An Opportunity For Burr Ridge Mayor's Son?

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso has publicly expressed interest in declaring a "moratorium" on the old TCF Bank site, where the five-story building is vacant.

At a Village Board meeting last month, the mayor said a potential developer who wants to develop the property has "considerable" funds and "considerable" experience. He gave no details. He also didn't define what a moratorium would mean for the property.

In May 2019, a few weeks after he became mayor, Grasso wrote his son, Daniel Grasso, about the parcel. His son works for real estate services firm JLL.

From his village email account, the mayor told his son that the parcel in question was about 16 acres and sits between Village Center and County Line Square.

"We understand TCF wants to sell, and the Village wants to develop it at the highest and best use for sales tax generation or alternative revenues that can benefit the Village while 'trying' or 'linking' the developed parcel to the (Village Center) and (County Line Square) to promote all businesses and best serve our community," the mayor said in the May 31, 2019, email. "Does JLL provide consultant/guidance services at this stage?"

He signed the email "DAD."

A couple of hours later, Daniel Grasso responded.

"Let me talk to a couple of people, and I'll get back to you," he said in an email from his JLL account.

In an email to Patch on Wednesday, Daniel Grasso said, "There was no further interest or additional inquiries about this property. I am unaware of the current status of the sale."

The mayor didn't return messages for comment.

Former Burr Ridge Trustee Zach Mottl sent the emails to Patch. He obtained them through a public records request with the village.

Mottl, who lost to Grasso in the 2019 mayoral election, questioned the emails between Grasso and his son, wondering whether that's how the mayor knew about a developer with "considerable" funds.

He said the mayor engages in such dealings while "enjoying total support from his rubberstamp board."

In 2019, TCF Bank sold the property to Detroit Chemical.