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Mystery Box Outside McDonald's Created Big Obstacle For Pedestrians In Loop

CHICAGO (CBS) – This story starts with a simple question: What's in the box?

Specifically, a large plywood box blocking the sidewalk on Dearborn, near Randolph.

City inspectors seemed to think it's a newspaper box. (It's not.)

Well, whatever it is, it makes it very difficult for pedestrians to walk around it.

What's curious, though, are the notifications stapled to it.

A city inspector took the time to post orange stickers, addressed to the owner or operator of this "newspaper box."

The city threatened to destroy the newspaper box in 10 days if it's not removed.

Well, it's not a newspaper box.

And worse yet, it's making it more difficult for anyone trying to walk by, especially if you're visually impaired like Carlos Calzado.
He was bumping into the newly formed obstacle the first few days.

Sources say the box is covering a broken underground elevator for delivery access from the sidewalk to the basement of the McDonald's on the corner.

The city municipal code has a whole section for obstruction of sidewalks for construction and building maintenance.

Partially blocking the sidewalk requires purchase of a permit.

CBS 2 scoured the city database, and found no evidence that a permit had been bought. Penalties for working without a permit, range from $500 to $2,500 a day.

But given the size of this box compared to the sidewalk, you have to wonder if a permit would have been granted in the first place.

Calzado doesn't know about permitting but does know what he wants done about it.

"Move it out of the way. Let people get on with their lives."

We reached out to McDonald's, and they called back a few hours later saying the box has been removed.

CDOT says an inspector spotted it yesterday and found there was no permit.

McDonald's was instructed to remove it by today. CDOT also said a ticket was issued.

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