Great Commoner Dining Platform Lease

At a glance

What: One-year right-of-way lease extension for two on-street parking spaces (about 423 sq. ft.) on the west side of Monroe Street south of Michigan Avenue, used as a dining platform by The Great Commoner.
Where it stands: Approved September 22, 2026 (resolution 9-455-26), unanimous.
Next: One-year term; the business must return the property to its prior condition or remove the platform, or leave it as city property at the city's discretion, when the lease ends.

Motion by Hammoud, supported by Alsawafy.
The downtown development authority (WDDDA) had owned and leased the platform and sold it to the business in 2026.
Fee: $2.10 per sq. ft. per year ($934.50) plus $300 administrative cost, $1,234.50 total, plus applicable taxes. The business must keep the platform in first-class condition, carry insurance naming the city as additional insured, indemnify the city, and not allow use after midnight.
The recitals note pergolas, planters, upgraded seating and impact-resistant jersey barricades installed by the business.

One-year lease extension approved, fee $1,234.50.