Illinois Statutes Chapter 70. Special Districts § 1505/15. Acquisition of real estate

(a) The Chicago Park District may acquire by gift, grant, purchase, or condemnation (and may incur indebtedness for the purchase of) any real estate lands, riparian estates or rights, and other property (including abandoned railroad rights-of-way) required or needed for any park, for parkways, driveways, or boulevards, or for extending, adorning, or maintaining the same for the purpose of establishing, acquiring, completing, enlarging, ornamenting, building, rebuilding, and improving public parks, boulevards, bridges, subways, viaducts, and approaches thereto, wharfs, piers, jetties, air landing fields and basins, shore protection works, pleasure grounds and ways, walks, pathways, driveways, roadways, highways, and all public works, grounds, or improvements under the control of and within the jurisdiction of the park commissioners, including (i) filling in submerged land for park purposes, (ii) constructing all buildings, field houses, stadiums, shelters, conservatories, museums, service shops, power plants, structures, playground devices, and boulevard and building lighting systems, and (iii) building all other types of permanent improvement and construction necessary to render the property under the control of the park commissioners usable for the enjoyment of that property as public parks, parkways, boulevards, and pleasureways, whether the land is located within or without the district, if the land is deemed necessary for park purposes or for parkways, driveways, or boulevards. The Chicago Park District shall have no power of condemnation, however, as to real estate lands, riparian rights or estates, or other property located outside the district, but shall only have power to acquire that property by gift, grant, or purchase.

(b) After December 31, 1958, the powers granted in this Section are subject to and limited by the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act.  1 As provided in that Act and in Section 7 of this Act, the Chicago Park District may not after that date acquire, extend, and maintain boulevards, driveways, roadways, and highways used as thoroughfares for vehicular traffic into or within parks, or any bridges, subways, viaducts, and approaches thereto.

(c) The Chicago Park District may acquire by lease or permit the right to occupy and use real estate lands and riparian estates for park and parkway purposes and may improve, maintain, and equip the lands and estates when authorized by the Commissioners.

(c-5) The Chicago Park District may sell, lease, or otherwise convey all or any portion of District-owned property that is used solely and exclusively as office or administrative space.

(d) The power of condemnation conferred by this Act shall be exercised in the manner provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act.  2