Follow the Money of Olympic Demolition Crew

July 23, 2009 by Tony Peraica
Filed under: 2016 Olympics

The Sun-Times reports that Mayor Daley officially took a big step toward the 2016 Olympic effort with the awarding of lucrative contracts to construction companies to demolish the current Michael Reese Hospital site:

The Mayor Daley-chaired Public Building Commission today took a giant step toward building the $1.1 billion Olympic Village on the Michael Reese Hospital site–alternately viewed as the riskiest element of Chicago’s bid and its most significant legacy. The PBC awarded $11 million worth of contracts to a pair of companies responsible for building abatement and demolition.

So the first big Olympic contracts are awarded. Wanna bet they’re going toward firms with strong histories of giving campaign cash to Cook County insiders?

Let’s take a look…(the below campamign contributions are just some of those listed on the Illinois State Board of Elections site).

Brandenburg Industrial Service Co. (awarded $7.98 million in contracts)

Friends of Michael J. Madigan - $20,000 contribution (11/1/96)
Citizens for Moreno - More than $13,000 in contributions since 2002
Richard M. Daley Campaign Committee — $2,500 (11/28/01) by company president Thomas J. Little
Richard M. Daley Campaign Committee — $3,000 since 2001 by company vice president Jack Jasinowski
Committee to Elect Anne M. Burke (Supreme Court Justice and wife of Alderman Ed Burke) — $2,000 in 2008 by company president Thomas J. Little
Friends of Edward M. Burke — $1,500 on 11/16/02 by company vice president Jack Jasinowski
11th Ward Regular Democratic Organization (John Daley) — $1,250 since 2003 by company vice president Jack Jasinowski
Friends of Sandi Jackson (wife of Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.) — $3,500 in 2007 by company president Thomas J. Little
Friends of Blagojevich — $4,000 on 6/19/02 by company vice president Jack Jasinowski
The Cicero Good Government Group (controlled by insider Ed “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak) — $4,500 since 2003 by company vice president Jack Jasinowski

Heneghan Wrecking Company ($3.19 million in contracts)

Richard M. Daley Campaign Committee — $1,200 since 2001
Political committees controlled by Alderman Ted Matlak — $3,200 since 2003
Friends of Edward M. Burke - $1,500 on 11/19/08
Citizens for Patrick O’Connor — More than $3,200 since 2000
11th Ward Regular Democratic Organization (John Daley) — $1,400 since 2003
11th Ward Regular Democratic Organization (John Daley) — $600 on 5/4/09 by company director Hugh Heneghan
32nd Ward Regular Democratic Organization — $1,900 since 2000
Friends of Vi Daley — $5,000 since 2006 by company president Patrick Heneghan
Friends of Vi Daley — $4,500 since 2007 by company vice president Rita Heneghan

Tags: 2016 Olympics, Cook County, Mayor Daley

Comments

2 Comments on Follow the Money of Olympic Demolition Crew

Kevin on Mon, 27th Jul 2009 10:40 am

Dear Mr. Peraica,

Please note, the Michael Reese project is allegedly a no change order contract. Given that the totality of winning bids was lower then estimated projections, please keep an eye out for any change orders which are granted.

Kevin on Mon, 28th Dec 2009 1:34 pm

Change orders posted on the PBC web site; this was supposed to be a no change order contract

Project: Michael Reese Hospital Campus
Address: 2929 South Ellis
Contractor: Brandenburg Industrial Service Company
Amount: $231,579.50 Reason: Multiple see below
Contract Number: 1490BE Date: 12/17/2009
Notes: Differing Site Conditions

Client Directed Change

Project: Michael Reese Hospital Campus
Address: 2929 South Ellis
Contractor: Heneghan Wrecking & Excavating Co.
Amount: $310,275.85 Reason: Multiple see below
Contract Number: 1490CD Date: 12/17/2009
Notes: Differing Site Conditions

Client Directed Change

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