Clarendon Hills Restaurant May Be No-Go After All

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Clarendon Hills' up-and-down relationship with the owner of a planned restaurant is down again.

In a memo released Thursday, Village Manager Paul Dalen advised the Village Board to terminate its subsidy agreement with Prospect Tavern, saying the owner failed to meet the terms.

The board is set to vote on the recommendation Monday.

The agreement featured a $265,000 subsidy for a renovation at 27 S. Prospect Ave.

In April, village officials proposed the agreement's end, but the board voted unanimously to let the village resolve issues with the owner, Chase Lofti.

At the meeting, Lofti told the board he was "100 percent committed" to the renovation. He said he had been going back and forth with the architect on different designs.

A month later, Dalen informed the board that Lofti remained in default of the agreement. He again advised the board to terminate it. But the item was removed from that month's meeting agenda

At the time, Lofti described himself as "absolutely shocked" by the village staff's recommendation.

"I haven't defaulted on any part of the agreement," he said.

Patch left a message for comment with Lofti late Thursday afternoon.

The board plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Village Hall.