Clarendon Hills Buys $1.4M Downtown Property

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Developers' plans for a wooded site in downtown Clarendon Hills have fallen through.

So the Village Board this week decided to buy the land for $1.4 million. It contains a vacant house.

Neighbors said the pending purchase surprised them. They expressed concerns about parking, among other issues, with any development of the land.

The property was owned by Evelyn Kapicka, who died at age 97 in February 2023.

Just last year, Clarendon Hills received a developer's proposal for a five-story apartment complex, with a restaurant on the first floor.

That fell through, along with another developer's plan, officials said.

"The village has been waiting for something to happen with the Kapicka (site) for 20 years, and nothing has happened to date," Village Manager Zach Creer said at Monday's board meeting.

This was the first residents have heard that the village would buy the land, although officials have spoken for years about the need to develop it.

Trustee Meredith Lannert said the village was not trying to be evasive about its plan for the property.

"We don't quite know yet," she said. "Once we have more information, it will be public. We are definitely very aware of the parking impact. That's one of our major conversations about any development downtown. We're trying to be very cautious and plan for that."

Catherine Schwarz, who lives across the street from the property in question, questioned the purchase.

"The village is going to spend $1.4 million of our tax money on something that might or might not happen," she said.

Lannert replied, "Right now, we have a forest with raccoons and such over there... I can't imagine you're thrilled with what it looks like now."

Schwarz said she was happy with its appearance "versus a bunch of lights, garbage and people."

Taps Gallagher, a former village trustee, said the board could delay a vote and listen to the community in the meantime.

"We can have people comment on it. Then we can decide if we want to spend $1.4 (million). There is no rush in buying it, is there?" he asked.

Village President Eric Tech said the village would not get into specifics.

Creer said the village has identified 104 Walker as a development opportunity for more than a decade.

"This has always been on the radar for our community," he said. "It's in our downtown master plan."

"Plans can change," a woman in the audience said.

After a closed session, trustees approved the purchase, with Trustee Steve Tuttle as the lone dissenter.

In an email to Patch on Friday, Creer said, "Two developments the Village has spent significant time on have fallen through in the last 4 years at this site. Hard to say who is at fault, but the Village buying the property removes one variable."