Water Damage Restoration in Burr Ridge, IL

The store plans a major renovation, which is expected to bring more customers.

Patch Staff

|Updated Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 12:03 pm CT

BURR RIDGE, IL – A Burr Ridge grocery store is requesting $400,000 from a special tax district to help pay for a renovation.

Brookhaven Marketplace, 100 Burr Ridge Parkway, is the largest tenant in the County Line Square shopping center. It has been there for two decades and owned in part by John Manos.

The store is planning a $1.8 million project, including a roof replacement, new refrigeration units, extensive floor replacement and upgrades, according to village records.

"The planned renovations represent a significant reinvestment in the property, enhancing its value and attracting more customers to the area," the store's lawyer, Jim Olguin, said in a letter to the village last week.

The $400,000 would come from a 4-year-old 1 percent sales tax in the business district, which consists of Village Center, County Line Square and the Marriott.

Find out what's happening in Burr Ridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The tax money was intended to benefit the district itself with such things as buildings, roads, utilities, demolition of buildings and renovations of existing ones.

Because Brookhaven is a grocery, the business district tax doesn't apply to most of the store's items. Through a state sales tax, though, the village receives 1 percent of the sale of almost all of Brookhaven's goods. But the state tax ends Jan. 1.

In his letter, Olguin said the store would support a village decision to enact a 1 percent grocery tax to replace the lost income. This is something the village can do under state law.

The Garber family owns County Line Square and agrees to the project, according to a Burr Ridge memo. The village said it has no indication the landlord is helping pay for the project.

Brookhaven is seeking a long-term lease extension, the memo said.

On Wednesday, the Burr Ridge Economic Development Committee plans to consider Brookhaven Marketplace's request. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall.

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WILLOW SPRINGS, IL – A Willow Springs official said this week he wondered what Pleasantdale School District 107 was hiding in its effort for an expanded preschool.

On Tuesday, Willow Springs Trustee Tom Arra emailed the superintendent, copying the school board and a Patch reporter.

Pleasantdale is looking to buy Burr Ridge Village Hall to set up an expanded early childhood center. According to the district, the purchase and renovation would require a property tax hike of $25 to $50 a year for a $500,000 house.

The district held a public meeting Monday in the middle school library on the proposal. It was livestreamed, but not recorded.

In his email, Arra said he was "extremely" disappointed the meeting was not recorded. He said he had urged the district to ensure "COMMUNICATION to the OVERALL COMMUNITY" and "PLEASE OVER COMMUNICATE."

"My neighbors and the community are really wanting to know what the school district is not telling us," said Arra, who told Patch that he was speaking in his role as a resident, not as a trustee. "The definition of insanity is ... repeating the same behaviors and expecting a different result. This school district deserves better communication and leadership."

In reply, Superintendent Dave Palzet said his team has worked hard to out the word about the plan.

Those efforts have included a mailer to residents, a detailed FAQ on the website, a social media campaign and a thorough presentation at the meeting, Palzet said.

"I would add that adjustments to the presentation occurred at the last minute as a direct result of your requests," the superintendent said.

He said that as a government official, Arra knows that not all meetings are recorded. For instance, he said, Willow Springs does not audio or video record its zoning meetings.

"As you know, our library, unlike our Board room or the Willow Springs Board room, is not set up for video recording," Palzet said. "In fact, we have received feedback that recordings made in this space are low quality. As a high performer yourself, I am sure you would agree that it is best not to put out a low-quality product."

The superintendent also took issue with Arra's comment that the district deserves better leadership. He said Arra should consider the district's "great" outcomes over the last decade before "besmirching" the leadership of the superintendent and his team.

Among the district's accomplishments, he said, were upgrades and repairs to buildings for generations to come, improvements to the use of technology, updated and nationally recognized curriculum and instructional practices, and some of the best student outcomes in the state.

During the pandemic, he said, Pleasantdale stayed open for business while other schools were shuttered.

More recently, the district has had the "courage to address the issues of growth and a changing community rather than kicking the can down the road," Palzet said.

In response, Arra asked for an in-person discussion.

Palzet agreed to the suggestion but wanted another person in the room, given "the level of rhetoric" in Arra's email. Palzet said he would bring Griffin Sonntag, assistant superintendent for finance.

