Advocacy group wants to use Chicago's Thompson Center as migrant shelter
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With the migrant crisis persisting and more and more buses coming to Chicago, some advocacy groups have set their sights on a downtown building they think could work as a temporary shelter.
"We have to find a solution that works for the most amount of people, and has the lowest amount of taxes; tax burden on all of us," said Roger Romanelli, coordinator of Hillside Neighbors Volunteers, "and this building solves the problem."
As CBS 2's Marybel González reported Thursday night, the building Romanelli was talking about is the 1.3 million square-foot property known as the James R. Thompson Center, at 100 W. Randolph St.
The 17-story Thompson Center was designed by celebrity architect Helmut Jahn, and was completed in 1985 for Illinois state government office space. Talk of selling the Thompson Center dates back several years, and there was concern that it might be torn down.
But Gov. JB Pritzker finalized an agreement in March 2022 to sell the Thompson Center to a private developer, the Prime Group, for $70 million – and the agreement allowed for the building to be preserved. Google said it plans on buying the space upon renovations, and moving into it in 2026.
Thus, the Thompson Center is currently unoccupied.
"This is an opportunity to have a national example for how America can serve its migrants," Romanelli said.
Romanelli is part of the Chicago-Cook County Coalition for Humane Migrant Management, a group now asking the city and state to turn the Thompson Center into a temporary refuge for migrants.
We also reached out to the city and Prime Group, and had yet to hear back Thursday night.
"Public transportation is perfect here," Romanelli said. "They can get to any of the government offices."
More than 15,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since last August. Shelters and police stations are at or near capacity.
"The entire basement is a food operation, bathrooms," Romanelli said. "The children could play downstairs - there's wide open room. Some of the intake on the first floor could be health screenings."
Right now, the City of Chicago is moving forward with a $29 million contract to build winterized tents in Chicago for migrants.
"They don't belong in tents," Romanelli said. "They belong in brick-and-mortar buildings so they can stay safe and warm."
Gov. Pritzker is also speaking out about the housing crisis – expressing his concerns about the city's current plans to build base tent camps for the migrant population.
"I don't think that this is the only option," Pritzker said. "The reality is you've got to find buildings that have facilities for people to use restrooms, and other things that will work well - and that aren't too very far away from the services that these folks need."
