High-rises go political

A movement to curb high-rise growth along the north lakefront haspoliticized Chicago yuppies. Young professionals showing littleinterest in city politics have been galavanized by real estatebattles. High-rise blight will be an issue in citywide and wardraces next year.

Two of the most promising prospects for the 43rd Wardaldermanic election have come out of campaigns to keep more concreteweeds from sprouting in the garden neighborhoods. If Ald. MartyOberman bows out, as his friends predict, several contenders willjump out and argue about overdevelopment.

Their debate will spill over into the mayoral contest. Chicagopolitics is rooted in real estate. So the mayoral challengers willbe caught between developer-contributors and swing voters on thelakefront.

"Development is the issue of the late '80s," said Dan Casey,fresh from a zoning victory. As head of Park West CommunityAssociation, Casey energized a drive that led to an ordinance guidingdevelopment there. The Zoning Committee recommended its approval bythe full City Council on Aug. 28.

"No more high-rises should be be built in the 43rd Ward," saidBob Perkins, a figure in the fight to stop a new tower at Eugenie andWells in Old Town. Perkins argued that new density can alter theneighborhood's character.

Casey, 48, an Irishman from Scotland by way of Du Page County,and Perkins, 32, who grew up in the North Shore, are consideringrunning if Oberman quits. "Either man would be acceptable," Obermansaid. "I will probably endorse if I don't run."

Both Casey and Perkins have a better understanding than Obermanof the development issue. "High-rise is only an issue if one is builtnext door to you," Oberman said. "It's not enough to build apolitical campaign on."

The boom of young professionals, many of whom own condominiums,caught Oberman off guard. Democratic power broker Tom Rosenbergwouldn't have been able to win the zoning change he needed to put uphis Old Town skyscraper if Oberman had been alert. When Obermancaught on, he was too late. Rosenberg's building easily could benamed the Washington-Oberman tower. Both have responsibility for itbeing approved.

Washington and Oberman tried to recoup their political slip byendorsing Casey's downzoning of Park West, an area of 11,000residents and businessmen. Washington also formed a high-rise taskforce, but he let real estate interests and old-fashioned politicianstake crucial leadership roles.

Three other prospective 43rd Ward candidates talk aboutdevelopment, but don't take as hard a line as Casey and Perkins.

Edwin Eisendrath, a 28-year-old teacher endorsed by DemocraticCommitteeman Ann Stepan, said the 43rd Ward may absorb morehigh-rises, but only after "getting ahead of the game with planning."

Barbara Wood, a 44-year-old college professor, is the mostbusiness-prone of the candidates, but still favors some control.Barbara Hartke, a 46-year-old public school librarian, frowns on thebuilding boom but said, "I would never say I would fight allhigh-rises."

All candidates except Wood favor the Park West downzoning bill.Wood, who has feelers from GOP Committeeman Ron Gidwitz'sorganization, would send Casey's plan back to committee for morecompromises with the ward's business establishment. Wood andEisendrath were the only hopefuls not flatly against Eugenie Square.

No candidate yet has come up with a specific plan for governinglakefront develpment. Legal controls have been imposed in citiesfrom New York to Los Angeles. At least one 43rd Ward prospectpromises a proposal with bite.

Chicago's old-style politicians eschew planning because theywant to deal a block at a time. Yuppies can force them towardreform.

Basil Talbott Jr. is political editor of the Chicago Sun-Times.