Illinois lawmakers urge Chicago mayor to convert armory near Midway Airport into police precinct

CHICAGO - A push to transform a former armory near Midway Airport into a new Chicago police station is gaining federal support.

In a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson, three U.S. congressmen challenged the idea that federal air traffic safety regulations would prevent the building’s conversion.

The armory, located on West 63rd Street, was transferred from state to city ownership earlier this year. While there have been calls to convert the facility into a new police precinct to better serve the area, Mayor Johnson has expressed interest in using the armory as an equipment storehouse instead.

The Chicago Lawn District, which would benefit from the proposed station, serves the largest population in the city but has the fewest officers per capita. Local leaders have raised concerns that the district’s limited resources are impacting public safety.

In their letter, U.S. Representatives Jesús "Chuy" García, Sean Casten, and Brad Schneider wrote, "We are confident that, with active collaboration and communication with the FAA, the armory can be converted into a police precinct, as the law intended… Therefore, we urge the city to start the process."

The lawmakers emphasized that the community strongly supports the development, seeing it as a way to bolster safety in the neighborhood.