Several inspectors from the city Department of Buildings finally gained access to the Near West Side warehouse rented by singer R. Kelly Wednesday afternoon.
Arriving shortly after noon, roughly 10 officials with the Department of Buildings and Chicago Fire Department entered through the alley and spent about an hour inside. The Department of Buildings said it would issue a statement later Wednesday.
The inspectors’ court-ordered access was obtained by the city amid allegations that the building had been altered illegally.
Before the inspectors went in, however, at least four other people not with the city got inside first. Their identities or connection to R. Kelly were unclear.
About a half dozen Chicago Police officers joined the inspectors, but those officers stayed outside to “secure the perimeter” of the building — a standard practice when the Buildings Department conducts inspections, according to a CPD spokesman.
The warehouse, where Kelly is the only tenant, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks since the airing of a documentary series on Lifetime that detailed a host of allegations of sexual impropriety by Kelly — mostly involving underage girls. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Last week, city attorneys filed an emergency motion in Cook County Circuit Court, asking a judge to grant them access to the building. They alleged that, though the building is zoned for industrial uses, it was serving as a residence. Also, city attorneys said, a recording studio inside was illegal.
Court records show Kelly has until Monday to pay $166,981 in back rent to the owner of the property at 219 N. Justine St. Additionally, he must also pay $6,122 in attorneys’ fees and $780 in court costs.
Midwest Commercial Funding owns, and is currently selling, the building.
Similar allegations of sexual misconduct have dogged Kelly throughout his career and were first reported by the Sun-Times in 2000. He has not been charged with any crimes since he was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008.
On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Patrice Ball-Reed ordered that the inspectors be allowed in. Kelly’s attorney, Melvin Sims, had asked that the inspection take place in 30 days.
An attorney for Midwest Commercial Funding told the judge that the building owners “don’t have a key” and couldn’t get inside, either.
A copy of Kelly’s lease, included in the case file, shows that Midwest Commercial Funding gave Kelly permission to make several alterations to the property that are at the heart of the city’s motion.
“Landlord hereby grants permission to Tenant to modify the existing recording studios to meet Tenant’s specific needs as well as create an apartment type area on the second floor,” the lease reads.
On Jan. 8, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx made a public plea for accusers to come forward so that the office could investigate allegations against Kelly. Foxx said she has not — and cannot — open a criminal probe in the absence of cooperating witnesses.
Two women contacted the Sun-Times the next day and gave accounts of what they allegedly experienced at the hands of Kelly. Soon after, the called the number publicized by Foxx and left voicemails with prosecutors.
