The wildly successful park named after former First Lady Maggie Daley will have its own restaurant with terms dramatically different than the sweetheart deal that benefited clout-heavy investors of Park Grill in Millennium Park.
The Chicago Plan Commission sealed the deal Thursday by approving the 8,000-square-foot restaurant at 352 East Monroe after 11th-hour design concessions tailor-made to appease Friends of the Parks.
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“After many months of negotiations, Friends of the Parks has provided a letter of support for the project,” Executive Director Juanita Irizarry wrote in a text message to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago Park District Supt. Mike Kelly said “painstaking” negotiations with Friends of the Parks and downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) cut the restaurant floor space in half.
The height has also been reduced. It’ll rise to 27 feet — counting a protective guard rail and green roof that will essentially become a continuation of the park.
“We knew there would be pushback. . . . If there was a problem with the height, both of them would have been against us on this,” he said.
The restaurant will be built and operated by the Four Corners Tavern Group, owner of 10 other bars and restaurants.
Chicago Parks Supt. Mike Kelly said the new restaurant in Maggie Daley Park will be a better deal for taxpayers than Park Grill. | Fran Spielman/Sun-Times
Chicago Parks Supt. Mike Kelly said the new restaurant in Maggie Daley Park will be a better deal for taxpayers than the Park Grill. | Fran Spielman/Sun-Times
The deal calls for the Park District to get $75,000 in annual rent, along with a sliding scale of gross sales ranging from 5 to 10 percent. Four Corners will also pay utility costs.
“It’s not the Park Grill. In fact, we were painstaking in our efforts to make sure that this wasn’t the Park Grill. It’s a good deal for the taxpayers. It’s a fair deal. . . . It’s going to be very popular and generate a lot of revenue for the taxpayer,” Kelly said.
“We desperately need the concession. We desperately need the revenue,” he said. “It’s been my goal since we built Maggie Daley Park to operate the park budget neutral, if not in the black. . . . You can’t keep building 20-acre parks with no source of revenue.”
The Chicago Plan Commission sealed the deal Thursday by approving the 8,000-square-foot restaurant at 352 East Monroe after 11th-hour design concessions tailor-made to appease Friends of the Parks.
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“After many months of negotiations, Friends of the Parks has provided a letter of support for the project,” Executive Director Juanita Irizarry wrote in a text message to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago Park District Supt. Mike Kelly said “painstaking” negotiations with Friends of the Parks and downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) cut the restaurant floor space in half.
The height has also been reduced. It’ll rise to 27 feet — counting a protective guard rail and green roof that will essentially become a continuation of the park.
“We knew there would be pushback. . . . If there was a problem with the height, both of them would have been against us on this,” he said.
The restaurant will be built and operated by the Four Corners Tavern Group, owner of 10 other bars and restaurants.
Chicago Parks Supt. Mike Kelly said the new restaurant in Maggie Daley Park will be a better deal for taxpayers than Park Grill. | Fran Spielman/Sun-Times
Chicago Parks Supt. Mike Kelly said the new restaurant in Maggie Daley Park will be a better deal for taxpayers than the Park Grill. | Fran Spielman/Sun-Times
The deal calls for the Park District to get $75,000 in annual rent, along with a sliding scale of gross sales ranging from 5 to 10 percent. Four Corners will also pay utility costs.
“It’s not the Park Grill. In fact, we were painstaking in our efforts to make sure that this wasn’t the Park Grill. It’s a good deal for the taxpayers. It’s a fair deal. . . . It’s going to be very popular and generate a lot of revenue for the taxpayer,” Kelly said.
“We desperately need the concession. We desperately need the revenue,” he said. “It’s been my goal since we built Maggie Daley Park to operate the park budget neutral, if not in the black. . . . You can’t keep building 20-acre parks with no source of revenue.”
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