses state offices in the Loop.
The move could be interpreted as Madigan extending an olive branch to his chief political rival, though skeptical Republicans might note the speaker’s propensity for using the legislative process to kill ideas pushed by Rauner.
Either way, the announcement continues a change in tone for Madigan, who has been criticized by members of his own party for appearing as an obstructionist amid the state’s record-breaking budget impasse. Rauner has helped shape that image by donating millions of dollars to the Illinois Republican Party that’s led attacks against the Southwest Side Democrat.
Earlier, Madigan had also broadcast a willingness to take up ideas to grow the economy, a charge Rauner has linked to a larger budget deal. Though he hasn’t engaged with many of the governor’s specific requests.
In a statement Friday, Madigan said a House panel will examine the Thompson Center proposal after Rauner identified the sale as a priority in his annual budget speech this week. Rauner has been eyeing the idea since soon after he took office two years ago without much movement.
"While technical questions pertaining to the sale remain, it is my intention to work with the governor on developing a course of action for the Thompson Center that best serves the interests of the people of Illinois," Madigan said.
Built as the State of Illinois Center, the building was named after James R. Thompson, the state’s longest-serving governor who held office from 1977 to 1991.
Rauner wants Thompson Center auctioned off; sale would boost state, experts say Rick Pearson, Kim Janssen and Monique Garcia
The James R. Thompson Center, architecturally significant to some and an emblem of bureaucratic government excess to others, would be sold and likely demolished to be rebuilt as a privately owned residential, office and retail space under a plan Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed Tuesday.
“From a pure…
The James R. Thompson Center, architecturally significant to some and an emblem of bureaucratic government excess to others, would be sold and likely demolished to be rebuilt as a privately owned residential, office and retail space under a plan Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed Tuesday.
“From a pure…
(Rick Pearson, Kim Janssen and Monique Garcia)
The 17-story, 980,000-square-foot building was designed by Helmut Jahn and opened in 1985 at a cost of $172 million — twice what had been expected. Its sweeping design featuring massive glass panels was always controversial, and the open-air atrium design has proved costly and inefficient to maintain, heat and cool.
Inside, carpets are ripped, cockroaches are a frequent presence and workers have even been forced to deal with a bedbug infestation. In 2009, a 600-pound granite panel fell off one of the columns of the building’s pedestrian arcade and crashed onto Clark Street. No one was injured.
Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton moved their offices out of the building years ago for renovated space across LaSalle Street at the Michael A. Bilandic state building. The governor and other statewide officials have kept their offices there, as well as various other stage agencies.
Rauner estimates the state could make a net gain of $200 million from the sale of the building, which sits on prime real estate directly across from City Hall.
Thompson Center tops list of most threatened Chicago buildings Tony Briscoe and Marwa Eltagouri
When the James R. Thompson Center opened in 1985, architect Helmut Jahn had hoped the glass panel building marked by an open-air atrium would serve as “a symbol for the openness and transparency of the state government.”
The 17-story postmodern marvel in Chicago has proved costly and inefficient…
When the James R. Thompson Center opened in 1985, architect Helmut Jahn had hoped the glass panel building marked by an open-air atrium would serve as “a symbol for the openness and transparency of the state government.”
The 17-story postmodern marvel in Chicago has proved costly and inefficient…
(Tony Briscoe and Marwa Eltagouri)
"For years, the State has failed to properly maintain the building and now we face deferred maintenance costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars," Rauner said in his budget speech. "Everyone benefits from the sale. The city of Chicago stands to gain major new property tax revenue, along with the jobs that come with a massive development."
But some lawmakers have raised questions about the cost of moving the building’s roughly 2,200 workers to other state-owned or leased property in Chicago and Springfield.
They’ve also questioned the impact on CTA passengers who access the Blue, Green, Brown, Orange, Purple and Pink lines via the Clark/Lake station at the Thompson Center, which is one of the transit agencies busiest locations.
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