With a mandate to get shovels within the floor for O’Hare Airport’s growth and clean newly-strained relations between United and American Airways, Mayor Brandon Johnson Monday selected a former bureaucrat-turned- govt to be Chicago’s new aviation commissioner.
Michael McMurray, president of transportation and infrastructure at Wight & Firm, replaces Jamie Rhee, who was dumped as a part of Johnson’s belated housecleaning of holdovers appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
McMurray, 62, stated his No. 1 precedence is to start building this summer season on a 19-gate satellite tv for pc concourse at O’Hare, a part of the airport’s multi-billion greenback growth.
“Getting that going is large. All the things else just about stems from that..It’s crucial that we…get the shovels within the floor,” McMurray advised the Solar-Occasions.
To chop prices and appease the 2 main airways footing a lot of the invoice, Johnson modified the order of building.
The brand new settlement permits the town to construct the satellite tv for pc concourse whereas planning a phased building of the worldwide terminal that may exchange what’s now Terminal 2. A second satellite tv for pc concourse, with a connecting tunnel, will likely be accomplished provided that enough funds stay after different work is completed.
The town will present common price estimates, and likewise will want approval from United and American earlier than both reducing the scope of the challenge or spending greater than $6.1 billion.
McMurray vowed to do “every little thing in my energy” to ship each tasks at a time when President Donald Trump’s tariffs have had a chilling impact on every little thing from the price of building supplies and provide chains to shopper demand for journey.
“My hope is every little thing will proceed to proceed because it’s been deliberate out,” McMurray stated. “That’s my each intention. However clearly, I’ll check out issues and possibly give it type of a recent perspective coming from the non-public sector, leveraging my authorities expertise and possibly discover some efficiencies there.”
McMurray is an lawyer and former non-public sector building govt who additionally has intensive expertise in authorities. His resume consists of stints as an assistant state’s lawyer, senior counsel for the United Auto Employees Union and stops alongside the best way on the Chicago Housing Authority and the town departments of Aviation, Normal Providers, Procurement Providers and the Chicago Housing Authority.
He’ll want all of these experiences and abilities to maintain the large O’Hare modernization challenge on observe.
Late final week, American Airlines filed a lawsuit towards the town accusing the Johnson administration of breaching the lease settlement negotiated in 2018 by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The swimsuit claims Johnson’s staff prematurely reorganized gates, a transfer that provides more room to its rival United Airways.
“The truth that demand is up at O’Hare and airways are enthusiastic about rising flights to and from O’Hare — that’s an excellent factor,” McMurray stated.
Bids are additionally due subsequent month on greater than 110 concession contracts with a mixed, 148,000 sq. toes of economic area with potential to increase, diversify and dramatically alter the combo of meals and retail decisions at O’Hare.
“It’s large. One of many largest bundles of concession alternatives ever supplied by a U.S. airport,” McMurray stated.
Ald. Matt O’Shea (nineteenth), Johnson’s handpicked chair of the Metropolis Council’s Aviation Committee, stated oversight of the O’Hare modernization challenge will likely be a “baptism by fireplace. He’ll be ingesting from a fireplace hose these first six months.
“We have now to get shovels within the floor this summer season. These concession contracts need to be discovered within the coming months,” O’Shea stated. “All of the whereas, establishing a powerful relationship with the employees at Aviation and establishing a relationship with our airline carriers.”
O’Shea was Rhee’s No. 1 cheerleader within the Metropolis Council. He known as her “one of the crucial revered leaders within the airline trade” nationwide, and stated Johnson’s resolution to let her go was a “horrible mistake” at a “essential time.”
However after taking a look at McMurray’s intensive resume and speaking to those that have labored with him, O’Shea stated Johnson made a “nice alternative.”
“The factor I heard time and again was, `He’s a person of integrity,’ actually sharp, arduous employee, has the power to carry individuals collectively. That’s precisely what we’d like now with all that now we have occurring at our two worldwide airports,” O’Shea stated.
A supply who has spoken on to McMurray stated the brand new commissioner was approached repeatedly about changing into aviation chief, however was reluctant to just accept Johnson’s provide.
The supply stated McMurray agreed to take the $291,696 a yr job solely after United and American begged him to fill the enormous void created by Rhee’s ouster.
“I by no means stated, `No.’ We had been having ongoing discussions. I’ll put it that means,” McMurray stated.
