The planned demolition of the Jackson Square Antique Mall that was scheduled to begin this week has been halted by a Cook County Judge’s temporary restraining order.
Circuit court Judge D. Renee Jackson issued the injunction May 18, the day demolition was to have begun, continuing the matter until June 2.rererere
“Someone is finally listening and we’re finally getting some reasonable consideration,” Jonathon Robinson, whose residence is directly next door to Jackson Square, said in response to the move.
Robinson filed suit last month against both the village of La Grange and developer Five South Sixth LLC regarding plans to demolish the mall and replace it with a five-story, 39-unit multifamily condominium complex.
The plans were the subject of several Village Board and Plan Commission meetings last fall, where neighbors and residents interested in historic preservation spoke out to save the Art Deco building built in 1902 and designed by George Kingsley.
In October, the La Grange Plan Commission recommended several amendments to village code that had been requested by developer Dan Spain, including allowing the proposed condominium building to exceed existing height limits and changes to zoning for the site. Village officials gave final approval to the plan in January, and on April 29, Five South sixth issued a Notice of Demolition to begin May 18.
But according to the injunction, Robinson “has shown that he has a clearly ascertainable right in need of protection, including that the demolition may cause a direct injury.”
The court also found that Robinson would “suffer irreparable harm … namely, the loss of use and enjoyment of his property.”
Robinson claimed in his lawsuit that the village did not exercise due diligence in processing the development.
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“Number one, in the first meeting in October, they didn’t allow us more than three minutes (to speak),” he said. “And that wasn’t enough time to defend ourselves, to get our perspective out there. The Illinois Attorney General gives advice that basically an affected person, which is a person within 250 feet of the actual building, that most likely three minutes is not an adequate time frame.”
Robinson stressed that he was not against any development on the property and knew when he bought his house that the building would likely be the subject of some sort of renovation.
“Basically, the setback being 29 feet, 7 inches from our property, we would find that acceptable because that’s what the code says is acceptable,” he said. “The fact that they reduce that down to 12 feet is our problem.
“They are overwhelming us, they are affecting us.”
Dan Spain, the principal of developer Five South Sixth and the owner of The Elm Restaurant in downtown La Grange called Robinson’s lawsuit “without merit” and said developers are eager to dismiss this lawsuit so La Grange can grow in line with its Forward Comprehensive Plan.
“Our team remains committed to delivering a high-quality, transit-oriented development that will encourage more people to live in the downtown La Grange area,” Spain said via email “The project will significantly increase the real estate tax base and incorporate a stormwater detention system designed to mitigate flooding during heavy rainfall events.”
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.