Burr Ridge is looking to sell Village Hall and build a new one near Starbucks at Village Center. No decision has been made.

BURR RIDGE, IL – Darien posted online the comments in its survey of residents a couple of years ago. But Burr Ridge refuses to release them in any form.

The village has shown it is serious about keeping the feedback secret. It fired an employee who posted the comments to its website last year. And it recently declined Patch's public records request for them.

In its denial letter to Patch, the village said it promised residents that it would keep their responses "confidential."

Releasing them, the village said, would amount to an "unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." That's an exception under the state's Freedom of Information Act.

In an interview with Patch on Thursday, John Kraft of the downstate Edgar County Watchdogs said it doesn't matter what the village promised to survey respondents. The Freedom of Information Act, he said, requires the release of such comments and overrides any pledges to the contrary.

Find out what's happening in Burr Ridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

He said the village can legally black out the names of survey respondents and any personal references to private citizens and businesses.

On Friday, Patch asked the village to reconsider its decision. It has not heard back.

Besides Darien, Naperville, Western Springs and Willowbrook have also posted survey comments to their websites.

In November, officials spoke about the survey results at a Village Board meeting. The survey indicated that 99 percent of respondents rated their community positively, while 98 percent had an overall feeling of safety.

Additionally, 95 percent of respondents have strong confidence in village government, the survey showed.

Even the lowest percentages of satisfaction were still high – 92 percent for stormwater maintenance and 90 percent for pathway maintenance.

Patch obtained information about the fired employee through a public records request.

In December, Village Administrator Evan Walter sent a termination letter to the employee who published the 280 comments on the village website. He accused the employee of poor judgment.

Walter referred to a notice of reprimand against the employee a year earlier. In that case, Walter alleged the employee disclosed "confidential" survey and personnel information to third parties.

He also said the employee contacted a member of the finance department to inquire about the salary of an employee with whom she was romantically involved.

"To be clear, the Village is in no way disciplining you solely for engaging in a romantic relationship or living with a fellow employee; this discipline is related to the inquiry of salary information not your own but of a household member's," Walter said.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Burr Ridge|Local Event

Sat, Feb 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge, 1200 Burr Ridge Pkwy, Burr Ridge, IL, 60527

More info here

Are you ready to go all in for a cause that transforms lives? Join Pillars Community Health (PCH) for an unforgettable evening of celebration, support, and giving back at All In For PCH! The annual gala will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 6–11 p.m. at the Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge. This event is open to all community partners, supporters, and members of the general public.

The evening will feature dinner, casino-style entertainment, the presentation of the Power of One Award, and a diamond raffle for a stunning pair of 14-karat white gold earrings with 40 dazzling round diamonds totaling 0.5 carats valued at $2,195 (donated by Georgetown Jewelers). Raffle tickets are available for $100 each.

The Power of One Award, created by the PCH Board of Directors, honors individuals or groups who have made a lasting impact on the organization and its mission. This year's recipient is UChicago Medicine/AdventHealth Medical Group – Westchester, formerly Prairie Medical Group. It has been instrumental in PCH's success, offering steadfast support to PCH and its predecessor, Community Nurse. Their contributions include participation in key fundraising events and providing volunteer services, such as physician oversight for resident doctors at Community Nurse. Their dedication has significantly advanced PCH's mission of delivering whole-person care, ensuring everyone has equal access to care in their community.

"This gala is more than just an event—it's a celebration of the collective power of our community to create lasting change," said Angela Curran, president and CEO of Pillars Community Health. "Every ticket purchased, every sponsor, and every donation is a step toward ensuring that individuals and families in our community receive the compassionate, whole-person care they need to thrive."

All In For PCH is made possible by the generous support of sponsors, including All Information Services, INC, Chicago Private Wealth Group, Marsh McLennan Agency, and Proviso Township Mental Health Commission. Proceeds from the event directly support PCH's mission to meet the community's evolving health and wellness needs.

All In For PCH is a critical fundraiser that ensures PCH can adapt to the ever-changing needs of the communities it serves, offering comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, and domestic and sexual violence services and vital resources.