What's Next for Former Tinley Park Mental Health Center Campus?

Tinley Park residents are invited too participate in developing a Master Plan for the 280-acre former Tinley Park Mental Health Center site during several upcoming public meetings.

“This property sits near the center of town and is by far the single-largest development opportunity in the Village,” said Tinley Park Mayor Dave Seaman. “The Master Plan will be used to guide development of the site, and we want to make sure that plan reflects the vision of the entire community.”

The first meeting, titled “Start the Conversation,” will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3 at Central Middle School, 18146 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park. The evening will provide initial introductory information about the site and will give residents a chance to weigh in on what they want to see developed there.

Other public meetings will include “Building Blocks with Keypad Polling” on Feb. 24 in which attendees can learn the preferences of residents; “Regulatory Framework” on April 13 featuring development options for feedback and selection; and “Walk the Plan” on June 15 with a final plan presentation. All three meetings will be at 6:30 p.m. at Central Middle School.

Farr and Associates, whom the Village contracted to first conduct a land use and development analysis and then draft a Master Plan, will give a project update on May 10 and then a final report on June 29 during Committee of the Whole meetings at 7:30 p.m. at Tinley Park Village Hall, 16250 S. Oak Park Ave..

“The Village will need a clear master plan and regulatory framework to ensure the community’s vision is carried throughout course of development phases,” Seaman said. “I hope that each and every resident comes out to these public meetings so that together we can create a ‘best-in-region’ development to compliment the entire Village and set a precedent for surrounding areas.”

Farr also will create a dedicated website and Facebook page for the project. Additional information on the public meetings, as well as general information on the progress of the project, will be available at these sources and at the Village website at www.tinleypark.org.

In addition to Farr, other involved parties include SB Friedman (market analysis and developer outreach); Sam Schwartz (pedestrian and bike planning); Hey and Associates (hydrology and ecology analysis); Robinson Engineering (cost estimating); and the Site Design Group (landscape and architecture).

The Village also has created a tax increment financing (TIF) district for the Tinley Park Mental Health Center property to help pay for costs associated with cleaning up and developing the land. TIFs freeze tax revenue in the created district at a base year’s rates and then use increases in property values for the next 23 years (the maximum life span of a TIF) to fund public improvements within that district.

“I’m certain that together we can create something that everyone will be extremely proud of,” Seaman said.

More information will be available at www.tinleypark.org as the project progresses.