Crain's Chicago Business reports on an unusual Federal land grab:
In a rare, street-level display of federal power, the U.S. government is seizing two buildings along State Street where it plans to build a huge office complex.
Federal officials want to take over the west side of the block from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard. After failing to reach agreement to buy one of the buildings, the government exercised eminent domain powers to take title of the properties. The feds want to improve security and control development around the Everett M. Dirksen Federal Office Building and Courthouse next door.
The government is mulling an office complex of as much as 1.5 million square feet, eclipsing the Dirksen's 1.2 million, says J. David Hood, assistant regional administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
The owners want
$20 million, but the feds offered $11.1 million.
Eminent domain is theft pure and simple.
