Chicago Rejects A $300K Offer To Buy The Old Firehouse — But Not A $10 One

In a move that baffled some, Chicago officials turned down a $300,000 offer to purchase a historic firehouse that’s been vacant for about a decade.

The competing offer? $10.

The groups vying for the building proposed similar plans.

City officials later defended the decision, according to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

The city explained in a letter to the Copernicus Center on Tuesday (September 15) that its proposal was turned down because officials with the center omitted a timeline for construction, though representatives of the center explained to Fox 32 that they hadn’t been allowed to see the interior.

A city spokesperson added to the Sun-Times that the Copernicus Center also hadn’t offered evidence of financing. A spokesperson also noted that another offer by the Local 58 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America was also turned down. That offer was $1.

The Copernicus Center is a Polish-American club that came forward with the $300,000 proposal for the old station, which sits on their block. They hoped to revamp it into a brewery on the lower level with apartment units above.

The city shot down the offer on Tuesday (September 15).

Leaders of the Copernicus Club told Fox 32 that they wanted fair treatment and to “unify our campus” by acquiring the old firehouse.

The competing developer submitted a similar proposal, with a craft brewery and living arrangements, but that developer aims to pay significantly less than $300,000 for the firehouse.

A Center for Disease Control and Prevention report explained the reason for setting the offer so low. The price of the sale was $10, it stated, because environmental impact remediation costs of the property were estimated at almost the appraised price of $208,000, the Sun-Times reported.

“Frankly (we’re) sad, disappointed and frustrated,” Stephen Cioromski told Fox 32. “Because they are in a budget deficit. They’re raising taxes…and they are going to turn down a $300,000 offer compared to a dollar.”

Zenon Kurdziel added to the Sun-Times that the group is “financially prepared to do what needs to be done on this building.”

The Chicago Planning Commission is slated to meet Thursday (September 17) to hear the proposed land sale. The Chicago City Council will consider the plans afterward.

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