Chicago City Wire

Ald. Brendan Reilly announced this week that Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has abandoned plans to convert a River North hotel into a large migrant shelter. Reilly expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, "I am glad the Johnson Administration decided to listen to reason by shelving this horrendous idea." The hotel in question was the Hotel Chicago, located at 33 North Division, which was being considered as a potential shelter for over 1,000 migrants.

He accused Mayor Johnson of abusing the authority of his office by entering into "illegal contracts without appropriate legislative approvals by the City Council; and is willfully violating the law by doing so," according to the alderman's letter to 42nd Ward residents. Reilly also described the Hotel Chicago as being located in a drug and gang hotspot, "steps from an already problematic CTA Red Line stop, just blocks from the temporary Bally's Casino, and is surrounded by residential buildings, hotels and other tourism destinations." "Converting the Hotel Chicago into a migrant hotel defies logic," the alderman's public letter states.

Shortly after Reilly raised his objection publicly, City Hall swiftly abandoned the plans to use the Hotel Chicago as a migrant shelter. Reilly expressed his relief at the decision, stating, "I am glad they've decided to abandon that plan. It was a terrible idea from the very start." The decision to scrap the project came just hours after Reilly voiced his concerns.

The abandonment of the plan to convert the River North hotel into a migrant shelter follows the objection raised by Ald. Brendan Reilly. Reilly's criticism of the proposal, citing concerns about the hotel's location and the alleged violation of legislative approvals, prompted City Hall to swiftly change course.