Obama chooses Point engineer
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Printable FormatHYDE PARK HERALD
By TEDD CARRISON, Staff Writer
The Buffalo, N.Y. District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will serve as the third-party consultant requested by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama in the Promontory Point revetment repair project, a spokesman for the senator told the Herald Monday.
In October, the senator intervened in a debate surrounding the rehab of the tiered limestone lakewall that rings the Point. He compelled both sides to work together and prompted the participation of an independent engineer to develop figures and measurements agreeable to everyone.
"The senator met, as of last Friday, with the [Buffalo] Army Corps," said Obama spokesman Julian Green. "During the meeting he asked them for full transparency with the full participation of the stakeholders."
For roughly five years, a group of Hyde Park residents have pushed for preservation of the peninsular park while the Chicago Park District has denied its feasibility and instead, touted a concrete-intensive rebuild of nearly two-thirds of the revetments.
Green said that Obama views preservation as "paramount" to the rehab project and "he has asked the Army Corps to adhere to preservation in the guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and the 1993 Memorandum of Agreement." This House document, signed by city, state and federal officials, states states that the project must follow the secretary's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, including repair in place "to match the existing" where possible.
Green also said that shoreline protection and storm damage reduction must meet a 50-year project life and the cost to the park district must be "reasonable and affordable."
Jack Spicer, member of the Community Task Force for Promontory Point, said he is pleased with Obama's decision to involve the new consultants. "The Buffalo District has a reputation for experience on lakeshore projects and a reputation for independence," he said.
The Chicago Park District could not be reached for comment by Herald presstime.
Green said the Buffalo Corps should begin a series of meetings with all project stakeholders in the coming weeks, though a specific date has not been set. "We are ready to move forward," he said.