Less than three months after approving an Amazon retail center on the southwest corner of 159th Street and LaGrange Road, the Orland Park Village Board said Monday it is considering creating a tax increment financing district to spur development of the busy intersection’s southeast corner.
Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge said Inter-Continental Real Estate & Development would need financial assistance to develop space behind the Pep Boys Auto Service and Tires on LaGrange Road into residential and commercial space.
Several years ago, the developer proposed an apartment complex that did not require the village’s help, but the board voted against the proposal, Dodge said.
“We’re working very closely with the potential developer to activate that property,” Dodge said. “Right now it’s dormant, it’s overgrown.”
Dodge said apartments are easier to fund than the proposed owner-occupied rowhomes and commercial space, and the property includes swampland that makes construction difficult.
Trustee Cynthia Katsenes expressed her support for a TIF district, saying she opposes high-density apartments and appreciates the developer returning with an alternative.
In a TIF district, property taxes for all government bodies are frozen at levels at the time the TIF is created and any increase due to higher property values, the increment, is used to pay for improvements or incentives. TIF districts typically expire after 23 years but can be extended to up to 35 years
Other taxing bodies, such as school districts, don’t see increased property tax revenue from any development until after the TIF expires, and don’t have a share of any community’s sales tax money redevelopment might create.
The board voted unanimously to order a feasibility study for the TIF and to purchase the site of a former gas station at 9401 159th St., which Village Manager George Koczwara said could also be repurposed for development.
“If we can pull all of this together, we will activate that whole corner with owner-occupied (housing) and more businesses, which is very positive, especially considering across the street we’re going to have Amazon retail coming,” Koczwara said Tuesday.
Riviera Country Club
The board also approved the purchase of the former Riviera Country Club on West 143rd Street for $2.2 million, after saying last month it would study potential benefits of turning it into an athletic field house. The village in December voted to take out $40.5 million in bonds to, in part, support the purchase.
Trustee John Lawler said at the March 2 meeting he was interested in the possibility after speaking with residents who want more athletic amenities, such as a sports training facility, an indoor playground for children and a pool for seniors.
He said many of Orland Park’s facilities are difficult to access for people who live on the east side. Lawler called the site of the former Riviera Country Club on West 143rd Street a “blighted eyesore” that could be made into an athletic field house to provide better access for those residents.
Lawler said he drove from 135th Street and South 80th Avenue to the Orland Park Sportsplex on West 159th Street during rush hour one day. After a more than 20-minute commute, he said he can understand why some parents don’t use the village-owned facility.
“So I guess it would be important to look at this study to see, can the town of Orland Park … support two sportsplexes?” Lawler said. “Hopefully we can.”
Parks and Recreation Director Piattoni said depending on the results of the study, the field house could include multipurpose indoor fields and room for senior activities while serving as a family play destination. Local organizations have expressed interest in the field house providing dedicated spaces for tumbling, wrestling, cheer, and speed and agility training.
“While we have a lot of recreation amenities, this gives us the opportunity to introduce new amenities, which could be a museum, could be an indoor playground or could be a hybrid of both,” Piattoni said.
Trustee Michael Milani last month said he opposed the village’s original plan to purchase and redevelop the former country club but, “this study gives you the opportunity to change my mind.”
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He and Katsenes opposed the purchase of the club, with Milani expressing concerns about profitability of the village’s other fitness centers and the board’s moving forward before completing the promised study.
“How can we improve and do things differently if we have another facility?” Milani said. “So I think this feasibility study needed to happen and happen quickly, because without that level of detail, you can’t show me the value that this is going to provide.”
Melka Landscaping annexation
As part of a larger effort to provide the village control over local development, the board approved the voluntary annexation of Melka Landscaping and Garden Center on West 179th Street. Jim Melka, who co-owns the business with his sister Lauren, said the village approached them about annexation in 2024.
He said the business will continue operations as usual, though retail customers will notice the village’s tax applied to purchases.
“Other than that, hopefully our property taxes don’t increase,” Melka said.