Web Extra!
The West Cook YMCA’s board of directors selected a party to purchase and develop its three properties Tuesday. However, the organization is remaining tight-lipped on that party’s identity and what it envisions for the sites.
The properties include 255 S. Marion St., an apartment building at 301 Wisconsin, and the “south court” parking lot at 327½ Home Avenue. The YMCA purchased nearly eight acres of vacant land from the Village of Forest Park for $4.3 million in November. It then sent out a request seeking parties interested in developing the properties.
Five responses came back and the YMCA interviewed two finalists earlier this month.
Mercy Housing Lakefront–a non-profit which runs 11 supportive housing facilities in the Midwest–received word Wednesday, by letter, that it was not the finalist. The letter was short, maybe a few sentences, and simply said the YMCA chose a candidate that proposed to develop all three properties, Lisa Kuklinski, regional director of public affairs for Mercy said by phone yesterday.
Mercy had also proposed to develop all three properties. The organization is not currently exploring other locations for affordable housing in Oak Park, though it remains open to the idea, Kuklinski said.
Mercy did not make a price offer to buy the properties, which were appraised at $5-6 million in 2005. The non-profit’s rough plan for the land was to combine market-rate and affordable housing on the properties.
YMCA President and CEO Scott Gaalaas declined to reveal the chosen developer yesterday. The sale price is yet to be finalized, and the YMCA hasn’t closed the Forest Park land purchase yet, but the two parties have a contract in place.
The organization needs to raise $20-22 million to build its new 65,000-square-foot facility, located at 7824 Madison St. It will feature two indoor swimming pools, an indoor track, plus indoor basketball and volleyball courts. Outdoor soccer, baseball and softball fields are also included.
Fundraising will take 12-18 months. Construction would begin shortly after and take another 12-15 months. The YMCA will remain in Oak Park until the Forest Park facility is ready to be occupied.
Brian Lantz, a resident of the 300 block of Home Avenue, lives near the YMCA and is one of the leaders of a neighborhood group, called the Brooks Neighborhood Association, concerned about possible uses on the three properties. Their concerns include the possible size of any development and the impact on public safety a supportive housing facility might have on the nearby neighborhood.
Lantz said he understands the YMCA’s desire to keep its plans secret but wishes it would involve the public at some level.
“It’s their land, and it’s their right to do with it as they see fit,” he said, [but] people have invested their savings and lives to live here, and [the YMCA] should probably seek the neighborhood’s input to minimize any impact,” Lantz said later. “That seems reasonable to me.”
Lynda Schueler, executive director of West Suburban PADS–an agency that operates homeless shelters in the Oak Park area and provides services to help end homelessness–is part of a group hoping to keep some form of affordable housing in Oak Park to make up for the loss of the YMCA’s 128 units.
“I think it would be disappointing if the Y were to leave the community with a developer who isn’t willing to at least replace some of the affordable units that are going to be lost, at a complete minimum,” Schueler said.
Editor’s note: For complete coverage, read the Jan. 30 Wednesday Journal