Naperville Park District officials must decide soon whether to drop plans to take control of a 70-acre site just south of village limits or spend nearly $4.3 million to develop the site.
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In early August a Will County jury ruled the park district would have to pay $4.2 million for a proposed park site near 95th Street and Illinois Highway 59.
The jury’s decision came after five hours of deliberation and was nearly 60 percent more than the $2.6 million to $2.8 million that appraisers for the park district estimated as the land’s value.
During the trial, appraisers for the property owner said the property was valued at $5.2 million to $5.5 million. The land is part of a 98-acre parcel near the southeast corner of the intersection on which a sod farm operates.
According to the property owner’s lawyer, Henry Vess, the jury verdict of about $61,174 an acre was more than the $52,500-an-acre offer offered by the landowners.
Vess said the park district can appeal the decision, buy the land for the price set by the jury, or abandon its acquisition effort. But if it drops plans, it is liable for all court costs.
“We are evaluating our options, but I don’t think we’ll make any decision for the next few weeks,” said Dennis Ulrey, corporate planning director for the district.