By Andrew Davis
Alderman Burton Natarus is one of the few individuals on Chicago's city council who is as colorful as he is accomplished. The second longest serving member on the council (after the 14th Ward's Ed Burke, who was first elected in 1968), Natarus has worked with innumerable developers to revitalize the 42nd Ward (which includes the Loop and the Gold Coast) and currently is on several committees, including those connected with housing and real estate; landmark preservation; and rules and ethics. However, according to a recent Chicago Tribune article, the passionate alderman also once challenged 3rd Ward Alderman Dorothy Tillman to a fight.
Natarus is no less vibrant in an interview with Windy City Times, detailing his support for the LGBT community and discussing a Biblical parable before a single question is asked. During the course of the talk, he also discussed everything from affordable housing to The Baton.
Burton Natarus: Let me start off by saying—and not many people know this—that in 1985, Martin Olberman, Cliff Kelley and I introduced and passed an ordinance in city council that you cannot discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Then, during the Sawyer administration, the gay-rights ordinance (if you want to call it that) was passed.
I don't know if you've ever read the Bible, but there's a short passage that deals with the Tower of Babel. The human race was one in terms of race, stature and what have you. The Lord was very fearful that the human race was going to invade the heavens because of this tower that was being built, so he sent angels to the tower, destroyed it and spread mankind all over the earth—and he made them different. We all have differences regarding skin, statute, religion, language and sexual orientation. It seems to me that the lesson in the Tower of Babel [example] is that the Lord did this to humankind so that they can live and exist under different conditions—and live with their differences. We shouldn't allow our differences to block our judgment and conduct. We have to treat humans as they are, as they exist.
All I understand is that we have to live with each other, just the way we are. That's how I feel. I'm not going to say that I don't angry at people, but I don't get angry at them because of their race, color, creed or sexual orientation; I'll get angry at people because I don't like their behavior, views or judgments.
Windy City Times: OK. Now let's talk about your position on affordable housing. Some people feel that condos are taking over this ward.
BN: I don't think they're taking over the ward. In a way, it's a good thing because, for the first time in people's lives, they can own something. I think that it's the natural economic trend. Where I live (in the central area), there are some buildings that are rented. I don't really interfere in the market too much because it lacks incentive.
As far as affordable housing goes, there's a great deal of it down here—but I'm worried about it. I'm stepping into the picture because, quite frankly, our congressmen and state senators are too busy with other things. I'm very involved with and concerned about the fact that these HUD agreements are disintegrating.
I'm leaning toward the mayor's plan [concerning affordable housing], which is 10 percent outside the central loop area. You can build 10 percent or you can put it in the housing fund. Now, I don't take a back seat to anyone when it comes to affordable housing, because Bill Banks and I, when we were on the zoning reform committee, drafted a bonus of affordable housing and they're contributing a huge amount to this fund. The problem is that you have to have some solid regulations so that we can monitor how people use this money.
Building affordable housing is a tough nut. The thing is, whether we like developers or not, they're businesspeople and if they can't make some kind of a profit out of it, there's no incentive.
WCT: Now what do you take into consideration when determining if buildings should be preserved as landmarks?
BN: I have landmarked more buildings than anyone, but some of the preservation people will only give credit only if they've led the fight and you fall in line. For example, I found the Northwestern Fuel Building, landmarked it and I didn't get a peep out of Jonathan Fine. [Actually,] the big problem with landmarking is doing it where the owner is interested in preserving it. And there's a whole problem with political innuendo.
WCT: Let's talk about the LGBT community. The city council recently approved $500,000 in HIV prevention funding...
BN: ...and it's probably not enough. We have to work on it. Everybody says, 'I know where you can cut and where you can't.' However, like it or not, we're not going to take the $2 million from the police and fire departments. Sometimes when you start smaller and people see that the money is spent well, you can start a movement to [increase] the money. If we can find the $2 million, I'll go for it—but you have to understand one thing about the city: We have to balance, unlike the state. We have to balance our books every year. But I'd also like to allocate more money to stem-cell research as well.
