The city on Thursday shut down a construction site at WGN-TV’s North Side studios in a regulatory action that Chicago Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek insisted had nothing to do with any ill will between City Hall and Tribune Co.
Kaderbek announced the “stop work order”–issued because the project did not have a required permit–at a news conference where he also released copies of an engineering report on the structural condition of City Hall.
The report was requested under the Freedom of Information Act by the Chicago Tribune in response to a tip received by the newspaper that the building had physical problems that were not being addressed.
Kaderbek said an anonymous tip that he received prompted him to dispatch inspectors to WGN’s facility at 2501 W. Bradley Pl., where non-permitted work was found to be under way.
“I try to treat everybody equally, and if you don’t have a permit, you can expect your work will be shut down,” Kaderbek said. “If someone brings to my attention–and I regularly get those types of anonymous tips–work going on, I take them with as much seriousness if it was the Chicago Tribune, WGN or the guy down the street.”
In a statement, Tom Ehlmann, WGN-TV’s vice president and general manager, said: “We didn’t feel a permit was needed for the work being done–replacement of one satellite dish with another one of the same size.
“Late this afternoon, we spoke with the city’s buildings commissioner. He said a routine replacement permit is required. We will follow the necessary steps and expect to be able to resume the project shortly,” Ehlmann said.
Thursday’s action came as the Chicago Cubs were preparing documentation for a permit for repairs at Wrigley Field after acknowledging that the work was done without city approval.
Team officials said they were not aware that permits were required.
Wrigley Field and the Cubs are owned by Tribune Co., which also owns WGN-TV and the Chicago Tribune.
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Compiled from news services.
