Downers Grove Park District to acquire 14.8 acres of land

One of the last remaining pockets of land suitable for recreational use in Downers Grove will be acquired by the Downers Grove Park District this summer.

The 14.8 acre property at Ogden and Walnut is currently owned by the Alter Group and has been in the Park District’s acquisition plans for over 20 years. At the Downers Grove Park District board meeting on April 16, the commissioners unanimously approved an authorization to allow Park District staff to enter into an agreement with the Alter Group to purchase the land.

“This is a historical opportunity, a parcel this size and location doesn’t come along often, maybe never again.” Said Park Board President Matt Cushing. “The awards Downers Grove has won and the top ten lists we’ve been on have all cited the importance of parks, so the opportunity to acquire this land is exciting for the Park District and for every resident in Downers Grove.”

The parcel of land, which will cost $304,054 per acre, will remain undeveloped for the near future and will support a potential expansion of recreation and field sports in the Park District. The land is also immediately adjacent to the Walnut Avenue sports fields, which will be used for soccer, football and other field sports for the first time this fall. The Alter Group will retain 3.33 acres of land on Ogden Avenue to allow for future commercial development.

Bob Gelwicks, Vice-President of the Park Board said. “We recognize that there is an increasing need for field space in Downers Grove and with land prices and interest rates at historical lows, this is the ideal time to purchase and add this property to our inventory.”

The resolution passed at the April 16 board meeting authorizes the purchase of the land with a closing date this summer.