WCT: In November, you were also involved in a zoning issue regarding male and female impersonators (i.e., drag kings and queens).
BN: Here's what happened: I'm the one who rolled the adult-use ordinance. My first term of office was with Mayor Richard J. Daley. At the time, there was a strip joint across from the Sun-Times building called the Silver Frolics; the women did a number on a group of doctors who went there. The owners beat the doctors up and dumped their bodies. Mayor Daley called me up and wanted me and Vincent Gavin (who was Daley's bodyguard and is now security director at Navy Pier) to close down all [the joints]. We closed down the ones on Rush Street and Clark Street, starting with the Mark Twain Hotel. (Maggiano's used to be the St. Regis Hotel, which was a house of prostitution.) We then passed this ordinance that you said you couldn't be so many feet from housing, etc. Pretty soon, you couldn't be anywhere on the Near North Side except a place on Kingsbury called VIP.
Then, they went to federal court and the judge entered an order where there were about eight adult uses that were preserved; there were bookstores, for the most part. When we wrote the ordinance, some people felt that female impersonators were that kind of activity. When it isn't, they have beautiful costumes and the show [at The Baton] is great. Ginger Grant is great, and the other ladies put on a great show.
Basically, we removed that [older] ordinance and places [like The Baton] no longer need an adult-use license.
WCT: Your critics seem to think that you're out of touch with your constituents. Would you like to rebut that?
BN: How am I out of touch with my constituents? If you listen to me, you obviously know that I know something about the neighborhood. I have lived in the Near North Side since 1960. I go to all the community groups. I have a staff member who goes to each CAPS meeting. Ask the North Dearborn Association; I've been working with them for 50 years. There's a group now called the Gold Coast Neighbors that's celebrating their 50-year anniversary this spring. I've been in the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association meetings, I know the River North Association and I'm familiar with everybody.
Also, I have a listed telephone number. When I lived in Sandburg Village, anyone could call me, to the chagrin of my wife (may she rest in peace). I'm now living near the river and everybody knows me there. I drive my own automobile around the ward.
I know exactly what the problem is. For example, we had more 4 o'clock licenses than anyone else. I know that we need to seek a balance between businesses and residences, so I'm the first in the history of Chicago to pass a moratorium on 4 o'clock licenses.
The opposition should be ashamed for themselves for saying [I'm out of touch]. My main opposition moved into the area six months ago. I've lived here 47 years—in the same neighborhood. That's a major portion of my adult life.
WCT: What is the most important thing you've done this past term?
BN: New parks. I've created 27 acres of renovated or brand-new parks. We marked together with Mark Schulman and made Schulman Park. We have engaged in a rather slow program in redoing Lake Shore Park. We've had developers rebuild Connors Park [and there are many other parks].
I've also worked to rehabilitate Michigan Avenue. My first building that went up was the Hancock Building. Also, I put in the very first ordinance authorizing Millennium Park. We didn't know if we had the authority to cover the railroad tracks, so I put in an ordinance.
We went to court, and found out we could do it.
WCT: Was there anything you wanted to add?
BN: In 1973, I was written up in the NRA Magazine because I put in an ordinance forbidding the possession of handguns in Chicago.
I am goal-oriented. I am running for my 10th term [because] one of the most important issues in town is the schools. I want to build two new schools. On the playground of Odgen Elementary School, I want to build a new building; kids can stay in the old building until the new one is done and then a park [will replace the old school]. The other school will be on Lake Shore East, which used to be a golf course.
I appeared in front of the Navy Pier board and asked if they'd consider building a small, expensive hotel there to help them with the financial viability of the project. The other thing is that I wholeheartedly support the Olympics being here, provided that we can keep the structures that [would be] built for the event. Also, we'd like to have a permanent home for Cirque du Soleil here. However, we need to seek a balance between residential and commercial interests.
One other thing I have to say is that you can go downtown [during the weeknights] and it's packed because of theaters. Between the Goodman and [shows like Twelve] Angry Man and Wicked, [it's great].
See www.Natarus.com for more info.
