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Dear River Forest residents,
The latest update on the Lake & Lathrop development site is that progress is being made to find a new developer, and this includes numerous proposals to purchase the property. More information can be found in an article below. Any development proposal will be reviewed by our Village Board of Trustees to ensure it is in line with our vision for this important commercial corridor in River Forest.
Congratulations to John Rigas on his “Heart of the Village” award from the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society! Over his two decades of public service, John served as a Village President, a Village Trustee, a member of the Oak Park River Forest High School District 200 School Board, and on the Foundation Board of Directors at his alma mater, Illinois State University (ISU), where he was also inducted into their Hall of Fame. Congratulations to John on this prestigious award!
Lastly, early voting in Cook County for the Tuesday, March 19 General Primary Election is open now through Monday, March 18. For more information about voter registration deadlines and locations, click here.
Sincerely,
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Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
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Last week, Ascend Real Estate Group, the court-appointed receiver currently responsible for marketing the Lake & Lathrop project site, submitted their quarterly report to the Village. The report provided details regarding their ongoing efforts related to this commercial site, and as of this date, there have been five proposals to purchase the property. The receiver is currently negotiating contract terms with the high bidder, Michigan Avenue Real Estate Group. The potential sale of the property will be subject to court approval, with the next court hearing scheduled for March 18. The Village Board of Trustees will continue to retain authority over the approval of any development plans related to this property.
The Village made a financial commitment to this property many years back due to the contamination and leaching of a dry cleaning chemical that was moving through our sewer system and toward St. Luke School. The property was successfully cleaned, as affirmed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) stating no further remediation would be needed. The IEPA letter can be viewed here.
After the building permit expired for the former developer (Lake and Lathrop Partners sometimes known as Sedgwick Properties), it was not renewed due to a lack of progress. Wintrust Bank continues to be the property owner, and responsible party for this site. To date, Wintrust Bank has paid $121,403.58 for clean up, maintenance, property taxes, monitoring and marketing of this site. Any legal fees due to litigation relating to this property have been, and will continue to be paid by Wintrust Bank. To date, the Village has not paid, and is not responsible, for any services or legal fees related to this property.
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The Zoning Board of Appeals hearing that was continued from January 11 will take place Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, to continue discussions on potential zoning ordinance amendments. Proposed changes would apply to the four commercial districts in town, and are aimed at simplifying regulations to encourage businesses and developers to come to River Forest. Among the potential changes are adjusting height maximums for buildings, decreasing residential density requirements for lot areas, and easing parking restrictions. All proposed changes are intended to clarify the Village Code while promoting economic development. To learn more, click here. | |  |
Hate Crime
Prevention Panel
(click image to enlarge)
| Don’t miss the Hate Crime Prevention Panel on Tuesday, March 12 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Village Hall. Cook County United Against Hate, featuring a panel including Commissioner Frank Aguilar, Commissioner Tara Stamps, Commissioner Maggie Trevor, and Village President Cathy Adduci will be discussing this important topic. RSVP here. | | |
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Join Village President Cathy Adduci for her annual State of the Village Address at the Village Board of Trustees meeting this coming Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. Residents will hear about Village accomplishments in 2023 and what they can look forward to in 2024. To learn more, click here.
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Village President Visits Lincoln Elementary | Last month, Village President Cathy Adduci was honored to give a presentation about local government to Mrs. McCole, Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. McKenna, and Ms. Baiocchi's 3rd grade classes at Lincoln Elementary School. Some of the topics she presented on included who the Village's elected officials are, what volunteer boards and commissions do, and an overview of services provided by the Village to residents. The children enjoyed learning about their local government! | | |
Over the past few weeks, the Village has received a significant increase in reports of idling freight trains along the Union Pacific Line. This nuisance is not acceptable, as there must be consideration given by the railroad to our nearby neighbors. Village President Adduci has requested an in-person meeting with Union Pacific officials, and has also requested assistance from Congressman Danny Davis. To view the letter sent by the Village to Union Pacific officials, click here. | | |
The Village's Public Works Department is taking advantage of the unseasonably mild weather and changing its focus from snow removal, to activities normally interrupted or postponed during winter. Over the past several weeks, crews have been tree trimming, handling landscape-related tasks and addressing street light outages and repairs - as well as street sweeping throughout the Village. Despite the mild temperatures, winter is not over yet, as snow could appear as late as April - but the break from the cold is a welcome reprieve! | |
On Saturday, March 23, the Athletic Board at St. Vincent Ferrer School (SVF) will be hosting their annual March Madness Fundraiser, which provides funds to purchase equipment for the array of sports offered to SVF students from kindergarten through 8th grade. Funds will also help to maintain the gymnasium, concession program, and assist in keeping the rising cost of sports participation down. This event will be held in SVF Kyte Hall from 6:30 – 10 p.m. and will feature live games, raffles, and basketball squares. For questions, please send an email. | | |
Community Center Summer Camps | Registration is now open for summer camps at the River Forest Community Center that begin on Monday, June 10. Summer camps are available for both full and part-time campers and cater to children ages 3-14. Camp activities include arts and crafts, games, sports, water play/swimming, field trips, special events, and more! Registration must be done in-person at the Community Center. More information is available here. | | |
Sign Up for Electronic Waste Pickup | The deadline to sign up for Electronic Waste Home Collection is Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. for pickup during the week of March 18 - March 20. Residents who participate in the Village’s waste collection program can have e-waste collected by Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) from their home at no additional charge on the regular waste collection pick-up day. LRS will collect up to seven accepted items (total), with no more than two TVs or computer monitors per collection, per household. For a full list of accepted items, click here. | | |
New Fee at Village Hall Charging Station | |
Beginning Monday, March 11, a new fee will go into effect for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station at Village Hall. The station will continue to provide two hours of free charging, after which a fee of $10 per hour will be imposed, at a cap of $30.
In 2023, access to charging ports was blocked by fully charged vehicles for the equivalent of 41 days. This fee is meant to encourage EV owners to move their vehicles after they’ve been sufficiently charged, to increase access for all EV users. Two hours of free charging provides up to 50 miles of charge. Additional resources and information can be found here.
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River Forest Business Spotlight! | |
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Cameo Dental Specialists offers comprehensive dental services all under one roof - including endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery. They also strive to provide a positive and rewarding dental experience - from the moment you walk through their doors to the completion of your treatment! To learn more or visit one of their five locations, click here.
Please support local businesses whenever possible! If you have a business located in River Forest with a valid business license, it can be featured in the Village’s business spotlight. If you’d like your business to be featured, please send us an email. You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website.
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