Community divided on proposed Fulton Market landmark status

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's Fulton Market District is one step closer to obtaining landmark status. The neighborhood just west of the Loop draws hip restaurants and high-rises, but it's also host to Chicago's past.

The Fulton-Randolph Market history goes back to the 1800s, where its open air food markets were a critical link for Chicagoans to growers in the Midwest and beyond. Some food wholesalers remain to this day.

It seems preserving this history is a uniting theme, but how to do that is another story.

"Many in our community see this proposal as a way for deeper-pocketed developers to forcibly acquire buildings in this community," said Roger Romanelli, Randolph Fulton Market Association.

Members of the Randolph Fulton Market Association tell us a proposal by the city to designate the area as a landmark district goes too far and may hurt the very businesses that have been in the area for generations.

"We've been here for a long time. We were here when nobody else wanted to be here," said Melissa Otte, Maloney Cunningham & De Vik.

"It ties our hands for future growth and just, any adjustments that need to be made along the way," said Mike Roche, Arthur Harris & Co.

On Wednesday, the city's landmark commission authorized the project to move forward, acknowledging the district meets criteria for landmark status.

"We've lost the stockyards, we've lost that tie to Chicago's history and everything else that went along with that early history of the city," said Eleanor Gorski, Chicago Landmark Commission.

"This is not an arbitrarily-decided decision. It's based on law and a rational decision-making process," said Rev. Richard Tolliver, Chicago Landmark Commission.

Some residents testified in favor of the proposal as did several preservation organization's and the ward's alderman.

"I think it's going to attract a lot of people to this area and make this area a vibrant, safe and profitable community," said 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett.

The landmark commission says a final decision won't be made for at least a few more months and there will be more opportunities for public comment.