Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Actions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves four ordinances and eight contracts in omnibus vote
Summary
The Chicago Transit Authority Board placed four ordinances (two concession leases, an IGA amendment for the Red Line Extension, and a land purchase for the Blue Line ASAP program) and eight contract awards on the omnibus and approved them by roll call on May 14, 2025.
The Chicago Transit Authority Board on May 14 approved an omnibus package that placed four ordinances and eight contract awards before the full board and carried the items by roll call vote.
The ordinances placed on the omnibus covered: (1) a lease of retail concession space at Polk Pink Line station to Polk Transit Food Services, Inc., (2) a lease of retail concession space at the 18th Street Pink Line station to Chomp's Pizza LLC, (3) an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to change a permanent easement parcel to fee simple in support of the Red Line Extension project, and (4) the acquisition of a vacant parcel at 2274 N. Milwaukee Ave. to support CTA’s California Blue Line All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP).
Why it matters: the leases continue the CTA’s concession program at Pink Line stations and generate modest annual rent revenues; the CHA IGA change clarifies property ownership for the Red Line Extension project; and the Milwaukee Avenue parcel will be used to expand a station platform to accommodate elevators and exit stairs needed for ADA accessibility.
What was approved (key details): - Polk Transit Food Services lease (Polk Pink Line): 252 square feet at an initial annual rent of $35 per square foot, base term 10 years with two 5-year options, 3% annual escalations; projected first-year rent $8,820 (presented as the projected total annual rent). The staff presentation said All Transit Food Services was the sole responsive bidder and will operate the space formerly occupied under the prior agreement.
- Chomp’s Pizza lease (18th Street Pink Line): 205 square feet at an initial annual rent of $35 per square foot, base term 10 years with one 5-year option, 3% annual escalations; projected first-year rent $6,525.96. Staff recommended approval and said the space will operate as a food-service cafe.
- Amendment to IGA with CHA (Red Line Extension): The Board approved an amendment that converts what had been described as a permanent easement parcel into a fee-simple parcel; all other terms of the IGA (originally authorized under ordinance 028-117 in October 2023) remain the same.
- Property acquisition (2274 N. Milwaukee Ave., Blue Line ASAP): CTA and 2274 North Milwaukee LLC agreed on a purchase price of $500,000 for an approximately 1,356-square-foot unimproved parcel needed to expand the station platform for new elevators and three exit stairs.
Procedure and vote: each ordinance and the contract awards were placed on the omnibus during committee and board proceedings with a motion to include them; motions to place the items on the omnibus were moved by Director Raquayo and seconded by Director Lee (as recorded in the meeting transcript for each item). The omnibus motion to approve the bundled ordinances and contracts passed on a roll-call vote with Directors Lee, Jaques, Barclay (chairman), Ortiz, Raquayo and Jha recording “yes.”
What the approvals do not do: the board’s approval placed these items on the record for CTA to proceed under the terms presented; the approvals do not by themselves describe later administrative steps (e.g., final contract execution, easement recordings, closings) required to implement the transactions.
Ending: CTA staff said they would be available to respond to follow-up questions and that additional acquisitions and ASAP design work will be brought to the board in upcoming meetings.
